My Story
I have spent the majority of my life in Oregon and I have a hard time picturing myself ever moving away from this beautiful corner of the Pacific Northwest. I am the oldest of four siblings and have always felt naturally drawn to care for others. From as early as I can remember, I knew two things for certain: I wanted to become a mother and I wanted to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Although my early life was turbulent, I was raised to be kind, determined and open-minded and I am truly grateful for all of my experiences—even my hardships. I was largely supported and influenced by positive mentors I had growing up that truly encouraged me to be the gentle healer and ambitious mother that I am today. I’m always striving to offer a well rounded, holistic approach to massage therapy and I view it as a comprehensive and necessary self care tool.
During my teenage years, I had the privilege to work with supportive mentors and practitioners including naturopathic doctors, chiropractors, cross country coaches and massage therapists. After receiving my first massage at thirteen, it quickly became my favorite modality for healing and supporting the physical, emotional and mental aspects of my body. When I was 14 years old, my youngest brother was born a month premature, which led to him having regular Craniosacral therapy as a seemingly fragile newborn. Through observing this powerful, yet subtle bodywork, I was captivated to see just how much my brother’s overall comfort and health levels progressed. This was my huge inspiration and catapult to become a massage therapist.
At 15, I found out that my estranged father had tragically taken his life. This led me to a difficult time of depression and episodes of anxiety that left me feeling hopeless at times. I learned to remedy this by focusing on choosing healthier ways of living. It wasn’t an easy going transition, but I held onto my hopeful outlook and made decisions that I felt would push me to feel better. I joined the cross country and track and field team at my high school, I did yoga more regularly and focused on fueling my body with dense nutrition in a variety of whole foods and colors. The more I prioritized positive choices for my health, the better I felt in my body and mind.
Muscles are like life;
we want to grow and become stronger and we want the same for our muscles, but meaningful growth usually requires some amount of challenge and stress.
Halfway through my junior year, I dealt with a couple other personal hardships that eventually led me to the decision to drop out of high school and obtain my GED. I would spend the next 3 years working as a barista and as soon as I turned 18, I enrolled in East West College of the Healing Arts in Portland, Oregon. My rigorous education proved to reignite and fuel my passion while deepening my appreciation and knowledge in health, wellness and the incredible human body. A few months before my 20th birthday, I graduated with an 800 hour massage certification and extra training in Craniosacral Therapy up to CST Level 2.
Downtown early morning views from the 9th floor of my apartment building. I usually worked the opening shift as a barista starting at 5:30am and I’d arrive home from school around 11pm.
As a newly licensed massage therapist, I launched into work and gained valuable experience at a variety of clinics that included sports massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic care. I’ve taken part in several opportunities held at places such as the Nike Headquarters and Western Oregon University investing my time working events supporting awareness and research for important health issues like cancer and multiple sclerosis. During this time, I really observed the importance of building relationships and offering recurring, bi-monthly massages for employees at corporations that promote self-care, in turn encouraging more impactful healing.
Now, after almost 5 years of experience in the massage industry, I have begun to hone in on my niche in massage therapy. If someone is looking to accelerate healing from an injury, prevent future injuries or set aside some time to rest and reconnect to themselves, I’ll always strive to create a safe, welcoming place where my clients leave feeling better than when they arrived. I believe it’s imperative to acknowledge and appreciate how much our bodies do for us on a daily basis through integrating a self-care routine that works for us— and self-care can look so different for everyone. I love helping others incorporate accessible positive habits into their lifestyle. I am ready for my practice to flourish so that I can focus in on what I love most about this work—quality time connecting with my clients and tailoring a treatment session that is unique to their needs regarding massage therapy.
Here I am in one of my happiest places — surrounded by trees, hiking with my little girl.
