The Details You Don't Need to Know About Me

Hi! I’m Holli.

I’m reintroducing myself for the new followers (if there are any) and any old ones who don’t know the whole story.

It is important to me to describe what I do and why. I’ve been evolving for years. From a simple, relaxation-focused massage therapist, to treating pain with deep-tissue, neuromuscular, and myofascial techniques, to moving energy through yoga, to trauma-informed body work and somatic coaching.

I chose Massage as a steppingstone. When I was young and naïve, I intended to use my massage skills to make money as I lived in Nashville and sought a music career. (Fun fact: I’m a classically trained vocalist!)

As life happened, I never made it to Nashville. I also only worked for about 4 years as a massage therapist before abandoning it, throwing away all my certificates, and swearing I would never do it again.

Fast forward about 4 or 5 more years and I NEEDED a job. I was working for just over minimum wage at a very part-time position, while spending most of my time taking care of my first son, Jackson, who was not quite a year old.

My husband, Jason’s job had gone from flourishing with a TON of overtime, to allowing NO extra hours what-so-ever. We were fortunate that he even had a job since they had been cutting staff and expenditures for months.

We looked for jobs and discovered that I was not qualified for anything that would be worth paying childcare to attend. We assessed the possibility of sending me back to school, but we were strapped with bills as it was.

So, I begrudgingly started practicing massage. And I mean PRACTICING. Because it had been a long time. It’s a very physical job, and I didn’t have the stamina I had before. I started working on my family and friends to see if I could even still do it.

AND Pennsylvania had changed the laws regarding massage therapists. I had to take an exam and get a license in order to offer massage services to the public. These laws were not in effect when I began practicing in 2007.

So, I also studied.

And studied.

And somehow, I passed my MBLEx. It was 2015. Jackson turned one. I put him in daycare and went back to work.

This time I put my heart and soul into what I was doing. I met a great trade partner and practiced what I was preaching. Keeping up with regular massage made a huge difference. It was something I had neglected the first time around. It is something I will NEVER neglect again.

It has been over seven years, four license renewals, countless hours of continuing education, and many, MANY loads of laundry since returning.

Oh! And the addition of son number two, Rhyett (pronounced RYE-ett. Or like, riot. And I don’t recommend naming your child something like this because they take it as a challenge.).

Seven years later, and I have so many more titles than simply, "Massage Therapist"....

Jackson, age 8 and Rhyett, age 2 1/2

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