Six Light Years Later: Celebrating Six Years of Enlighten
Six Light Years Later
By the time we found Red Light Therapy, we were deep into a reality we hadn’t chosen—one marked by pain, by repetition, by a medical system that couldn’t seem to provide the relief we needed. Jennifer’s accident had kicked off a many years-long struggle that didn't have an end in sight. Instead, it spiraled into a series of surgeries, prescriptions, mobility devices, and eventually a diagnosis: spinal injury with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)—a condition that left her in constant, life-altering pain. And when the pain didn’t stop, the world got quieter, we were in this struggle alone. We stopped hoping for solutions and started focusing on survival. I adjusted. She adjusted. We had to learn to manage the chaos. We made do. We adapted to what hurt and pushed through it because we didn’t know what else to do.
So when someone suggested Red Light Therapy? I wasn’t curious—I was insulted. It felt like a slap in the face to everything we’d already tried. Like we hadn’t already exhausted the known world of treatment options. The idea that light—just light—might help her felt naive, even disrespectful.
Desperate, we were at a point where the line between disbelief and surrender blurred. And when you're that deep in it, sometimes you try things not because you believe—but because you don’t know what else to do. Watching someone you love suffer—day after day, year after year—changes you. It doesn’t just wear on your patience; it redefines your understanding of time, of care, of what it means to stay. You learn a kind of helplessness that words don’t cover—the ache of wanting to fix something you can’t touch. And still, you hold onto a kind of hope that doesn’t show up in search results. Not the banal motivational kind. This hope doesn’t post quotes or make promises. It’s quieter than optimism, more stubborn than logic. It doesn’t ask for attention—but it doesn’t leave, either. It’s the kind of hope that flickers in and out—some days strong enough to move you forward, other days barely a whisper. It’s not consistent. It comes in waves, shaped by grief and exhaustion. Reluctantly celebrating the moments when something small goes right. Between its frequent absences. But when it returns, it’s enough to try again.
That was the shape our life took, prior to when we first heard about Red Light Therapy. And to be honest, it wasn’t hope at all—not yet. I had learned to accept that pain would be constant. The medical system had nothing left for us—no sustainable relief, no real roadmap. Just the same offer of more surgeries, more medications, more painful procedures, more injections all over her body, the same shrugs. So when someone suggested Red Light Therapy, I was insulted. The idea that Jennifer’s condition—the years of suffering, the trauma, the wheelchairs—might be helped by a light? It felt like a cruel joke. I wasn’t hopeful. I was offended. I was tired, beaten up, and at a loss. And that’s where the shift began. Not in faith—but in fatigue. Not because we believed, but because we had run out of reasons not to try. The first real flicker of hope didn’t come until the effects became undeniable.
We didn’t have a plan. We didn’t expect much. We just knew we couldn’t keep going the way we were. So we took the next small step. And for us, that step was Red Light.
Jennifer was the first to try it. That first session, she fell asleep on the mat—a rare and unexpected relief. At that point in her journey, uninterrupted deep rest was a luxury she hadn’t seen in years. When she woke up, she said something had shifted. Her pain hadn’t disappeared, but it had softened. The inflammation felt less sharp. She moved a little easier. We both noticed it—quietly. Cautiously.
Still, I wasn’t ready to give the therapy credit. After years of being sold false hope, and watching every promising treatment fail to deliver, I assumed it was either a coincidence or the placebo effect. I even told her as much. But Jennifer kept showing up to the sessions. She kept improving. She started moving more, sleeping more. And more than that, her frustration—the sharp edges that pain carves into a person—started to ease.
Shortly after, I decided to try it myself. At that point, we were driving from Meadow Vista to Martinez three times a week for sessions—a three-hour round trip each time. That should tell you how desperate we were, and also how quickly we recognized that something here was different. I didn’t have the same kind of immediate relief Jennifer experienced. I felt something shift, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It wasn’t obvious, and it wasn’t dramatic. At first, I figured it was probably placebo. But I kept going. And because I’m wired the way I am, I dove into the research. I read everything I could get my hands on—medical journals, research papers, and books on photobiomodulation. What I found surprised me. The science was legitimate. The mechanisms were real. And the potential benefits? Worth exploring.
So I kept showing up. And over time, I started noticing changes. Subtle at first—a little more mental clarity, a little less fatigue. Then more tangible shifts: I started intermittent fasting. I cut down drinking. I moved more. I felt steadier in my mood. I lost nearly 100 pounds. Not overnight, and not because of Red Light alone—but because red light gave me the momentum to begin. I didn’t expect anything. But slowly, things shifted. I started feeling more grounded. Less foggy. I had more energy. And with that, I made changes I hadn’t had the capacity for in years. It wasn’t magic. It was momentum.
