Our Staff

Alex

Alex graduated from the New School for Massage in 2014. He specializes in Swedish/deep tissue relaxation massage; he uses a variation of techniques that include Thai –Shiatsu, sport massage, and myofascial techniques to cater to clients specific needs. Alex believes that health starts from the inside out and massage is a great step towards body awareness and becoming aware of our body’s needs. (IL License 227.018256)

Annie

Annie comes from a family of healers and believes in the profound positive impact of massage. She graduated from the New School for Massage and Bodywork in Chicago. She has her M.F.A. in poetry and is awed by the grace and mechanics of the human body. She uses a variety of techniques including Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release, and gentle stretching. Annie addresses the specific needs of her clients and provides a comfortable space to heal, whether they are looking to manage physical pain or relax and find relief from stress. Above all, Annie loves to help people remember that they can find comfort and healing power within their own bodies. (IL License 227019754)

Barb

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. (IL License 227.003740)

Craig

Craig is a third-generation massage therapist, following in the footsteps of his mother and both grandparents. Massage and natural health were always a part of his childhood. Headaches were never treated with aspirin, but rather foot rubs! For the past 15 years he has been practicing and teaching various styles of massage, including: Swedish, Medical and Sports Massage, and Esalen, Shiatsu and Healing Touch. He recently returned from Asia where he studied Traditional Chinese Medicine. (IL License 227.019188)

Emmanuel

Emmanuel B. has been licensed in the State of Illinois since 2005. He started his massage therapy path in the mid 1980s while at the same pursuing a parallel path that included electrical engineering, information sciences, teaching, and eventually business administration and entrepreneurship. After keeping the two paths separate for years, he brought his diverse skills together in early 2001 to develop The New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing, a private vocational school specializing in massage therapy. In early 2011, Emmanuel created the River North Massage Therapy Center, to provide quality therapeutic massage at reasonable prices in a friendly and professional setting. Emmanuel's massage therapy style is a fusion of deep tissue, PNF stretching, sports massage, and craniosacral techniques and is best suitable for relaxation and pain relief. (IL License 227.001888)

Lara

The bodywork Lara practices ranges from gentle to very firm/deep, working through fascia and muscle using a variety of methods that will leave you feeling 'more at home' in your own body and armed with ways to maintain that status until the next session. Certified for Prenatal massage and experienced with a variety of clients and conditions - each session with her is entirely client-focused, and she'll assess and investigate soft tissue issues throughout the body while helping you to achieve relaxation and/or improved function. A current member of the AMBP, Lara is also a graduate from the New School for Massage, Bodywork and Healing. (IL License 227.017960)

Mariana

Mariana started her career in health 10 years ago in Brazil. Since then she has been working with healing in different ways. Also holding a diploma as a physical therapist in Brazil, Mariana graduated from New School for Massage and Bodywork in Chicago. She works with Swedish, Sports Massage, Deep tissue, Stretching and Thai techniques and likes to combine all of them to always provide an amazing experience for her clients with positive results and good energy. (IL License 227021089)

Michelle

Michelle is a graduate of The New School for Massage. She believes that compassionate touch can help relieve stress of everyday life. She uses Swedish, Deep Tissue, and stretching techniques to target specific muscles that need attention or to promote overall relaxation. (IL License 227.017947)

Namiko

Namiko was born and raised in Japan and lived in Colorado for 10 years where she pursued a successful career in Finance. An avid runner, skier and cyclist, who loves nature, traveling and food, Namiko eventually traded the corporate world for a career in health and wellness. She became a RYT Alliance yoga teacher and later moved to Chicago where she enrolled at The New School for Massage in 2017. She is always enthusiastic about wellness and is truly inspired by bodywork and uses yoga is her daily self care practice. She recently acquired Reiki certification in Japan and has trained in both eastern and western Reiki. She also holds level 1 Myofascial Release therapy certificate. In her sessions, she blends trigger points techniques, stretches, range of motion and myofascial release. She always creates a safe place for her clients and helps them relax and let go of stress, pain and anything that hinders their well being. (IL License 227.020997)

Narisa

Narisa graduated from the New School for Massage in 2018, but she has been practicing in massage career for over four years. She loves massage and believes that healing people from inside out is the best way. She has amazing hands that would help you release stress, relief the pains, and feel relaxed. She uses a variety of techniques including Swedish, Deep Tissue, Thai massage, Sport massage, Trigger points techniques, and gently stretching. (IL License 227021042)

Riki

Riki is a graduate of New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing and The University of Iowa. Once plagued with chronic lower back pain, she was able to find relief through manual therapy and massage; benefits she now aspires to share with her clients. Riki provides individualized treatments focused to treat the entire issue – not just the current pain – to provide therapy that outlasts the treatment session. (IL License 227.015675)

Russ

After majoring in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sports Medicine at James Madison University (VA), Russ continued in his career path of finding ways to help relieve pain, which led him to massage therapy. A massage therapist since 2006, Russ approaches massage by looking at the entire body for the source of discomfort, not just the location of pain, in order to truly help his clients long-term. He also incorporates his knowledge of sports medicine and Kinesiology to help recommend stretches and changes in everyday life to help clients maintain a more pain free lifestyle. Russ specializes in Swedish, deep tissue and trigger point massage. (IL License 227.017712)

Simone

Simone is a New School for Massage graduate. She tailors her techniques for relaxation, pain relief, and improved mobility. Her specialties include Swedish massage, myofascial release, and joint mobilizations and has certification in Oncology and Breast cancer massage. Simone loves meeting new clients and working with them to improve their health. IL License 227020668

Tara

Tara is a licensed massage therapist, musician, dancer, artist and graduate of The New School for Massage. A daughter of doctors, she grew up fascinated with bodies and the world of healing. As a performer, she developed a deep understanding of the body and the energy that runs through all of us. She firmly believes that awareness and respect for the body, even in the face of stress, injury and illness, can open a window to healing, wholeness and some much deserved inner peace. She will tailor your massage to address your unique physical needs and create a space of acceptance. She is a great listener and intuitive practitioner. Her sessions can include Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofascial, Trigger Point and gentle stretching/mobilizations. (IL Lic. 227019675)

Tatiane

Tatiane is a graduate of the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing in Chicago. She has an extensive background in hospitality and customer care. She excels in understanding a clients needs and delivering her massage experience to best suite the wellness needs of the individual client. Tatiane has an intuitive touch with deep tissue and Swedish massage techniques and is an avid student of overall health and well being. She is a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brasil and is fluent in English and Portuguese. In her spare time she is an avid traveler and loves all things related to Chicago! (IL license 227.016609)

Tom

Tom is a 2006 graduate of the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing, where he is currently a lead instructor. 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. (IL License 227.007582)

Virginia

Virginia studied at the New School of Massage after she decided on a career change from teaching art in the Chicago Public Schools. Massage has always been a positive part of Virginia’s life. Having grown up with many siblings in a very physically active household, they enjoyed sharing massages at young age. Now she continues to honor massage for its benefits in mind, body and spirit as well as in preventative care.Virginia feels fortunate to spend her days spreading the joy of massage to others. She works with her clients to achieve their goals for the session, and help them feel more refreshed, both physically and mentally.

In her spare time, Virginia enjoys running and biking along the Lake Shore Path. She compliments it with regular stretching and strengthening through Pilates & Yoga. (IL License 227.016633)