Giving Nature Center for Holistic Health & Wellness

I purchased a Groupon for a 30-​minute adjustment and 60-​minute massage, and had to wait a month to get an appointment. I found their staff to be very helpful on the phone and professional in person.
I really wish I remembered the names of my chiropractor and masseuse because both men made a very distinct impression. My chiropractor was a buff guy with wire-​framed glasses. I had never seen a chiropractor before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I informed him of this, at which point he gave me a lecture on the nervous system. I decided to go with it, but found him a bit fanatical. The actual adjustment was fine, and I felt no better nor worse after his session, which ended up being 10 minutes max. Having no knowledge of what a normal session with a chiropractor entails, I did not feel cheated since the actual adjustment was pretty quick.
My masseur was a polite, soft-​spoken young man with black-​frame glasses. The massage itself was good but it involved a lot of participation from me. He focused on the areas I specified, and during the massage, he would ask me to breath deeply as he pressed down on a part of my body. I wanted to play a more passive than active role, but these moments did display his knowledge of the body. At the end of the massage, he gave me some tips on how to care for my problem areas, and I felt better than I did after the adjustment with the chiropractor.
All in all, I wouldn’t return for an adjustment because I don’t think that’s for me, but I would return for a massage. I would give this place 4 stars for the unusual massage and professional staff, but the adjustment and the lack of intimacy in the space left me with 3 stars.

I will NEVER go back to this place. TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL.
The minute you walk in they ask for your insurance card and call to see if you have coverage for chiropractic care. I found this very presumptuous since I had a GROUPON, and didn’t know if I would ever go back. Thus they didn’t need to call my insurance company and make a copy of my insurance card.
It took months to get an appointment to use my Groupon. I finally got my appointment, and when I showed up for it I was told the chiropractor had gone home for the day! I could only get the massage portion that day. They did re-​schedule the chiropractor appointment for the next week.
I then waited 90 minutes to receive my massage. I almost walked out I was so disgusted. Never have I ever had this happen to me while waiting for a massage!
Then when my masseuse was finally ready I was brought into a cubicle of a room. Partition boards with an open ceiling, so you can hear everything that is going on right next to you. It’s in a large yoga studio. NEVER have I seen a set up like this! Not relaxing at all. Room was tiny tiny tiny.
Then when the massage was over (it was just ok, nothing to rave about) I tried to tip the masseuse even though she was 90 minutes late. The receptionist couldn’t make change for my $ 50 bill! They don’t take credit cards for tips, so I left because I wasn’t going to tip $ 50 when she was sooooo late for my appointment.
When I called to reschedule my chiropractor appointment, I was told they have a 24 hour cancellation policy so she could only CANCEL my appointment, NOT RESCHEDULE! Totally RUDE receptionist. So basically I lost out on half of my groupon!
I WILL NEVER GO BACK HERE!

I purchased the Groupon thinking that it was perfect timing because I needed an adjustment ASAP. I understand when a business sells TONS of Groupons, you can’t see all of the clients the next day. I ended up going to another Chiro to get adjusted to relieve my pain. When I was able to get an appointment with GivingNature, I went ahead and booked 5 weeks in advance which was the earliest Groupon date to select.
Dr Corregano was the chiropractor that adjusted me and that was the most extensive and thorough adjustment I’ve ever had. I’ve been to (I’ll guess) 15 different chiropractors and no one has come close to making me instantly feel like a million bucks.
I got an hour massage (unfortunately I don’t remember his name) and he was very respectful throughout the process. I read some of these reviews of feeling violated or phone ringing. When he greeted me, he was calm and whispering. He asked if there were any areas that needed to be focused on and he went to work. I am not used to getting massages and it felt like I had some knots that he was trying to work out, but man, that sucker hurts when you press on a knot a lot! Since my lack of massage experience, I won’t comment much more, but he went the full hour. No complaining about time or tiredness (like some of these other reviews).
Ultimately, I’m hoping to find another deal so my wife can go and we can skip the expensive first «Consultation fee». My wife worked at a chiropractor’s office before so she doesn’t need consultation nor do we need to drain the bank to get her first adjustment. (this is any chiropractor’s office, not this one only. I’m just complaining for a quick minute!)
I’ll go back to get adjusted by this Dr. again.

