As a nurse who practiced for many years in the field of mental health, France Bouchard-Michaud has seen the devastating effects of exhausting one's physical, mental, and emotional resources to the point of illness. Out of this experience arose her conviction that taking the time to care for oneself, nurturing the mind, body, and spirit, is more about self-preservation and well being than self-indulgence. Her desire to foster this belief was the impetus to pursue a career in esthetics, which led to the establishment of the Medes Health and Esthetic Center in 1989 - now expanded to the Medes Spa - and the Medes College 1994.