Our scalps are probably one of the most overlooked places on our bodies, yet so many of us aspire for healthy, luxurious hair. If that’s you, then look no further than a head spa, where traditional Japanese techniques focus on treatments from the neck up, including scalp and hair care that offer both deep relaxation and cosmetic benefits like dandruff reduction and hair growth. At The Scalp Spa in Sydney, Australia, the team offers Scalpcials, a facial for your scalp personally tailored for your unique skin and hair type. First, your aesthetician conducts a visual assessment of your scalp to identify any issues or address concerns you may have. It’s then followed by a treatment that frees hair follicles of oil and buildup before a relaxing wash, hair mask and scalp massage. The extended 90-minute option includes the above plus a facial with exfoliation, hydration and a neck and shoulder massage.

Cold therapy is the type of wellness treatment that offers both mental and physical benefits, but treatments like cryotherapy, where you spend three to five minutes in a booth of liquid nitrogen at freezing or near-freezing temperatures, can be expensive and hard to find. Meanwhile, ice bathing and cold plunges offer similar benefits and are much more accessible. All you need is a frozen body of water where you can take a quick dip, or tons of ice and a bathtub. Benefits range from improving immune function and mental clarity to reducing muscle soreness after a tough workout, increasing circulation and decreasing inflammation. At Scandinave Spa in Montreal, the Thermal Journey embraces a hot and cold circuit: 15 minutes in the dry sauna followed by an as-long-as-you-can-stand-it dip in the cold plunge pool, then 15 minutes in the relaxation room while cocooned on a soft pod in a plush robe.

Grief is a common denominator in the human experience, whether you’re struggling with the loss of a loved one, a career or even a sense of self. Although talk therapy is a wonderful way to maintain a sense of groundedness through all of the curve balls of life, sometimes you need to get away from it all and give your grief, anxiety and stress some focused love and attention. This is where grief retreats come in. Gaining in popularity, these are wellness spaces designed to help you navigate life’s toughest transitions. The New Life Portugal wellness center offers a 28-night grief recovery retreat filled with counseling, meditation, yoga and group discussions all surrounded by the lush vegetation of Serra da Estrela Natural Park for the ultimate decompression.