Although my wife was a certified massage therapist, carpal tunnel put an end to my "free" massages. My wife regularly sees a Chiropractor at the same office Tayonon works at. When it comes to massages, my wife uses her knowledge to determine how well someone is. It was definitely positive, considering she's had massages several times now. The glowing praises she gave Tayonon, and considering I haven't had one in years, my wife set up an appointment. I was pleasantly surprised at her knowledge, her objectives, and her care for my satisfaction. I have say she is by far one of the best I've ever been too. And I have to agree with my wife, a 60 minute massage is not enough. The 90 minute one seemed to fly by at times. I was relaxed so well that I nearly nodded off several times, but held back so I could enjoy it more. She's one of those you really have to try to understand how good it is. I'll definitely be back. read more

I too meet Tayonon through lifebooker over a year ago and have stayed with her since. She is the best massage I have had hands down. A lot of massages I have had are hit or miss by appointment with the same masseuse, but not Tayonon. I have had her do a full body relaxation appointments and some appointments have been to help with pain I was feeling in a certain area. In every massage I felt relaxed and better by the end. I typically e-mail her to book my appointments and she responds very quickly. Overall, she is a joy and am I happy to have found her. read more

I am a huge fan of of my friend Tayonon and A Balanced You, and I highly recommend her services to anyone looking for a fabulous and knowledgeable holistic masseuse. Tayonon has a beautiful spirit, is a great listener, gives good wisdom in mindfulness, and treats you like a close friend or family member. I am a better person, physically and mentally, through the work that I have had with Tayonon. read more

I bought a certificate from Lifebooker because I was in desperate need of a massage! Plus, I'm relatively new to Chicago and needed to find a good masseuse but wanted to try a few out before committing. I can definitely say that Tai is the best I've had, ever! She took the time to sit down and talk with me to find out where she needed to focus more time and attention on my aches and pains. She used the perfect amount of pressure and modified the table to accommodate for my ample chest size to ensure that I was laying on the table comfortably. She kept the chatting to a minimum. I don't dislike chatting with my masseuse, but there are times when I just like to have some silence, and I think she was aware of that. She paid close attention to my problem areas and spent the majority of our time on those areas, and did an excellent job at relieving the pain! I highly recommend her services! Her location is two blocks north of the Diversey brown line stop, very easy to access. read more

BEST Deep Tissue in Chicago! I'm addicted to deep tissue massages and used to only book with men because their hands are stronger. That was before I met Tayonon. Her technique of warming up your skin before digging in has made a tremendous difference. Her massages have become a resource of my whole body health. Tayonon has become my new addiction... I don't know what I'd ever do without her. I'm grateful I can now call her a friend too :) read more

Tayonon is a talented massage therapist who makes great use of the time spent together. I workout a fair amount and thus I always have tight muscles and knots pretty much from head to toe. Nevertheless, I always leave feeling better than when I came in the door. I realize that some men are skeptical of female massage therapists and their ability to do deep tissue effectively. I can honestly say that she is capable of handling any person's body - male or female. I definitely recommend her to others. read more

Tai will live up to the expectations you see on here! Any massage therapist can ask you what your preferences are but Tai actually listens and does your massage exactly how YOU want. I originally came to her from a lifebooker coupon over a year ago and have been buying packages with her ever since. She has a great passion for her job and genuinely wants you to leave her appointment feeling great. Definitely worth the wait of a week or two when booking appointments. read more

I bought this session on Lifebooker. I bought 2 certificates and was leary since the first was a very bad experience. I get a massage atleast once a month so I am seasoned. When I met Tai she was very nice. The room was very relaxing. She explained the whole session. Wow, I can honestly say she gave the best massage that I have ever had (except for one other person). She used great pressure and wasn't chatty. I truly enjoyed this massage and will be back again. I l ike to buy certificates to try out new people once in a while. I gurarantee you that you will not be sorry. She is worth her weight in gold. read more