We started this journey, we didn’t mean to open Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center. That wasn’t the plan. But a few months into Jennifer’s treatments—when we were still driving back and forth to Martinez three times a week—we received a small windfall. Just enough to change the question from “How long can we keep doing this?” to “What if we didn’t have to keep doing it this way?”
That windfall gave us the chance to purchase a used Red Light System—the same kind Jennifer had been healing on. It wasn’t shiny. It wasn’t part of some grand entrepreneurial pivot. It was practical. It meant we could bring the therapy home, save the drive, and stay consistent. Once we saw how it changed our routines, how it gave Jennifer more autonomy, how it made it easier for both of us to keep healing—we started to realize: maybe we weren’t the only ones who needed this.
We started small. With a second hand professional Red Light Therapy system. A single room in a shared suite. No marketing budget. No fancy signage. Just us—and a belief that others might be one session away from their own flicker of change.
One of our first regular clients came in with debilitating pain. She was up for double knee replacement and double hip replacement. We worked directly with her and got her started on a regular Red Light Therapy routine. Within a few weeks of treatments at Enlighten, her pain eased. Her energy came back. She started walking more, eating better. Over time, she lost more than 200 pounds. And Red Light Therapy worked as the catalyst to her storied transformation. She recently got married and is currently working towards her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot.
That’s what light can do. It helps people reconnect with their bodies—not as something broken to be fixed, but something capable of healing.
Six years later, Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center has grown—but the heart hasn’t changed. We’re still mat-based. Still personalized. Still stubborn about quality and connection. Still seeing each client as an individual. Still celebrating with our clients successes.
We now offer:
Full-body Red Light Therapy using 635nm, 830nm, and 940nm wavelengths
LED Photofacials with Red, Near-Infrared and Blue light for anti-aging, skin clarity and inflammation
Roll Shaper Fascia Massage to support circulation, lymphatic flow and muscle recovery
Ultrasonic Cavitation and Vacuum Therapy for non-invasive body contouring and inch loss
Radio frequency for skin tightening and anti-aging
Whole Body Vibration for muscle activation, joint health, boost circulation and lymphatic flow
HIEMT (High Intensity Focused Electro Magnetic Therapy ) for muscle tone and fat loss
But the real magic? It’s not the tech. It’s what happens when people are given the conditions to heal. It’s the ex-athlete who finally sleeps again after decades of issues. The nurse who feels reinvigorated and steady after burnout. The mom with mobility issues who now walks routes she couldn’t manage a year ago. The executive with brain fog and energetic issues from long covid who is now speaking confidently to a crowd of thousands. The man who was told he would have to amputate both legs to now having regulated circulation and nerve function running around with his grandchildren. Your wins are our wins.
This Place Was Built for People Like You!
Our clients are educated, discerning, and done with short-term fixes. They value longevity, vitality, and real science. They care how they feel—but also how they age. They’re not chasing youth; they’re reclaiming comfort, strength, and ownership of their health. They come here not because they want to be told what’s wrong—but because they want to participate in what’s possible.
Healing Is a Ripple
When someone starts healing, it doesn’t stay contained. It shifts how they parent, how they show up for work, how they relate to the world. We’ve had clients whose families noticed the difference before they did.
One woman’s adult daughter came with her to an appointment and whispered with tears in her eyes, “Whatever you’re doing here, thank you. I have my mom back.”
Or what about the woman with body dysmorphia who finally found her beauty. The day she caught a glimpse of herself in the window reflection on her way into the lobby and had to do a double take is legendary.
A client who lost his sense of smell years prior who realized after a series of sessions that he could smell again. The cheeseburger that he was able to experience fully that day was the best he had ever tasted. It sounds funny that someone was excited about smelling a dirty cat box but it’s true. He called me when he realized.
Or how about the woman who had PTSD and was stuck in flight or fight who is now moving with ease in the world comfortable in her own skin.
Another client—a woman who could barely walk due to fatigue and pain after a car accident—She had walked her kids to six houses for trick or treat, up and down steep driveways, carrying a 30-pound toddler. That was her win. That was her return to herself. Now she is able to make home cooked meals for her family, walk around the zoo, rollerskate, and is returning back to work.
This is what light does. It can be a catalyst for change.
Thank You, Sacramento!
Six years ago, we were just two people trying to find our way through pain. We couldn’t have imagined this place, this community, or these stories. You trusted us with your time, your health, and your hopes. That’s not something we take lightly. If you haven’t been in for a while, we’d love to see you again. And if you’ve never been, but something in this story rings true—we hope you’ll come see what’s possible.
Sometimes, healing starts with a flicker. We’re here to help you light that spark. We can guide your way.
With warmth and gratitude,
Chris Sharp
Co-Founder, Enlighten Red Light Therapy Center