Our Staff

AJ S. AJ graduated from the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing and has been working at the school since 2005. Her background before massage therapy includes competitive sports and business management, training, and development. As a young athlete, AJ benefited from massages in pre-event, post-event and as part of her overall training, fitness and wellness routine. Later as a professional in a corporate setting, AJ found the benefits of massage invaluable for stress reduction and repetitive posture and movement symptom relief. AJ uses her training to serve a wide scope of clients, specifically in stress relief, repetitive motion/posture injuries, prenatal, Thai, sports massage and many other modalities. She believes in blending these techniques to create an individualized treatment for each client, depending on what their goals are for the session. AJ is an instructor at The New School for Massage.

 

Alex K. Alex specializes in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports Massage, Aromatherapy, and Chair Massage. A graduate of The New School for Massage, Alex customizes his sessions to the unique needs of each client.

 

Andree L. Andree focuses on “feel better bodywork,” adjusting style, pressure and technique to optimize each session according to a client’s preferences and goals. She graduated from the New School of Massage Bodywork & Healing after a long career in media sales, and enjoys creating an experience of balance, calm and healing with each client. She is also certified in prenatal massage.

 

Anya B. Anya is a graduate of The New School for Massage. She integrates the best of both East and West for a tailored and therapeutic session. Her advance education includes certification in Orthopedic Massage from the Orthopedic Massage and Research Institute, Shiatsu from Zen Shiatsu Chicago, and Myoskeletal Alignment Technique (levels 1-3) as well other eastern modalities including Tui Na and Thai massage studied in various parts of Asia. She has also taken workshops in Sports Massage, Positional Release Therapy, and Neuromuscular Therapy. Her specialties include musculoskeletal conditions, sports (event conditioning /preventative work), and rehab. In addition to massage and bodywork, Anya is also certified as a personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. As a former athlete Anya understands the importance of bodywork and uses all of her knowledge in various modalities to encourage soft tissue health and overall well being. Currently, she is finishing up pre med courses and hopes to become a Chiropractic Orthopedist.

 

Barb B. Barb graduated from The New School for Massage in 2003. She customizes her massage sessions for wellness or pain relief by drawing on her years of clinical and spa experience, work with diverse populations and chronic conditions, and hundreds of continuing education hours in various modalities such as hand and foot reflexology, infant and pregnancy massage, acupressure, and indian head massage. She is available for soothing therapeutic massage, deep tissue, invigorating sports massage, or pregnancy massage.

 

Gail B.. After experiencing significant improvement with her health by incorporating regular massage treatments in her wellness program, Gail decided to leave her 15 year corporate IT job & follow her passion of helping others with their wellness through professional massage therapy. She studied at The New School for Massage & Bodywork and enjoys helping her clients meet their wellness goals with Swedish relaxation, deep tissue & sports massage while integrating her knowledge & practice of breath, stretching and postural awareness.

 

Gregg C. Gregg studied massage therapy at the New School for Massage, Bodywork, and Healing with a focus on myofascial, deep tissue, Swedish, and Asian techniques. His continuing education training has been primarily in Shiatsu for neck and low back pain, and has had several years of experience in the martial and healing arts including Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, and Thai Massage. This background lets Gregg mold his sessions as a blend of techniques that promote relaxation and healing. Gregg has a great love for massage therapy and is caring and empathic toward his clients.

 

Janice R. Janice is a graduate of the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing. After years of accounting work in the corporate world, Janice decided to follow her heart and pursue studies in spirituality and, following that, in massage therapy. From Janice's perspective, mind, body, and spirit are effectively one and the same. Her focus as a massage therapist has been wellness and deep tissue massage, helping clients bring peace and tranquility in their bodies and their busy lives.

 

Jacob.Jacob has been teaching, training, and working with the body since 2003. He started as a personal trainer then deepened his understanding of the body by becoming certified to teach yoga and pilates. In 2008 he completed his first triathlon and was convinced of the benefits of massage as part of his training regimen. Jacob started his massage journey out of an extension of that work with the body and graduated from the Chicago School of Thai Massage in 2009, then continued to deepen his practice with Herbal Compress study with Bob Haddad (director of THAI Healing Alliance International) in 2010, and traditional thai study with master Thai teacher Pichest Butthomme in Thailand in 2011. In 2012, Jacob completed massage therapy training at the New School for Massage and Bodywork and then state licensure in Illinois. Jacob uses his in depth knowledge of the body, how it moves in daily life as well as in competitive performance to deliver massages that are wholistic, therapeutic and relaxing, but also performance improving for those with active lifestyles. He offers deep tissue, sports, swedish, and thai massage

 

Jen P. Jen believes in balance. After many years in the corporate world, she rediscovered her own balance through the study and practice of massage therapy, yoga, career counseling and health coaching. She is a graduate of The New School for Massage, and customizes integrative treatments using Swedish, deep tissue and stretching techniques to relieve stress and pain, and to promote relaxation and balance. Jen is also certified in prenatal massage.

