Searching for the urban oasis: day spas and rethinking the relationship between the body and healing places

Abstract

This thesis develops and extends recent work in geography on the therapeutic experiences of places and the body, in an examination of well-being in the day spa. Drawing on the concepts sense of place, place identity, and therapeutic landscapes, developed in place and well-being literature, the thesis explores how the day spa is produced and experienced as a site that contributes to diverse forms of well-being. The importance of the spa design, experience, individual choice, and the regulation of the body within the spa setting, provide an insight as to how the day spa develops the reputation of being a healing place. Using original data collected from interviews and observations from the study sites, Ponsonby and Newmarket in Auckland, the thesis argues that, how the day spa is produced and experienced reflects Western lifestyle commitments, cultural constructions that regulate the appearance of the body, and the commodification of well-being experiences. The treatments, services, and overall design of the day spa, tailor the idea of well-being and healing to meet contemporary sociocultural expectations of society. These arguments are located within the connection the day spa has to the body industry, the selection of treatments and services provided, and how nature is simulated as an ideal in the day spa setting. This suggests that the day spa is ultimately a source of therapeutic experiences, where its ability to contribute to one’s sense of well-being depends on the relative experiences the individual has with that place. The day spa becomes an oasis; both a safe haven and a mirage through its regulation and control over the body and understanding of well-being.