From my earliest memories, I've always been drawn to helping people. Whether it was construction, baking, working on an assembly line, or selling sneakers on eBay, each job held a purpose for me – to make a difference and fulfill my innate desire to help.
This commitment to helping took on new meaning when I was 16 and injured my knee in a skateboarding accident. This injury was more than just a physical setback, it highlighted a significant void in my life – the need for true healing and care, which I struggled to find in traditional medical settings. My injury restricted my physical activities, with running or jumping causing pain, and prolonged recovery times for participating in simple activities. The ultimate advice from doctors was simply to steer clear of any activities that put strain on my knee. I slowly started to realize that type of help I needed wasn't readily available. Confronted with this challenge, I started exploring other possible ways to heal, even trying regular use of ice on the injury; which I eventually discovered is not beneficial for chronic pain. It became clear that to truly heal, I had to take matters into my own hands.
In 2015, while working at Whole Foods in downtown Austin, I found myself yearning for a clear direction to channel all my motivation. One day, a conversation I overheard about my manager's wife, who was a massage therapist for athletes, sparked a significant revelation in me. This revelation wasn't just about a career shift; it dawned on me that I could help others heal in ways I had wished someone would have helped me with my own injuries. This moment of realization was a turning point, guiding me towards a path where I could combine my passion for helping others with a personal understanding of the healing process. That very day, I took the bus to a massage school and enrolled. It was the last day to enroll for the semester, and I took it as a sign.
My routine became rigorous, starting work at 5:00 AM and continuing non-stop until school ended at 10:00 PM. This relentless schedule between work and school tested my limits but also strengthened my resolve. I was hungry for knowledge as I continued to experiment with various methods, eventually connecting with a mentor who introduced me to sports massage and taught me a lot about best practices in the field.
It was during this period that I learned about fascia – the connective tissue that wraps around every muscle, fiber, and cell in the body. Fascia is integral to our physical well-being, yet it's often overlooked. My interest in fascia grew as I understood its crucial role in holistic health.
My own healing journey, coupled with my newfound knowledge of fascia, strongly influenced my path as a licensed massage therapist. After years of self-massage, yoga, and movement, I not only managed to alleviate the chronic pain from my knee injury, but also regained the ability to do activities that doctors once advised against. This newfound freedom to move and enjoy a better quality of life fueled my passion to help others in similar situations, inspiring me to share the techniques and practices that had transformed my own health.
In 2020, I reached a moment of inspiration like never before. It became clear that my true calling was to establish my own practice, dedicated to aiding people who could benefit from my expertise. This decision was driven by a desire to share the knowledge and techniques that had been pivotal in my own recovery, directly impacting others' lives as I had always envisioned. The pandemic posed challenges, but it didn't dampen my spirit. With my background in art, I started by creating social media pages to teach self-care techniques, merging my love for creativity with my passion for wellness. Now, I specialize in working with fascia full-time, helping to release tight or stuck areas and addressing trigger points, often referred to as 'muscle knots'. I'm skilled at opening up these areas, bringing relief and improved mobility to my clients.
The wellness world can sometimes seem unapproachable and outdated, and I'm on a mission to change that. By focusing on self-care and preventive measures, I aim to show people that they can manage their health effectively without always resorting to invasive procedures like surgery or prescription medication. My goal is to empower individuals to take charge of their bodies, understanding that they deserve to live their best, pain-free lives. This is more than a career to me; it's a life dedicated to healing, learning, and guiding others to discover their capacity to experience true wellness.
