Meet Massage Therapist, Mom & Local Business Enthusiast Kym O'Neill
It was almost a decade ago when Kym O’Neill and her family stumbled upon Ditmas Park. Taken by the majestic homes, the tree-lined streets, and the community feel, they immediately started looking for a place to live in the neighborhood. Within months they’d bought an apartment, which they later sold to Kym’s parents. Kym, her sons, and her then-husband upgraded to a house.
Kym grew up in Maine and Massachusetts and attended Drew University in Madison, NJ, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. After graduation, she came to NYC with friends, moving all over Manhattan and Brooklyn before trying out San Francisco, and even staying in Mexico for a time.
“But I was always drawn back to New York,” Kym says, and it seems like she’s found the perfect fit here.
“Ditmas Park is a true neighborhood,” Kym says. Her sons, who attend PS 139 on Cortelyou Road, have friends from Pakistan, Guatemala, India, and beyond.
“One of the great things here is the diversity. Our cultures are different, but our kids don’t seem to see the difference. It’s a beautiful thing.
“I love that the boys and I can take a quick trip to the main strip and visit people we know,” she says of the restaurants and shops on Church, Cortelyou, and Newkirk. “It’s so much fun to see friends opening up businesses.
“We go to Milk and Honey for lemonade, and of course Qathra, too. Max is great. All of Cortelyou, really. The lamb curry at Purple Yam! I love popping into Collyer’s Mansion. Mauri has the best taste and I love seeing all her new, beautiful things. And the Castello Plan, and Mimi–she makes incredible food. Kari at Lark put so much work and time and effort into that place and it shows. And I’m gluten-free and really appreciate that they offer gluten-free baked goods.”
Of all her beloved Ditmas Park spots, though, The Farm on Adderley holds a special place in Kym’s heart.
“The Farm opened at around the same time that my ex-husband and I separated, and I found myself there a lot during that time, as the food was really excellent and the staff incredibly friendly and welcoming. During that time I got to know Gary and Allison Jonas (owners) and Tom Kearney (chef and now partner), and the amazing staff. In a way, the folks at The Farm came to feel like extended family to me.”
As a small business owner herself, Kym understands the importance of connecting with clients. She’s been a licensed massage therapist for over 10 years and has mastered a variety of massage techniques, including Swedish, deep tissue, trigger point technique, Thai, Reiki, and hot stone, and prenatal massage. She’s also a certified yoga instructor and doula — areas of expertise that inform her work as a massage therapist.
“I guess you could say that I’ve developed my own kind of massage over time,” Kym explains. “It’s sort of an amalgam of the various modalities and techniques that I’ve studied over the years, all incorporated into a 90- or 110-minute session.
“I get to help people to feel better for a living,” Kym says. “That’s pretty amazing. I consider myself very fortunate to get to do this. I absolutely love my job.”
If you’re interested in experiencing Kym’s work for yourself, you can set up an appointment through kymlmt@gmail.com.
Know a neighbor we should profile? Have you received exceptional service from a small business in the neighborhood that deserves some praise? Let us know at editor@ditmasparkcorner.com.
Photo by Grey Tratenberg