Our Staff
Professional Clinic
Alex
His passion lies in aiding clients through bodywork, offering relief from pain and discomfort while fostering moments of comfort and relaxation. Alex's approach to massage involves attentive listening to his clients' concerns, observing their reactions, and adapting accordingly. He specializes in relaxation, deep tissue, trigger point, sports, and myofascial massages. In his leisure time, Alex enjoys long walks with his dog, exploring new places, and occasionally indulges in binge-watching favorite shows.
Andrea
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Andrea's inspiration stemmed from her family's struggles with chronic pain. Starting her journey in pharmacy, she transitioned to massage therapy for a more hands-on and holistic healing approach. Her joy comes from positively impacting her clients' health by creating unique massage experiences that alleviate pain and induce mental and physical relaxation. Andrea specializes in Swedish, deep tissue, and trigger point massage therapies. Outside work, she relishes time with family, friends, her cat, going on walks, and runs.
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Chelsea
Chelsea is a proud graduate of the New School of Massage. She is a performer and dancer which sparked her interest for massage and allows her to understand anatomy and awareness of the body.
Her techniques from Swedish, myofascial, deep tissue, and sports massage allows her to help each clients needs and to build a plan. She has a passion for helping clients through health and healing. In her spare time she loves spending time with her daughter and fiancé, as well as traveling.
Her techniques from Swedish, myofascial, deep tissue, and sports massage allows her to help each clients needs and to build a plan. She has a passion for helping clients through health and healing. In her spare time she loves spending time with her daughter and fiancé, as well as traveling.
Cristina
Cristina came to her work as a massage therapist out of her lengthy experience as a performer, an athlete, and an avid practitioner of holistic wellness. A proud graduate of the New School for Massage, Cristina draws on techniques from Swedish, deep tissue, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, prenatal, stretching and mobilization, and Thai-Shiatsu to build customized sessions to support each client’s individual needs. Her background as a performer, runner, and cyclist have gifted her an acute awareness of the body, a great respect for pain, and a deep appreciation of healthy and nourishing indulgence. Her approach is equal parts practical and intuitive and always centered around each client’s unique needs on any given day.
Jade
Jade is a Licensed Massage Therapist with a strong background in physical and sports therapy in Europe, where she practiced as a licensed physical therapist in France. Specializing in body sculpting, lymphatic drainage, and athletic recovery, Jade blends her expertise in sports rehabilitation with therapeutic massage techniques to help clients achieve optimal performance and well-being.
Kevin
Kevin is a graduate of New School for Massage. He's enthusiastic about the opportunity to apply everything he's learned in an environment that champions health and healing, much like River North Massage. Although he's continuously expanding his knowledge, his strongest modalities include Swedish, prenatal, and sports massage. Outside of his professional life, Kevin cherishes spending time with his wife and their ten-month-old son. He also has a passion for playing multiple instruments and is an avid sports enthusiast.
Lupe
Lupe's path into massage therapy began after witnessing her father's successful rehabilitation from a severe stroke/brain injury. Inspired to improve people's lives, she approaches massage from both a clinical/therapeutic and relaxation perspective. Lupe excels in sports, lymphatic, trigger point, and deep tissue massage, alongside myofascial release. In her leisure, she enjoys family time, music, dance, and fitness.
Marlin
Marlin's journey into massage began during her tenure at massage therapy school. Finding joy in relieving others' physical and mental pain, she adopts a flexible approach, combining various modalities, notably myofascial and deep tissue, customized to clients' familiarity and specific needs. Proficient in lymphatic drainage, trigger point, myofascial, and deep tissue massages, Marlin also holds training in assisted stretching therapy, pregnancy, myofascial cupping, and sports massages. Outside her practice, she engages in painting, drawing, videography, photography, dancing, acting, and event participation.
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.
Natalia
Natalia's background in Exercise Science and Personal Training led her to massage therapy. Her goal is to help clients unwind, reduce pain, and feel rejuvenated. Natalia focuses on pregnancy, sports, myofascial cupping and release massages. In her leisure, she enjoys time with her husband, exercise, and laughter with loved ones.
Rebekah
Rebekah is a graduate of The New School for Massage. Along with being a Licensed Massage Therapist, Rebekah is currently a professional dancer in Chicago. She uses her unique knowledge of muscles and movement to create treatment plans that are both clinical and relaxing. Rebekah’s style incorporates Swedish, deep and soft tissue manipulation to assist clients in achieving and maintaining their pain management and wellness goals.
