Welcome to Melt: An Introduction (and a Gentle Evolution)
Hi, I'm Leah.
Whatever brought you here, I'm genuinely glad you found your way.
Welcome to Melt Massage & Bodywork
Whether you're just discovering Melt or finding your way back, I'm honored you're here.
My practice integrates massage therapy with two specialized modalities: Manual Lymphatic Drainage and Visceral Manipulation. These aren't techniques you'll find at every massage practice, and they require extensive training and a completely different approach to bodywork. But for the people who need them, they can be genuinely transformative. My modalities are interconnected in such a way that allows us to seamlessly flow through approaches and techniques that blend with the unique phases of your life.
I offer Custom Massage—integrating Swedish, deep tissue, and myofascial techniques tailored to what your body needs. If you're experiencing chronic pain, carrying stress in your muscles, recovering from an injury (sports, auto accident, recent fall, etc.), or simply need your nervous system to downregulate, massage therapy can offer genuine relief.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a gentle, precise technique that supports your lymphatic system—the network responsible for immune function, inflammation regulation, and fluid balance. This isn't your typical massage. The touch is light, the rhythm is intentional, and the work is deeply therapeutic for people experiencing:
Preparing for or recovering from surgery
Chronic inflammation or autoimmune flare-ups
Sinus congestion, headaches, or migraines
Digestive sluggishness
Immune system support
A Prenatal or Postnatal journey
General wellness and detoxification
Visceral Manipulation (VM) addresses the mobility and motion of your internal organs and their surrounding connective tissue. When organs lose their natural movement due to surgery, injury, inflammation, or chronic holding patterns, it creates compensation throughout your entire body. This work can help with:
Digestive discomfort (IBS, constipation, bloating)
Post-surgical adhesions or scar tissue
Chronic abdominal, pelvic, or lower back pain
Breathing difficulties or rib cage restriction
Emotional patterns held in the belly
Unexplained pain with no clear musculoskeletal cause
Who I'm Here to Serve
If you're someone who:
Is navigating autoimmune conditions, chronic illness, or post-viral recovery
Is preparing for or recovering from surgery
Feels like your body is stuck in a pattern you can't break
Is planning to give birth, moving through your pregnancy, or postnatal
Is highly sensitive and needs a practitioner who understands that
Values education, informed consent, and being an active participant in your own healing
Has been told "it's all in your head" or "just learn to live with it"
...then you're in the right place.
I'm not here to promise miracles. I'm not here to "fix" you (because you're not broken). I'm here to listen—really listen—to what your body is communicating, and to work with you using techniques that support your physical wellbeing.
How I Show Up
Beyond technical skill, here's what you can expect from me:
I will show up with integrity. I won't overpromise. I won't make claims I can't back up. I won't try to keep you coming back for sessions you don't need. My goal is to empower you, not create dependency.
I will create a safe space. Safe doesn't just mean physically comfortable (though that matters). It means you won't be judged. You won't be rushed. You won't be dismissed. Your experience is valid, your questions are welcome, and your boundaries are respected and sacred.
I will explain what I'm doing and why. You have a right to understand what's happening in your own body and what techniques I'm using. I believe in informed consent, clear communication, and making sure you feel like an active participant—not a passive recipient—of care.
I will stay within my scope. I'm a massage therapist with specialized training in MLD and VM. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a physical therapist. I can't diagnose, prescribe, or treat medical conditions. What I can do is support your body's natural systems, help you understand what you're experiencing, and work collaboratively with your healthcare team.
I will honor your whole story. Your body doesn't exist in a vacuum. Your pain, your symptoms, your healing—they're all connected to your life, your history, your nervous system, your environment. I see you as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms to address.
What "Melt" Really Means
People ask me about the name sometimes. "Melt Massage & Bodywork—what does that mean?"
Here's the truth: we melt when our system trusts that it can let go. When your nervous system realizes it doesn't have to operate with so much hypervigilance. When you finally give yourself permission to stop bracing against the world and just... breathe.
That's what I'm here to facilitate. Not through force. Not through trying harder. But through gentle, skilled, intentional work and by providing education that helps you trust what your body is telling you.
An Invitation (Not a Sales Pitch)
I'm not going to end this with a big call to action or a limited-time offer. That's not who I am, and it's not how I want to build this practice.
Instead, I just want to say: if anything I've shared here resonates with you—if you're curious about MLD or VM, if you're looking for a practitioner who listens, if you're navigating something that requires extra support—I'd be honored to work with you.
I'm building a practice rooted in education, integrity, and genuine care. A practice where you understand and trust the process, find clarity in your body's communication patterns, and work toward genuine relief.
You're welcome here. Exactly as you are.
