About

Milk Thistle Skincare & Massage Studio in Bozeman Montana is dedicated to providing the finest massage and skincare treatments in a relaxing environment. We provide our clients with effective, environmentally conscious products & services that utilize high quality plant based ingredients. Clients have the option to use our infrared sauna before & after treatments to fully enhance their relaxation. Schedule today to experience your own personal moment of bliss at Milk Thistle Skincare & Massage Studio, right here in Bozeman Montana!

     

Sunshine Welsch, owner/craniosacral therapist

Sunshine has been in the wellness space since she began her massage training at East West College of the Healing Arts in Portland, Oregon in 2008. She became self employed in 2012 and  loves the challenge and growth running a business brings.

During her education, she fell in love with the art and science of massage therapy and began to understand what a powerful healing effect it has on the body. She now specializes in craniosacral therapy and is forever humbled by the results it can bring. It is an honor to be part of someone’s healing journey.

She enjoys learning and taking continuing education classes such as visceral manipulation, myofascial release, Ayurveda health counseling and fire cupping. Having a growth mindset is instrumental to the journey whether it’s running a business, working with clients or life in general.

In her free time Sunshine enjoys spending time hiking and camping, playing with her dog, gardening, practicing yoga, cross country skiing and networking in the community.

Sara Fitzgerald, esthetician
 
Sara thrives on her curiosity for regenerative systems and love of imagination. Her formal education began with a BA in Philosophy & Anthropology where she developed a passion for classical esthetics. She studied at the historic Kaliflower Free Print Shop Community Garden in San Francisco where she learned everything vernal from a gorgeous red headed gypsy Eastern European Goddess named Genie, whose free and courageous spirit flowed onto everything in her shining path.
 
She then traveled extensively in the US working on farms and learning about ecosystems, symbiosis and land stewardship practices. In New York she helped run Good Fight Herb Co. community herb shop before moving to Montana and becoming a holistic esthetician. She is fascinated with the electrical microbiome and it’s relationship to plant chemistry. She believes facials are an art, an ancestral magic ritual.
 
Her daily research and practice has lead her deeper into manual fascial toning and lifting techniques with an emphasis on blood and lymphatic flow in tissue. The results are the energetic revitalization of mitochondrial function and an overall magnetic nourished vitality. She seeks healthy challenges and excels as a supportive team member for those looking to uncover and celebrate every level of their beauty.
 
“I have a deep gratitude for the earth and its elements. My esthetic style blends traditional folk herbalism with biochemical and myofascial techniques.”
 
 

Hannah Kampf, massage therapist

As a former caregiver, Hannah found massage was a gift when it came to bringing relief to a terminally ill client. Inspired, she attended Health Works Institute in Bozeman, MT and graduated in 2018. She brings to her table a history of working with athletes as a personal trainer and professional martial artist, as well as her intuition as a caregiver while treating those with illness and disabilities. Hannah believes in the power of the mind in healing ailments of the body, and that treatment work can be both healing and deeply relaxing. She uses movement and stretching to help the tissues of the body relax more fully, and encourages her clients to use breath work to take an active role in their treatment. She loves deepening her knowledge as a therapist by taking continuing education whenever she is able.
 

“I have a soft spot for working on the neck and shoulders.”

Kat Stephens, massage therapist
 

Kat was born and raised here in Bozeman. During her years as a traveling performer she found a love for personal health and wellness through holistic healing. She began her studies through subtle energy work receiving Usui/Holy Fire Reiki attunements. This sparked her pursuit of knowledge in nutritional healing, herbal medicine, spiritual counseling, and yoga therapy. After graduating from massage school she realized that deep knowledge of anatomy and the body were the missing link that connected her passions. Kat’s favorite practice for massage is to create a unique experience for the clients needs using botanicals, and specialized techniques that brings a sense of wholeness.

Outside of work Kat is a mother, movement teacher, and performance artist. She loves to wander the mountains, rivers, and forests of her home to connect with their medicine.

Micah Tippit, massage therapist

Micah was born and raised in New Hampshire. After years of working as a welder in Bozeman he developed an appreciation for yoga and massage and the many benefits that those practices bring to one’s understanding of their own physical health. This experience kindled his desire to learn about assisting others in their own pursuits of bodily wellness. He temporarily relocated to Asheville, NC to attend the Center for Massage & Natural Health. Aside from massage therapy, Micah is a metal worker, hiker, and a musician in two acts local to Bozeman. 

Rachel Rinke, esthetician

Rachel moved to Bozeman from Priest River, ID to pursue her passion for esthetics. She got her training here in Bozeman at Amara Advanced School of Esthetics. Rachel loves uplifting people and giving them confidence, this is what brings her the most joy in her work. She enjoys everything from helping people with their skin concerns to full body waxing for that extra boost of confidence! When she isn’t working, Rachel loves to be out in nature exploring the mountains with her dog Ellie.

Jamie Kujawa, massage therapist
 
Jamie is a passionate yoga teacher and massage therapist who truly wants people feeling their best! She is an avid outdoors-woman, drawing on Mother Earth for grounding and healing. She is a writer, amateur herbalist, athlete and life-long learner.
 

Jaci Buckingham, massage therapist

Jaci brings over 14 years of experience. Her therapeutic career began with family and friends and has grown to include many others in the community. She is fascinated by anatomy and physiology. Understanding how body systems work together to heal and thrive is central to her attitude as a practitioner. She empowers her clients to think critically about their own vitality and is ready to discuss concerns and make a plan. Her favorite style is slow gliding compression, a myofascial technique targeting deeper connective tissues. This intentionally meditative yet strong movement allows time for a feedback loop of tissue response as the tension melts away without being forced. 

Carter Coleman, massage therapist

Originally from Virginia, Carter moved out West in 2014 to ride horses and ski. She fell into massage in a way, but has had the sense of touch her entire life. She was always the kid at family get togethers rubbing everyone’s shoulders and finding the knots. Her family would battle over who got shoulder rubs first.

She graduated from Healthworks Institute in June 2018. The continuing education she has taken, in Costa Rica and here in Bozeman, has fired up her passion for bodywork and natural healing. Adding Jade Hot Stone massage to her tool belt has given her the ability to achieve a new level of treatment or relaxation. She has a knack for neck work and getting into the glutes for hip and low back pain relief.

“With an active lifestyle and a life on horses I have become familiar with low back pain myself so it is something I like to help treat. I work with my clients to come to a common goal about their road to recovery or relaxation.”

Julia Heid, esthetician
 
Julia moved to Bozeman for her love of the outdoors. On her free time she is often doing something active or seeking out the next adventure. She had her training in Denver Colorado through The College of International Esthetics and Lash Company. She became an esthetician because of her love for helping others and her love for the beauty industry. Since graduation, Julia has continued her education in gua sha and lymphatic work. Julia also is trained in the medical side of esthetics but is currently focused on the holistic side of the trade.
 

Cameron, front desk

Cameron is currently enrolled at Montana State University as a junior studying ocnservation ecology and biology. When she’s not at the front desk or on campus, Cameron enjoys reading, cooking, rock climbing and running.

KJ Schwartz, esthetician & massage therapist

With over 20 years in the spa industry, KJ knows how to create the kind of experience you’re looking for whether that’s promoting relaxation through a soothing facial or helping you look your best with a wowing brow lamination. A graduate of Amara Advanced School of Esthetics , KJ likes to focus on skin compromised by aging, hyperpigmentation, acne, and other concerns. With her product knowledge and expertise, she’ll leave you looking your best.