My name it Rachel Daharsh. I am here to share my love of providing massage therapy. I come from a philosophy deeply grounded in the Mind- Body Connection. Believe it or not, massage was not my first career path. I have my bachelors degree in psychology from California State University, Chico, 2021 (go wildcats!) From there I spent five years as a social worker. I worked with kids ages 0-21 and their families. All with either Autism spectrum disorder or other acute mental health needs. And all (children and their families) with unique physiologies connected to their past and needs to be understood and cared for. Most every approach I used in this scope was based on regulating my client's nervous systems through deep breathing, sensory experiences, laughter, connection to one's own body, connection with others and fun!
After a particularly life changing phase of self discovery, I realized that healing through touch was a missing link in my own healing and probably that of other's too! Beginning my career in massage therapy in 2024, my eyes were opened to a brand new understanding of how trauma is stored in the body. And to that point, how our bodies can be honored and appreciated as the intelligent organisms they are for protecting us!
How our legs may be tight because at one point running to safety served us, or maybe our shoulders are stuck in an upward, "hunched" posture because it just made so much sense at a time to comfort ourselves by curling into a ball because that is a human's natural posture to feel safe in. Now our bodies our prepared and in position to protect us. Furthermore, your nervous system is ready as well. This could look like reactiveness, gastrointestinal issues, etc.
Where you hold stress in your body is important, AND you can learn to feel good and safe in your body without pain, stiffness, stuckness. We can work together support your body.
Some of my favorite modalities for balancing the body are Swedish massage, deep tissue, Thai massage and myo-facial therapy. I embed deep breathing techniques, a strong rapport between clients and myself as your massage therapist, and education on how to connect with ones own body into my practice. I am also here to help you learn about how soft tissue (i.e. muscle, fascia) and the nervous system relate to the mind body connection.
If needed for mental health concerns, I can also recommend resources for needs we may find that are out of my scope!
If you are looking for a trauma informed massage therapist who is invested in honoring your body, I am here for you.