I purchased 1 Groupon for a chiropractic consult and 50 minute massage.
When I first called, it must have been a busy time of year because I was told that there were no appointments available. No problem, I wasn’t in any rush. I made my appointment for the end of the school year and had a GREAT experience. I went to my evaluation right after a work out class and got some great suggestions about stretches and workouts for my specific difficulty areas from the doctor.
My massage therapist was Elliot. It was my first time receiving a massage from a male, but he was completely professional and made me feel comfortable. The massage was wonderful with the perfect amount of pressure. I would definitely return! I actually just made another appointment for the end of August.

Received a groupon as a gift from my friend for a chiropractic exam and hour long massage. Didn’t really think much of it, but once I was here I was pleasantly surprised. I do Muay Thai and it turns out the chiropractor also trains in this as well; I really appreciated that he had experience in the type of training that I do and could help me out from that perspective. He really gave me some
Great tips. After the chiropractor, I went on for the massage which was also awesome. Overall this place is awesome, staff is friendly and knowledgeable, I will Definetly be back!

I used 1 Groupon and 1 Living Social deal here, both for a chiropractic consult and 1 hour massage.
Reception was nice. I had Robin as a chiropractor both times and he is AWESOME. Not only is he very down to earth and just a hilarious guy, but he is also knowledgeable and puts everything in to real world terms for you.
As for the masseuses, I had Joe the first time and Jessica the second time. Both of them asked what I needed to work on and adjusted the pressure accordingly. They were both good but I don’t have anything extraordinary to report.
The ONLY reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because their massage room setup is less than ideal. They are in a yoga studio-​like room that have cubicle-​type rooms setup in the middle where you get the massages. The rooms have just enough room to squeeze around the beds. Since the rooms are open at the top you can hear everything around you. They do play soothing music and it is relatively quiet the whole time, but it may or may not bother some people.
Overall, fantastic place and Robin is the bomb.

I had an 8PM massage appointment w Alexandra, she’s really friendly, attentive and professional. She really focused on my back and right shoulder which are my major problems, she used alot of gliding method w back of her forearm, the pressure was even but more sensitive to shoulder blade areas. It would’ve been better if she applies more of finger/​thumb pressures. I’m happy overall. Although the massage room is very small equipped w basic furnishing, but i like the calm and serene environment that it offers. I also love music playlist, totally relaxing!

Five words… I will definitely go back!
I’ve always wanted to go to a chiropractor but never got around to actually doing it. So when this good deal popped out off Groupon, I said, ‘Yes please!’ My first chiropractor exerience was amazing! I never knew bones and joints can be cracked in so many places! I tell yah, I’m hooked!
The massage was superb! My masseuse asked if the pressure was just right and that’s really important to me. I like deep tissue massages and she was on point, literally!
The office space was clean and the ladies at the reception were exceptional and attentive.
My overall experience at Giving Nature Center was phenomenal I’d definitely go back! :)