Rose
If not by the bright pink hair, you’ll recognize Rose by their effervescence even on the gloomiest days! A graduate of New School for Massage, and a current student of acupuncture, Rose is a polymath of sorts; and has acquired degrees in business, accounting, art, early childhood education, and now Chinese medicine. From gentle to deep, they offer numerous modalities including (but not limited to) myofascial, trigger point, deep tissue, and cupping. Sessions are tailored to the client to help build bodily awareness, and collaborate towards building long-term, improved health. In the hours they aren’t working or studying, Rose likes to engage in the movement arts, and is a medal-awarded pole competitor.
Suzanne
As a licensed therapist, Suzanne was drawn to massage due to its capacity to offer pain relief and stress reduction through positive touch. Her detailed approach provides muscular relief and deep relaxation while aiming to enhance clients' body awareness. Suzanne specializes in Swedish, relaxation, deep tissue, and pregnancy massages. Beyond her practice, she holds an acting degree and has extensive experience in fundraising. She enjoys live music, hiking, and spending time with her husband and cats.
Virginia
After graduating with a massage therapy license in 2013, Virginia's joy in receiving massages fueled her passion for giving massages. She values massage for its holistic healing benefits and focuses on collaborating with clients to achieve their session goals. Virginia customizes sessions based on client preferences, emphasizing pain prevention through posture, body mechanics, and ergonomics. Proficient in trigger point, myofascial, breathwork, meditation, and aromatherapy, her experience in teaching anatomy gives her a deep understanding of human anatomy and identifying clients' problematic areas.
Graduate Clinic
Annick
Originally from Montreal, Annick moved to Chicago to pursue massage therapy at The New School for Massage. Her wellness journey began with yoga teacher training and an aerobic dance certification, grounded in a love for movement and nurturing the body. Touch became a meaningful way to connect with her autistic son, deepening her sensitivity and intuition. This awareness extends to her work, where clients are drawn to her kind, calming presence and ability to tailor each session to their unique needs. A perfectionist at heart, Annick is always refining her craft, exploring new techniques to promote deeper relief and well-being. Her goal is to create a safe, nurturing space where the nervous system can settle, stress can melt away, and lasting healing can begin.
James
James comes to the massage world with a unique perspective from his background in aerial arts and performance training. He loves deep tissue and trigger point bodywork to promote recovery, relieve pain, and increase range of motion. James also believes that all bodies can benefit from therapeutic touch for relaxation and reducing stress. While massage for athletes and other high-performance individuals brought him to the world of bodywork, he enjoys working with clients of all backgrounds and helping them gain greater awareness of their bodies and the mind-muscle connections. Outside the clinic, James is continuing to study the techniques of Thai massage, and you may also spot him at area circus centers and at the lakefront flying trapeze rig in the summer.
Keia
Keia’s journey to massage therapy began by experiencing first hand the benefits of massage and bodywork in her own healing and management of chronic pain. This has allowed her to approach her work with a deep understanding of those who experience living with chronic illness, applying this knowledge in her sessions to meet the unique needs of each client. She believes that soothing the nervous system is the first step in allowing the body to help heal itself. Keia has a background in visual art and herbalism. She graduated from the New School for Massage in 2025.
Renee
Born and raised in the Boston area, Renée trained as a serious ballet dancer for eight years. During this time, she suffered various injuries that left her intrigued by the worlds of physical therapy and massage. This fascination with anatomy and the body continued through high school. In 2019, Renée moved to Chicago to earn her BFA in musical theater and dance. After graduating undergrad in 2023, she performed in a few shows around the city before being briefly sidelined by another injury. During this time, she reconnected with her interest in massage and decided to pursue licensure. A proud graduate of the New School for Massage, Renée received her license in early 2025. She is passionate about listening actively and attentively to her clients and their bodies in order to deliver care that will get them closer to their goals. Renée’s approach focuses on relieving patterns of restriction in the body, reducing stress and improving bodily functions through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, and fostering a stronger mind-body connection.
Expert (Faculty) Clinic
Namiko
Namiko was introduced to a variety of bodywork practices growing up in Japan. In her 20s, she moved to Colorado, where she lived for over a decade and developed a passion for running, skiing, hiking, and cycling. She began her career in health and wellness as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) through Yoga Alliance, specializing in Iyengar yoga. Namiko taught at Craig Hospital, a renowned rehabilitation center for brain and spinal cord injuries.
