Welcome! 

I'm Claire (she/her), a White queer athlete, community member, and certified massage therapist (CAMTC #: 91816) working on unceded land belonging to the Uypi tribe of the Awaswas nation -- aka Santa Cruz, CA.  

Growing up, I fostered a passion for social equity and therapeutic touch. I was frustrated by the lack of access to safe and affirming care for those in marginalized bodies and/or with limited resources. 

As a human, sociologist, and massage therapist, I seek to contribute to a kinder, more humanizing world. Each client is a whole individual with unique needs and multiple identities. Using a client-centered approach including sliding scale payment, I aim to offer safe and effective care for all. 

Beyond the massage studio, I have had the honor of working for and at:

• Barrios Unidos

• The Heart Center

• Protests at UCSC, including graduate students' protesting for improved working conditions. 

• The UCSC encampment for Palestine, organized by undergraduate students. 

• A healing circle hosted in Santa Cruz post arrest and experience of physical and emotional police brutality. 

• Baby showers! And home visits when accessing my studio space is not possible for folks. 

In sessions, I mostly incorporate Swedish and deep tissue techniques (e.g. trigger point and myofascial release) -- although I am always learning and expanding. I graduated from Philadelphia School of Massage & Bodywork and feel incredibly lucky and honored to do this work!!!

Why "Turtle Massage"?

• Liberation work, including body liberation, takes time. It is slow, like a turtle's pace.

• I have admired specifically green sea turtles since adopting Shelly, my first stuffed animal. My studio is now lightly decorated

• With the earth and all its beings in mind, I look for more sustainable products, equipment, and linen in my massage practice (see Products & Sustainability).