Lovelock Healing Arts. Living boldly through community & healing.
By Justine Roper Photos by Kate Treick Photography
When Crystal Lovelock moved from Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband, Dan, to Pensacola just four years ago, she wasn’t planning to open a wellness studio within six months of being here. In fact, she and her husband were simply looking for a space for his massage practice. Yet, fate and opportunity had other plans.
The start of Lovelock Healing Arts was unique.
“It spoke to us,” Lovelock recalled. “It had a small boutique studio in the front, and right away I said, ‘I’m going to teach again.’ We put yoga classes on the schedule and decided this would be more than just a massage practice; it would be a wellness space.”
Building a wellness hub in a city still learning, yet open to embracing holistic health and wellness practices, may seem bold to some. Yet, the Lovelock vision was clear. It was simply a labor of love to the Lovelocks to create a safe, inclusive space for movement, healing and community connection right in the heart of downtown Pensacola.
IT’S ALL IN THE NAME
“Our last name is actually my husband Dan’s musician stage name. Dan adopted this name legally after being inspired by a gentleman named James Lovelock, who deeply believed that everything we need is already within us. We don’t need anything outside of us to heal,” Lovelock explained.
“It’s funny,” she said. “He changed his name so many years ago, and now here we are facilitating wellness offerings that fit perfectly with that message. Lovelock is about bringing the community together and, quite literally, locking in love.”
FROM BARRE TO A FULL WELLNESS COLLECTIVE
Lovelock’s background in barre fitness began in San Francisco, California. There, she learned from the pioneer of this exercise genre, Jill Dailey. Her classes combine the technique and precision of ballet, the strengthening component of Pilates, and the mindfulness aspect of yoga. This combination has proven to be a fan favorite among fitness and wellness enthusiasts.
But Lovelock is far more than a barre studio. It highlights a full spectrum of wellness resources.
“You can expect everything from Hatha yoga, which is a really gentle, beginner flow, all the way to Ashtanga, which is a quicker flow.” Lovelock said. “We even offer weekly sound bath meditations, which is a really unique thing to find on a consistent schedule in this area.”
Their various workshops are also worth the watch, featuring collaborations with local physicians, educators and wellness practitioners on topics ranging from prenatal care to stress relief. And in a city where finding reliable childcare can be a barrier to self-care, Lovelock offers on-site childcare included with membership.
“I never wanted to penalize parents for showing up,” Lovelock said. “Postpartum can be isolating, and we want to make wellness accessible.”
THE HEALING SIDE OF LOVELOCK
Lovelock Healing Arts is also home to a six-therapist clinic, offering a range of services including massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, TMJ work, neurosomatic therapy and energy work. They recently launched a drop-in clinic where clients can receive 15-minute tune-ups over their lunch break, a concept Lovelock says was designed specifically for busy downtown professionals.
“It’s about meeting people where they are,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to get a quick tune-up, maybe during your lunch break or if you are popping downtown.”
In today’s culture, time and resources are limited for many. This gives the community an approachable, affordable way to prioritize their self-maintainence and well-being.
A PERSONAL JOURNEY OF BOLD LIVING
Lovelock’s commitment to wellness is more than what meets the eye professionally; it is deeply personal.
“I had been drinking my entire adult life, but I had never experienced a place with such a strong drinking culture.”
Moving to Pensacola became the wake-up call she needed. After years of late nights, heavy social drinking and burnout from life as a musician, she and her husband made a radical change.
“I’m two years sober now,” Lovelock shared candidly.
That choice created a domino effect for the couple. After cleaning up her diet and overall consumption, Lovelock and her husband lost a combined 110 pounds and committed to living with intention.
That experience shifted her perspective.
“I realized it was not just me. So many people here are caught in that same cycle. I wanted to be a guiding light in the heart of downtown, a place where people could choose something different. There are plenty of wellness businesses scattered across the city, but being right downtown gives us the unique opportunity to reach the hospitality workers, the professionals and the regulars who are living that lifestyle and offer them another way forward.”
BARRIERS & BOLDNESS
Living boldly is not a luxury, it is…
“…it is essential for our future well-being,” Lovelock said.
There are many things that can inhibit people, especially women, from living boldly. Lovelock focuses on two things: screentime consumption and lack of connection in the community and nature.
“Social media is a really big component of people filtering themselves. It is human nature. We don’t want to be disliked, so we’re going to filter ourselves. I found, you know, that the more time we scroll, the more time we stay complacent behind these screens, the less likely we are to follow our intuition. This is something that I’m really passionate about, especially as a parent,” she said.
Creating opportunities where others can reconnect to themselves and each other is what is driving Lovelock to continue to grow Lovelock Healing Arts.
Ultimately, she wants every client to leave feeling embraced, empowered and part of something bigger than themselves.
“I want them to feel like they’ve found a community, a support system to walk this journey with them,” she said.
