Massage & Somatics
Jess's Approach & Philosophy
Tuning into the body is a radical act in a world strongly driven by the mind. We can often underestimate and overlook the profound and ancient wisdom that resides within our bodies.
Our bodies serve as both a doorway to the present moment and our past experiences, making bodywork important not only from the biomechanical standpoint, but also in supporting the neurophysiology of resilience, empowerment, and connection.
Jess adopts a nuanced and subversive approach to her work, supporting others in their journey towards greater aliveness and well-being. She believes that when we are able to embrace the messy and challenging aspects of our humanity, we can move into more expansive and rich ways of being in our body and in the world.
It can be difficult to navigate life with hope, security, and spaciousness in a culture that values disconnection and individualism. To break free from the narratives of fear, scarcity, and unworthiness, we need to cultivate new ways of being. This can be confusing and difficult when the landscape of health and wellness is rooted in harmful values and one-size-fits-all approaches. However, by creating supportive spaces that can honour our embodied wisdom and embrace paradox, complexity, and ambiguity, we can begin to integrate all aspects of ourselves. We can move from merely surviving to living with ease, playfulness, deep connection, and joy.
As we cultivate a deeper understanding of our embodied experience we gain trust, wisdom, and a greater capacity for connection and fulfillment. By nurturing a container that can hold and support the vastness of our experiences, we can start to move through life with a deeper sense of knowing, possibility, and the ability to more confidently embrace the complexities, and challenges that come with it.
Jess takes a non-linear approach to supporting others. She understands the importance of not imposing specific values and beliefs on the concept of health and healing. Instead, she prioritizes supporting individuals in connecting with their bodies, emphasizing pleasure, care, and a sense of trust and security that is experienced through increased embodiment.
Recognizing that there is no true separation between the mind and the body, Jess embraces this paradigm in her practice. Her goal is to create a space where individuals can embrace their wholeness and multiplicity.
Often, health and healing spaces are constructed in a way that reinforce power dynamics due to differences in knowledge, authority, and resulting inequities. This can lead to relationships and spaces that perpetuate a lack of empowerment and trust in ones own body. Jess acknowledges the inherent power dynamics when working with bodies in intentional containers and aims to create an environment that encourages a more interactive, evolving, and ongoing informed consent based dynamic between herself and her clients.
She believes that we require a myriad of different approaches to thrive and that it's important that we have different types of support and practices to care for our well being. Additionally, she emphasizes that there are many different avenues and approaches to well-being, pain support, healing, etc., that don't necessarily require transactional care. When resource scarcity exists, this can add additional layers of stress to the already fraught landscape. I hope to create alternative resources, practices, and opportunites in the future to support this reality. Finding what works best and is most aligned for you is key.
Through ongoing learning and unlearning, and a commitment to intersectional indigenous feminism and eco-somatic / indigenous epistemologies, Jess strives to embody a more reciprocal, spiritual, rhythmic, and seasonal way of being in all aspects of her life.
Jess worked as a registered massage therapist (RMT) for over 12 years in Alberta before moving to Vancouver Island. She received training under the same curriculum as BC's in 2011. However, Alberta has not regulated Massage Therapy and does not have standardized entry to practice exams. As a result, her credentials cannot be transferred provincially. Therefore her services are not able to be claimed for benefit reimbursement. This makes Jess a great option for those without benefits who desire a highly experienced practitioner at a more accessible rate than comparable services offered by RMTs.
Currently, Jess has chosen not to pursue her RMT designation in BC for various reasons. Nevertheless, she maintains a good standing with her Alberta association, CMMOTA. This allows her to continue practicing massage and bodywork in Canada under a recognized regulatory body. It ensures she remains accountable to ongoing training and practice standards and maintains up to date liability insurance.
Bio
Jess has recently relocated to her favourite place on earth, the PNW, in the pursuit of living more intentionally and adopting a slower pace of life beside to the ocean and the old growth. She lives with her best friend, twin brother, and their two beloved dogs, Yarrow and Rooster, nestled cozily in the nurturing rainforest.
Jess loves working with the tactile: pottery, quilting, bodywork, and movement. She is a kinesthetic learner, a highly sensitive, creative, neurodivergent, non- binary human with a complex and rich inner world, she's a dog lover, a fan of the mystical and magical, a double cancer, a manifestor (human design), an INFP, and in pursuit of as many fun earthly adventures as possible.