Meet Karla
Karla is an accomplished Massage Therapist with over 25 years of experience. Her journey began at The Swedish Institute of Massage Therapy in New York City, where she learned the foundational techniques that she has continued to build upon throughout her career.
As someone who has experienced chronic neck and shoulder pain for 17 years, Karla has a deep understanding of the physical and emotional impact that pain can have on the body. This personal experience drives her passion to help others find relief and healing through her work.
Over the years, Karla has incorporated various modalities into her practice to provide the best possible treatment for each of her clients. In particular, she has become an expert in the John Barnes Approach to Myofascial Release, which has transformed her own life and informed her work with others.
Karla's dedication to learning has led her to explore other areas of bodywork. Her study of Biofield Tuning has deepened her understanding of the human biofield and its interconnectedness with the body and fascia. This profound form of bodywork has enabled Karla to help clients overcome a wide range of underlying issues, from physical pain to emotional trauma. In addition, she utilizes techniques through Medicupping to help release the fascia three-dimensionally, as well as, The Body Code and The Emotion Code.
Through her extensive training and personal experience, Karla has developed a powerful and effective approach to facilitating change for each person. Her clients benefit from her vast knowledge, her deep empathy, and her commitment to their well-being.
Even from a young age, I approached the body in an unconventional way
My Story
As a Massage Therapist who had lived with chronic pain for 17 years, I have learned how the human body compensates for trauma, postural imbalances, surgeries, inflammation, and repetitive stress injuries. I share my story with clients because it provides insight into how seemingly unrelated events can become intertwined and how the body then compensates three-dimensionally through the fascia.
When I was 17, I experienced pain in my right shoulder after playing tennis and bowling. The diagnosis was adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder. Over time, my shoulder and neck remained tight and painful. I realized carrying heavy backpacks and the cold winters of the Midwest only made it worse over the years.
When I graduated from massage therapy school and began working with clients, I started to understand how incidents in my life affected my body. I realized how seemingly minor incidents like dropping a hammer on my toe at age 4, tripping over a toy truck at age 8, and running into a desk at school were actually contributing factors to my chronic pain.
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As I continued to take various courses, I was able to reflect and recognized how my left leg did not grow at the same rate as my right leg after I fell on a toy truck at 8 years old. This led to postural imbalances and compensation patterns that developed over time. As my body grew, my injured left leg caused a deep pull into my right hip which, I believe, lead to slight scoliosis or a twist in my spine. Surgery on my right hand only solidified the pain and "straight jacket" effect on my shoulder and neck.
It wasn't until I took my first Myofascial Release class that I truly understood the power of this work. Myofascial Release techniques helped to access the tissue that had been tight for over 17 years and brought me an amazing sense of relief. The feeling of "Yes, right there!" with each session to help relieve the pain was incredibly empowering, and while it took several years to become pain-free, It is MFR that help me understand how everything truly is so interconnected.
In conclusion, Myofascial Release has been a transformative journey for me, empowering me to find relief from pain and discomfort in my body. Beyond that, it has also allowed me to create space for peace, love, and freedom in my life. Through the combination of different modalities, I have started to live my best life. I highly recommend that others explore how Myofascial Release can help them create similar positive changes in their own lives. However, I recognize that the additional modalities I have added, it is just the beginning of a continuous process of peeling back the layers and discovering new ways to improve our physical and emotional well-being.
Education & Qualifications
Graduate of The Swedish Institute for Massage Therapy, NY, NY 1998
Member of the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)
Expert Level John Barnes Approach to Myofascial Release, courses since 2006
Certified Biofield Tuning Practitioner, all courses since 2016
ACE MediCupping Practitioner, 2017
Certified Emotion Code Practitioner, 2020
Certified Body Code Practitioner, 2021