Photo by Alex Salas
Float Milwaukee float therapy pod
Float Milwaukee float therapy pod
Float therapy is a great way to relax, meditate and revitalize the mind and body. At Float Milwaukee, 211 W Freshwater Way in Walker’s Point, one may engage in this unique sensory experience by way of float sessions in individual pods and pools. The center opened in 2015 and is the first of its kind in the city. Andy Larson, founder of Float Milwaukee, is determined to make float therapy as accessible to the public as possible.
For those unfamiliar with it, float therapy is a form of sensory deprivation where one enters a tank and lies in water treated with Epsom salt in a light-proof, soundproof environment. Research suggests that float therapy can be effective in reducing stress, improving sleep quality and pain relief.
Andy Larson first stumbled upon float therapy when he saw an ad for it one day while working his old corporate accounting job. Curious, he began doing research on it and decided to give floating a try.
“I laid down in the tank for an hour and felt like I just disappeared from the world for a bit,” Larson recalls. “I had never meditated before or anything so it took me a second to really know what I was doing, but once I breathed and laid back, I was so relaxed I couldn’t even move.”
Float Nation
Photo by Alex Salas
Andy Larson of Float Therapy
Andy Larson of Float Therapy
The documentary Float Nation had a profound impact on him as well; Larson affirms, “It really made me not only want to float more but also made me wonder why we didn’t have something like this in Milwaukee.”.
He began visiting different float centers while on work trips. Eventually, Larson made his way to Portland, Oregon, where Float On offered apprenticeships in float therapy. Larson learned the ins and outs of the floating business and technology while there, and he ultimately decided that it was something he wanted to open a facility for in Milwaukee.
“I was actually a minority investor in the building that I’m in now,” he continues. “It was the perfect location because it had just been renovated and was all just gravel inside, so I could have it built from scratch exactly how I needed it to be with all the plumbing and soundproofing.”
Float Milwaukee contains three pod rooms and two pool rooms, each equipped with a shower and complimentary soaps, towels, robes and earplugs. Floaters may adjust the light and darkness settings as well as the music during their hour-long session. There are also multiple bathrooms and a dressing room on the premises, and the center is ADA-accessible.
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Getting Familiar
First-time floaters are encouraged to watch the orientation videos and look over the frequently asked questions page in order to get familiarized with the procedure.
“When we first opened, most of the people who came in already knew what floating was,” Larson remembers. “There were people who had heard about it and always wanted to try it. Then there were those who had already been floating and were so grateful that now they didn’t have to drive far away just to do it.”
Float Milwaukee’s lounge features materials like journals and coloring books as well as organic teas where folks may comfortably reflect and recombobulate post-float before reentering society. Memberships and gift cards are available for purchase.
Added in 2022, the center also offers NovoTHOR photobiomodulation therapy, a process that applies red and near-infrared light to the body in 15 minute sessions. It is designed to relax muscles, relieve pain and help injuries heal faster.
“I like it because it’s not as time-consuming as a float,” Larson notes about NovoTHOR. “It’s a quick in-and-out thing, but it does pair super well with the float as a combo because it can help you ease into the float better.”
Photo by Alex Salas
Float Milwaukee exterior
Float Milwaukee
Open Mind
The biggest piece of advice Larson has for first-time floaters is to have an open mind without too many expectations. “Don’t go in expecting to have crazy hallucinations.” he elaborates, smiling. ‘I can never tell someone fully what’s going to happen, but I do tell them to just breathe, experiment with the light and music, and try different arm positions. There’s no wrong way to do it.”
Larson is looking into getting Float Milwaukee more established in the corporate wellness world. Aside from Float Milwaukee, he also sits on the board of Float Research Collective, an organization that advocates for expanded access and research into float therapy as a viable clinical option.
Coming up this Friday is Float Milwaukee’s third annual Float Fest, a street party featuring live music, arts, food and beverages, extraordinary entertainment and raffle prizes, all to celebrate the float center’s anniversary. It kicks off on Friday, Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. - RSVP at sale.floatmilwaukee.com/floatfest2024.
“There will be a fire dancer, acrobatic hoopers and pole dancers, and it’s free to everyone,” Larson mentions. “The center will be open for tours if people want to go in and see what floating is all about.”
Float Milwaukee is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., except they close at 5 p.m. on Monday and Thursday. Make a reservation at floatmilwaukee.floathelm.com/booking.
