Want to explore new ways to relax and reset your body? Have you heard of lymphatic drainage or massages? You need to know about Cryowellness Studio locally. Dr. Krysta Metz Bryars has decades of experience working with the human body in a wide array of healthcare settings and is now offering holistic curated services in the Des Moines metro.
Written by Giovanna Zavell, DSMG Contributor
Lymphatics, facial sculpting and cryotherapy are just a few ways Dr. Krysta is bringing holistic health to the Des Moines metro. Through these services at Cryowellness Studio, she is helping patients heal and prioritize their health with services you may be missing in your wellness routines.
Finding Intention in Care
Dr. Krysta Metz Bryars is a native Iowan who was raised in Atlantic and attended both Iowa State and Iowa for her education! While earning her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at Iowa State, she also ran track and cross country. Her love for running started at the age of 12, and over time grew into her love for understanding the human body. After graduating from Iowa State, her quest for knowledge led her to the Physical Therapy School at the University of Iowa where she graduated in 2008.
Now, 20 years later, she uses her knowledge of all the ways the body moves and connects to educate and help people.
“I wanted to keep learning about the body,” Dr. Krysta says. “I was eager to find the ways one part of the body connects to the other, and how to repair those connections.” It didn’t take long until she put her studies to work.
Dr. Krysta Bryars, pictured, has been a licensed physical therapist since 2009 working in nationally ranked hospitals at all levels of care including ICU, Inpatient Rehab, Day Rehab, Outpatient, and Critical Care Recovery.
From 2009-2016, Dr. Krysta worked in Chicago at Rush University Medical Center, which she says was the most transformative experience for her. As a Senior Staff Therapist, she worked primarily in Inpatient Rehab, but floated to other areas like the ICU, Day Rehab and more.
Dr. Krysta was helping people take their first steps, have movement of a limb for the first time in a long time, and overall being her patient’s cheerleader. It was during these years at Rush she took a more holistic approach to her job, making sure not to silo care.
“I worked with a diverse group of patients at Rush,” Dr. Krysta says. “These individuals came into my care with a need to heal, and they all had varying resources available to them. This helped teach me patience, and being intentional about meeting people where they are.”
“When people are in my care, I want them to know I have the experience to help get them back on their feet–literally,” says Dr. Krysta. “Part of my approach is to help them understand how their body works. I think in order to help heal, it’s important to understand how the body works and why we do certain things.”
Back to the Basics
As her family grew and after the birth of her first son, Dr. Krysta moved to Des Moines where she continued to work with patients and their fundamentals of mobility. Two more boys followed, having three boys in three years, and Dr. Krysta noticed her interests evolving.
“Through my experiences with different patients, I became more and more interested in the lymphatic system,” says Dr. Krysta. “The lymphatics system has an impact on every other system within the body.”
So what is the lymphatic system? The lymphatic system is responsible for maintaining fluid balance, supporting digestive health, immune function and waste management of cells. Basically, it’s one of eleven organ systems in the body that heroes your wellness. Giving a little extra attention to this system might just be the key to maximizing your wellness.
“Healing journeys vary from person to person,” Dr. Krysta says. “I started to shift my focus on learning the ways a person can heal by directly working with the body.”
This desire led Dr. Krysta to pursue a number of certifications (check them all out here) so that she could offer more holistic approaches to the patients in her care.
The CryoWellness Studio
During her schooling, Dr. Krysta knew she eventually wanted to open a studio focused on helping others find happiness in their wellness. November 2023, she felt that it was the right time.
“I worked in both the studio and the hospital for the first little while after opening,” Dr. Krysta says. “At first, I would spend most of the week at the hospital, but then come to the studio for a handful of appointments in the evenings. Then I started spending a few days a week at the hospital and the other days at the studio. Before I knew it I was spending less time at the hospital and more time in the studio seeing clients.”
People’s hunger to try something new continued to grow as word spread about services Dr. Krysta offers. Being in Iowa, the idea of these non-traditional practices aren’t as common or well known as they are in larger cities. But educating is a huge part of what Dr. Krysta offers. Her hope is to continue to educate the community, ultimately bringing those looking to prioritize their wellness and try something new into her studio.
“I want my clients to have a basic understanding of their health and how to care for themselves,” says Dr. Krysta.
There are a number of services you can choose from when visiting Dr. Krysta. Think of this menu as an “a la carte” where you can pick and choose services based on what you are looking to accomplish.
One of the other popular services offered in the studio (and seen in the name) is cryotherapy–the use of extreme cold that helps the body to slow blood flow, release hormones and decrease pain.
Facial sculpting is one of her most popular services, which includes strengthening and relaxing movements of the face. Think assisted unlocking of the jaw that is sure to get rid of the stubborn tension we are all familiar with.
“I love providing a solution to an area where people didn’t know they had so much tension. The jaw is an area that really interests wellness, clinical, and aesthetic and I love getting in there,” Dr. Krysta says with a laugh.
When asked about her vision for patient outcomes, Dr. Krysta says it’s all about hospitality and self care. “I want every person who comes into my studio to feel welcome and supported,” Dr. Krysta says. “Whether it’s healing from a procedure or using this time to disconnect from the outside world, I’m honored to get to be a part of that.”
“The greatest thing you can do for yourself is to invest in your body,” Dr. Krysta says.
Want to start investing in your body and prioritizing your health in a new, holistic way?
Book a session with Dr. Krysta and explore Cryowellness Studio’s offerings.
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