"As someone who values holistic approaches to well-being and would find a way to escape out the window if forced to sit at a desk, shuffling papers for eight hours a day, I found that massage therapy became a career move that has allowed me to play a small, fulfilling part in another's quest for wholeness, in conjunction with other modalities offered by professionals in their respective fields, as I believe this creates the best outcomes. I'm a firm believer in a collaborative approach, despite cultural messaging that tells us to remain pitted against one another in competition.

My current offerings as a massage therapist are mainly variations of Swedish for relaxation and deep tissue work, customized to specific client needs. I look forward to taking more continuing education in trauma-specific ways of practicing, which were covered briefly during a two-day course on massage for those with PTSD during my 1,100-hour training at Elite Massage Academy, the school I attended, but there is always more to learn. Ongoing learning, generally, keeps life interesting and allows for growth as both a person and a practitioner; stagnation is territory I actively seek to avoid. The opportunity to work in a clinical setting, alongside trained mental health practitioners, is one I'm excited about, as I look forward to being part of this combined approach, which I believe will become more common as research develops regarding the importance of factoring in the physiology behind trauma healing. My previous experience as a Shelter Advocate remains my most formative experience prior to becoming an LMT, and has helped shape my values and approach.

In my free time, when I'm not kneading rhomboids, I can be found in class, studying English as a perpetual student at MSUM, working on creative writing projects, reading several books at a time, which are strewn about my living quarters, only finishing the most compelling, or outside being active. Someday, I hope to travel to take part in Century rides, especially to Southport, England, where there is a British Lawn Mower Museum that houses the original push-reel mower, created by Edwin Budding in 1830!

I look forward to working with you!"