My passion for massage is fueled by the desire to share the pure joy, pleasure and relaxation that I experience when receiving amazing bodywork.  The intention throughout our session is to hold space for you to show up just as you are and watch what unfolds for your mind-body-spirit in the presence of mindful care.  My goal is to invite ease and relief from suffering. I aim for you to leave your session feeling so good that it ripples throughout the rest of your daily interactions.  At its loftiest, the work I do is an invitation to participate in a cultural revolution centered in embodied joy, care, gratitude, ease, spaciousness, compassion, and liberation.  I’m a gardener planting seeds.  Massage is my way of making the revolution irresistible.*  It is a form of pleasure activism.**

I approach bodywork from a client-centered and collaborative perspective.  I bring my training, experience and curiosity to each session and you bring your life-long expertise in what it’s like to live in your body.  We begin with a conversation where we go over your relevant medical history, how you are arriving at that moment, what your expectations are for the session, and whether there are areas of concern on which you would like to focus.  This intake sets the foundation for the work we will do, but your goals can evolve during the course of the session and I can adjust techniques as needed.  Together, we may decide to incorporate the use of a hot pack, CBD salve or cupping into the session.  These add-ons are optional and offered at no additional cost.  I open the bodywork with a grounding meditation.  My style is slow, rhythmic and precise.  I approach the body three-dimensionally with satisfying pressure and invite gentle movement into the session.  While the work that we do might at times bring about strong sensation, my goal is always to stay on the side of pleasure.  Causing additional pain or tensing up sends the wrong message to the nervous system and is counterproductive.  Feedback is welcome at any point to help me meet your body’s needs in the moment.  The bodywork often ends with re-centering and, if you’re open to it, an offering of metta or phrases of lovingkindness.  At the end of your session we check in again and consider next steps before checking you out.  I don’t accept tips, so you don’t have to worry about doing math in the midst of post-massage euphoria. You can just be on your blissful way and share the love.

Education, credentials and experience

I graduated from the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy in Albany, NY in 2018, became a NY licensed massage therapist in 2019, and got licensed in MA in 2022.  I have been studying Thai massage with Shama Kern of the Thai Healing Massage Academy since 2019.  I trained in The Joy of Grief Massage with Amy Joy Taylor of The Institute for Grief Massage in 2019 and completed a certificate on Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss with The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath and Death in 2019.  I completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training with My Vinyasa Practice in 2021.  I am always learning new approaches to massage and energy work, and am currently in the process of getting certified for Sarga bodywork, an amazing style of barefoot massage that I can’t wait to share.  Stay tuned for that offering in the near future!  

In addition to my practice at CLINIC, I work with the People’s Medicine Project, providing massage and Spanish language support at their on-farm clinics.  Prior to becoming a massage therapist I worked as a produce manager, professional gardener, organic vegetable grower, actor in theater for young audiences, non-profit arts fundraiser, museum educator and restaurant server.  I studied History Museum Studies at the Cooperstown Graduate Program and have a BA in History from Amherst College.  I am an avid reader with a thirst for learning new things.  As a queer, multicultural, biracial Black woman I am a natural cross-pollinator and enjoy weaving interdisciplinary connections. I love yoga, meditation, being in the water, cooking, eating, dancing and singing in community.  I was born in Spain and am a native Spanish speaker.  

*   Thank you, Toni Cade Bambara!

**  Thank you, adrienne maree brown!

Rebeca offers therapeutic massage, chair massage, and Thai massage at CLINIC Wednesdays noon- 6pm and Thursdays 10am- 7pm. Her services and prices are listed here.