Body Workers
Ben
Hi there! My name is Ben.
Massage offers an avenue to experience deep relaxation of the mind and body when delivered in an environment that supports relaxation and is delivered by professionals who have the right training, attitude and intent. I became a massage therapist to do just that and contribute in many ways to the wellness and wellbeing needs of people.
Much more than technique and skill, which I constantly seek to expand in order to enhance my clients’ relaxation or muscle relief needs, I believe that experience is critical in this therapy. As such, the client experience is always front and center in my approach to this art/science and I seek to improve on this daily.
My modalities are Swedish Massage and Deep Tissue – both might incorporate gentle, medium and firmer pressure according to the therapeutic need and client preference. In truth, aggressive/forceful massage pressure isn’t the one, foolproof way to release knots in muscle tissue – it, in fact, often requires a combination of techniques and tools (warm towels, hot stones, therapeutic lotions, sustained pressure, the occasional elbow, etc.) to achieve the goal – and maintenance and patience are the real virtues in this game!
I also offer Assisted Stretch sessions. Personally, I feel that stretching is the best thing ever! Ever wake up and have a really, really good stretch (probably heard and felt a few unexpected but delightful cracks) and afterwards just felt good all over because it was a reall, really good stretch? Yeah…
When I met the owners, Stacey and Bob, watched the genuine enthusiasm, passion and detail Stacey gave as she spoke about every square inch of the facility (you can tell she can probably walk around with her eyes closed and not stub her toe). Then I saw how Bob spent hours dutifully and lovingly cleaning the float cabins and suites like a man would clean his favorite car, and then I saw how next-level the ideas and concepts are that Truth Mind & Body is bringing to the wellness space and to people’s lives and then finally talking to Kent, Truth’s Lead Therapist (a hard-to describe, extremely resourceful and quietly accomplished man), I knew I had to be a part of this eclectic team doing this unique yet essential work!
My name is Ben. Let’s get to the Truth of YOUR matter – relaxation for your mind and body!
Welcome to Truth Mind & Body!
Joshua
Hello, all you Beautiful Weirdos out there!
My journey to becoming a massage therapist is riddled with confusion, frustration, empathy, and PAIN!!! I come from a long line of hardworking individuals with tremendous work ethic and blind ambition. This tenacity has pulled my family of 6 through some of the best and, also, some of the less fortunate times. I have seen, first-hand, the effects of what not taking care of yourself can do and the irreversible damage it can cause – whether sacrificing good posture or even pushing through an injury or illness to provide a good quality of life for your family – all these seemingly small choices add up to the inevitable: pain, poor body mechanics, cartilage degeneration, possible nerve damage and a dysfunctional endocrine system – all issues with which most modern humans are entirely too familiar.
This subject is dear to my heart because my mother deals with this sort of thing every day. She is a very formidable employee of the United States Postal Service and during her 20-yr tenure with them, I have witnessed the ever-creeping decay of her posture and her ability to walk. Her happiness has taken a plunge as her pain stakes its claim in every aspect of her life. I knew that I wanted to do everything I could to help my mother claim her life BACK. I have been an athlete all my life – from the age of 8-yrs, I started wrestling and competing in taekwondo all through high school then continued into bodybuilding. I have always had a passion for health and wellness which is what ultimately lead me to becoming a Massage Therapist.
I studied and graduated from the Holistic Massage Training Institute. I have worked with many different types of people, from NBA players, professional swimmers, the Naval Academy lacrosse team, personal trainers, surgeons, nurses and, of course, SOUL SHAPERS (I refer to, of course, those with the BS societal title of ‘stay-at-home-mom’)!!
I am extremely passionate about helping everyone achieve their maximum potential – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually – so let my passion be your salvation!
Karen
As a “latch key” kid, I never got to spend a lot of time with my parents as my dad worked in the day and my mom at night. Massage changed that. My mother, an RN who worked 11pm to 7am, would come home, get a shower and breakfast, and be on the massage table by 9am. Afterwards, we would actually hang out and go places! It was such a dramatic change in our lives that it might as well have been magic at work on that table. When I realized I had a talent for it too, I dedicated my life to it, making massage, and body work in general, my Art.
After high school I went right to Baltimore School of Massage and graduated in 1999. I have been working in all sorts of locations from Salons and fitness centers to the Maryland Renaissance Festival to working alongside chiropractors in my 20 years of experience. I have certifications in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Cupping, Myofascial Release, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Lymphatic Drainage, Sound Massage, Reiki and Reflexology. I continue to expand my abilities all the time and research new ways to combine what I know for the best session I can offer. My goal is always to get to the root of the problem and find a way to solve it or make it less of an issue in someone’s life. No one should have to live with pain and if I, or anyone I know, can help reduce it or heal it completely, I will do my best in that endeavor.
