Growing up, I never knew what I might want to do for a career. I had some vague ideas like working outside, but definitely not Massage Therapy. Along the way, I discovered I excel at doing things I am passionate about. At one point, I started rubbing my partner's shoulders after she began her nursing career, attempting to relax her after working 12 hour shifts. Nursing is hard work and can be quite stressful at times. I recall her saying "why don't you do massage"?​

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By then, I had acquired a B.S. in Natural Resources and Ecology from Humboldt State University. I followed that up by working seasonally for the U.S. Forest Service and CA Dept. of Fish and Game. I had some great experiences but came to the conclusion I didn't want go back to school and make it a career.

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That was when it dawned on me that Massage Therapy may be the perfect fit for me! It is more than just relaxing someone's muscles; it's providing relief from pain and discomfort that can affect quality of life both physically and mentally.

 

At the time I was in Carmel Valley and began to look into massage therapy programs. I found the Monterey Institute of Touch (M.I.T.) just a couple miles away, a small school hidden behind a gas station. It turned out to be a great school with amazing teachers that greatly appreciated me. This led to my passion for massage that has continued to this day after working as a C.M.T. (certified massage therapist) for almost two decades. I have found myself to be an intuitive massage therapist which enables me to customize my massage toward a client's specific needs.

 

This plays a key role in performing "problem specific" massage as well general relaxation and energetic healing. I believe in the inherent value of work that feels good, allowing the body to be more receptive and thus reap greater benefits. There are exceptions such as addressing specific conditions such as tendinitis and breaking up scar tissue or adhesions, but even that work is done with the clients understanding and approval of the process throughout the massage. Based on a mix of input from the client and my observations I customize each massage using a blend of modalities listed below.