Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Michael.
Hi Stephanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began my career as a physician assistant in 2010, spending most of those years working in emergency medicine. I have always loved medicine, especially procedures, but after years in the emergency department, I began to experience burnout. So much of my work involved caring for people during some of the most difficult and frightening moments of their lives.
In 2019, I found aesthetic medicine, and it gave me a new sense of purpose. It allowed me to continue using my medical knowledge and procedural skills in an environment centered on confidence, connection, and joy. I loved helping people feel better about themselves while building genuine, long-term relationships with my patients.
Over the next several years, I worked at different medical spas, continued my education, refined my skills, and learned what I wanted to create someday. In March 2025, I finally began turning that vision into Thrive Aesthetics, which officially opened in March 2026.
Thrive was not an overnight dream. It took years of experience, growth, sacrifice, and courage to bring it to life. Most importantly, it took surrounding myself with incredible people who believed in the vision. Today, I am so proud of the talented, compassionate team we have built and the welcoming space we have created for our patients. Thrive represents everything I hoped it would: exceptional care, genuine connection, confidence, and a place where both our patients and our team can truly thrive.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road—but life is full of struggles, surprises, and moments that test you. Building Thrive required years of hard work, sacrifice, financial risk, and learning how to balance being a wife, a mother, a medical provider, and now a business owner. There were plenty of moments when I questioned myself or wondered how everything would come together.
Through it all, I could not be more grateful for my family, especially the unwavering support of my husband, and for the incredible team I have surrounded myself with. They believed in this dream and helped carry it forward, even during the difficult moments.
Sometimes I still look around and want to pinch myself—like, “Wait, we actually opened a medical spa!” Seeing Thrive here, open and growing, makes every challenge along the way feel worth it.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Thrive Aesthetics is a luxury medical spa in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, created to help people look and feel like the best version of themselves. We offer injectables, advanced skin treatments, laser services, medical weight management, wellness services, and men’s health and optimization—all in a welcoming, elevated environment.
What sets Thrive apart is the combination of medical expertise, personalized care, and genuine connection. We do not believe in changing the way someone looks or following every trend. Our approach is thoughtful, natural, and education-focused. We take time to understand each patient’s goals, explain their options, and create a long-term plan that supports confidence, prevention, and overall skin health.
I am most proud of the team and culture we have built. Thrive is made up of talented medical providers, injectors, aestheticians, and support staff who truly care about our patients and one another. Every person brings something special to the practice, but we all share the same commitment to safety, honesty, continued education, and exceptional care.
More than anything, I want people to know that Thrive is about more than aesthetics. It is a place where people can prioritize themselves, feel heard, and leave feeling more confident—while still looking like themselves.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something people may not know is that I practiced medicine for many years before entering aesthetics. As a board-certified physician assistant, my background includes neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and emergency medicine. That experience allows me to approach aesthetics from a medical perspective—focusing on safety, anatomy, and personalized treatment plans rather than trends. In such a rapidly growing field, continuing education will always be a priority for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thriveaestheticspa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveaestheticspa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thriveaestheticspa
