Milford center seeks to share wellness through special salt room
By Pam McLoughlin Dec. 26, 2019 Updated: Dec. 26, 2019 1:06 p.m.
MILFORD — School speech pathologist Laura D’Ostilio has found what she says is a new way to head
off sinus issues and colds - and feel relaxed at the same time — in a new
business that replicates the healing salt caves in Europe.
Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness
opened in November in a plaza at 374 New Haven Ave. and customers say it’s
transformative.
“It’s a great experience for winter,” said D’Ostilio, who loves the beach in summer. Each
time she felt sickness coming on this year, D’Ostilio said she visited the salt
room and avoided getting sick. “I’m convinced,” it works, she said
Business owner Gail Perrella, who has a master’s degree in nutrition and has been researching holistic health
for 10 years, became interested in the field because she’s had illnesses from a
young age, such as respiratory issues, mono and fibromyalgia, none of which
responded well to traditional medications.
“I always envisioned myself owning a wellness center,” Perrella
said.
Perrella, who is married with two young children, practiced in the nutrition field to help people with diet and nutritional deficiencies, “But I realized stress management was important and that whole mindfulness and meditation piece was missing.”
She did some research and wanted to offer a salt room.
In salt therapy she says she saw benefits and the affordability.
The room that fits several people is decorated with pink Himalayan salt that is backlit and a night sky is painted on the ceiling. There are six zero gravity chairs with blankets in case it gets chilly, as the room must be kept at about 70 degrees.
Just entering the dimly lit room is relaxing, but the halotherapy aspect is where the magic is intended to begin.
The halo therapy is run by a generator that crushes sodium chloride into microscopic particles to create the atmosphere of the salt caves in Europe.
The particles diffuse into the air, the skin, sinuses, lungs.
Perrella maintains halotherapy has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
She said salt produces negative ions, which counteract the effects of positive ions and reportedly have been shown to boost energy, relieve stress and improve sleep.
In addition to salt therapy sessions where one relaxes - many fall asleep - there are yoga classes and other special sessions held in the room. Some people do it alone, or are in the room with others they don’t know and others book in groups.
“When the community comes together healing is amplified,” Perrella said.
The “salty yoga” is popular - sessions now are held Saturday during the day and Thursday evening - but they will expand the yoga program soon, she said.
The wellness center - much more than just the salt room - is done in relaxing shades of teal and soft white. They offer massage, wellness workshops, Reiki, and are adding more in the new year, such as nutrition workshops.
Sessions are on the hour and generally the cost is $35 for 45-minute session, but there are discount packages offered - there is a special until Dec. 31 of three 45-minute sessions for $59.
“It’s really fun to see people come in and after they experience the halotherapy they are so relaxed and calm,” she said.
“It’s very rewarding,” she said.
Sessions can be booked by visiting the website at www.revivesalttherapy.com or by calling at 203-283-5968. The full hours for the business are still a work in progress.
Sally Head of Stratford, a customer with health issues related to ongoing upper respiratory symptoms, said she felt like “a different person” after her sixth session in the salt room.
Head said her cold-like symptoms cleared, she has more energy - no more falling asleep at 8 p.m. - and walked out feeling as if she had a hands-on massage.
“You feel really good when you leave,” Head said. “It’s a transformative process - very soothing.”