Inspired by her patients' dedication to healing and improving their health, she later pursued training in John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release (MFR) therapy, a profound form of bodywork. She traveled across the U.S. to deepen her expertise and is now a certified Advanced MFR therapist. In addition, Namiko incorporates modern cupping, stretch therapy, lymphatic drainage, and Ashiatsu into her practice. Namiko is currently finishing up her Masters in Eastern Medicine at the Chicago College of Oriental Medicine.
Namiko holds certifications in the following modalities and may integrate them into your treatment based on your individual needs:
Myofascial Release Therapy (John F. Barnes MFR)
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (Vodder Technique)
Fascial Stretch Therapy
Vinyasa Yoga (RYT)
Dynamic Cupping Therapy (ICTA)
Personal Training (ACE)
Reiki (Usui Reiki, Japan)
Inspired by her patients' dedication to healing and improving their health, she later pursued training in John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release (MFR) therapy, a profound form of bodywork. She traveled across the U.S. to deepen her expertise and is now a certified Advanced MFR therapist. In addition, Namiko incorporates modern cupping, stretch therapy, lymphatic drainage, and Ashiatsu into her practice. Namiko is currently finishing up her Masters in Eastern Medicine at the Chicago College of Oriental Medicine.
Namiko holds certifications in the following modalities and may integrate them into your treatment based on your individual needs:
Myofascial Release Therapy (John F. Barnes MFR)
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapy (Vodder Technique)
Fascial Stretch Therapy
Vinyasa Yoga (RYT)
Dynamic Cupping Therapy (ICTA)
Personal Training (ACE)
Reiki (Usui Reiki, Japan)
Robert
A graduate of Cortiva–Chicago School of Massage Therapy, I’ve been practicing massage for over 15 years and teaching since 2015. With 20 years of experience as a personal trainer, I bring a deep and practical understanding of the musculoskeletal system to every session. My work blends clinical knowledge with an intuitive touch, and I offer a wide variety of modalities tailored to your unique needs.
I’ve won several regional awards as Lead Therapist for Massage Envy and hold continuing education certifications in Cupping, Pregnancy Massage, and Neuromuscular Therapy. I’m also highly skilled in Trigger Point Therapy and Myofascial Release. While my practice primarily focuses on deep tissue and sports massage, I’m equally adept at providing deeply relaxing, stress-reducing treatments when that’s what your body needs most.
What sets my sessions apart is my intuitive, responsive approach—no two treatments are ever the same. I assess what’s going on in your body and customize your session in real-time, based on both your goals and my findings. I’ve worked with everyone from amateur athletes to healthcare professionals to desk-bound clients dealing with postural pain and tension.
In addition to my private practice, I’ve been an instructor at the New School for Massage since January 2024. My mission is to be fully present with each client and treat the whole person—not just their pain points. Whether you're here to manage stress, recover from injury, or simply feel better in your body, I’m here to help you find lasting relief and greater ease.
I’ve won several regional awards as Lead Therapist for Massage Envy and hold continuing education certifications in Cupping, Pregnancy Massage, and Neuromuscular Therapy. I’m also highly skilled in Trigger Point Therapy and Myofascial Release. While my practice primarily focuses on deep tissue and sports massage, I’m equally adept at providing deeply relaxing, stress-reducing treatments when that’s what your body needs most.
What sets my sessions apart is my intuitive, responsive approach—no two treatments are ever the same. I assess what’s going on in your body and customize your session in real-time, based on both your goals and my findings. I’ve worked with everyone from amateur athletes to healthcare professionals to desk-bound clients dealing with postural pain and tension.
In addition to my private practice, I’ve been an instructor at the New School for Massage since January 2024. My mission is to be fully present with each client and treat the whole person—not just their pain points. Whether you're here to manage stress, recover from injury, or simply feel better in your body, I’m here to help you find lasting relief and greater ease.
Russ
Russ majored in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sports Medicine at James Madison University (VA). He then graduated from the American Institute of Massage and has been licensed since 2006. His background in sports medicine motivated his quest to help people feel better and gain greater body awareness. While he prefers clients seeking relaxation over pain relief, he values the uniqueness of each individual he works with. Russ assesses pain areas comprehensively, focusing on relieving joint pressure by targeting associated muscles, enabling natural body movement. Proficient in Swedish, deep tissue, pregnancy, sports, and trigger point massages, Russ is passionate about teaching massage, anatomy, and related subjects to deepen his understanding of the body's mechanisms.