OBSERVER Photo by Natasha Matteliano Janice Dreshman and Kris Seastedt stand with the new business, Kran Salt Kave.

LILY DALE — Chautauqua County’s first and only salt room has opened it doors.

On Sept. 5, Lily Dale celebrated the grand opening of a serene salt room. Owners Kris Seastedt and Janice Dreshman, both registered Lily Dale mediums and ordained ministers, said they are excited to open their doors to the public.

“We are so thrilled and so excited,” Seastedt said. “We’ve put in a ton of effort into this, not just buying the salt.”

Once finished, the room will contain about 900 pounds of pure, harvested Himalayan salt. Himalayan salt is known around the world for its healing power and is said by some to aid with respiratory issues, skin issues, boost immune systems, purify air, and also has many other benefits.

“We know way more about salt than anybody should,” Seastedt said, laughing. “But the more we looked into it, the more we found that something so simple like salt could be healing without being intrusive, why wouldn’t we do it?”

These salt lamps are said to work because the moisture in the air is attracted to the lamp, then is evaporated off as a salt solution when heated by the lamp, forming mostly negative ions. These negative ions are the key to these salt rooms, as they are believed to produce biochemical reactions in the brain that increase levels of serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost energy.

“The negative ions released from the salt help to do the healing that needs to occur, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually,” Dreshman said. “It is truly a place of healing.”

For those interested, appointments are available starting Saturday. People must book appointments online and keep in mind that only two people of the same “pod” or group are allowed in at one time, due to social distancing guidelines. “All CDC guidelines are adhered to, and cleaning and sanitizing between sessions,” they said. “Masks must be worn to enter, and temperatures will be taken.” To book an appointment, go to spiritmessagework.com.