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Dr. Deitra Hickey celebrates success by growing her business
For Dr. Deitra Hickey, “serenity” means more than just a sense of calm. For Hickey, counselor, educator, life coach, author and owner of both the Serenity Health & Wellness Center and the newly-opened Serenity Nail Salon & Spa, serenity is the stabilizing anchor that keeps her busy life, and growing wellness empire, in balance. Although her well-cultivated sense of tranquility appears natural, it is, like most things in her life, the product of Hickey’s unrelenting drive and ambitious attitude.
Polished & Pampered
The brand-new Serenity Nail Salon & Spa is leaving clients speechless
Ten years ago, terms like “self-care” and “holistic health” hadn’t yet hit the mainstream. The wellness industry was largely exclusionary, often hidden away in the expensive boutiques of bohemian California towns. Most Midwesterners were out of the loop, but Dr. Deitra Hickey, a private practice counselor with 17 years of experience as a school counselor and school principal for Toledo Public Schools, saw the need to make the burgeoning wellness industry accessible, and affordable, to Toledoans. In 2010, she opened her med spa, Serenity Health & Wellness Center, and began educating her clientele, and the people in the town where she was born and raised, about the power of holistic health.
“In the beginning, no one knew what a wellness center was,” reflects Hickey. “Since we did massages and facials, people also assumed we did nails. After referring clients to nail salons for over a decade, we decided to open our own.”
The Nail Salon provides an upscale, classy atmosphere with sophisticated services at affordable prices and boasts Serenity’s iconic earthy-meets-classy aesthetic. The interior is adorned with dramatic interior accents like fountains, fireplaces, stonework, tile, and unique fixtures throughout the newly-renovated space. “Our atmosphere and facility design are like no other. It is warm, upscale, and dramatically beautiful. Clients literally have said that they are speechless when they walk in for the first time,” says Hickey. “We are very proud of what we have created and our attention to every detail.”
The Nail Spa also offers a complete line of nail services for both men and women, as well as full aesthetics, including facials, chemical peels, dermaplane, full body waxing, and eyebrow/eyelash services. Clients can experience an infrared sauna, aromatherapy foot salt soaks and foot detoxification treatments. The Nail Spa also has a private VIP area for upgraded services and group parties.
While the Nail Spa is only a few doors down from the Wellness Center— making a full day of pampering alluringly easy— Hickey sees the two as “completely different businesses that simply complement each other.”
“We are very proud to offer a true holistic health center that focuses on just that, ‘holistic health in a spa setting,’” explains Hickey. “A nail salon has a different feel, energy, and atmosphere, so we didn’t want to combine the two.”
Despite the distinction, the Nail Salon maintains the same business practices and philosophy that built Serenity’s reputation as an elegant, accepting and empowering oasis with an uncompromising commitment to quality: “Our mission is to provide this facility for everyone and keep it affordable,” says Hickey. “We also hope to continue raising the bar with customer service while providing the best possible experience for clients.”
Serenity Nail Salon & Spa
1679 Lance Pointe Drive
Just a few buildings down from the wellness center.
419-741-0808
Serenitynailsmaumee.com
A Decade of Tranquility
Serenity Health & Wellness Center celebrates 10 years of unique, upscale and client-centered healing
How does a med spa differ from a day spa?
A med spa offers medical treatments and a spa setting. In our case, we offer “holistic” medical services in a spa setting. Day spas often focus only on beautification and relaxation services.
What’s one thing that most people get wrong about wellness?
I would say that many people are reactive when it comes to our health and our wellness. We have strong intentionality to be proactive instead. What this means is taking care of ourselves and honoring our bodies before we are in pain, ailing, or have a diagnosis. We need to put our health first and remember that health is not only physical but also mental and emotional.
When did you first know that you were a healer?
I went through a lot of adversity as a child. Both of my parents were shot when I was younger and were paralyzed. My mother also had multiple sclerosis, and she passed away in her 40s when I was 21. I saw firsthand how important health and wellness was and the dramatic negative effect poor health can have on a family. I developed a motivation after we lost our mother to help others become as healthy as possible by honoring their bodies and their mind.
What does empowerment mean to you?
Empowerment is all about attitude, drive and will. It’s not about being perfect or always needing to do more. It’s tapping into our gifts and our strengths and utilizing them to help ourselves and make the world a better place. I feel the most empowered when I create leaders and self-empowerment within others.
What are some of your unique services?
Our most unique service is colon hydrotherapy. Offering this treatment was one of the driving forces of making our facility a wellness center. Colon hydrotherapy has been around for hundreds of years and is extremely popular in both the west and east coast. Again, I saw I need to bring this amazing detoxification treatment to Toledo. We are the only ones in the area to have the top-of-the-line, FDA approved devices. We also have acupuncture, hypnosis, clinical counseling, infrared sauna, and foot detoxification treatments aside from our more mainstreamed services such as massage, esthetics, and yoga.
What does it mean to celebrate ten years of business?
It means the world to me. I do think it means even more because we are a successful business, and the community has embraced us. We are often on a waitlist, and some people drive up to two hours to visit us. I am very proud to have been a trailblazer in the wellness center field in Toledo. I can’t thank the community enough for welcoming Serenity, trusting in us, and helping to spread the word over the years.
I am grateful to our loyal clients and our talented staff members. I have always said, “it takes a special person to work at Serenity.“ They are truly amazing. I am also grateful to my supportive husband of 21 years who has believed in me and my mission since day one.
Serenity Health & Wellness Center
1685 Lance Pointe Drive
419-891-2181
SerenityMaumee.com
