Welcome!

I am a Licensed Massage Therapist in Arizona and New York State. I began my healing training at the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage in Albany, NY, and have done quite a bit of additional study in myofascial release and energy healing. When I lived in New York State, I had a private practice in which I focused on myofascial release and energy work, but I have also worked in a spa environment, so I am comfortable in many settings, doing many things. Currently, I offer sessions that are solely myofascial release or solely energy-based as well as integrative massage sessions in which I flexibly and intuitively use a variety of techniques including Swedish massage, myofascial release, energy work, craniosacral unwinding, and shiatsu depending on your goals. Different techniques offer different ways into the body because they target different systems (fascial, muscular, nervous, integumentary, meridians, etc.), which is important to consider when you are booking a massage. Are you interested in overall relaxation, release of tension in specific areas, treatment of pain, stress reduction, or opening of stuck areas that seem to go beyond the physical? My intention is to create a safe environment and provide physical and energetic guidance to support your unique healing process.
 
To book a session, or discuss your intentions, goals, and options further, send me a message. 

 
More about these services...

Myofascial release (MFR) 

I am a practitioner of the John Barnes approach to MFR. The explanation that follows is worth reading because you might not be familiar with what this involves--it's not regular spa-type massage, but therapeutic work that is intended to work with your goals to create positive change in your life.

MFR is a form of bodywork that specifically addresses the fascial system, which is the connective tissue web that interweaves the entire body, down to (and inside) the cellular level. The fascial system is a fascinating, still under-researched and definitely under-appreciated bodily system. Not only do fascia completely permeate the body, supporting and creating space for every cell, nerve, muscle, bone, organ, gland, etc.; scientists are beginning to appreciate the fascial system as a fiber optic continuum enabling coordinated communication of the entire body.

Fascial restrictions, which arise because of any type of trauma or surgery, are therefore believed to cause any number of physical, emotional and mental symptoms, because these can be viewed as interruptions in the normal flow of consciousness (or you could say 'information'). Most interestingly, fascial restrictions are not visible with modern imaging technology like MRI--so they might exist and be causing real problems, but "fascial restrictions" may not be what a traditional diagnostician points to as the cause of pain, loss of function, etc. The result is that many types of therapies separately label and treat symptoms that arise from fascial restrictions--but treating a symptom is different than treating an underlying cause. If fascial restrictions are the underlying cause of a problem, traditional modalities (like pharmaceutical intervention) might not work or will offer results that do not hold over time. And of course those can have side-effects, too! In contrast, the intention of the MFR approach is to ease the fascial restrictions themselves.

In MFR sessions, we engage the fascial system to open, soften, unwind and unbind, creating a little healing chaos or destabilization of constraining, maladaptive patterns. This creates space for your body's innate wisdom (your set of design principles to build a healthy, whole, complete self) to express itself, so you can heal. Yes, the underlying philosophy is that you heal yourself--biological organisms do this--your power comes from within. The therapist creates a container that enables YOUR ability to self-heal. 

Finally, it is important to mention how we engage the fascial system. Because of its structure, the fascial system responds to relatively gentle, sustained pressure. In a myofascial release session, you can expect a discussion of your goals and a physical evaluation, and hands-on techniques that generally involve long holds using gentle sustained pressure applied to areas of the body associated with or related to your symptoms. No two sessions are the same because I will respond in-the-moment to what you experience and what your body is telling me--about how to release an emerging pattern, or go through layer after layer of your system.

For your appointment, please wear shorts and a tank top or sports bra, or a two-piece bathing suit, and make sure your body is clean and dry, as these techniques involve no lubricants. If you are interested in receiving this work because you have a specific goal in mind, it is recommended that you book a block of sessions in relatively close proximity to each other, then follow up as needed. Periodic tune-ups, in my own experience, are important to keep the body (etc.) open.


Integrative massage 

In this type of session, I flexibly combine methods in a way that best suits your needs. I specialize in myofascial and craniosacral techniques, but can combine these with more traditional therapeutic or palliative massage (Swedish massage), shiatsu, and energy work. In this kind of session we discuss your specific needs, goals, and intentions, and I tailor a session for you using an integrative and intuitive approach.


Energy restoration and activation

We are all connected. Your energy field (and mine and everyone else's) extends infinitely in all directions. Acknowledging this allows us to work together within a shared consciousness in which a space is created for restoring and activating aspects of your energetic signature, which heavily (entirely?) influences how you experience life in physical. Or more simply, when you are thrown off by the demands of life, you need to get your energy back, and energy work can help realign and center you and put you in touch with yourself--it is at its heart empowering. I've deeply, personally benefitted from energy work (at its best, nothing has ever made me feel more free or expansive) and have studied many energy healing techniques including distance healing via the holding space method, shamanic energy work, therapeutic touch, Reiki, working with meridians as in shiatsu, craniosacral unwinding, and other consciousness-changing practices (e.g., yoga nidra). I am happy to discuss this more with you and design a session using the techniques that best address your needs. Energy-oriented sessions can be done in-person or remotely. Remote work is no less powerful because the principles of interacting energetically involve no-time no-space--they are quantum principles!


To book a session, or discuss your intentions, goals, and options further, send me a message.