The Team

Aviva is a senior at Hillhouse High School and Educational Center for the Arts in the Theatre Department. She hopes to pursue film production and will be making videos for social media for us. Aviva enjoys welcoming clients into the space and taking care of your needs at the front desk.

As a graduate of the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, Shikaira has been a licensed massage therapist since 2015. She is a skilled and versatile therapist, certified in cupping, and offers comprehensive stretch sessions. Shikaira is dedicated to customizing each session to ensure a safe and comfortable environment that meets the specific needs of each client.

Practicing the art and science of massage therapy has been the best decision I ever made. I love sharing my passion with my clients. Most women are so busy being caretakers that we put ourselves on the back burner. My mission is to address burnout so you can get back out there and do what you do best! I will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan to facilitate your healing and relaxation goals. I am a 2018 graduate of The Connecticut Center of Massage Therapy. I’ve kept up with continuing education in “Mother Massage”, “Deep Tissue – No Thumbs”, “Table Thai”, “Cranial Sacral Therapy”, Oncology, Arthritis, lower back pain, and more. My massage style is investigative – searching for those spots that need attention, and utilizing multiple techniques to address your needs. I look forward to working with you! Besides massage, my other favorite things are my family, my dogs, and the outdoors. 

Laura started receiving massages while pregnant with her second child after some personal difficulties. It had such a powerful impact on her physical and emotional well being she decided to dedicate herself to helping others feel their best, especially mothers-to-be. Clients describe her work as deeply relaxing with specific work in the areas that need it most. Laura’s understanding of the needs of both pregnant women and new mothers helps shape her approach. From after-delivery body massages to offering guidance on the best massage technique for lower back pain in pregnant women, Laura is on hand to help each and every one of her clients. 

She graduated at the top of the class from Branford Hall Career Institute in 2012. In addition to her clients, she also obsesses over family, friends, music, art, books, and gardening.

My goal as a massage therapist is to meet each client where they are on any given day.  I specialize in therapeutic massage for anxiety/stress relief, preventative care, and gentle pain management. I customize each massage to address my client’s current needs, utilizing a variety of modalities including but not limited to Myofascial Release, Lomilomi, orthopedic techniques, and Swedish massage. If a client is more comfortable remaining fully clothed for any reason, I am happy to customize their massage to accommodation. I’m also a Manual Lymphatic Drainage practitioner(MLD -Vodder Method). 

My philosophy is that massage does not need to be painful to be effective and I aim to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for all. While the cornerstones of my practice are anxiety/stress reduction and pain management, my focus also includes the use of massage as a compliment to mental health care and LGBTQ  health concerns.  For example, I have training in massage for voice & speech, scar tissue work, MLD, and knowledge about mental health through both continuing education and my current college course studies.  

Outside of massage, I am a college student studying pottery and psychology, as well as a mom and grandmother.  As a lifelong learner, I enjoy reading for pleasure, and taking continuing education classes to improve my massage skills, and intend to continue one day to earn a master’s degree.