"Touch others with compassion,
for compassion can touch the world."
~ Anonymous

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a huge heart for people. I am passionate about making a difference in others’ lives and I have spent my whole life in this pursuit. I planned to become a counselor as I grew up. With this in mind, I created peer counseling and survivor programs in my middle and high schools. During high school and college years, I began fundraising for Greenpeace, Muscular Dystrophy, and Universal Health Care reform.

I moved to Chicago to model while continuing college and found that I enjoyed promoting the struggling fashion designers and photographers rather than modeling myself. Then I was offered the opportunity to scout and place models with agencies around the world, hoping to help make their dreams a reality. There came a turning point when I felt I needed to pursue other avenues besides the modeling industry to improve the lives of people. I tried Corporate America, building a start-up business into a billion dollar company, establishing internal communications while developing guiding principles and overall vision during their expansion.

What I didn’t know at the time was that one of my greatest opportunities in fulfilling my purpose was just an early birth away. Everything changed when I went into labor at six months and gave birth to twins weighing 1 lb. 10 oz. and 1 lb. 11 oz. That event truly changed the course of my life! It was there in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) when I spent five months holding my babies’ skin to my skin that I learned what a healing difference touch provides! As I watched them flourish, growing and getting stronger each and every day I held them, I was in the presence of miracles. I knew that this ability was a gift and an honor. Shortly after the boys came home from the NICU, I was inspired by an infant massage therapist who taught me to massage my boys.

I moved my family back to Madison, Wisconsin, to learn massage therapy, another lifelong passion. I studied under a renowned Chinese doctor and acupuncturist and became certified in Chinese and Western massage. I learned even more about the miraculous power of touch and the healing available through Chinese medicine and acupressure. I knew that I wanted to work with pregnant women, so I studied under an amazing RN, midwife and therapist, and became certified in prenatal and postpartum massage.

After my training, I went on to work in an acupuncture fertility center for several years providing fertility, pregnancy and postpartum massage. During that time, I also worked in a chronic pain center working to improve the lives of those struggling with extreme pain. Before opening my own business, I worked in a spa and had the opportunity as a therapist to introduce many to their first massage. I also was building Corporate America’s understanding of the benefits of chair massage through a public relations and marketing position. One of my greatest joys (outside of my twin boys) is now teaching prenatal massage to massage students and prenatal and labor support massage to couples. I also have the honor of providing acupressure and labor support massage in the delivery room. I regularly give seminars educating others on the benefits of massage, pre-term labor symptoms, and showing how a pain-free pregnancy is absolutely possible! I’m living my dream and own a massage therapy and acupuncture center where 10% of my business proceeds go to organizations that support women and children in poverty, and pre-term infants and their families. I am grateful that I am able to fulfill my life’s pursuit and know this is just the beginning.

Thank you for your interest and I hope I have a chance to make a difference for you!

Nicole Budeau
Owner
A Healer’s Hand