About My Craft
What is My Training and Background?
I’m a licensed massage therapist in both Mississippi and California, and a certified personal trainer through NASM with additional certifications in corrective exercise and nutrition. My formal training includes advanced modalities such as PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching, Positional Release Therapy, myofascial release, and movement-based rehabilitation techniques.
This foundation allows me to work with a wide range of clients — from those recovering from pain or injuries to those simply looking to move better and feel more connected in their bodies. My education has always emphasized evidence-based, anatomy-informed care, and I bring that clinical awareness into every session.
What Type of Massage Do I Do?
At KoaBodywork, my approach blends therapeutic massage with corrective bodywork and functional movement. Sessions are tailored to address not just symptoms, but the underlying patterns behind pain, tension, or restriction.
I use techniques like deep tissue massage, myofascial release, PNF stretching, and Positional Release Therapy to improve alignment, relieve discomfort, and restore mobility. For clients who need it, I also incorporate movement-based strategies such as foam rolling, guided stretching, and corrective exercises — all informed by what I observe during our session, not just what’s written on your intake form.
Why am I a Massage Therapist
I was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai‘i, where my grandfather — known as Papa K — was an Island Kahuna and master of Lomi Lomi, a traditional Hawaiian massage technique. Healing work was part of my family’s lifestyle, with workshops and teachings in both Lomi Lomi and Kinetic Chain Release all around me. I grew up surrounded by the values of intentional touch, respect for the body, and the deeper connections between structure and spirit.
At age 10, I moved to Mississippi to live with my grandmother and eventually adapted to the slower rhythm of Southern life. After High School I felt called to reconnect with that early part of myself — the part that grew up around healing work. I spent my gap year in San Francisco, earned my massage therapy license from the San Francisco School of Massage, and began blending that traditional foundation with modern, clinical bodywork. Now I’m back in Oxford, ready to share that integrated knowledge with every client I work with — from pain relief to postural support to deep, intentional healing.