I got the Living Social deal too ($ 29 for 1 hour massage + 30 mins chiropractor) — and the $ 29 was worth it for the massage alone — hence the 5 stars above.
Booking experience was a wee bit poorly-​organized. After I looked really far out to book my weekend slot, I got called back the week before and told that the chiropractor wasn’t in that weekend, so I had to split my appointment into two slots. I happen to live close by so I was perfectly ok with that, but if it were a place I had to travel to, I would be way more annoyed.
In any case, I got to keep my original appointment slot for the massage. My masseuse Evan was OUTSTANDING. It was by far the most thorough and professional massage I’ve ever had. I carry a lot of tension in my shoulders and neck, so asked him to work on those. He found knots that had been in there for months, buried all the way deep inside my muscles, and worked on them for what felt like hours on end. It hurt, it hurt so bad, but it was the good kind of hurt. And he was conscious about it too — always asked if he was being too rough, or if he needed me to take a break, and always verifying that I was doing fine with what he was putting me through.
About ¾ of the way through the massage, I suddenly remembered my hips — I mentioned to Evan that I had been on a plane for about 12 hours that week, and asked if he could spend just a bit of time loosening up my tight sitting muscles. I suspected my time was almost up, but figured he could give them a brief workover just to get the circulation going again. Instead, he gave me what felt like a whole entire session going down the sides of my thighs and hip flexors and my entire butt (which I was totally fine with, he wasn’t skeevy at all). Again, it hurt so much, but the good kind of hurt! Though I will admit to thinking, during the worst of it, «Isn’t he DONE yet? I’m not sure how much longer I can stand this without actually crying…»
When Evan was finally done, he told me, take your time, you’ve just been put through the wringer, so just rest as long as you need to and then head back out. I was so disoriented I couldn’t sit up for a bit, and then when I did, I couldn’t figure out which door to exit out of! (I was conscious enough, though, to check my watch and realize that I’d gotten 20 minutes over and above the hour I’d paid for.) I finally got out of there, and Evan met me on the other side with a cup of water. He told me, drink a LOT of water today, you’re going to need to flush a lot of crap out of your system, all the bad stuff we worked out of your muscles. He wasn’t kidding — I walked home feeling like I was going to throw up as I stumbled home, and when I got there all I could do was sit on my sofa and stare into space for about 30 minutes.
I’ve had massages before in spa-​type settings, and they’ve always been «relaxing» experiences, designed to get you to «relax» — they play music, use aromatherapy, and stroke you till you’re calm. This was not one of those massages. At no moment in this massage was I calm or relaxed — at no moment in this massage was I not in PAIN — and the immediate aftermath was nausea and a week of soreness, but it was, without a doubt, the most EFFECTIVE massage I’ve ever received. The cricks in my neck and knots in my upper back were worked out ridiculously well, as was the stiffness in my legs — I honestly felt like a new person. If I hit the lottery, I would have Evan give me a massage like that every two weeks, and I would tip him the face value of the massage over again, he is that good and that thorough.
The 30-​min chiropractor visit paled in comparison — doc was pleasant but seemed more concerned with making his train home to White Plains. Appointment lasted 15 minutes — very short consultation, then he cracked my C2 and C4 (I’ll admit to being FREAKED by that, but clearly I am not a quadriplegic so he knew what he was doing) and a couple of my thoracic vertebrae and we were both on our way. I was totally fine with it as I’d gotten extra time from Evan, but if I hadn’t I might have felt slightly «cheated» — though the cervical spine alignment did give me more mobility in my neck, so I got what I paid for. No real complaints there.
So yes — a 5-​star experience on the whole, because –2 star for the appointment making process, +3 stars for the chiro, and +10 stars for Evan averages out to more than stars, so! :)
Thanks Evan! When I want to book another massage, you’ll be the first masseuse I look for. :)

One of the things I hate about NYC chiropractors is that they pretty much pop your joints around and get you out the door. Not the case here. The chiropractor was great. He took a lot of time and worked with my problem areas. He was also incredibly communicative, which I don’t see much of in NYC.
The massage therapist Evan was also outstanding. I’m a little sore. Which I think you should be after a good massage. I have movement in my shoulders I have not had in months.
The women at the front desk were also fantastic. Overall, I had a great experience.

Hated the experience. The place is a gigantic loft divided into separate cubicles as massage rooms, you can hear the traffic all the time you get the massage. The owner who happened to be handling the reception desk that day was exceptionally rude and behaved as if he did not care about customer service what so ever! My massage was for 60 min and it ended in 40 min flat! Just avoid this place it you can. Wonder why there are so many good Google reviews, the reviews on Unilocal are horrendous. don’t waste your time and money and save yourself the headache of going to this place

I had an overall quite good experience at Giving Nature Center! I really liked the relaxing vibe of the place, and everyone from the people at the front desk to the chiropractor and the massage therapist were very friendly. (I used a Groupon, btw.)
My chiro visit was good. Nothing really particular to say about that — my back and neck are pretty difficult, and I don’t expect anyone to work miracles in one visit. And my massage was very thorough and the pressure was soothing without being overly forceful. The massage therapist made an effort to keep her voice low and soothing; however there was some distracting background noise.
I really have to agree with fellow reviewers Kaoru and David about the space. Though I was comfortable, the tiny cubicle just seemed to perhaps limit the massage therapist. And I don’t get why there isn’t a better set up for massage. I didn’t see the rest of the center, but there appeared to be private rooms elsewhere. If there are, they should consider using them for massage. The sound, light, and temperature can’t really be managed in this type of setup, and honestly the only places I’ve been to set up like this are those Chinatown-​type cheapie places. The rest of the center did not match this.
The only other negative was that I had to make an appointment TWO MONTHS in advance. I don’t think I’ve ever made any spa appointment that far ahead, and I’ve made a good number of appointments. I used their online booking system and it was the earliest they could give me. I was kind of bummed about that.
But generally, it is a very nice, clean, welcoming place! While I don’t have the budget to be a regular there, I can see why others might choose to be.

