When I returned to Canada, I continued to take yoga teacher training courses (I have certifications in pre and post natal, yin, iRest yoga nidra meditation, and Critical Alignment Therapy) until I eventually started teaching. I quickly realized that teaching group yoga classes in a way that is safe for everybody is hard (almost impossible), and that my 500(+) hours of teacher training had grossly unprepared me for the array of bodies and bodily injuries that would ultimately present themselves in my classes. This led to my transition away from teaching group yoga classes, and toward working with private clients as a massage therapist.

Before I committed to a two-year massage therapy diploma, I studied fascia and acupressure out of personal interest. The first bodywork certification I completed was in Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST), followed shortly thereafter by a meridian massage certification. Exposure to these two holistic systems early in my career has greatly influenced the way that I see and treat the human body, and my treatments often integrate fascial work (ex. cupping, stretching) and specific acupressure techniques as a result. Over the years I have expanded my practice to include other holistic, light-touch therapies such as Chikly's Lymphatic Drainage Therapy and Upledger's CranioSacral Therapy. 

My massage treatment style is a mix between therapeutic and relaxation, with a slow, intentful, medium-firm pressure. I do not subscribe to the "no pain, no gain" model, and kindly request anyone seeking a painful massage to book with a different therapist. I often tell clients that the pressure should be enough to keep you fully present, but not so much that it pushes you into your pain threshold. Using a scale of one to ten to rate your subjective experience of pressure, our goal is no more than a seven. My ideal client will be attentive to present moment sensations and breath throughout the treatment, and take a proactive approach to wellness by booking their massage therapy treatments several weeks or months in advance, rather than booking a last-minute appointment only in response to injury or pain. 

Although I continue to practice massage therapy on a part time basis, my personal and professional interests are shifting increasingly toward the study of somatics and trauma resolution. By the end of 2025, I will have completed Dr. Peter Levine's three (+) year professional development program on Somatic Experiencing and several years of study with Dr. John Upledger's SomatoEmotional Release, allowing me to blend elements of somatic work with massage therapy and offer a more integrative and trauma-informed treatment experience.

One of my favourite parts about being a massage therapist is that it allows me the opportunity to practice being an empathetic witness. Above everything else, what is most important to me as a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) is that you feel heard and that we find a way to work together to create a space where you feel safe and supported to breathe and feel deeply.