I am not the perfect match for everyone. I have strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes they are the same thing. I offer a wide array of services, from infant massage to the kind of deep tissue that involves standing on my clients and pushing down off of the ceiling. I may include or focus on energy work, emotional processing, embodied awareness work, and more. I do sessions that are impossible to sleep through and also ones that are very difficult to stay fully conscious during. I try to meet everyone where they are and engage with them in the way they want to work. This is a strength but also a weakness. The probability of getting exactly what you want is much higher than if you walk into a spa. The inverse is also true if I can not discern your desire. Please do not be shy asking for exactly what you want.
I work with my forearms and elbows more than the average therapist. I love the deep penetrating consistency they allow balanced with a gentle mother hand for grounding. The weakness is I have specialized to the point where I can not deliver much in the way of petrissage, the kneading bread motion that is a classic staple of Swedish massage.
I am passionate about my work. I like the idea of pushing the envelope physically and emotionally for growth and transformation. I understand sometimes gentle grounding restorative work is required and I love to give it but even so, my baseline may be too intense for some.
There are also personality compatibility and other indescribable qualities that are important. There is also the ego crushing possibility that other therapists are just better than me. To that end I have listed some of my personal favorites and those of my clients. My list is of people in the Hudson Valley, and in NYC and in that order. Enjoy!
Hudson Valley
Elizabeth Gross selkiemedicinals.com/bodywork elizabeth@selkiemedicinals.com
Elizabeth does Thai bodywork. If you have never had Thai bodywork before, it is different from Swedish massage in that it is done clothed, there is less oil, and a lot more movement. Some people think of it as passive Yoga with compression and energy work mixed in. It is a beautiful experience. Elisabeth has volunteered as a member of the governing counsel and is currently an herbalist at the HHC (Holistic Health Community)
Rob Norris robnorris@hvi.net
Rob has been rubbing bodies for longer than I have. He has a grace that I think comes from his experience and from his craft as a musician. He also has a practice of Reconnective Healing that I think imbues his everything with magic. Often we work side by side at the HHC and because of his generosity have shared many clients. I don’t want to get too sappy so I will just say that I think highly of this person and that you should try him.
Jesse Scherer jessemassage@gmail.com catskillmountainmassage.com
I adore Jesse. She also works with me at the HHC and also at many other volunteer clinics and events in the Hudson Valley. The way she works feels a lot like the way I work to me so if you like my work you might like hers as well. Beyond that, she is strong, graceful, generous and has found that sweet mix of professionalism and levity.
Jason Maloney bodyworkbyjason1@yahoo.com
Jason is strong and kind and has been a favorite of many people I trust. He lives near Woodstock and is willing to travel.
Krista Birch heartsongsanctuary.com
Krista has moved from working with bodies directly to working with land in support of bodies. You can see her love, creation, and offerings at heartsongsanctuary.com Krista is my partner both in love and in work. She became my partner because of her work. When I first felt her hands during my session with her it was like angels were kissing me all over. She did craniosacral with everyone, and genital cartography/scar remediation and sacred intimacy with women. The only reason she is not at the top of my list is to avoid the appearance of nepotism and also because her work is now manifested through land loving.
And in the City
Nicolette Nolan (917) 327-6822 NicoTherapy@gmail.com
Nicolette is a new find for me. She suffers from the same immersive compulsion that I do. She can get lost in her work. The beauty is finding myself on another planet when she is done. Her work is deep and sensitive. She is clearly a lover of humanity and also a lover of her craft. She has an office and makes house calls in NYC. She Sometimes gets lost in time so plan to enjoy her when your day is more flexible.
Trish (315) 559-3620
I love Trish and her hands! She does outcalls in Manhattan and in the Hamptons if you have a table. She goes deep and is pleasantly strong where I am weak. I would recommend her both to people who like and don’t like me as a therapist.
Lorenzo zomassage@gmail.com
I love Lorenzo. We went the Swedish Institute of Massage together back in the day. His work and mine are very different. Our love and passion for our clients are not. His reflexology and Thai massage are some of his strongest offerings. He also does Swedish massage and teaches yoga. He will break your body apart with tremendous strength and skill while holding your heart with the radiance and warmth of the noon day sun. He is a rare and beautiful man.
Nicole fluxgrrl@gmail.com
Nicole lives in Greenpoint. She generally does not work out of her home or an office. Her outcalls require that you have a table. She is working on acquiring office space but until then you may have to work with her at a spa. It is worth the trouble. Nicole is specific and strong and will set you right. If it was possible for me to work with her regularly her massage would be my bread and butter.
Mark (917) 439-7301
I sometimes have reservations about sending clients to men because while strong they often lack sensitivity. I would recommend this particular man to anyone without reservation. There is something refreshing about how good and wholesome he is. Mark gives a good solid massage and excels in specific and medical work. When it is time for me to have my fascia rearranged I call Mark. He works out of his home in Brooklyn and also in a clinic in Manhattan.
Jessica (845) 300-7667
Jessica Works in the city more and more. If you have a massage table give her a call. I strongly recommend trying her work. She currently has the most to offer that I want to integrate into my own work. A massage from Jessica is solid therapeutically and energetically grounding. She has all the depth, flow, and specificity to make a truly amazing experience. Apart from being a beautifully enjoyable person Jessica also evokes a sense of acceptance and an absence of judgment. This serene energetic atmosphere in combination with her graceful skills creates a massage worthy of your body.
Fay lucidbody.com/
I love Fay. I often refer to Fay as my mentor, although not to her face because her ego is almost as large as mine. Her work is aggressive, constructive, efficient, and spiritual. It is the kind of work I would not trust coming from anyone else. Fay has a well-earned sense of confidence and direction. Her massages make me think of the rigorous and spiritual training of Shaolin Kung Fu. Sadly she does not take new massage clients but if you are an actor you are in luck. She teaches with her hands. Her lucid body training opens the body and the soul by tapping into and moving from the chakras.
Ellsworth Sessions 