Philip Hanson opened his therapeutic massage practice, Hanson Holistics, in the Birch Alley building at nine 1st Ave W., Suite #5, in Grand Marais last month. Appointments are available six days per week.
Therapeutic massage focuses on relieving pain and improving physical function. It uses various techniques to manipulate soft tissues, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
With more than 25 years of experience, Philip specializes in pain management, injury recovery, and overall wellness using a combination of massage, myofascial release, assisted stretching, and craniosacral therapy. These techniques are designed to decrease pain, increase range of motion, and restore function.
“I’m excited to become part of this community,” Philip said. “And I’m looking forward to contributing to the community and helping people with holistic health care.”
Philip was introduced to the North Shore as a young boy. He had a great aunt and uncle who lived in Schroeder. He spent many summer and school holidays visiting them and exploring Cook County’s outdoor opportunities.
Philip’s fascination with holistic medicine and diverse pain treatment methods began at a young age while still in junior high. “I found it absolutely fascinating,” he recalls.
In 1994, at just 17 years old, he left the Twin Cities to pursue holistic nursing classes in Colorado. After five years there, he moved to Santa Fe, NM, and spent two years advancing his skills at the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts.
Philip’s holistic healthcare approach is unique. “I assist people on multiple levels,” he explains. He takes pride in the long-term relationships he builds with his clients, often serving on their care team for years, sometimes even across three generations.
“One of the hardest things about our move to Grand Marais was leaving the people I’d see regularly,” Philip said.
Philip and his wife, Kelly Hanson, were married six years ago at the Summit Chalet on the peak of Moose Mountain in Lutsen. Four years ago, the family bought a townhouse in Tofte and began spending more time on the North Shore. The Hansons intuitively felt that becoming part of the lifestyle here was possible, and the teens they had at home were okay with the change.
Hanson describes theirs as a Brady Bunch-type family. Each brought three kids to the marriage. The two oldest children, Dominic and Cindle, are out of the nest. Tobyn, Max, and Ella are all high school age, and 7th grader Faith is the youngest. All four have adapted well to a new life.
Hanson closed his practice in the Twin Cities in mid-June. In April, the Hansons purchased a Devil Track Lake home that belonged to the Gaylord family. Tom and Patricia Gaylord were long-time active community members who owned Arrowhead Pharmacy in the 1990s. By the end of June, the family had completed the move.
Kelly, a licensed realtor with Songbird Realty in Grand Marais, and Philip spent the rest of the summer and fall updating the house and settling the family into its new home.
Philip is one of the lucky ones who found his calling early in life and still finds it gratifying. “I help people because I care,” he said. “It’s an extremely rewarding career.”
In conclusion, Philip said, “Hands-on work easing pain is my specialty.”
Hanson Holistics hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 to 3:30, Saturday from 9:00 to 2:00, and Monday and Thursday by appointment only. Appointments can be made online at hansonholistics.com, by emailing philiphanson75@gmail.com, or by calling (612) 810- 9333.
