Meet the Therapist

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The inspiration for who I am today began as a child. I grew up in Northern California in a town called Paradise, where the mountains, forest, and streams were our playground; complete with family hikes searching for crystals and meditation retreats to Mount Shasta with my father. The sounds of Native American flutes, conga drums, and the acoustic guitar became the background music to my childhood. Being the daughter of a well-known New Age musician and a massage practitioner helped to mold a foundation that cultivates inner-peace and healing.  It’s this foundation that inspired my need to assist others who are seeking wellness for the mind, body, and spirit. As life happens and seasons come and go, change is inevitable. We experience births and deaths, and ironically, are almost never fully prepared for either. It’s during these changes we can pull from within the qualities of the foundation that helped to shape us. Whether it’s humming along to a familiar melody that replays in your mind, the helping hand of a friend, or the warmth of God’s light; it is always there for the taking, available to anyone at any time. It’s there that we find balance, courage, peace, and hope. 

I believe massage therapy can be utilized as a tool to gently support and guide someone through any challenges and obstacles they may be facing. In 2006, I enrolled in the Pittsburgh School of Massage and received more than just a certification. I received a confirmation that a career in wellness was indeed my calling. For me, there is no greater joy than being able to comfort, support, and nurture another person as they go through physical and/or emotional transitions, whether negative or positive. Touch is the body’s first natural response to healing. You bump your knee on the edge of a table and immediately reach for it to hold or rub seeking relief. A loved one appears sad and we react by embracing them in a hug, or a gentle hand over the back. When we feel down or defeated, our response is to curl into a ball, or cross our arms over our chest. The intention to touch simply comes with the hope to bring healing. It’s with that intention, I offer a variety of modalities including customized Swedish, Aromatherapy, Hot Stone, Cranial Sacral, Prenatal, Post Breast Cancer Massage, and Reflexology. As a massage therapist, I find it an honor to be entrusted by a client to assist them in their wellness goals.

In 2014, I found my love and passion for Yoga. I attended my first yoga class and was captivated by the balance that it brought to my busy and somewhat chaotic life as a wife and stay-at-home mother of two small children. In the moments of exhaustion, yoga recharged me and gave me confidence in all the ways I craved. In 2017, I became certified as a YogaFit, Level 1 instructor and in May of 2018 I completed my 200-hour teacher training with Yoga Innovations. 

 It amazes me how by making a choice to step forward, we find that doors will open and close throughout our journey which can both strengthen and grow us in profound ways. The great news is that we get to decide which of these experiences influence us, and which ones define us. What a special gift. My pursuit of a career as both a massage therapist and yoga teacher has created a new level of awareness for me - the undeniable reality that we are all both teachers and students in life. At any one point we can be playing both roles simultaneously. We owe it to one another to give of ourselves honestly and receive openly.