About Me

I come to massage by a long and winding and painful road.  A series of gymnastics injuries, falls, and car accidents left me in chronic pain at the age of 22, and doctors didn't know what to do for me other than give me addictive pills, which I didn't want.  I saw a chiropractor regularly for 25 years before I moved and found one who was a chiropractor and licensed massage therapist.  The massage she provided, along with the chiropractic care, gave me more healing in two years than in the previous 25.  

In the meantime, I earned two masters degrees (in English and Master of Divinity); became an ordained Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor, served churches, had babies, became a spiritual director, earned a Ph.D. in theology, taught preaching and worship in seminary, designed preaching academies for pastors, and wrote liturgy for our denomination while serving in the national office.  

Then my husband suddenly died.  Life changed; priorities shifted.   Healing became my paramount concern, and ministry changed for me.

When I subsequently remarried and moved to Cincinnati, I found that I had already climbed to the top of the ladder in my field and could no longer tolerate church politics enough to be a full-time pastor.  For the first time in my life, I was given the gift of not having to work to feed myself and my family.  I had options.  I chose to study massage.

Since doctors didn't know how to deal with my pain, I'd become a student of alternative medicine years ago. One of my daughters got the family curse of migraines, and I'd massage her back and neck.  My new husband's old soccer injuries appreciated my massages.  I seemed to know intuitively where something hurt, but I didn't really know what I was doing.  So I decided it was time to learn massage as I felt called to take a different ministerial path. 

Always curious about anatomy and the mind-body-spirit connection, I enthusiastically delved into my studies.  Upon graduation, two other classmates and I rented space in an old Victorian home that's being brought back to life,  and we formed the co-op California Medical Massage.  

So that's more about me than you probably wanted to know, but if we're going to journey on your healing path together, I thought you should know with whom you're partnering.  I'm a progressive theologian, not some rabid Christian who'll try to convert you, but I do pray over you as you're anointed with essential oils I've chosen just for you.  Whether that's aloud or silently is totally your choice.  With a wicked sense of humor, I aim to embody divine compassion.

Believing that God works in all and through all and with all, including our minds and skills, I use my knowledge of a variety of massage techniques and my skills as a researcher to tailor therapeutic massage just for you.