Promoting itself as “Your haven for tranquility,” Austin’s new Essential Life Spa provides relaxation in a peaceful atmosphere with spa services, massage therapy and other treatments — even wellness education.

Renovations began on the uniquely shingled building this year when owner Mark Raimann asked a local massage therapist, Terri Bergstrom, if she would be interested in a spa business.

The spa is located in a restored two-story house with multiple treatment rooms. Bergstrom and Raimann designed the decor using a feng shui expert from the Twin Cities area. They are now taking appointments and the business is scheduled for a grand opening in June.

“The ambience of it — there’s nothing like it,” said Bergstrom, who has several years of experience in massage therapy and will also provide body wraps and hot stone treatments. “I thought it was perfect timing. I just right away felt very positive about it.”

Essential Life will provide more than massage therapy; clients can experience Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, a barefoot massage; massage cupping, an ancient Chinese therapy using cups to create negative pressure; reflexology, a therapy based on the premise the soles of the feet are the map of the entire body; Reiki Energy Session, a Japanese technique for stress reduction; and individual and group sessions for health education. The spa has a meditation room, massage rooms and sauna room.

One unique treatment available at Essential Life is a Spectra Color Spa System capsule, a clam-shaped unit used for heat treatments, body masks and wraps, and light therapy.

In addition to Bergstrom, Essential Life has five other specialists on staff, including:

Jill Delger, massage therapist. Delger will provide general massage therapy, including infant and pregnancy massages as well as body wraps and hot stone treatments.

Lynn Cunningham, therapeutic bodywork and massage. Cunningham has had professional experience in the area of therapeutic massage since 1993. This massage is for clients with muscular or fascial strain, status post trauma and surgery, stress relief and other ailments. Her specialties include craniosacral, a gentle method that uses cranial rhythm to release tissues; neuromuscular, a deep massage treatment used to eliminate spasms and restore biomechanics; and myofascial, a therapy that releases muscles in a non-invasive manner.

Darlene QuirinMai, reflexologist. QuirinMai has attended training for hand, foot and ear reflexology, a treatment used to bring balance to the body, mind and spirit by alternating pressure to reflexes using thumb and finger techniques.

Lisa Nelson, spa services. Nelson has experience as a medical esthic instructor for Empire School in Minneapolis and health skin care director at Mayo Clinic. She will provide European and American facials; back facials; various waxes, including male waxing; eyebrow and eye lash tinting and false lashes; body wraps and body facials; eye lash perming; chemical peels; derma file; and lower lid buff treatment.

Fees range from $40 for a half-hour basic Swedish massage to $220 for a 90-minute couples massage with hot stones and sauna. Other therapies and treatments begin at $35; packages and gift certificates are available.

Essential Life Spa will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 434-9094 or visit www.essentiallifespa.com. Essential Life Spa is located at 610 First. Ave. S.W.