My trauma-informed approach means I center each session around you. I recognize and understand the lived experience of carrying trauma physically, and prioritize the client having a felt sense of safety and agency whenever possible. Massage therapy is different from talk therapy - you’re welcome to share whatever personal information feels meaningful to you but you’re never expected to disclose anything you’ve experienced in order to receive trauma-informed care from me.

This approach honors the client’s agency and needs, and gently expands the ability to navigate various physical sensations, including discomfort, while keeping the nervous system calm and grounded. For massage, this includes cues of physical connection to what’s touching the body, gently guided breathwork, and changing the pace and pressure of the work based on communication with the client and felt tissue response. I always welcome requests for changes, adjustments, or a pause to our work at any time.

Your session is yours, not mine, and I aim to help you both identify your needs and feel empowered and safe to speak up for them in our work together. It’s totally normal and ok if you feel dissociated from your body or in “fight/flight/freeze/fawn” mode at any point in our work together - we will start from wherever you are. Knowing how trauma can restrict one’s ability to safely feel their own body’s sensations - and limit one’s comfort to speak up - my overarching goal with the trauma-informed approach is to support clients’ growing ability over time to safely connect with how they feel and advocate for what they need.

Because sports massage often involves physical discomfort, the trauma-informed approach is essential. Deepening one’s ability to maintain a felt sense of safety - mindful breath and relaxed muscles - while experiencing physically uncomfortable sensations is a key component to both physical recovery and healing trauma.

60 minute - $140

90 minute - $190

120 minute - $230

I have a limited number of reduced rate $1/minute rate sessions available for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) who are interested and anyone who needs it. These sessions are available to book on a first come, first served basis. There is not a specific income limit in order to book at the reduced rate. I offer these on the honor system, knowing everyone has a unique financial situation. If you genuinely can’t afford the regular rate, the reduced rate option is for you. I offer reduced rate sessions in support of reparations, equity, and accessibility.

I offer at least 3 reduced rate sessions per week and add more as allowed by my Pay It Forward fund. You can click here to book your session, and/or sign up for the email waitlist for last minute reduced rate session openings here.

Sunday: 1 - 8 PM

Monday - Wednesday: 9 AM - 5:30 PM

Thursday - Saturday: Closed

Generally speaking, no.

I start most sessions with a gentle full body rocking warmup to settle into your breath and felt sense of being in your physical body. Then I focus most of the therapeutic work on 1 - 2 regions. This gives me the time and space to fully work at the depth and structural level your body needs, without rushing to go too deep too quickly. Every session is a customized combination of different modalities including deep tissue, myofascial work, and trigger point therapy based on your intake and how I feel your tissue responding. Therapeutic work should be uncomfortable but not painful and while moments of the session may feel relaxing, the main tension release comes after the session as the work settles and integrates in your body.

If you happen to show up for your appointment in an agitated or dysregulated state, I may take more time than usual in our session to encourage an overall felt sense of safety and groundedness in your body before beginning the focused therapeutic work.

The amount of pressure that is right for your body can change from session to session, and even moment to moment within one session. There is not one specific amount of pressure that’s the “right” amount, but rather, there is a range of pressure that can be therapeutic and effective without overstimulating your nervous system.

Sports massage and therapeutic work will inherently include touch that feels uncomfortable but it should never be outright painful, or something you feel you have to “take,” “tolerate,” or “handle.” If the amount of pressure being used causes you to clench any muscles automatically or restrict your breath, it’s too much, as the nervous system has gone into a defensive mode and can no longer receive the benefit of deep tissue work. More pressure does not automatically equal better results, especially when your nervous system has to become defensive in order to receive it. Moments of gentler pressure are an essential and powerful compliment to the deep tissue work.

I try not to go above a 7 out of 10 intensity level with pressure (roughly where it feels intense but you can still takes full breaths smoothly and keep your muscles mostly relaxed); what this feels like is different for each person and can potentially change throughout each session. Different areas of your body will likely need different amounts and qualities of pressure.

We will communicate throughout the session about pressure to adjust to your changing needs.

I have a scent-free practice and use a sunflower/safflower oil blend with vitamin E. If you are allergic to this, please let me know via email prior to our appointment. You’re also welcome to bring your own oil, lotion, or salve for me to use.

This is 100% up to you.

