Roots and Tides Massage and Yoga

11/13/2025

NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL: PART 6

Did you know that massage training across the States varies from anyone can call themselves massage therapist to 1000 hours?

With my continuing education, I currently have 800 hours of training in pathology, anatomy, ethics and obviously technique.

The point of my last six posts, is get to know your MT; we're all different! Up until recently, there was another woman in Fairfax who offered massages essentially across the street from one another and I never really felt any competition from her because upon meeting her and reading her website, I knew we gave 100% different massages.

If I had to describe her technique in layman's terms, I would say she used all of the tools in her toolkit to create a super relaxing massage, the kind of massage you fall asleep during.

I know some of my clients like to fall asleep and yes, I let them... but I like working WITH my clients. I like knowing how they move their bodies, what movements are repetitive, what could be causing pain. I like problem solving on the table. I like working with competitive runners, folks who like to mountain bike, people who work in the maple syrup industry and work intensely with their bodies daily.

If this is you, reach out!! Let's come up with a plan to keep you moving, active and playing.

11/10/2025

NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL: PART 5

The same year, I started massage school, I started teaching Yoga Teacher Training for which soon after became .

During the pandemic, Chrissy and I learned to take the training online and now folks from all over the world have seen Snickers interrupt my yoga classes.

These days, I mostly teach anatomy for yoga as my practice as changed a lot over the years.

However, being a part of this program has kept me in my anatomy brain. I get great questions from the students and perhaps more importantly, I get to see anatomy from a beginner's brain.

I'm currently studio less... but I hope to be teaching Yoga Teacher Training again soon. And in the meantime, check out Rise and Vibe Yoga!

11/06/2025

NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL: Part 4: The Yoga Instructor

This is from my first solo photo shoot ever!!
Because... who knew that when you become a yoga instructor you also become a yoga model....

Anyways... while living the dream in the Caribbean... I became a yoga teacher. I obtained my first 200 hours of training . It took 2 years. I say that because so many folks go on vacation these days and become a yoga teacher.

I spent two years deciding if I wanted to teach yoga. Two years re-learning anatomy. Two years learning about me. There were no photoshoots; this was really real yoga. And I'm grateful that's where I started.

What almost no one knows... is that my first summer of teaching yoga, I taught nothing but restorative. No fancy handstands, arm balances, or even vinyasa. Really, real yoga.

Since then, I have obtained another 200 hour training that focused more on sequencing and vinyasa, a 300 hour training from Kathy , who also teaches really, real yoga, but loves to play and giggle... which is a fantastic combination.

I have additional training in chair yoga, SUP yoga, Yin Yoga and hip mobility. All in all, I have over 750 hours worth of yoga teacher training.

Does this make me a great yoga teacher? Probably not. But it did lay the foundation for massage? Absolutely.

11/05/2025

Cha... Cha...Cha... Changes. -

Hello !  How are you doing today?   I wanted to jump into your inbox today to outline one of the big changes that's coming in 2026.  I've been trying to catch those that it directly affects in person... but there's a few of you I haven't seen yet and I apologize I wasn't able to t...

11/03/2025

NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL: Part 3- The Winter sports Instructor⁠
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If you caught my last post, you might have read that I was working seasonal jobs... and in the winters I taught snowboarding, which quickly turned into skiing as well. ⁠
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Even before he was my training director, Greg encouraged me to obtain my snowboard instructor certification through the American Association of Snowboard Instructors.⁠
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In five years, I went from a flatlander with minimal snowboarding skills who had only ever rider in powder once to a Level 2 AASI instructor and a USASA Level 1 coach. ⁠
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In the snowsports world, watching someone move is called movement analysis and while you might think teaching snowboarding is all fun and games... I had to study to obtain some of these certifications. There is a kinesiology piece and again, a big emphasis on watching others ski or ride and giving useful feedback. ⁠
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So in addition to watching people move through water, I have 15 years of experience teaching wintersports. The training I've received through AASI and PSIA has been invaluable not only as a snowsports instructor but again, it overlaps with injury prevention and observing your body on the massage table.

