Q. I’m intrigued about the health benefits of mud, mud masks, and mud bathing. My spa/practitioner offers these services, but what should I know before I receive these treatments? Are there risks involved?

While the U.S. spa industry has consistently struggled with the definition of “spa,” the market continues to expand, explore, and test the boundaries of consumer expectations and demands. Although “mind, body, and soul” is the mantra many spas have used throughout the last decade, the “mind” aspect of the spa movement was rarely a priority until energetic services began to attract clients’ intrigue and dollars.