I went to see Tai yesterday for a pain in my neck from working at a computer for 12hrs a day and omg she did the best work ever. I get a massage every 3 months to reduce stress and Tai provided me with the most relaxing massage ever. Her music was calming not too loud where you're trying to hum along with it. the decor was very nice. Her receptionist was even nice and that's rare. He didn't seem preoccupied. It was a great experience and I will definitely be back for more massages. I purchased two off lifebooker. Also she provided me with some key things for me to do in the morning to make me feel more grounded and I plan to start them very soon. She is absolutely a doll!! read more

One of the best massages I've had - go see her. I find Tayonon through the MindBody app, and will make time to see her every time I am in Chicago. She approaches massage as a holistic approach and incorporates different types of massage to treat each person. I did the Thai massage and it was a great combination of stretching, compression, some pressure point work, and some aromatherapy. Love it. read more

Tai is AMAZING!! I bought a Lifebooker certificate for me and my mother-in-law, and was blown away. I have never walked out of a massage feeling that great! I think what made the experience amazing was she uses the perfect amount of pressure, she actually focuses on spots when you ask her too (so many masseuses say they will but never do), and the bed she uses is super comfortable. I tend to get extremely cold when I get massages, so having a heated table was a huge plus for me. My mother-in-law loved her experience with Tai as well. I will definitely be back, and she is without a doubt the best masseuse I have ever had. read more

I can't say enough about how wonderful Tay is. I have had some serious lackluster spa/massage experiences in Chicago since I moved but I have finally found my go to. First of all, she is easy to reach and prompt returning calls (I really appreciated this given past experience). She takes a chance to talk to you so she can get a better idea of what is needed from the massage. She is considerate - adding blankets and heat if needed (which I always need). The massage itself is great - a mix between swedish and deep tissue which is the best of both worlds. You can tell she really knows what she is doing. I highly highly recommend this service. It is just about the best thing you can do for yourself. And, no, she didn't pay me to write this! This is just my sincere review. read more

Tai is AWESOME. I came to her through a Lifebooker almost a year ago, and really didn't think I could afford regular massages,but she was so amazing I had to come back. I'm so appreciative of all the work she does with me, as well as her flexibility in letting me buy discounted packages I can afford. Not only is her technique absolutely superb, she really gets to know you as a person and your body needs and makes sure to hit them all. She is such an incredible person, everytime I see her I feel like I'm catching up with a great old friend, and walk away in heaven. Could not recommend her enough . read more

As with the other reviews, I also was impressed with Tai. She performs a deep tissue massage with the rhythmic movements of a swedish. Love the technique and I will be back. read more

Tai is very good massage therapist. Her technique is excellent. Before the therapy is start, she will talked to you first to make you feel comfortable. During the talking she will asked me what part of my body that needed more attention so that she will work more on that area. I was amazed that she hit the right spots on my body especially in my back and neck. After the massage I feel relaxed, calm and loosen up. I am very glad that my friend told me to buy certificates from lifebooker because I met a very nice, gentle and good massage therapist. read more

Oh my Tayonon (Tai) is fantastic ! anyone with pain or just a need to relax and unwind get a massage by this highly trained therapist. she gives the best Thai and Swedish style massages hands down. My person preference is the Thai massage on a mat at her studio near the Gold Coast. I feel so much better after a massage by Tai is the best! read more

Tayonon is wonderful!! She's very skilled, and gave a fantastic massage. She also answered all my questions about a healthy lifestyle, and was very knowledgeable. Very kind and interesting to talk to as well. She is very thoughtful in her work and responsive to what you need. Highly recommended!! read more

I found Tayonon and A Balanced You on the mind body app and was unsure as to what to expect - it turned out to be a great deep tissue massage. Probably one of the best I have found in Chicago and I'm sure I'll go back. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a great massage. read more

