I’m a wee bit tired right now. It’s been a rollercoaster these past few weeks. I think the official filing date for Mortal Coil Massage and Core Strength Consulting said August 10, 2026, but I think I was already swinging at the end of July. I saw the writing on the wall, a great opportunity I am more than ready for, and just like that, the little bird was once again flung straight out of the nest, and on to the next. Pun intended.
Over the years, I have had the sacred honor of putting healing hands on probably thousands of people at this point. It’s a powerful medium to wield, or craft, or whatever. I’ve worked with clients and other therapists of all shapes, sizes, dispositions, ideologies, proclivities, preferences, behaviors and habits. And not surprisingly, the body tells the story of the lion’s share of it. We’re interconnected, like it or not, and my experiences have led me to believe we all have a little something we’ve been holding onto that doesn’t serve us anymore and that there is more that connects us than divides us in this world, especially today.
I’ve had to think a lot more, recently, about what I actually offer as a massage therapist. I mean, I’m not a doctor so I can’t give medical advice (and if you have a medical issue that makes it seem unsafe to proceed with massage or seems concerning to my quasi-medically trained mind, I’m going to refer you back to your doctor every time; just to ask ‘em for your own peace of mind). I’m not actually an athletic trainer either; I just spent my life in the athletics of swimming and anything else I could do for movement and joy. And I paid a lot of attention when it came to the anatomy and physiology and kinesiology phases of my massage education, but it’s not like I’m a guru, or anything and I really don’t even like spending time on social media, when I could be doing literally anything else with my hands, heart, and mind. Buuuuttt… this is by its very definition, imposter syndrome, so I’m calling it out. On myself, lol.
I cannot deny the marked progress I have witnessed clients make when their massage landed just right and we got to the root of their very pain—even in one session. Sometimes, it has been years of a holding pattern for them; oftentimes, it is coupled with an unprocessed emotional release. I’ve heard many a client over the years tell me that was “the best massage they’ve ever had.” This is particularly rewarding when they just got done explaining that they have received massage from all over the world. Or, when a client regains a part of themselves they once thought lost. There is a humility that goes into this work. I like that. It suits me. And it serves my clients all the more.
When I think back over the years, I look to a client roster of some pretty impressive folks. I won’t name anyone of course because I think everyone deserves a right to privacy, but the case studies stand and the stories their bodies told have informed every service I provide thereafter, and my bedside manner to boot. I’ve also overcome some pretty hard things in this industry and for that, I am appropriately proud. Evidently, I’m no shrinking violet but I also don’t need the noise and flash some other shiny career might provide. It feels more meaningful to me to connect one on one with people and to hold space wherever they’re at. I say they because I take preemptive, concerted actions daily to ensure that I bring my highest frequency energy to my clients and to my loved ones, by protecting my mind, my body, my time, my budget, and my priorities in life so that I can protect the time-space continuum of the massage session I’m in. I love the focus this work brings to my life, and the pathways of peace it has revealed to me.
That I know of thus far in my career as a massage therapist, I’ve worked on clients from the NFL, NBA, WNBA, college athletic trainers, private athletic trainers, other massage therapists and estheticians, hair stylists, politicians, construction workers and contractors from just about every trade background, including highway roadworkers. I’ve worked on business owners, dental hygienists, dentists, surgeons, lawyers of all kinds, including district attorneys and public defenders. I’ve worked on deaf and mute people, folks visiting or transplanted from other countries where language barriers kept things interesting, and usually lighthearted. I have worked with elderly clients with advanced and complicated health histories, with children under their consent, and that of their parents. I have worked with pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy and postpartum. I have worked with folks coming to see me solely to process grief, ongoing pain, a recent loss or because they get very little time to themselves and this is how they choose to spend it. I have worked on someone from every branch of military, and I believe nearly every level of government workers (local, state, federal) in rural and urban areas. I have worked on a tremendous amount of people who have never been or are not currently, regularly touched. I have worked on academic professors, national debate scholars, psychologists and psychiatrists. I’ve worked on photographers, tech sector personnel, stay at home moms, insurance adjusters, emergency dispatch personnel, journalists and news anchors, accountants, firemen and women, police personnel, postal workers, and financial planners. And if I’m being honest, probably a whole lot more than that. So when I start drawing on case studies in my writings, please know that I will never identify those I am highlighting the cases of, and I will always respect and be thankful for the lessons I was given therein.
I'm proud to say I have worked on people of all kinds—one in particular comes to mind as I sit here writing, who at 28 years old, thought they’d lost the use of their arm to a diagnosis of “frozen shoulder syndrome”; they hadn’t really moved it in months and explained to me that they were told it would “ease up in a few years”; my fear for her was that would be when the musculature around the joint atrophied and the joint itself had degraded to being less than functional, like ever again without significant effort. So, with a little education and my client’s consent, I asked if I could work around it, gently stabilizing the shoulder joint as I went, and try something I thought would free the area and increase range of motion. Within the same session, they regained near full range mobility to their shoulder joint and re-established the nerve function to their arm and hand. So, I guess you could say I’ve seen a few miracles in this line of work too. Although, it’s not as uncommon as you might think. The positive and sometimes unexpected results of regaining mobility you thought you'd lost or saying goodbye to a pain you may have held for years. And it’s really an honor when I think about it, to have received this person’s trust with humility, compassion, and skill, and therefore, been able to make this type of difference in the life of another individual—whether I ever see them again or not. It’s pretty powerful stuff, to help another person rally.
In further retrospect, that reminded me that I have worked with all types of conditions (that are safe for massage). Things like cubital tunnel and carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve conduction issues, such as sciatica. I’ve worked with/around torn ligaments, old injuries, whiplash, torticollis, scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis. I’ve had regular clients come see me over the years for fibromyalgia, migraines, TMJ syndrome, tinnitus, Hashimoto’s disease, advanced to terminal status ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease. I’ve seen folks for hip pain, backaches, neckaches, range of motion problems. I’ve worked on those recovering from all sorts of surgeries, from breast to knee and back again. Sinus congestion. Lymphatic drainage issues, plantar fasciitis. Bunions. Arthritis. Psoriasis and eczema. I’ve worked on physical therapists—one particularly notable one who I probably drove crazy with my questions, but I had to know HOW?! How was this person able to heal their own Achilles tendon tear without surgery?! And these, my treasured client, are the kinds of brains I have had to pick over twenty-five years in this industry so that when you come to my table, I can better know what you need and what works.
And guess what else I confirmed about life? Every one of these folks has love in their heart for someone, emotion in their life that’s had to go unprocessed, and a life full of meaning to them and those who love them. Every one of them needed the massage they sought that day and every one of them, I was proud of for taking that time for themselves. Every one of them deserves to live their best life. Every one of them engages in some kind of fun, or recreation, or recovery they like best, even if they don’t all have the same opportunity to enjoy these things freely in their lives in the same ways or at the same times. Everyone of them needs some downtime, some love, some support, some camaraderie. Every one of them, is me too.
So as you can see, it’s a rich world I bring you. Even if I don’t go around blurting it out all the time. This is me, objectively sitting here imposter syndrome and all, thinking of you all and what I have to share that might could be of service to you and yours. Chances are if there’s something that’s bugging you, maybe a regular pain point, a old or injury, or a mind-body disconnect that’s preventing you from being where you want to be, I’m thinking that maybe this might be the right time for you to come see me and how we can get you back on the game of your choosing.