I bought the Groupon for a chiropractic evaluation and a 60-​min massage.
The chiropractic was very patient and helpful. I had been recovering from a pain in the hip, and she confirmed my suspicions that it was a stress fracture. She taught me how to stretch the area, and what to eat to get the right amounts of nutrition for better bone health.
The massage from Jonathan was probably the best one I’ve had (aside from the Chinatown foot massages that come second to none). A slow deep tissue massage, hitting the exact points, provided for an amazingly relaxing and «good-pain”-filed massage that hit my pressure points and really un-​knotted the stress out of my entire body.
The reason it didn’t get higher marks is bc they don’t have individual massage rooms. Instead they have high cubicles that have been converted into three «rooms» with no ability to block out sound, so when people walk by or talk loudly, it can be a bit disconcerting.
Also just found out that Jonathan is leaving! :’(So I don’t know how it will be without him.

I booked a massage and chiropractic treatment package here from groupon for $ 29 and was pleasantly surprised!
I was a bit apprehensive to see a chiropractor, but actually it was a great experience. Everyone at the spa is very knowledgeable and good at what they do, I got great advice and back pain relief.
My massage was with Katie, and it was thorough and relaxing.
No complaints at all, I would recommend to anyone, especially for such a great deal!

I also got the groupon deal and had a great experience! Unfortunately the groupon appointments were booked for a couple of months when I called/​went online, but the office was easy to deal with and the wait was well worth it.
I first met with the chiropractor who gave me some very helpful advice for my back problems, and made me aware of exercises I should practice regularly to support my back more. I was then massaged by Jonathan. I made sure he knew about my health/​back issues, so that he could concentrate on these problem areas.
I had a great experience in a very tranquil environment and can only recommend it. I will definitely go back.

I found this place through a groupon– $ 29 for a Chiropratic evaluation and 1 hour massage. Now that is a deal! The last similar deal had the massage in a chair instead of a table which sucked but this massage, thankfully was on a comfy table.
A young man named Jonathan gave me my massage. For such a lean frame I did not think he would be able to put so much pressure on my muscles! He did a great job. I was a little bummed because I was catching a cold and kept coughing the entire time. Jonathan was such a sweetheart and brought me a cup of water without me even asking! Maybe Jonathan has read the reviews on Unilocal because he was nothing but respectful. No nip slips or booty massage happened during my visit. I have had it done before and enjoyed it but if you are seriously against something you should make that vocally clear Before your massage. These people are not mind readers.
I don’t know why this place get’s bad reviews. Everyone I came into contact with we’re very courteous and professional. Even when I came in about a half hour late, the doctor still insisted on seeing me for a short evaluation. She was a kind and knowledgable doctor. I was a little surprised not to see any X-​ray machines but maybe they were located in a differnt room. Anyway, she offered me some good advice in response to questionnaire I filled out regarding where I have been experiencing pain.
I would consider coming back for another massage and perhaps a proper evaluation.

DO NOT GIVE THIS PLACE ANY MORE BUSINESS.
this was by far the worst experience i have ever had. why did i not read these reviews before i came here… and of course i got JOESPH. i thought maybe i was being paranoid, but i had a sinking feeling that i would find bad reviews on him here… ugh.
when i first met him, he was brusque and not very friendly. worst of all, he was incredibly inappropriate during the massage, i left feeling more stressed and anxious than when i walked in, not to mention uncomfortable and violated. obviously theres something wrong with joesph if he’s getting so many bad reviews on Unilocal,why is he still there? STEER CLEAR of this place.
EDIT: just saw a new review that Joesph sexually harassed yet another woman… obviously Giving Nature knows what he is doing (i know for a fact that other women have complained about him) and doesn’t care. DO NOT GIVE THIS PLACE ANY MORE BUSINESS.

