Primitive Wellness is a health and wellness studio located in Newport, ME. It was founded in January 2023 by owner, Chance Graves. It started out as a private personal training gym, but has since expanded to include virtual health and wellness coaching, a massage therapy studio, and a rentable sauna. Chance met his now wife, Ava Graves, in the summer of 2023. Ava went on to become a licensed massage therapist and offers massage therapy services out of Primitive Wellness’ private massage studio.

Chance found his way into the health and wellness space all the way back in 2014 when he was in high school. He took an interest in strength training to aid in his athletic performance. He later went on to pursue a human nutrition and dietetics degree at the University of Maine in Orono as well as a business management degree. While at the University of Maine, he competed on the Division I Track and Field team as a middle distance sprinter. He transferred to Husson University in 2022 where he continued the pursuit of his business management degree. In the spring of 2022, he got his personal training certification through the International Sports Science Association (ISSA). He chose to opt out of his final semester at Husson to start his personal training business. His passion for health and wellness has been with him since his teenage years, but grew much stronger in his early twenties when he was diagnosed with Gastro-esophageal reflux Disease, a digestive disease. He suffered with chronic acid reflux, nausea, constipation, fatigue, and stomach pain for a year. After seeing several doctors and receiving no relief, he took it upon himself to figure out the root cause of his issues. He was able to adapt his diet and lifestyle to not only cure his disease, but come out stronger than ever. He describes this experience as a “blessing in disguise.” This “blessing” was the catalyst for his passion for helping people learn proper nutrition, exercise, and strategies for living a long, happy life.

Ava was a star gymnast in her elementary and middle school years and competed nationally. She was an outstanding athlete but finished her gymnasts career before reaching high school. She started coaching gymnastics at the age of 14 at X-treme Gymnastics and Tumbling Center, where she has been coaching for the last seven years. In 2022, she joined the Husson Universities physical therapy program. She excelled in that program for two years before deciding to change career plans. She graduated in 3 years from Husson University with a bachelors degree in Exercise Science. She won multiple awards at Husson University for outstanding academic performance. In 2025, she attended Bloom School of Therapeutic Arts where she learned the art of massage therapy. In January of 2026, she finished her massage therapy class and got her massage therapy license. At Bloom School of Therapeutic Arts, she was required to have 62 massage practice hours (in class and at-home), she surpassed this number and received amazing feedback along the way.