Rose’s Story

When I am present in my body I am present with the world. My journey as a massage therapist and herbalist began with the practice of listening deeply to my body and intuition. During many summer backpacking trips to the Sierra Nevadas, I started to listen more and more to my heart, my gut, and my body. My days spent hiking from one peak to the next were meditations of being present with my body and nature. After many months on the trail, I realized that a clear and healthy body, spirit, and mind is the foundation for an experience of fulfillment and connection to myself, others, and nature. It became evident that there is an interconnection between mental and emotional stresses, and physical issues such as emotional instability, hormonal imbalances, and digestive problems. This embodied experience of a developed strength and connection between nature and myself has motivated and inspired me, and ultimately informed my decision to devote myself to studying plant medicine, embodied movement, and massage therapy.

In Fall 2014, I moved to Oregon to learn about the healing connection between nature and the body in Herb Pharms’ Herbaculture Program. This was where I developed my original Moon Chart that has now become the Moontime Medicine Guide. After an extensive training on an herbal farm cultivating a relationship with plants as medicine, I felt called to pursue massage therapy in order to delve deeper into understanding the physical and energetic body.

Education

My foundational trainings in massage therapy were at the Sebastopol Massage Center, the McKinnon Institute in Oakland, and Osmosis Day Spa. This gave my work a basis in integrating Western and Eastern massage techniques. I am trained in specialities such as Oncology, lymphatic drainage, deep tissue, Esalen, aroma-accupressure, and pregnancy massage. I weave together these modalities to create a unique session that is both physically and energetically healing. I am also love incorporating my extensive studies of yoga and chi-gong into my massage practice. In Spring 2022, I completed a two year training in Hakomi - a Mindfulness-based Somatic Psychotherapy training. I have continued my somatic’s studies focusing on Relational Somatic Healing which incorporates talk therapy and embodied touch. In 2023 I expanded my perinatal support to also include birth doula support with a DONA certified Birth Doula training. Each step of my journey in devotion to a healing relationship with the earth and our bodies has been more inspiring and fulfilling than the last.

Healing in Community

I believe in working collaboratively with my clients, the natural world, and other practitioners because I know relationships and community to be powerful spaces of healing. I am honored to practice alongside amazing Chinese Medicine Practitioners at our collective health center - Flourish Integrative Health - and collaborate closely Naturopathic Doctors at Wild Oak Medicine.

Since the Sonoma County fires in 2017, I have offered massager therapy during crisis to those affected by disasters alongside many other integrative practitioners with the Integrative Healers Action Network. From 2020-2022 I have volunteered with them as their Massage Ambassador. My work with IHAN has been some of the most powerful and important work of my career - please visit their website and help support the life of this beautiful healing offering to those in crisis.

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