Esalen® Massage
Experience touch as meditation.
A slow, integrative experience that soothes the nervous system and invites you to reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom.
Esalen massage is known for:
Long, flowing strokes that connect the whole body
Rocking, gentle stretching & joint movement to invite release
Pressure applied only as the body softens- never forced
A pace that encourages deep relaxation and nervous system regulation
It’s more than a massage.
It’s a practice in slowing down and reconnecting to yourself.
The Experience
A session that meets you where you are.
Each Esalen massage is guided by breath, awareness, and presence.
The work moves like a meditation in motion. Long, slow, connected strokes invite your body to soften layer by layer. Gentle rocking, stretching, and joint movement help release held tension without force. As your system slows, your breath deepens and your nervous system begins to settle into its natural rhythm of rest and repair.
No two sessions are ever the same. But you will be met where you’re at in each one.
Questions about what to expect?
Held with care & respect
Your comfort, safety, and consent are foundational to this work. While Esalen massage is known for its long, flowing strokes, all sessions maintain professional draping and are grounded in healthy, non-sexual, therapeutic touch.
When you arrive, you’ll be welcomed into a calm space where we’ll briefly discuss your needs and boundaries for the day. Draping is adjusted intentionally throughout the session to allow for full-body connection while keeping you securely covered at all times.
Every session is trauma-sensitive and guided by your comfort level. Consent is ongoing- you’re always encouraged to communicate, adjust boundaries, or request changes at any point.
We’ll close with a quiet pause, allowing you to absorb the work and gently return before heading back into your day.
Questions?
The Roots of Esalen® Massage
A lineage of awareness.
Esalen massage was born in Big Sur, California in the mid-1960s, emerging from the Human Potential Movement. During this time, visionaries such as Alan Watts & Joseph Campbell gathered to explore what it means to be fully human. Thought leaders and spiritual teachers continue holding transformative workshops there today.
Born from Lived Experience
Co-founder Dick Price was inspired by his own struggles within the mental health system. In his words:
"My intention was to find a place where people who were going through this type of experience could simply get better treatment."
From that intention, he helped create a sanctuary where others would travel seeking healing.
A Revolutionary Approach
The originators of Esalen massage were massage therapists, dancers, and yogis exploring how mind, body, and emotion connect through touch and awareness. Building on Swedish massage foundations, they were influenced by bodywork pioneers who taught at Esalen: Ida Rolf, Milton Trager, Moshe Feldenkrais and Charlotte Selver.
The practice was also shaped by Gestalt therapy's emphasis on present-moment awareness, which became foundational to how Esalen practitioners work: fully focused on presence and awareness.
This approach became known as the “marriage between bodywork, mindfulness, and modern psychology”.
The long, flowing strokes Esalen massage is known for mimic the waves of the ocean, and is a reflection of the landscape in which this style was born.
This is the lineage I'm honored to carry forward.
