About us

Now accepting new massage therapy clients.

My history in the field—

Hi 👋 I’m Monica Jane, but you can call me MJ if you like. I’m a licensed and certified massage therapist and health educator since 2002, passionate about the healing arts. 💆🧖🏿‍♂️🧘

In the field, I am considered a “Tier 1” massage therapist, by sheer virtue of how long I have had skin in the game and how many skills I have picked up along the way.

I started out in this industry in the San Francisco Bay Area (shout out to National Holistic Institute’s “Group 12, Halloween graduates” from Emeryville, CA!). However, I have since resettled in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, on the western slope of South Lake Tahoe.

Over the years, I’ve worked at wellness centers, corporate massage chains, a Finnish bath house, an urban bath house, pop up events, and on private clients.

I also continued pursuing higher education as a life choice, years ago, as a hedge against the uncertainty of my initial career choice in such a physically challenging job.

This led me to a couple of Associates degrees and a Certificate from American River College and finally, a Bachelors degree in International Political Economy from UC Berkeley, where I honed my skills in research across a wide variety of sectors, systems, individuals, and businesses. I put myself through school with the critical help of social services and by working my trade as a massage therapist part-time, performing barefoot massage exclusively during that period.

I believe I am a testament to resilience in the face of adversity as I am a first generation college student, a single parent of four children, a person who has navigated multiple legal, medical, and clinical “challenges,” including being neurodivergent and discovering late in life, a generalize learning disability and adult diagnosis of ADHD.

Like so many of us, my life has been touched by issues of divorce, child custody, economic insecurity, prejudice, isolation, and violence. But my story doesn’t end there and neither should yours. So while I may not talk all that much in our meetings for massage sessions, (unless you book a consulting session just for a wider discussion) I am nonetheless irrevocably here to inspire others with the mettle I have been wielded from, and the fact that I am still standing tall–even quietly. I see it as my role here to strengthen and support my clients to the utmost of my seemingly endless ability. And lots of times, that means just letting them zen out in the sanctity of a sacred space, where they can drop life’s woes at the table for a time.

At each place I’ve journeyed with massage, I engaged in some level of continuing education and/or professional development. These on-the-job experiences have really helped cultivate the mix of modalities I use to restore clients today. And the fact that I had access to some world class libraries for researching my initial curiosities about the field of bodywork while I was required to be there studying anyway, didn’t hurt my personal or professional development either! Feel free to ask me all about it. (I was once a church greeter and have been know to possess the gift of gab).

What I bring to the table—

I know my clients work hard, life hits, and it takes some level of dedication to cut time out for oneself. What’s more, our society isn’t exactly set up to let one catch a break most days. So, I like to work with each client individually as a facilitator in their process to kickstart or reenergize their healing journey using ancient, proven massage techniques, and by incorporating and encouraging health and nutrition education where time and desire allow. I hope to write more on these topics in the future too, as my children grow, inherently need me less, and I experience more “time freedom”.

What’s more—

I am also passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, social and economic justice, not afraid to work with clients affected by sight or hearing impairments, or moderate language barriers. (I have a personal goal to play around more in the translator apps this year to help overcome communication challenges more effectively in the future; I’m admittedly unfamiliar with the best technology for this endeavor at this juncture).

Additionally, I’m pretty informed on matters of trauma, personally—so you may feel the healing I have done within myself, reflected as a deep sense of empathy and compassion. Rest assured, you are in good hands and a safe space—it’s what I strive to create daily. It’s often what connects me with clients the most and can be a powerful force for good, by allowing them the thought exercises to act on what they need and want in their own lives, for themselves. One of my favorite mottos is, “primum cura te ipsum”—it’s Latin, for: “First, cure thyself.” But again, the story doesn’t end there! “Deinde cura mundum”: “Next, cure the world.” I’d like my clients to know that they have more power to change what they want to change in their lives than they may currently think possible; I’ve seen stranger things happen–and I’ve done it myself a time or few.

Where I’m going with this—

I like to talk about it—massage—but session time isn’t usually the best place for it. I get a lot of interesting questions and insights from working with clients and conversing with fellow therapists, so I’m creating a space here too—to explore these inquiries and inspirations and to hopefully, inspire a visit to Mortal Coil for a massage or biomechanical consultation. Or, maybe it’ll inspire a visit to your own local, favorite massage therapist or service practitioner. (In the spirit of JFK Jr., may all boats rise with the tide! ⛵️⛴️🚤🛥️🛶🚢 )

My Approach and Philosophy—

Massage shouldn’t hurt—even when receiving a deep tissue massage. I find that slowing down, and properly warming skin, muscle, and connective tissue can do wonders for achieving higher magnitude pain relief. Receiving massage therapy also pays dividends for one’s mental wellbeing because it allows an intensive reset within the nervous system from the demands of life. Further, it promotes greater overall relaxation, even post-session, in part by tapping into the body’s best feel good hormones: dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.

But enough about me! Come visit, and let me get to know you! 😉