Training & Experience:
Licensed Massage Therapist for 25 years, Craniosacral Balancing, Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist (Vodder Method), Mentor for and member of The American Massage Association.
I have worked and served the following: The AAPI community, the LGBTQ+A community, the impoverished, homeless people, women detained, older people, and the Chicago Police Department. Individuals with PTSD, Veterans, and individuals who have experienced trauma from abuse, sexual assault, chronic illness, addiction and recovery, poverty, and domestic violence. Individuals who have endured trauma from lifelong generational and systematic racism and have been marginalized, undeserved, exploited, abused, and denied care or have been silenced and unheard.
Provided care at The Aid's Alternative Health Care Center and The Chicago Women's Health Center. I have worked with special populations: people with ALS, Bells Palsy, Polio, Diabetes, Cardiac, and Cancer patients. Individuals with Rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, autoimmune diseases, Hypothyroid, Hyperthyroid, Graves, Hashimoto's, Lyme disease, and Fibromyalgia. Facilitated healing to help individuals recover from chemotherapy, chronic pain and illness, and trauma from surgeries. Provided care for children with autoimmune diseases and provided palliative end-of-life care. Provided care for individuals with GI disorders, severe Gallbladder pain, and Gallbladder pre- and post-removal surgery. Provided therapeutic massage to women throughout their pregnancy and in labor, women with endometriosis, PCOS, fertility issues, fibroids, and women pre and post-hysterectomy. Provided massage for prenatal and postnatal clients and massaged clients in labor and delivery. Have worked with women to help recover and repair their rectus abdominis post-delivery. Provided scar taping and reduced scar tissue for women with c-sections and breast augmentation. Provided care for individuals with eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, body dysphoria, and exercise addiction. Worked with clients post elective surgeries specifically to speed healing and recovery and decrease pain and edema. Provided care for clients with chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia, and general muscle soreness.
Provided Chair Massage throughout Chicago, including Whole Foods, corporate gigs in the loop, and private events. Worked for Chiropractors and professional athletes, both pre-event and event, injury prevention and recovery such as The Chicago Marathon runners, post-race stretching, and post-race care. Worked in several high-end spas, corporate offices, and on the North Shore. Group fitness instructor in various health clubs in Chicago. I have cared for the broken-hearted, which leads to many physical enigmas, and I have held space for those who have been exploited and deeply and emotionally harmed, as I know exactly what that feels like and how damaging it can be. I have provided bodywork for clients in gyms and yoga studios to help sustain and educate them on how to care for their bodies, help them attain their personal fitness and yoga practice goals, and prevent repetitive stress injuries.
Massage Therapy: I was blessed to attend (CSMT) The Chicago School of Massage Therapy. CSMT was a school with the highest standards, and applicants were chosen to attend. Graduate of CSMT- The Chicago School of Massage Therapy, Class 45. December 1999. Extensive study in Anatomy, Physiology, Career Development, Seated Chair Massage, Clinical Massage Therapy, 30 hours Community Outreach, Professional Foundations, Acupressure, Kinesiology and musculoskeletal Pathology, Therapeutic Movement, Stretching, Sports Massage, Pre and Post Race/Event Massage, First Aid and CPR. Worked in the Chicago School of Massage Therapy Student Clinic 30 hours a week each semester.
Shiatsu & Thai Massage: The Ohashi Institute 2008 is now Zen Shiatsu. It offers Beginning Shiatsu Levels 1 and 2, Intermediate Shiatsu Levels 1 and 2, and Advanced Shiatsu Levels 1 and 2. It also offers TCM-Chinese Medicine, Moxibustion, hara, and face diagnosis with Ohashi, Flying Shiatsu, and finding classical channels. Masunaga Extensions by feel, Cupping Therapy 1 and 2, which includes fire cupping, glass suction cupping, silicone sliding cupping, and several other shiatsu workshops.
Thai Massage: Certified in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Thai Massage Northern and Southern Style. Teacher's Assistant in various Southern Thai massage workshops in Chicago and the North Shore. Primarily trained in Southern Thai Massage. Adjusted senior teacher's yoga classes.
