I am a Pittsburgh based massage therapist & yoga instructor whose work seeks to center TLGBQIA communities, as well as those involved in anti-repression & anti-fascist organizing. Regardless of who you are or what you are facing, choosing stillness & rest is an active choice. It gives us the agency we require to reclaim our space & time from the banality of capitalism, white supremacy, and militarism. These forces have and continue to traumatize our individual & collective bodies. I seek to help others find the strength, resilience, compassion, and persistence to heal from that trauma through massage therapy & yoga. 

As a massage therapist, my primary modalities are neuromuscular therapy & myofascial release. Both of these modalities seek to address underlying areas of tension either with deep pressure applied to active trigger points (hyper-irritable areas of muscular tension), or with soothing slow-paced holds that encourage the body to release tension. These modalities can help you to regain strength, improve mobility, and reduce pain. As a yoga instructor, I also encourage my clients to incorporate yoga into our sessions. I believe it is useful in helping reach whatever personal goals you may have, and to build body awareness. For example, perhaps you want to increase your strength and mobility. By incorporating yoga into our sessions we can work together to address old habits & patterns through movement & asana practice (poses). We will work together to create a treatment plan that takes into account your personal needs & abilities. Through yoga, I will encourage you to listen deeply to your own body & breath, which will help to inform our massage sessions. Bringing awareness to an area of your body that has been avoided or accumulated trauma can lead to discomfort or pain, and so open communication is essential. Touch is therapeutic, and like other therapies you are in control of our sessions and we will move at your pace. 

On a more personal note, I am a queer trans woman who grew up in a Lebanese Maronite tradition that has strong roots in monastic & ascetic life. I have always felt a strong spiritual connection to nature, and believe all life is sacred – whether animate or in-animate. I find joy in exploring our individual and collective divinity through meditation in nature and building collective ritual. Recognizing the sacred in ourselves and the other opens our hearts to compassion for both. I believe understanding and exploration of the mind-body-spirit connection is essential for personal and collective healing. I organize Trans Night at Bad Sauna, a Lithuanian & Finnish style sauna and cold plunge. Trans Night is an excellent place for trans & non-binary identities to come together in community to enjoy relaxation & rest. I have a passion for community organizing in public transit & housing, participate in various mutual aid projects, and support environmental activism. I also enjoy hiking, bicycling, camping, dancing, DJing, meditation, yoga, singing, moving, and playing music.

You can book with me at the link below. Hope to find stillness together soon!