Chicago native Nicole Howell has always had a knack for helping people. Since childhood, “the gift” has always come naturally to her, and though she didn’t know exactly where it would lead her, her present path as owner and operator of the Aqua Azul Healing Spa in Hyde Park comes as no surprise to her.
The lifelong south side resident undertook intense studying and training in Thailand in addition to studies of beauty, health, and wellness at the Cortiva Institute, as well as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture at the Midwest College of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, Howell’s Aqua Azul Healing Spa not only promotes physical health, but mental and emotional well-being are also tended to as well with a range of massage, acupressure, and energetic healing therapies.
N’DIGO recently sat down with Howell to learn more about her background and healing practices.
N’DIGO: In your own words, who is Nicole Howell?
Nicole Howell: Nicole is all things and is truly ever-evolving.
What are three words family and friends would use to describe you?
Hmmmm, they would say I am determined, funny, and a true wildcard.
As a child, what did you first dream of doing for a living?
Funny enough, I never imagined anything in particular. I just knew that I wanted to be a superstar. Now a superstar in what exactly I wasn’t quite sure. Sometimes a singer. Sometimes, an actor. Whatever it was, I knew I would be a superstar.
How did you find your way into acupuncture and energetic healing therapies?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a person who helps people in whatever way I can. It’s always come sort of naturally to me. Years ago, I was dating a doctor who really encouraged me to pursue it formally because he felt it was my calling. I finally took the leap and went to Thailand to study Thai Massage and other healing techniques, but I haven’t looked back.
Tell us about the work you do at Aqua Azul Ancient Healing.
We specialize in Thai Massage, which focuses on the 12 major energy channels in the body called sen lines. When those channels are blocked, we have muscle atrophy, and continual blockage of those channels causes disease. I focus on releasing those blockages in the body’s energetic channels so that the body can do what it naturally does at an optimal level.
What is the biggest misconception about holistic healing therapy?
The biggest misconception I frequently encounter is that holistic therapy is not holistic. *laughs* Holistic therapy is just that: WHOLE-body therapy. It’s really about how you eat, think, exercise, and heal yourself. One is no more important than the other.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
To this day, The Golden Girls is still my favorite television show. Nothing can top those ladies.
Can you name a book that changed or impacted your life and give a sentence about why?
The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav was a favorite in my early 20s. It focused on how all life is interconnected and how everything is still an aspect of yourself, which is a fractal of the divine. I think this also really informed my approach to healing modalities.
What are three songs on your relaxation playlist?
Ooooh three songs that I can always count on to help get the mood right are Grover Washington Jr.’s “Masterpiece“, Geminelle‘s “I Forgive Myself and I Release“, and “Let the Drama Go” by Londrelle.
Best advice or words of wisdom?
Intuition is real. Listen to yourself.
Favorite quote or affirmation?
“Nothing real can be threatened, and nothing unreal exists.”
What’s next for Nicole Howell and Aqua Azul Ancient Healing?
Expansion and growth. I’m currently looking for locations on the south side to open a bigger holistic healing center, which would accommodate even more of the community and also serve as a place that offers continuous education for practitioners.
For more information on Nicole Howell, please visit Aqua Azul Ancient Healing and connect with her on Linkedin.
