We were lucky to catch up with Denise Leslie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Denise , so great to have you on the platform. There’s so much we want to ask you, but let’s start with the topic of self-care. Do you do anything for self-care and if so, do you think it’s had a meaningful impact on your effectiveness?
My self care is essential and vital part to all that encompasses my story.
Meditation, prayer, & reflection is done daily. I enjoy spending 20 minutes in the morning to connect to my inner self by starting with gratitude for all that I am, my loved ones, my business, my patients, my community and the world around me.
Breath work is key to releasing the negative energies, thoughts, experiences, that do not serve me, my vision, my mission , or my life positively.
Yoga movement compliments the breath work I do and has an enormously positive effect on my internal organs, hormones, as well as mental clarity.
Showing up for myself in this way allows me the ability to pour into my small business, my community, and all that I love in such a focused and driven way. I have had the energy, the endurance, and perseverance to sustain myself in this journey of life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As the founder of medical & Sports Massage my goal is to help as many patients I can in pain from fibromyalgia, IBS, stress, anxiety, depression, cancer, pre/post operative care. As well as supporting athletes achieve their highest levels through sports massage therapy. I started my company in 2012, After completing 3 medical studies I realized that patients in need of manual lymphatic drainage, and higher level medical and sports massage therapy was under served here in the US. So I am setting out to change that with my company.
My team and I take a therapeutic approach to massage therapy by putting patients on treatment plans that will improve their overall health and wellbeing.
I have a nonprofit organization called Hands to Heal which supports cancer patients during the treatment + recovery stage. The patients we serve are all ages, and come from many diverse demographics, all of the patients in our program are underinsured, and have financial disadvantages. We do not charge them anything for their care while in our program. We also treat youth diagnosed with stress and anxiety disorders.
I am honored to be able to give back to my community by providing support in this way impacting my community by helping as many people as I can through my gift of massage therapy.
I am always doing a community event. Next month on 10/19 I am offering a free yoga class in partnership with CBD Shaman of Sandy springs which will be centered around movement to enable lymphatic flow through a gentle 30 minute guided yoga class. Starting at 2pm- the event ends at 4pm.
Each year in April I celebrate National Student Athlete Day by giving away 4 grants to students nominated in 3 categories. We have the event in partnership with the Atlanta hawks they donate a suite and food each year to honor our students nominated and their parents.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back on skills, qualities, and knowledge and what had the most impact – thinking of the top 3 – 1-starting where I was with the highest level of integrity, and serving people authentically with confidence.
Confidence + integrity (qualities )
2- showing my expertise through channels such as utube, IG, FB, twitter, google I was and am; always executing marketing, branding, and blogging.
3- making sure I have good talent and support around me at all times. I can not do huge task, and impact a large number of people alone, it takes many different types of people to work together for a successful project outcome.
My advise is:
Development takes practice and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations such as speaking in public with a microphone, or doing a on camera interview, the more you do these task the easier they become.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I always look for collaborative partnerships.
Shepard center
American heart association
Winship cancer center
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Hawks
Home Depot (corporate wellness)
IBM (corporate wellness )
Mercedes (corporate wellness)
Any small business centered in sports, or medicine is a good collaboration for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.livelifepainfree.com
- Instagram: Medicalsportsmassage
- Facebook: Medical Sports Massage
- Linkedin: Medical sports massage & Denise Leslie Wellness
- Youtube: Medical & Sports Massage
- Yelp: Medical sports Massage
Image Credits
AMTA Humanitarian recognition in 2022 for my non profit organization. Health 2.0 global leadership for my contribution in healthcare in 2022