Decolonization workshops within trauma-informed training and individual self-study of anti-racism and social justice training.
Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage: 40-hour Training (The Vodder Method) Certified Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage-Jones Spa Training Academy
Certified in Reflexology
Professional Training in Trauma-Informed Care Healing Sexual Trauma Professional Training in Trauma-Informed Yoga and Meditation for Sexual Assault Survivors
Integrative Healthcare Studies: Stress Reduction through Bodywork Programs- Cancer and Massage, Anxiety and Massage and The Pathology of The Digestive & The Endocrine Systems related to stress and trauma.
Additional Certifications: Acupressure, Reflexology, Shoshin Shiatsu, Ohashi Shiatsu, Chinese Medicine, Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage, Zero Balance Therapy, and Polarity Therapy. Private independent study Maya Infused Abdominal Massage with a Certified Maya Abdominal Massage Therapist.
Retired- Yoga, Meditation, or Breath Work
Completed Temple of Kriya Yoga's 200-hour Teacher Training in 2007, emphasizing alignment, Restorative, and Yin Yoga. Completed Yogaview's 200-hour Teacher Training in 2008 I have taught yoga, meditation, and various bodywork workshops in Chicagoland and the North Shore. Namaskar Yoga Studio, Yogaview Elston and Wicker Park (now closed) Shri Yoga Center, One Key Yoga, Spring Wellness, Equinox Gold Coast and Lincoln Park, The Yoga Tree. Taught for LuluLemon for their in-store and yoga in the park classes. Taught workshops at DePaul University. Group Fitness Instructor-Yoga Instructor Chicago Athletic Clubs, Lakeview and Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park Athletic Club, Bucktown & Webster Place. Taught large group public classes, small private group classes, and individual privates. Attended and assisted in various Thai yoga workshops with a Senior Teacher and took numerous yoga workshops with various yoga teachers.
Lululemon Ambassador 2011
Licensed cosmetologist circa 1987
Certified Personal Trainer circa 1997
Volunteer Work In my practice, volunteering and giving back have been the foundation of who I am as a healer. It began in my early twenties and has continued throughout my life.
1989 -Heiwa Terrace was mostly a Japanese American Senior Complex where I cut hair and helped seniors with hygiene.
1998-99-Volunteered at The Aids Alternative Health Care Center in Uptown Chicago: This place was ahead of its time. It was one of the first holistic centers in Chicago that provided multiple modalities to people with end-stage illnesses such as HIV, Cancer, Stroke, and ALS. These patients had survived sexual violence, domestic abuse, trauma, and poverty. Many LGBTQ people were stigmatized, traumatized, and often denied their deserved care. This center was based on a sliding scale and never turned anyone away. This was my first experience working with various therapists who offered different modalities in one room together, and it shifted the trajectory of my practice. It was one of the most extraordinary places I have ever had the privilege to be a part of. It is where I learned that even the most impoverished and terminally ill human being has the right to dignified and compassionate care. It began the framework of what kind of therapist I wanted to become and the populations I would most enjoy serving. Here, I learned the importance of holding space and showing up for terminally ill people. It was the first place that I worked where I had formed friendships and bonds with clients that I genuinely cared about, and they passed away from their illnesses. I realized how essential massage therapy and bodywork were for special populations, the LGBTQ community, people of color, and the impoverished. This place is forever in my heart, and forever grateful I got to be a part of it.
2005- Volunteered at The Japanese American Service Committee, teaching seniors seated self-massage, breath-work, and movement therapy to help combat stress, arthritis, and racial-related generational and ancestral trauma.
2014- Volunteered at Cook County Jail, teaching yoga to incarcerated women.
2018-Taught guided breath work to decrease stress levels to law inforcement.
2019-Taught yoga classes to donate to various causes such as BLM.
2022-Taught a Monthly donation Restorative Yoga Class-Where all the proceeds go to The Chicago Women's Health Center.
2022- Volunteered at the Japanese American Service Committee to help seniors learn movement therapy, self-care stretching, self-massage, and breath work to help combat stress and arthritis. Provide seated chair massage to decrease muscle tightness and body aches, relieve pain, stiffness, and inflammation, and increase circulation to promote well-being and body awareness.