How Pamela James’ Personal Health Journey Informed Her Professional Wellness Venture
By: Emily Mook | Photography by: Ashlee Glen
A health issue that once had Pamela James, LPN, feeling stuck ultimately led her to a liberating career change, and she hasn’t looked back since.
James’ decision to open SIX28 Wellness Spa in 2024 derived not only from her passion for and professional background in wellness, but also from her personal struggles with a common health issue, particularly in seniors: constipation.
“I used to try everything,” James recalled. “I would go on a vacation, and I’d have to say, ‘You all go ahead; I’m just going to go to the drug store and get a suppository or something, and I’ll hang out here.’”
In an effort to combat her constipation, James started colon hydrotherapy—a procedure that introduces a large volume of filtered water into the large intestine to flush out waste—and she said that the experience changed her life.
“When I started getting colonics, it was life-changing,” she remarked. “During my third colonic, I saw mucus—as a nurse, I knew what it was. I went for constipation, but the bonus for me was that it cleared up my sinuses. I also didn’t have dry patches on my skin any more. I got so many other benefits from it. I’m like, ‘Yeah, this will be me for life!’”
Before her personal experience with colon hydrotherapy led her to pursue her certifications to administer it herself and ultimately open SIX28, James had accrued more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare field. After working as a certified nursing assistant and licensed practical nurse—along with other healthcare roles and a stint in real estate investment—she opened a personal care home to assist her mother-in-law and other aging patients.
When James, a Detroit native, moved to the Lynchburg area, she originally planned to open a personal care home here. Upon discovering that Lynchburg didn’t offer the colon hydrotherapy services she personally needed, however, she set out on a new professional path.
“By the time I moved here, I had worked my body up to only needing it [colon hydrotherapy] every six months,” she said. “But when I moved here, they didn’t have it, so that’s when I—instead of opening a family care home here—rerouted and did the colon hydrotherapy training.”
James was originally planning to work with partners, but when those plans fell through, she decided to strike out on her own. After becoming a certified colon hydrotherapist, she found a building on Langhorne Road. Renovations began in October 2023, the building was ready in January 2024, and the grand opening took place on a special date: June 28 (2024), which is James’ birthday and which served as the basis for the business’ name.
In addition to addressing her own health needs, James opened SIX28 Wellness Spa because she “started thinking about seniors in general and how we can make the rest of our lives the best of our lives.”
Her initial treatment offerings reflected her belief that seniors struggle mainly with issues in four key areas.
“The main things that get seniors in trouble are being constipated, being dehydrated, our oxygen levels being too low, or having respiratory issues, so I started with those four areas,” she noted. “As we get older, we have to realize that our organs are aging too, so we have to service the engine more often and change the oil! That’s what led me to this overall wellness venture.”
SIX28’s anchor service is colon hydrotherapy, which James said is “like an enema that gets higher up in the body.” Pairing this service with IV hydration, which is one of SIX28’s other core services, allows for what James called “working from top and bottom to meet somewhere in the middle so we can be potty-trained again!” The wellness spa’s oxygen therapy services have also been core offerings since the start.
Over time, James noticed two things: Seniors were not the only people booking appointments, and clients who booked colonics were more likely to book other services.
“The business was designed with seniors in mind; I just didn’t know that so many young people—especially athletes—were already into their wellness,
so that was an added bonus,” she said.
“When people do the colonics and now they’re feeling some kind of way because they’ve lost gas and inches and waste, which weighs something, they often want to try body contouring, massage, and other services. When they feel better, they want to do more.”
According to James, some clients have even suggested additional services that would pair well with the wellness spa’s offerings. James welcomes this feedback and said she believes that “wellness should be more proactive, not reactive.” As such, SIX28 Wellness Spa now boasts a widened array of services—including pelvic floor therapy, various steams, and massage—that promote self-care and address additional health concerns for people of all ages.
As SIX28 Wellness Spa evolves and expands its services, James hopes to train and bring on more certified colon hydrotherapy practitioners and noted that the foundational missions of her business will never change.
“Since we’ve expanded services, we’ve strengthened partnerships and refined our systems—but what hasn’t changed is our mission: education, integrity, and personalized care,” she stated. “We’re not just opening a spa; we’re building a structured wellness business with a spa feel.”
Another thing that will never change is James’ empathy for those who find much-needed and hard-won relief after starting colon hydrotherapy.
“The most rewarding thing about what I do is people’s reactions after they’ve come back for a maintenance session,” she remarked. “They say, ‘I’ve been going [to the bathroom]. Thank you!’
I’ve even had people cry because they finally have some relief. I get it, and I know. It’s rewarding to know that it’s helping others so much, just like it helped me so much years ago.”
To learn more about SIX28 Wellness Spa and to view and book services, visit six28wellnessspa.com.
