For many, a massage is a great way to release tension, relax and recalibrate. Donna Zubrod, owner of Seven Generations Massage & Birth, in Cary, NC is certainly a massage expert, trust us.

She does so much more, however, as part of her practice. Donna employs different techniques to aide in pelvic health and abdominal therapy. She provides pre and peri-natal massage and pre-conception massage to aide in fertility, and she is a DONA certified Birth Doula as well. The connection she has with her clients is obvious as she has a corner of her space dedicated to photo cards of healthy newborns that she knows.

“I’m trying to create a pleasant atmosphere here instead of a clinical setting,” says Donna.

With that attitude in mind, we sought to show the spirit with which Donna works and reveal the energy of her working area. We did that by looking closely at the details in the room that bring feeling to Donna’s space, and by using the natural light that came through the two large windows that created a strong, soft glow. Our model was Betsy Huljev, who, along with Donna, is a member of the Triangle Holistic Birth Collective.

Donna works primarily with women who are preparing to conceive,  those actually preparing for birth, and women who have already given birth.

“I’ve helped women during pregnancy be better connected to their belly and their baby which I firmly believe has lead to more positive birth outcomes,” explains Donna.

She says she has also helped couples conceive who had been told that it was unlikely they would conceive on their own without outside intervention.

“And I’ve really helped with postpartum healing and women going through a lot of the challenges of menopause in terms of complications due to pelvic organ prolapse and digestive issues,” she says.

“I do this because I’m trying to bring awareness of how important your physical, emotional and spiritual wellness is as you are preparing to have children, while you are pregnant and the time thereafter,” she added.

Donna also has specialized training in the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®, which are beneficial for everybody, women and men, of all ages, according to Zubrod.

“I help clients who are in various stages of their life with the kind of healing that they need for reproductive and digestive wellness as well as relief from muscle aches and pains,” she says.

“I have a lot of training and I customize a session based on what their needs are. But I believe that in a lot of the work that I do, I’m trying to empower my clients to take better care of themselves. The root of all the work that I do is to provide instruction in self-care techniques that they can continue at home,” she says.

Donna says the inspiration for the name Seven Generations Massage & Birth came to her when she discovered a sculpture in Montana titled “Seven Generations.”

“I was struck when I saw it because I realized that how we take care of ourselves today affects future generations. So how I am, and my wellness today, has a lot to do with my ancestors before me and how those women, and men, took care of themselves,” she says.

“So I’m trying to start at this point here and pay it forward.”