We had the good fortune of connecting with Paige Swanson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paige, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Never has it been so urgent for the world to prioritize mental health. The triple impact of COVID-19,a looming recession, concerns and ongoing wars and conflicts is creating an enormous toll on our population—be they directly or indirectly impacted. Due to this, the demand for mental health services has risen for complicated disorders like depression and anxiety in the United States. In the state of Texas, the mental health shortage is continuing to grow as demands for community treatment and coverage of mental health care services are being seriously considered. In 2023, Texas was granted at least 933 million in mental health care funds to help with the shortage. According to a policy brief written by UT Austin, mental health is being considered ‘the biggest public health challenge’ of our time. I’ve always been the type to look at the world a little bit differently – I see things through a lens of ‘how do we make this better,’ rather than ‘that’s the way it is ought to be.’ Maybe, is what kick-started me to begin Sauna Therapy. But honestly, it was when I needed mental health services the most that I, myself, could not afford or find access to them.
I thought to myself,” What if having a place that was integrative and affordable could have been the healthcare that I needed the most?” That’s what Sauna embodies; it embodies a place where you don’t have to piece together your wellness plan for yourself – holistic or not. It is a place that accepts all approaches to healing because Sauna understands that healing is not a one size fits all model. It is about cultivating a sense of personal care that is unique to the patients experiences, hardships and traumas.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In all respects, I am still building the vision behind Sauna and speaking with investors daily. So, yes, Sauna is trademarked ;). Sauna studios is an all in one care clinic increasing accessibility to mental health services through affordable Telehealth, group and individual sessions focused on methods in wellness and stress reduction. Services include same day appointment bookings through online platform, coaching with a qualified care professional, tele-health, medication management, therapy, mind-body therapies (massage, acupuncture, saunas) and wellness centered groups in a contemporary environment meant to fuel productivity and increase a sense of inner-peace.

However, right now, my private practice is just the beginning of what, I believe, will be a life-long journey to building my wellness concept in Dallas, Texas. In my private practice currently, you can find a laid-back and easy approach to mental health with services focused on expressive arts therapy, yoga therapy, trauma therapy and more. The idea for the name Sauna Therapy came about during a long hike in Sedona, Arizona. Hiking in the Arizona desert is a magical experience that reminded me of the resiliency of the human spirit. Much like the cacti that stand tall amid the pounding Arizona heat, humans have an adaptable capacity to not only survive but thrive despite their circumstances. I also found a strong longing for ecology and how our biology/ psychology is inherently affected by the world around us. I wanted to create a practice that embodied all three disciplines: ecology, biology, and psychology. Thus, Sauna Therapy, an integrative therapy practice was born. The integration of psychiatry behavioral health services allows health professionals to better coordinate treatments so that neither physical nor mental health care needs are neglected. Integrated models of service delivery have been used to prevent service fragmentation and poorly coordinated care and increased patient accessibility. Integrated care has been shown to produce positive outcomes and is  an effective approach to caring for people with complex health care needs. In addition to improving outcomes, integrated health care can help expand and optimize the workforce. Sauna Therapy offers a new concept for integrated care that allows for more accessibility in mental  health care treatment services by combining wellness methodologies like (acupuncture, massage, mindfulness and nutrition) with a full health plan in behavioral health (psychiatrist, therapist, crisis services).
It is my hope to one day build a studio that offers more services outside of the high rates in private practice and incorporates a wellness team that is all in-house, making the patients behavioral health needs easily manageable.
Although I am still a new business owner,  Sauna Therapy is growing rapidly, so I would tell new business owners that no matter how intensive it may feel to defy boundaries and set out to be an entrepreneur, “if you feel it in your bones, never look back.” It is amazing what a little bit of grit, tenacity, and strength will get you.And with that, I will leave you with a quote from a song of one of my favorite artists Dawes, entitled “Crack the Case”:It’s really hard to hate anyone when you know what they’ve been through. And once they’ve given you a taste – She said this is for you to overcome but I will always love you. In her perfect state of grace, maybe that will crack the case. No matter the struggle or hardship, remembering the simple act of grace and holding compassion for your journey will get you farther than you’d ever imagine.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, when I think of cool spots, I will list my favorite wellness experiences:

1. Le Sol House
2. Kings Spa
3. Bishop Arts District
4. Hiking Trails

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I grew up in an amazing family. A family that took care of others and always cheered for the underdog. This is probably because I grew up loving a father who was an underdog – in his eyes that is. In mine, my father was the most giving and compassionate person I had ever met. Growing up, my father instilled in me the importance of the underdog – but more importantly, the spiritual teachings of Jesus. He instilled in me the importance of breaking bread, of bearing compassion, helping those in need and of unconditional love. Because of him, I knew that there was more in the world than rooting for the champion, that the underdogs deserved a chance to rise and claim their chance of winning in the world.

My mother was a child of the 1980s and 1990s post-feminist revolution hailing from the land of the dawn of feminist revolution herself, “The Pacific Northwest.” The daughter of an orthopedic surgeon, my mother excelled in the world of finance. Our family was the early 2000s version of the ‘modern family.’ But even for the post-modern world, accepting a woman as the head of the household felt, at times, like some sort of cultural faux pas. As if there was something wrong with us, our dynamic, and what we represented as an American people traveling from California and residing in the state of Texas.

Growing up, my family instilled in me the importance of the underdog; but more importantly, the spiritual teachings of Jesus. They instilled in me the importance of breaking bread, bearing compassion, helping those in need, and of unconditional love. Because of them, I knew that there was more in the world than rooting for the champion. That theme of understanding the underdog’s story became essential to developing the skills as a therapist to acknowledge that people all go through heavy and painful burdens
Ultimately, I wanted to understand these social dynamics and how they shaped me to always value the underdog. To cheer for those who were cast in society as ‘wrong,’ ‘misdirected’ and ‘not worthy of love. It is because of my families curiosity and acceptance of the unknown that I set out to become a therapist. Therefore, I want to give a shout out to them! 

Website: https://saunatherapies.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sauna.therapy/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swansonpaige/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.