As you may have figured out by now, these blogs are going to be focusing on local business’ within the context of neighborhoods. The Village of West Greenville has been a focus, and will continue to be, but this week I’m going to be looking into the North Main Community.

Meet Greenville native, Mary Lydia Wilkinson .

Growing up, Mary Lydia was plagued with health issues. These ranged from digestion to hormonal. Conventional medicine was simply not doing the trick, and she grew disenchanted with their ability to heal her. “More often than not,” she said, “the side effects were worse than the actual symptoms. “

Mary Lydia not being the type of person who’s going to be content in her misery was determined to find a way to make things better.

So, she began delving into natural health remedies. Her quest included anything and everything under the sun. Finally, she was successful. Relief came. She found that colonic therapy in particular was able to free her from digestive issues.

Combine that with the fact that always knew growing up that it was a desire inside of her to help people, she knew that Colonic Therapy was the career path she wanted to pursue.

“I originally was interested psychiatry, but I was worried that I would take my client’s worries home with me and always concerned about them. I knew that people are inherently squeamish. This is not the kind of job a normal person would want or go to school for. I wasn’t bothered by it, and I felt called to do it. So started my journey.”

Mary Lydia knew that she would have to start her own business, since there’s not many job listings for a colon hydrotherapist. She became certified in 2011, but the money simply wasn’t there to get the ball rolling.

She worked in doctors offices and as an account manager for a couple years, but found the experience incredibly unfulfilling. Numbers and deadlines had her exhausted and she would dread getting up in the morning to go do something that didn’t make a difference in anybody’s life.

So she quit and decided to serve as an Ameri-Corp member for a year. Specifically, she was part of a team who helped remove the barriers that single mothers face preventing them from education. Of course, this was much more fulfilling, but the pay simply wasn’t enough to sustain herself.

However, it completely revived her desire to start a business.

“It happened really fast,” she said. “I sold my condo. I hardly had time to think about it. Things went into motion right away, and began looking for office space with one or two rooms. Before I knew it I had a whole floor with rooms that I could sublease out.”

*You'll feel welcome before you even walk in!*

This all happened last year, and Moksha Center for Wellness has now been open for a year.

Her real desire was to create a sense of community and to connect with the neighborhood. She wanted to see her neighbors get involved with the community and collaborate together. Philanthropy has played a huge role in her life and business. She is regularly donating gift certificates for charity auctions. She also has a bin at the clinic to collect clothing for the local SOS thrift store.

“I had that ‘this is really happening’ moment during my grand opening,” Mary Lydia explained. “There was a food truck, balloon guy, wine, mimosas, and a ton of people. Because it happened so fast, I had to just put one foot in front of the other. I started out running, and quickly realized that I had to go back and crawl.”

She continued, “When a new client walks through the door they are often nervous, timid, and distant. Colonic Hydrotherapy is an intimate procedure, and I find that this causes my clients to open up to me. I get to hear a lot about what matters to people, what they’re struggling with. I am able to connect with my clients on a deep interpersonal level. I’m able to help them by listening not just with their physical health. By the time they leave, they have a smile on the face and are hugging me. This is what fuels me and keeps me going.”

For more information on Colonic Hydrotherapy, her treatment protocols and benefits, head over to the Moksha Center for Wellness website. Mary Lydia also has other services that she provides, including foot detoxification and Access Bars Therapy. You can expect nothing but genuine care and professionalism from Mary Lydia, plus you’ll feel a heck of a lot better when you’re finished!

Moksha Center For Wellness | North Main Community | Blog Series