When Emily Wofford Hurlin steps out of the wooden barrel sauna in her Iowa City backyard, she feels relaxed, focused and in tune with her body.
She’s also sweaty.
“I put it (sauna use) in the same category as exercise or body work, like massage,” said Wofford Hurlin, 33. “It really helps me with my mental health.”
— Erin Jordon, The Gazette
“Wofford Hurlin, a licensed psychotherapist, and her husband, David Hurlin, earlier this month opened the Backyard Sauna Club, which lets customers rent the four-person sauna for an hour or buy a monthly pass to use it every day. The venture allows the couple to defray the cost of the sauna and share the mental and physical health benefits of sauna bathing with Iowa City.”
— Erin Jordon, The Gazette
“At the Backyard Sauna Club, guests can take a break during their hourlong sauna session to sit outside on a chilly patio, Wofford Hurlin said. The couple is researching ways to add a cold plunge tub to the experience.
“I hope it’s accessible and brings sauna culture to the area,” she said. “That’s our goal with it.””
— Erin Jordon, The Gazette