Moxxie M. Moxxie is a graduate of the New School for Massage, Bodywork and Healing. She is a nationally certified massage therapist and a certified member of the AMBP. Currently practicing Sweedish/Relaxation and Deep Tissue massage, Moxxie is very passionate about the work that she does and tailors each session to meet the individual needs of her clients. She uses intuitive touch to aid her clients with managing chronic pain, treating overused muscles and reducing the effects of daily stress. She believes that massage can be an excellent tool to help one become aware of the needs of their body, and help them tune into the subtle messages of their being, allowing for integration of the mind with the body.

 

Riley K. Riley's goal as a massage therapist and a human being is to facilitate the development of self-awareness, which allows us all to recognize ourselves as the whole, healthy, perfect beings we already are. In 2009, Riley graduated from the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing as well as the Chicago School of Thai Massage, after which she spent a month in Thailand, deepening her understanding of Thai bodywork, healing, and meditation. Riley offers Swedish, Deep Tissue, Thai, and Prenatal massage. Most of her table work involves a combination of Swedish massage, promoting overall relaxation, and deep tissue massage, which works toward the release of specific muscles. Her Thai (floor) massage is often Shiatsu-flavored, as she is also quite enamored with Chinese medicine theory. Riley teaches musculoskeletal anatomy at the New School for Massage.

 

Sarah S. As a licensed cosmetologist, Sarah always loved how shampooing and giving scalp massages made her clients feel. She decided to explored that a bit further, enrolled in The New School for Massage and eventually became a licensed massage therapist. Sarah loves making people feel good inside and out. An avid soccer player and football fan, Sarah particularly enjoys working with athletes and specializes in relaxation, sports, and deep tissue massage.

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Tara S. Tara studied massage therapy at New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing. She specializes in Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage and trigger point therapy. Tara is a great listener and is excellent at customizing each massage to fit the client's needs. While tailoring each session from pain management to relaxation, she creates a stress free environment that ends in positive energy for both her and the client. She believes that along with exercising and eating right, massage is an important part of keeping a person's life in balance.

 

Terry B. Terry is a graduate of The New School of Massage Bodywork and Healing. Terry brings his knowledge of anatomy, and kinesiology, to integrate Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofacial Release, and Shiatsu stretching techniques for general, or condition specific massage intended to assist with musculoskeletal conditions. Terry will customize treatments, and blend techniques to accommodate specific goals of his clients, and also takes pride in performing a deep relaxing Swedish massage for relief of every day stress. Terrance is also a certified prenatal massage therapist.

 

Tom M. Tom is a graduate of the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing. His continuing education has been in Table Thai Massage, and Shiatsu focused on back, neck, and shoulder problems. His sessions are a fusion of those eastern modalities and Swedish, deep tissue work, neuromuscular therapy, including trigger point work and PNF style stretches and elements of craniosacral therapy. A sense of spirituality and meditation practice keeps his sessions centered and client-focused. In addition to the River North Massage Therapy Center, Tom also works at the YMCA and is an instructor at The New School for Massage.

Xochitl V. Xochitl received her BA in Liberal Arts at Sarah Lawrence College and worked in research botany before going to school for massage therapy in 2007. As an IL Licensed Massage Therapist, Xochitl has continued her education in the field of bodywork by studying Kinesio Taping (Levels 1-3), Reiki (Levels 1-2 and on-going), and Myofascial Release with John Barnes. She specializes in customized sessions that incorporate these modalities with Swedish Relaxation Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Craniosacral Techniques, and Trigger Point Work to achieve physical rehabilitation while easing pain and easing the spirit. Xochitl is also an instructor at The New School for Massage.

Yousif M. Yousif graduated from the New School for Massage, Bodywork, and Healing in 2008 and is proficient in Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Sports Massage. He has continued his education of massage to include thai table massage and deep tissue techniques to address chronic pain. Yousif has a great belief in massage and its holistic health benefits as well, and aims to achieve an experience where mind and matter melt into one. As well as being a Massage Therapist, Yousif practices as a Physical Therapist Assistant and works directly in healthcare.