05/14/2026
When you love what you do it shows through your work. When it shows through your work your clients notice. As a massage therapist our best marketing is word of mouth. So when I wake up and read a post like this it warms the heart and makes it all worth doing!
https://www.facebook.com/61587126872330/posts/122122644981237562/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
One of the really neat things we got to do at the beginning of massage school was meet the class ahead of us. Some of those students are now fully licensed massage therapists running their own practices, while others are still studying for the MBLEX and figuring out their next steps.
One of the people I connected with right away was Tristan from Root and Bloom Studio. We just seemed to think similarly when it came to massage therapy, bodywork, and what we wanted out of our education and future practices. You can tell when someone genuinely loves learning and views massage as more than just “rubbing muscles,” and he was definitely one of those people.
Since starting massage school, I’ve also become a lot more aware of my *own* body.
Truthfully, I’ve developed a lot of new aches and pains that I wasn’t really used to before. Some are frustrating, and some are honestly a little scary. For example, I’m currently being referred to an arthritis specialist because the joints in my middle fingers swell painfully after giving massages. I’ve also had periods where the range of motion in my arms changes or I’ll get random shooting pains after particularly physical days.
And yes… that’s a little intimidating when I’m not even licensed yet.
Part of me worries about what that means long-term. But another part of me also recognizes that I’m still learning. Learning body mechanics. Learning ergonomics. Learning how not to overwork smaller joints. Learning how to use my body more efficiently instead of fighting against it.
Because massage therapy is physical work.
And one thing I’m learning quickly is that massage therapists often need massage therapists too. We get knots. We get strains. We hold tension. We overuse muscles. Taking care of our own bodies is part of being able to care for others.
So today I finally got on the table myself and had a massage from Tristan at Root & Bloom Studio.
And wow.
Not only was it genuinely one of the best massages I’ve experienced, but it was also incredibly educational for me as a student therapist. He immediately passed the MBLEX on his first try after graduating, and you can absolutely see the confidence and intentionality in his work.
We spent a lot of time talking shop during the session too. He’s currently learning and incorporating more LomiLomi techniques into his practice, which focuses heavily on fluid, connected movement throughout the body. He also practices exposed glute massage (with consent, of course) and talked about his goal of eventually creating one seamless move starting from the ankle all gliding the way up to the shoulder.
And honestly? That sounds incredible because it *is* incredible.
There’s something really unique about experiencing bodywork that feels connected instead of segmented. It changes the whole experience.
I also appreciated how open he was during the massage to answering my questions and re-showing me techniques he was using. He relies a lot on his forearms instead of smaller hand joints, which we talked about me trying to incorporate more to hopefully save my fingers a little.
And weirdly enough, one of the things I was most impressed by was his towel work 😅 He showed me the best foot towel wrap I’ve seen so far. Mine currently still kind of look like I aggressively tossed a towel at someone’s foot and hoped for the best. Functional? Yes. Elegant? Not exactly. His looked beautiful and intentional.
My glutes and lower back are currently that perfect “good sore,” and honestly my hands, shoulders, and arms all feel relieved in a way I didn’t realize I needed.
So I guess this post is partly an update about some of the realities, both good and hard, that I’m experiencing during massage school. But it’s also my shameless recommendation for anyone looking for a massage therapist who genuinely cares about continuing to learn and grow in his craft.
If you’re looking for a thoughtful, intentional massage experience, go see Tristan at Root & Bloom Studio. Especially if you want to experience bodywork that feels completely connected from head to toe.
I’m really excited to watch where his practice goes from here.
