In the middle of the movement and vibrancy of West Colfax, there’s a quiet space where the pace of the outside world seems to soften.
Step inside Mile High Holistics, and the atmosphere shifts almost immediately. Soft music hums in the background. The scent of essential oils drifts through the air. The sounds of the bustling corridor outside begin to fade. It feels less like a business and more like a small sanctuary — a place where people can reconnect with their bodies and take a moment to breathe.
Mile High Holistics, a WCCA member, opened its doors on West Colfax in 2021 after relocating from Arvada. The team wanted a space that would be easier for clients to reach, especially veterans and others with difficulty navigating the long stairwell at their previous location.
But the deeper mission remained the same: helping people heal.
A Different Philosophy of Care
“Most of our clients are coming in for therapeutic bodywork,” says Seth Schwartzbach, the general manager and a practitioner at the studio. “People dealing with real pain or issues in their body. Our philosophy is simple: pain doesn’t have to be something you just live with.”
Unlike traditional spa-style massage studios, Mile High Holistics focuses on targeted healing and holistic care. Each session begins with a thoughtful intake conversation that allows practitioners to understand a client’s history, injuries, and goals. Rather than following a standard routine, treatments are tailored to what the body truly needs.
Sometimes that means focusing an entire session on a single shoulder, hip, or long-standing injury.
The People Behind the Practice
At the heart of the studio is owner Kate Whalen, a holistic healer who has dedicated her career to helping people restore balance in the body, mind, and spirit. A Usui Reiki Master Teacher and licensed bodyworker, Whalen has completed more than 2,500 hours of education and over 15,000 hands-on sessions.
Trained at the Denver School of Massage Therapy and the Upledger Institute, she blends CranioSacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, therapeutic massage, and energy healing into customized treatments designed to support the body’s natural ability to heal.
“While Mile High Holistics creates a calm and supportive environment, the focus is on results-based therapeutic work. Clients often come in with chronic pain or unresolved issues, and sessions are designed to address the root of those patterns—not just provide temporary relief,” Kate highlights.
Her work reflects a whole-body philosophy, one that recognizes the deep connection between physical tension, emotional stress, and the nervous system.
Seth Schwartzbach brings a similarly thoughtful approach to the team. A graduate of the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy in Albany, New York, he combines deep therapeutic bodywork with energy-based healing techniques.
“The body is always talking to us,” Seth shares. “Our job is to listen and help it find its way back into balance.”
Healing the Whole Person
The studio also embraces trauma-informed care, recognizing that emotional and physical experiences often live in the body together.
Through modalities like myofascial release, Reiki, and craniosacral therapy — a gentle technique using extremely light pressure to support the nervous system — practitioners work to help clients settle into a deeper state of calm and alignment.
In a world that rarely slows down, Mile High Holistics intentionally creates what the team describes as a “container of calm.” Through scent, sound, and mindful attention, the studio becomes a place where people can step away from the noise of daily life and reconnect with themselves.
Small Moments of Transformation
The results can be powerful.
One client, a veteran who had been living with chronic hip pain for years, arrived at the studio after never trying bodywork before. After a few sessions, something shifted.
“He came in one day and said, ‘I can touch my toes,’” Seth recalls. “He didn’t think that was possible anymore.”
Moments like that remind the team why they chose this path. “We all got into this work because we want to help people,” he explains.
Rooted in the West Colfax Community
As West Colfax continues to evolve, Mile High Holistics is grateful to be part of a neighborhood known for its creativity and community spirit. Surrounded by galleries, artists, and small businesses, the studio feels aligned with the area’s artistic and human-centered energy.
And for those navigating the stress of modern life, the team offers one simple reminder:
Taking time for yourself isn’t indulgent — it’s essential.
“Even just a little time to relax, reset, and let someone hold that space for you can make a huge difference,” Seth says. “Your body is always talking to you. Sometimes you just need a quiet place to listen.”