I got one of the vouchers that Unilocalers have been mentioning. Overall, my massage was stellar, but it was evident that Robin, who probably had seen one too many people with vouchers, was a bit tired of the intro routine and really wanted to push for repeat visits. (I don’t blame him!)
Sadly, it’s been too long, and I cannot remember the masseuse’s name, but he was absolutely stellar. He was an older man, and by the looks of him, you wouldn’t expect such amazing work necessarily.
I felt bad for him, though, because the massage rooms were so small. He had to squeeze by the massage bed to get on either side of me. I mentioned that I was surprised by the lack of space, and he said, «Don’t get me started.»

I feel really bad for the other Unilocalers who have purchased vouchers from Living Social and had bad experiences. For the record I am not an employee or a relative, I am a fellow Unilocaler who also purchased a Living Social voucher, but I had an awesome experience. I also plan on returning to Giving Nature both for massages and hopefully acupuncture.
The entire place was clean and I was relaxed the entire time. I did have to wait several weeks when I called to book my appointment, but they explained to me on the phone then that they were only taking Living Social customers on certain days. I think it was worth the wait.
The ladies at the front desk were friendly. The chiropractor was also friendly and gave me quick, thorough adjustment. I’ve gone to a chiropractor for years so she didn’t have to go through what she does, why we need it, what I need, whats wrong with me, etc.
My massage table was in the backroom where they had several tables sectioned off from each other with high black walls (cubicles with flair if you will), relaxing music played the entire time, everyone was peaceful and quiet, and the oil smelled very nice. I found the backroom very relaxing and I enjoyed the dim lighting.
My massage therapist’s name was Joseph and I highly, highly recommend him, especially for dancers or athletes. He got so deep in my muscles and the only way I can put it into words was that it was like a relaxing deep tissue massage. He made my muscles like butter and worked on my muscles so thoroughly and hit all the right pressure points. I enjoyed the realigning of the spine and how he worked the muscles through their natural pathways through the joints.* He worked with the natural alignment of my spine, never hurt me or jabbed me with an elbow, and I felt so stretched and relaxed afterward. He is definitely experienced and knows anatomy very well and found tight areas in my calves and arms that I didn’t even know I had!
If you’ve only gone to fake masseuses and not an actual massage therapist than be prepared that sometimes it doesn’t feel pleasant while they work on your muscles. If you really want that knot out of you back or really want full range of motion in your joints then you have to expect that the therapist is going to get in there and work their magic and you will feel sooooo good after.
* This sentence probably doesn’t make any sense, but I have no way to put what he did into words nor do I know any medical or professional way of saying what he did but it felt amazing and you should go!

I am convinced that any of the good reviews for this place must have been by employees hoping to improve its image. This is the first negative review I’ve written on Unilocal and I’m only writing it to prevent other people from wasting money and time like I did.
SUMMARY:
— Took 3 visits for the massage to actually happen.
— Worst massage I’ve ever had. I didn’t know a massage could make you tense before this experience.
— Hairballs and dust bunnies on the floor.
— Masseuse’s phone rang multiple times in his pocket during the massage.
— Don’t waste your time/​money. Get a massage in Chinatown, they’re way better there.
I bought a Living Social deal for an hour-​long massage for $ 45. I called to schedule my appointment and had to wait 6 weeks for the first available slot. Then it took 3 visits for the massage to actually happen.
Visit 1: The massage table was set up in what looked like an abandoned-​office-​turned-​surgery room. There was still an old office desk and a book case in the room. White, sterile walls. No music. Nothing relaxing about it. I laid down on the massage table and saw huge hairballs and dust bunnies on the floor.
The icing on the cake was the masseuse: He didn’t say anything about what he was doing or ask where I’d like him to focus. And his phone, which was in his pocket, was ringing and he didn’t shut it off, just let it ring. I’ve had many massages and this was hands-​down the worst. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad massage. At one point, he literally just laid his hands lightly on my back for almost 2 minutes. I asked what he was doing and he said he was «adjusting my spine». Right.
It got so bad, I had to ask him to stop. So I left and rescheduled.
Visit 2: The masseuse didn’t show up and they didn’t tell me until I got there, though they said they tried calling me 5 minutes before my appointment. Great.
Visit 3: Different masseuses than the first time, but again, terrible. I stuck it out because I was sick of going to this place and wasting my lunch hour. And I kept telling myself it would get better. The masseuses just have no skill whatsoever. It feels awful. I swear it’s the only massage that’s actually made me tense because it was that bad. Literally felt like a cat was pawing at my back. I asked him to use more pressure so he jammed his elbow into my back.