The Journey Behind Sacred Dunes

One of the things I love most about this job is getting to ask, "How did you get here?" The answer typically isn’t, "I had a great business idea." It's usually a story about life taking an unexpected turn and someone deciding to do something with it.

For Stephanie Gordon, owner of Sacred Dunes, that moment started with debilitating migraines and a decision to try acupuncture, partly because she wanted relief, and partly because she just wanted to know how much it hurt so she could explain the experience to her doula clients. What she didn’t expect was that six treatments would not only take away her migraines, but completely change the direction of her life and career.

More than a decade later, Sacred Dunes has grown from garage-and-basement beginnings into a truly integrative wellness space, and Stephanie is continuing to expand that work through Sacred Dunes Community Outreach, their new nonprofit.

I asked Stephanie about the beginning of Sacred Dunes, what business ownership has taught her, how entrepreneurs can take better care of themselves, and what she hopes The Collective members experience when we gather at Sacred Dunes in October.

1. Your own experience with migraines led you to acupuncture. When did that personal experience start to feel like something you wanted to build a career around?

I had six acupuncture treatments—twice a month for three months. As soon as my debilitating migraines were gone, I KNEW I had to learn how this worked. It completely changed the direction of my career and education. I had just finished my Bachelor of Arts in Education, and I went directly into an almost four-year medical Master of Science program to study East Asian Medicine.

I had also seen acupuncture work incredibly well for many of my doula clients for years, so I already knew there was something powerful happening. The funny part is, the only reason I went for acupuncture in the first place was because I wanted to find out how much it hurt so I could tell my future doula clients what to expect! I had absolutely no idea that those six treatments would completely change the course of my life.

2. As you celebrate 12 years in business, I'm curious what Sacred Dunes looked like in the beginning, and is where you are today part of the vision you originally had?

Some of my patients who have been with me this entire journey love to joke that they knew me when Sacred Dunes operated out of a garage and a basement.

I contracted out of a chiropractor's office that was actually a beautifully renovated garage (I am literally laughing as I write this!), and I also worked out of the gorgeous basement of Troybuilt Fitness.

I have come SO freaking far, and sometimes it is honestly surreal to look back and realize how much has changed. Entrepreneurship takes serious faith, a lot of perseverance, and, if I'm being honest, probably a little bit of insanity too!

3. If you could sit down with Stephanie on the day she opened Sacred Dunes, what would you tell her?

You are going to make it. You are going to help so many people. You are going to receive an honorary MBA from the School of Hard Knocks, but you will learn business, bookkeeping, accounting, employment, and law along the way—and you are going to become an incredible employer and business owner because of it.

Keep going. You have got this!

4. What has surprised you most about entrepreneurship?

How hard it is! I have so much more respect for every establishment I walk into now. I understand all of the work that happens behind the scenes—the permits, construction, insurance, payroll, overhead, maintenance, and all of the little things it takes just to keep the lights on.

And then there is what it truly means to have employees. Being responsible for other people's livelihoods is an enormous responsibility. Entrepreneurship takes a LOT of blood, sweat, tears, resilience, and faith.

5. Is there something entrepreneurs tend to normalize, physically or mentally, that you wish they would stop ignoring?

Our stress levels. We all tend to push them aside and tell ourselves we'll deal with them later. And I am a huge hypocrite when it comes to this! I regulate people's nervous systems for a living. I constantly encourage my patients to take care of themselves so they can continue taking care of everyone else.

All of those clichés are true—you cannot pour from an empty cup. Entrepreneurs tend to have huge hearts and genuinely want to make a difference. The problem is that we don't necessarily have set hours. We are technically always working, and it can be incredibly difficult to turn that off.

We have to learn to delegate, protect time for ourselves, prioritize rest, and actually schedule self-care instead of waiting until we're completely depleted.

6. What does taking care of yourself actually look like during a busy or stressful period?

For me, it means getting regular acupuncture and massage, sticking to my exercise schedule, making sure I am eating well, and prioritizing sleep. These are the things I tell my patients all the time, and I have to remind myself that they apply to me too!

7. What is one small thing a busy entrepreneur could easily incorporate into their day for their wellbeing?

Start the morning with a few minutes of intentional breathing and even ten minutes of stretching. It doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Taking a few minutes to slow down, breathe deeply, and move your body can completely change how you enter the rest of your day.

8. What inspired you to create Sacred Dunes Community Outreach, and why first responders?

When I was in acupuncture medical school, I had a tremendous amount of experience treating extreme PTSD in combat veterans. Over the years, I kept thinking, "I want to continue helping veterans." But eventually another question came to me: What if we could help first responders before the trauma becomes PTSD?

Acupuncture is incredibly powerful neurologically. It can help shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight and toward rest-and-digest, while supporting healthy regulation of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

First responders are everyday heroes. They risk their lives to protect complete strangers, and they witness things on a regular basis that you and I might only encounter a handful of times in our entire lives. They are incredibly brave, but that constant exposure to stress and trauma can add up.

Acupuncture, massage, and somatic therapies such as EMDR can be incredibly valuable tools for regulating stress, supporting nervous system health, and managing pain. I wanted to take something I knew could help and make it accessible to the people who give so much to our communities.

9. Has creating the nonprofit changed how you think about your role as a business owner and community leader? If so, how?

I am so excited to take something I have been volunteering for years—something that has already made an impact in so many people's lives—and turn it into something I can grant-write and fundraise for so we can do even more of it.

This is truly a passion project for me, and I will continue doing it either way. But there are real logistics involved in regularly closing down portions of my business to donate my time and resources. Being able to raise funds and cover even a fraction of those costs means we can reach more people and make the program more sustainable.

It has also felt like starting over in some ways because I have had to learn an entirely new language. I spent years learning the language of business, and now I'm in a whole new phase of learning everything that goes into running a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It has been challenging, but incredibly rewarding.

10. What does success look like to you at this point in your life?

Success looks like walking into the clinic and seeing my nurse practitioner and massage therapists completely booked, while I am back-to-back with acupuncture patients too.

Being able to see multiple types of practitioners working together in one truly integrative setting is a dream come true for me. I love creating an environment where different practitioners can bring their expertise together and collaborate for the benefit of the patient. That is what success looks like to me.

11. Community is a big part of both Sacred Dunes and The Collective. What does a meaningful community look like to you as a business owner?

To me, meaningful community means putting your money where your mouth is. I try to spend my hard-earned money at local LaPorte County businesses whenever possible. It means emotionally supporting other small business owners, celebrating their wins, donating to local nonprofits and school fundraisers, and simply spreading the word about what an incredible community we have.

I want people to know what a cool place we live in and how many amazing people are doing amazing things right here in our own backyard.

12. What are you most excited for The Collective members to experience when we gather at Sacred Dunes in October?

I am STOKED for the Collective members to walk into Sacred Dunes! It is a vibe, and I honestly think people are going to instantly fall in love with it.

It feels professional and polished like a doctor's office, but it is definitely not your typical doctor's office. We have an incredible little shop and apothecary, a sauna, a small yoga studio space, and seven treatment rooms. There is so much to see and experience.

I can't wait for everyone to walk through the doors and experience Sacred Dunes for themselves!

The Column

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