On a personal note, I’m a fox spirit in a human body and love being creative in the weirdest way possible. I try never to repeat myself in word or deed and love all forms of chicanery! I speak in music and movie quotes and the more people are smiling and laughing around me, the better I am. I’m also one for getting my hands into crafts of all kinds and love exploring artistic expressions in movement.
Katie
Hello everyone!
My name is Katie and my journey into massage therapy began during a time of personal transformation. About a year before I even considered getting into body work, I made the decision to better myself: physically, mentally and emotionally. I went to the gym and got a personal trainer, I tried eating better, I researched and read anything that would help with the negativity I had in my life. The more I learned I realized the importance of self-care, and in turn the importance of giving kindness to other people.
I desired to bring this attitude to my work as well. My personal trainer, who is also a massage therapist, mentioned the massage school she went to. I took a leap and contacted the school. Before I knew it, I was enrolled. I gave it my all-working days and going to school at night. I worked as hard as I could and was able to become the class president and student of the month.
After training, the image of the type of body worker I wanted to be became clear in my mind’s eye. Coming from the perspective of my PT, I thought sports massage would be the modality for me. I imagined my days spent only working on individuals with extreme amounts of muscle mass. However, in practice this is not the modality that I felt called to. Through practice at the school clinic and partially being inspired by my late grandmother, I felt so much joy in gentle massage. I could both see and feel the impact of kind touch on other people. There are two things I always want to bring into my massage practice.
The first is metta, which is a Pali word meaning loving kindness and benevolence. The second is loving awareness, a concept I learned from Ram Dass. He says, “How does one become loving awareness? If I change my identification from the ego to the soul, then as I look at people, they all appear like souls to me. I change from my head, the thought of who I am, to my spiritual heart, which is a different sort of awareness – feeling directly, intuiting, loving awareness.”
All the work I do is inspired by kindness and love. When I support the wellbeing of others, I also promote the wellbeing of myself and I think that is amazing 🙂
I’m excited for the opportunity to meet and work with you!!
Kelly
Massage is your key to staying healthy! I truly, truly believe this – and I hope to make a believer out of you!
Hello! My name is Kelly and I am a Registered Massage Practitioner, licensed in Maryland and Pennsylvania since 2005.
I have worked in various spas and wellness centers across Maryland and Pennsylvania over the years and I’m VERY excited to now be a part of the Truth Mind & Body Team! I have an ACE Massage Cupping Therapy Certification and I believe Massage Cupping is an amazing pain-free modality to releasing tension in our bodies. I also have expertise in Swedish and Prenatal Massage as well as Warm Stone Therapy.
I enjoy meeting new clients and helping to educate them in the alternative options of Massage Therapy and the various treatments offered at Truth Mind & Body! I look forward to working with you soon – let’s explore your better health together!
Kent
I have been a practicing Massage Therapist since 2004, including 5-years as a Massage Instructor at Medix and Fortis Institute.
I offer a wide range of services – from Swedish, Deep Tissue, Cupping, Hot Stone, Reflexology, Trigger Point, Lymphatic Draining and much more – specializing in helping clients to target their problem areas and meet their goals.
Even before I decided to pursue massage as a career, I spent many, many years as a client! It has helped me tremendously in my pursuit of wellness and success.
I enjoy cooking, gardening, working with my hands, the outdoors, and spending time with my family.
Meredith
Form and function have always been a driving force in what I choose to be, do, see, and study in my life. As a student of both interior design and massage therapy, I can tell you that they have much more in common than many would think – there are so many similarities between building and body systems which offers me a unique perspective and approach to massage therapy/body work.
It is incredible to share that I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist for over 10-years and am grateful for the circumstances that have lead me to today. In that time, my journey has been full, both professionally and personally – particularly with regard to my own health journey. In many ways, it has shaped who I am and who I strive to be as a Massage Therapist!
I have enjoyed continuing my education – as required AND beyond – as well as practicing my skill-set(s) to meet the needs of the 21st Century client! I am Nationally Board Certified and practice multiple modalities including: Gentle (Swedish), Deep Tissue, Muscle Origin & Insertion, Myofascial Release, Body Mapping & Scar Tissue Release, Reflexology (Ears, Hands and Feet), Warm Stone Therapy, Prenatal Massage, Aromatherapy, Percussion Massage Tool and Gua Sha. I also had the privilege of traveling to Kathmandu, Nepal in 2011, where I studied Nepalese Ayurvedic Massage at the Himalayan Healers School. I am very proud to say that I am one (1) of only three (3) practitioners of this 5,000 year old modality in all of the United States!
I look forward to the opportunity of working with YOU!