I have many techniques available to use that work with any amount of clothing, or no clothing. Some clients leave everything on, some clients take everything off including underwear, some clients choose something in between. You can make the same or a different choice each session if you’d like, depending on what your needs are that day. If you choose to wear any clothing during your massage, I recommend wearing lightweight exercise clothes.

Most of your body will be covered by the sheet and/or blanket at any given time and intimate areas will remain covered the entire time; I only undrape areas I am working on directly.

If you choose to take off any amount of clothing, please wait until after I leave the room to begin undressing.

I use a chest drape for all clients during skin-to-skin abdominal work regardless of gender presentation.

No. You can pay using FSA/HSA and I can also provide a superbill upon request.

No.

If you’d like offer anything beyond the session fee, you’re welcome to Pay It Forward to help add more reduced rate sessions on the schedule.

Please stay home if you have Covid-19 symptoms, or symptoms of any contagious illness.

If you contract Covid-19, please wait until you are asymptomatic and it’s been at least 10 days since the initial onset of symptoms, or you are asymptomatic, it’s been at least 7 days since the initial onset of symptoms, and you receive a negative PCR or rapid antigen test before coming in.

-All clients, regardless of vaccination status and/or prior Covid infection, must wear a surgical or respirator mask. I can give you one when you arrive if you don’t have any or forget yours.

-I wear a KN95 or N95 mask with all clients.

-I stay up to date on all recent Covid vaccines.

-I leave the window open and HEPA filter and/or fan on throughout each session.

-I have an Aranet4 CO2 monitor on display in the massage room.

-I sanitize the table and face cradle after each client.

Additionally, you are welcome to bring your own air filter(s) if you’d like. If you have any further Covid precaution requests, such as same day testing, you can email me prior to your appointment to let me know, or write it in your intake form.

Current as of October 2025

Cancelling or rescheduling within 48 hours of the appointment time will incur a fee equal to 50% of the session price. This applies to all appointments, including reduced rate sessions, and sessions booked using a gift certificate or package.

If you request a shorter session less than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment, you will still be responsible to pay the rate for the original session length booked.

No shows for scheduled appointments without any prior communication, and cancelling or rescheduling with less than 2 hours notice, will be charged the full price of the session. Credits used from gift certificates or packages will be forfeited.

Repeated cancellations may result in requiring pre-payment to hold your spot, or potentially termination.

If I have to cancel or reschedule your appointment with less than 48 hours’ notice, I will offer your next appointment at 50% off. If I don’t show up for a scheduled appointment without communicating with you prior, I will offer your next appointment for free.

1) Go to your appointment email, scroll to the bottom, and click on the “change/cancel appointment” button.

or

2) Go to to the booking page and click Sign Up or Login in the upper right hand corner to access your Acuity scheduling account and manage your appointments from there.

If neither of the above options are working, you can email me to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

If you are running late, please text me to let me know at the number stated in both your appointment confirmation email and text message reminder. If you arrive late, you will forfeit that time. I will not extend beyond the scheduled session time.

You will walk up 15 steps outside the front of the building to access my office which is on the second floor. I will open the door to let you in. There is a waiting area immediately to the right, and you can also use the bathroom which is the second door on the left. If you need a mask, you can take one from the shelf on the wall inside immediately to your right when you walk in.

Before beginning the massage itself, we will check in about how you’re feeling and what your needs are for the session. If it’s our first session together, this intake may take longer than normal. This intake time is part of your session time as having a clear understanding of how your body is doing is essential to me giving you the best massage I can.

My office is in the Grand Lake neighborhood of Oakland, just a few blocks from the Grand Lake Theater.

Street address:
3527 Grand Ave
Suite C (Upstairs)
Oakland, CA 94610

Yes, the office is about 1 block in either direction from the AC Transit line 12 bus stop. It’s about a 10 minute (1.5 mile) bus ride both to and from 19th St BART in downtown Oakland.

AC Transit lines 22, 57, and NL each stop about a quarter mile away from the office.

There are metered parking spots along Grand Ave, and unmetered spots along side streets. Finding a spot can sometimes be tricky. If you can, leave an additional 5-10 minutes to find parking. Please don’t park in the spots in front of the office.

Unfortunately, no. There are 15 steps to the main entrance and 6 steps to the side entrance.

Wheelchair accessible recommendations:
-Sebastian Stratton-Clarke - outcall massage at your home or location of your choice www.allbodiesmassage.love

-Krystal Cade - wheelchair accessible office in Adams Point - 230 Grand Ave
www.krystalcademassage.com