about two birds

Our intention is to help people feel better in their bodies by accessing their intuitive healing potential through bodywork, energy work, massage and self-care. We aim to empower people with valuable tools for integrating beneficial, holistic healing practices into their lives. We encourage our students and clients to slow down, listen, feel and experience the body's subtleties, so that the therapies practiced and received can deepen the body-mind-heart connection within, and bring forth a sense of ease and balance into their lives.

Self-care is a cornerstone of health and wellness. If we take the time to care for ourselves in a good way, we can more easily maintain a consistent capacity to be there for others. As providers, we need to be free from the burdens of chronic imbalance to be effective in what we do. Maintaining a healthy daily ritual for self-care is essential for us and is a central reason that we've been able to practice bodywork for close to 30 years and are still going strong. Studies with our beloved Ajahn Pichest Boonthumme in Northern Thailand have taught us this importance, as well as given us a unique approach to our practice and teaching style. We are most grateful for his care, wisdom, and guidance. Our almost effortless style of Thai bodywork is not the most flashy version of Thai massage you'll find, but it is the most therapeutic and effective. Not only will it increase health and vitality for clients, but if done correctly and with the right intention, for the provider as well.  

The Thai Healing Arts are our specialty. We are Melanie Eldridge and Peter Bird, licensed massage therapists and accredited bodywork and massage educators through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). We each have close to 30 years of experience practicing and teaching alternative healing art therapies and have an intuitive approach to both. We have studied with traditional Eastern and Western teachers over the world. Our backgrounds include traditional Thai body and energy therapies, Zen Shiatsu, Ayurvedic and marma therapies, Reiki, Chi Nei Tsang, applied Qi Gong, vibrational sound healing therapy, herbalism and aromatherapy, spa and thallaso therapies. Also, self-care therapeutic practices like Reusi Dat Ton, meditation, breathwork, and yoga, along with Western-style massage like Swedish, deep tissue, neuromuscular therapy, sports massage, myofascial massage, and more. We teach courses in Thai Healing Arts and courses on the power and influence of intention during bodywork sessions, and on creating safe healing spaces for therapists and their clients. We co-created, developed, and trained Naga Thai Massage for Miraval Spas, which takes a holistic approach to Thai bodywork combined with deep compression therapy for body-mind connection and balance. There, Melanie also co-created, developed, and trained other popular mindfulness-based spa treatment therapies. Since 2016, we've called the north shore of Lake Superior our home. In 2020 we opened Two Birds Healing Arts Center and continue to travel to instruct continuing education, workshops and spa trainings.   

Two Birds Healing Arts Center in Grand Marais, Minnesota offers Thai bodywork and massage sessions, relaxation therapies, a far infrared sauna, hermit yoga, meditation, sound bowl therapies, and continuing education in the healing arts. We also provide space for local instructors to hold community yoga classes, group meditations, and workshops in the self-care and wellness space. 

We handcraft organic herbal body products such as infused ritual oils, balms, and liniments that are used in our services. Every Saturday, you can find Mel's herbal products and Peter's artwork at the Cook County Market, June through October in downtown Grand Marais or at our new online shop here.

We are humbled and grateful to our family, elders, teachers, friends, the land, the elements, our ancestors, all those who and what have come before us, the vibrant healing community of massage, bodywork, and energy healers, and all who have welcomed and supported our growing business. Thank you for the opportunity to continue serving our north shore community and beyond.

Peace and metta to all. ☮