When I say I help active Vermonters stay active, I mean it!! I love moving my body in all sorts of ways and have been a collegiate athlete, a yogi, a person who loves spending time outdoors enjoying all of the THINGS!

Are you a recreational athlete that needs a tune up? Come on in... let's talk.

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10/30/2025

NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL- Part 2.

We're going to call this part of the story: The Outdoor Educator/Swim Instructor.

At 18, I taught my first swim lesson. By the time I was 23, I was the assistant pool director at a YMCA where I became familiar with the Y's way of teaching. I also starting teaching Water Aerobics and really started to observe how people move their bodies.

I also learned that I hated being inside, in a windowless office, so I left the YMCA job to teach outdoor education, which is essentially seasonal work. So... for most of my twenties, I spent my summer's at summer camp, teaching swim lessons; Spring and Fall at an outdoor ed center where I was teaching basic anatomy to fifth graders (and playing outside); and winters teaching snowboarding. (I'll leave the snowboarding piece for part 3).

I went to grad school, but got stuck in an office again... and ran away to the Caribbean. And for three years, I made a living teaching swimming and yoga. I obtained my Water Safety Instructor certification and taught everyone from infants to adults how to swim and some how to train for open water racing.

Since I've moved back to the States, I think I've only missed one summer of teaching swim... and most years, I've taught year round. What swimming has taught me, to use the language of the Red Cross, "is developing an eye."

Essentially, I'm watching folks swim and I offer modifications and suggestions to help them swim or swim more efficiently and I've been doing so for over twenty years.

This translates to being able to read bodies when they're on my massage table.

10/27/2025

A little throwback... ⁠
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I wanted to share some things that have been on my mind for awhile... and before I start rambling, my main point is NOT ALL MASSAGE IS EQUAL. ⁠
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Over the next few weeks, I'm going to put together my "origin" story... yeah, yeah, I'm not some great fae warrior that I like to read about, but... my origin story as to how I became a massage therapist is pretty important to my statement above. ⁠
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I took my first anatomy class in high school. It was one of my favorite classes. I will never forget all the dissections, and say what you will about dissections being inhumane and whatnot, but to me they were fascinating. I actually saw muscle striations, I saw the fatty tissue that protects our organs and I saw and manipulated fascia before I even knew what it was. ⁠
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I ended up going to Ithaca College to play field hockey and since I already loved anatomy, and thought about massage as a career, I enrolled in the Health and Human Performance School at Ithaca. Over the four years, I took more anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and prevention and care of athletic injuries. ⁠
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I ended up graduating with a degree in Recreation Management which led me to the pool and outdoor education... STAY TUNED. ⁠
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10/23/2025

Short and Sweet -

Hello !  How are you today?   I'm setting the goal of making this my shortest newsletter ever, so with that in mind, let me get to the point! 1.  If you're an occasional reader of my newsletters, please keep your eyes out for the next few.  I'll be sending out several as we near....

10/07/2025

Managed to sneak outside between clients yesterday. I've had some interesting schedule things come up recently....and it makes me think I want to mix it up a little. I've been starting earlier, which I've been loving....and this unexpected "lunch hour" was pretty sweet too.

Would you be interested in AM massage slots?

10/02/2025

TRY THIS! -

Hey !  Hope your transition into autumn is going well.  As many of you know, being the summer baby that I am, this is one of the hardest transitions for me.  Thankfully, there are lots of beautiful locations nearby to get outside and enjoy the foliage!  Take a moment to see if yo...

09/28/2025

Love when Vermont shows off. Despite the dry August and September, Northern VT is still gorgeous.

09/21/2025

I guess it's official. Fall is here.
Currently chilling by the campfire with coffee in hand.

What are your favorite fall things?
Favorite place to grab hot apple cider?
Favorite fall outfit?
Favorite fall themed yoga?

Got something... I'd love to hear about it.