About Inclusive Massage East Bay
What’s in a name?
The first iteration of my practice was called KiMusubi Massage, a name drawn from my lifelong practice of Aikido. Ki Musubi is a Japanese term mostly used within Aikido contexts that translates to “blending energy.” I chose this name because it describes my approach to my work, my approach to how I meet my clients. In every interpersonal interaction we meet each other and every meeting is unique. Sometimes this meeting is jarring, sometimes it is neutral, and sometimes harmonious. This last quality is what I aim for, and when I meet my clients my desire is to create a space in which we might work together to meet their needs, a space in which they feel comfortable and empowered enough to voice those needs. In terms of business strategy it was a terrible name, and my practice didn’t have a singular focus.
I decided to rebrand in Spring 2021 and part of that process involved finding clarity of purpose. Who and how do I want my practice to serve? Activism has always been part of my life, even as a kid, so I knew I wanted it to be present in my work.
I settled upon Inclusive Massage East Bay, with the tagline, “body-neutral, anti-racist, gender-affirming massage therapy for pain and stress relief.” From there things took off and within 6 months I had a completely full practice. In 2022 I leased a large commercial space, was named Oakland’s Best Place to Get a Massage, and added a second massage therapist to the team. 2023 took an unexpected turn in the form of a cancer diagnosis, which has prompted me to evaluate how things were operating, and what my priorities are.
The health and wellness industry is full of spiritual bypassing, toxic positivity, racism, fatphobia, and queerphobia. Abuse of power is everywhere. So many of us health and wellness providers fall into the trap of thinking we know everything and that it's our job to fix our clients. I have had so many clients who have been harmed by previous providers and the stories they tell are simultaneously enraging and heart-breaking. Things need to change if we are truly committed to helping our clients. A large factor in the rapid growth and success of IMEB is that people who are worried about being judged or harmed see our website and think maybe this is a safe place. The devastating reality is that the question being asked by many gender-queer, BIPOC, and fat or larger bodied individuals is, “Will I be safe there?” This should never be the question anywhere, much less in an industry that claims to be concerned with the well-being of its clients. The question should be, “Where can I get the best massage?” At IMEB we not only strive to be the answer to both questions, we are also working to change the status quo such that the question of safety becomes obsolete.
About the owner
I was born in Oakland to Mexican-American parents and stayed in Oakland until I went to college. Wanting to get as far away from home as possible, I did my undergraduate degree at Columbia University, New York City… and then came back home. I didn’t mean to come back, but the job I had lined up fell through. I worked in bars for a few years then decided it was time for a change. Massage has always been a thing for me. I think I developed an affinity for it as a result of my martial arts training, and so when it came time to change careers it made sense to get into massage therapy. I completed the core program at the National Holistic Institute, Emeryville and was certified by the CA Massage Therapy Council in 2019, at which point I started my professional massage career.
I have always been a body-centric person, probably as a result of starting martial arts at a young age. I started training locally in Aikido at the age of seven and since then my practice has expanded to include multiple international trips per year. I am a personal student to a master based in Stockholm, Sweden; and last October (2022) I tested for and received the rank of third-degree black belt, after 22 years of training. Aikido is my primary passion, and my objective is to start a dojo with a directive of promoting inclusivity and diversity within the art. The question guiding my study of Aikido is, “How do I meet every single person I encounter in such a way that they feel comfortable, and safe?” Even trickier is the underlying question, “How do I do that for myself?” This study has been deeply informative and has provided the foundation for my approach to massage therapy.
Fun facts:
Extracurricular activities include weightlifting, rock climbing, video games, and reading- especially fantasy.
Tacos are the best food.
I tried moving to Stockholm, Sweden for Aikido but couldn’t get a work visa. I didn’t like living there anyway, so it worked out.
Neurodiverse: I have ADHD and clinical depression, though the latter may be an aspect of the former. Getting treatment for both has been life changing. Also, I have terrible social anxiety. If you see me in the wild please break the ice.
Cancer survivor- acute myeloblastic leukemia, 2022/2023.