Tayonon is a phenomenal massage therapist! She does a thorough intake and tells you a little bit about herself to facilitate greater comfort. She has a very calming voice and I really appreciated the breathing techniques she taught me. I truly felt much better after getting each of the two massages I got from her. I recommend the deep swedish and thai massages - both were excellent. read more

Tayonon is the best! Not only is she the best massage I've ever had, but she has also helped me improve my overall health through healthy living recommendations and my state of relaxation through her meditation and stretching session. I get regular relaxation massages with her but she is always hyper aware of what my body needs and focuses on where I wear my stress and any pain points I may have. I see her once a month and look forward to it for the entire month between massages. I wouldn't waste my time or money on a massage anywhere else! read more

Tai is a fabulous massuse. I have been getting massages from Tai for a long time and will follow her anywhere. Hands-down (pun intended) she is the best! She knows her stuff. I have neck and shoulder pain and I always leave relaxed and rejuvenated. Tai is a knowledgeable, thoughtful and genuinely kind individual who wants to make sure you receive the best massage possible. I recommend a 90 minute massage - worth every penny! read more

I recently received a massage Tayonon. She was great. The first thing she did was sit down and ask me if I had any issues that I wanted to her to focus on. Then, she made sure to work out those areas, which was great. Tayonon is very nice, professional, and personable. The facility is also quiet and relaxing. I would highly recommend booking an appointment with her. The only reason that I did not give five stars is because it can be challenging to make an appointment with her. You can either call and leave a message or email back and forth. Either way, you need to schedule well in advance. read more

I was visiting on a trip for work and my friends told me of this great spa in Chicago. I have been looking for a great place all week while I staying here. My friend recommend to get a massage from Tai and I am so happy she did. I told her that I have not been sleeping well due to stress at work and starting back fresh at the gym. Since I have not worked out in a few months, starting back brought about soreness in muscles that have not been worked on. Tai explained to me what she could do to help and how she would help each area that I wanted to focus on. I must say this has been the best massage ever and I go to several spa. I will be recommending this place to all my friends and family members in the area. Thank you for helping relieve my soreness Tai. Kudos to Holistic Massage Therapy. read more

I met Tai Gbala and was so impressed with her not only as a massage therapist and true professional but also her helpfulness and consideration with my comfort and relaxation as well as numerous other things that i feel i should note here. Tai is a very sweet and warm person - very welcoming. I'm usually a pretty good judge of character. I wish i could see her several times a week. It was like meeting up with a good warm friend that always seems to make you feel better after a rough day. She has immense positive energy. I feel I got more than my money's worth. She had some time between clients -it was a slow rainy Sunday and she she guided me through a couple of nice breathing/stretching exersizes, She also introduced me to the idea of a personal trainer which she pointed out has helped her improve her health and (beautiful) shape by showing me her before and after photos - amazing transformation which really inspired me I was in a dance troupe, usually in decent shape but due to non stop graphic arts work at desk, yrs. of zero exersize, along with a bit of carb addiction (yuk), throw in age (yikes) - a scary health combo.& NOT such a cute transformation for me these days... anyhoo,.. I got more than just a message experience from Tai - I received a nice mind/ body/ spirit boost great (after) conversation- leaving me very refreshed and inspired. Thank You Ms. Tai Gbala for a most pleasant experience and I'll be looking forward to meeting your trainer and seeing you ASAP :):) read more

I've had a number of massages over the years, and the massage I had from Tai today was probably one of the best I've had. This was my second appointment with her, and I booked a third. She is a skilled therapist who has been working in this field for I believe 13 years, and she recently started her own business. In addition to having top-notch technique (I've experienced her combination deep tissue/swedish), she is generous with her time, and takes a real interest in her clients' wellness. She taught me a number of stretches and relaxation techniques that I can use at home. Some massage therapists seem like they're going through the same tired routine with everyone, but Tai seemed to customize her massage to my specific needs. Before the massage, she asked a number of questions about where I had been experiencing discomfort, and she checked in with me frequently throughout to see what needed adjustment. read more