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Please note session rates will increase on January1st, 2025
Testimonials
“Tanya is simply magic. I’ve received many massages from different practitioners and she is by far the best I’ve ever had. She is strong, attentive, communicative and an absolutely wonderful person. She is highly observant to how your body responds during the session and will adjust accordingly. Her skills with her feet, hands, elbows and overall body control is unparalleled. Having had incessant instability throughout my life by way of sports, which has resulted in four surgeries, I’ve been very cautious with who I receive treatment from. I consider myself very lucky to have been connected with Tanya. So long as Tanya is here in the Bay Area, I will continue to go to her for all of my sessions.”
“I’m a bit fussy about massages, but have really enjoyed my massages with Tanya. She’s responsive to specific feedback on pressure, style, my recent musculoskeletal issues, etc and remembers my preferences from session to session. She also has a really positive energy! As soon as one session finishes, I look forward to the next one.”
“Tanya has the unique ability to provide an incredibly relaxing experience while addressing any pain issues you might have. She has a calming, nurturing personality that is felt as soon as you meet her. It is quite obvious she genuinely cares about her clients wellbeing. I feel very lucky to have found her, can’t wait to see her soon!”
“Tanya is a truly amazing massage therapist, the best I have met. She genuinely cares about improving the wellbeing of her clients, and through a powerful combination of great skills and strong technique, her sessions strike a wonderful balance between relaxation and productive body work. Because of sports injuries I’ve had both ankle and thumb surgeries. My thumb injury greatly benefits from targeted pressure, and since my ankle injury generates hip discomfort, it requires long and smooth stretching along the entire leg. Tanya masters both, targeted work and a broad understanding of the body and its connections.”
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About Tanya
Tanya Mervin(CAMTC #78459) was born in Thailand and raised primarily in Japan before moving to the Bay Area. Her journey into bodywork and healing arts began after a transformative massage experience that profoundly influenced her approach. She initially pursued her practice in Thailand, where she completed a comprehensive 372-hour Traditional Thai Massage program in Chiang Mai, certified by the Union of Thai Traditional Medicine Society. Continuing her education in California, Tanya studied Western Massage Therapy at the McKinnon Institute in the San Francisco Bay Area and later served as a Deep Tissue instructor. Her credentials include certifications in NeuroKinetic Therapy®(level 3), Esalen® Massage, and Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy®. Tanya is particularly intrigued by the profound effects of neuromuscular massage in addressing what she considers the “software” of the body—those complex patterns of tension and dysfunction. She values how this approach can reset and recalibrate both physical and emotional states, leading to lasting relief and healing. Dedicated to creating a nurturing healing environment, Tanya focuses on facilitating deep human connection through her practice. Her work is driven by a fascination with the transformative power of touch and its ability to resolve various physical and emotional imbalances. Her sessions are designed to help clients slow down, find stillness, and reconnect with their bodies, offering a sense of care and support.
The offerrings
Ashiatsu and Neuromuscular Massage
Our session offers a unique blend of therapies, including Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy, myofascial cupping (when necessary), and Neuromuscular massage. This approach is grounded in a neurofunctional and kinesiological understanding of bodywork. It involves comprehensively analyzing the body's layers and using manual muscle testing to identify imbalances within the musculoskeletal system. Specifically, we determine which muscles or structures in any kinetic chain are either overactive (over facilitated) or underactive (inhibited). When certain muscles or structures fail to support the musculoskeletal system adequately, others are forced to overcompensate, leading to imbalances. These imbalances can stem from various factors, including overuse, stress, past or current trauma, acute or chronic pain, poor breathing mechanics, or dysfunctional movement patterns. A critical aspect of our therapy is the identification of these compensation patterns through manual muscle testing. However, it's important to note that some observed patterns may be secondary or tertiary responses to a deeper issue. Our primary objective is to identify and treat the 'prime driver' of these compensation patterns. By focusing on this root cause, we often see secondary and tertiary issues resolve themselves, allowing the central nervous system to re-establish balance and proper function.
In the Japanese language “Ashi” translates to foot and “Atsu” into pressure. Ashiatsu massage is a barefoot massage technique in which the therapist delivers deep, broad, consistent pressure while utilizing their feet and body weight. A lubricant is applied to the clients body making this deep therapeutic massage fluid and relaxing. Additionally, ashiatsu strokes help to elongate the spine. These movements dramatically stretch shortened muscles, which help in relieving pain and discomfort. The long fluid Ashi strokes also help flush the body’s lymphatic system, which releases metabolic waste at a high rate. Hydrate before and after a treatment is recommended to assist with the body’s detoxification process.
Thai massage offers a traditional healing system that has been around for over 2,500 years, guided by Ayurvedic principles and acupressure with assisted stretches. The techniques are based on the notion of energy lines, or Shen-lines, they correspond to different parts of the body, such as the bones, muscles, blood, and nerves. Some Shen also affects the mind and consciousness, these are called subtle channels.The theory suggests that tight muscles cause blockages within different Shen, these blockages reduce the flow of life energy, which results in stiffness, pain and illness. Thai massage uses different techniques that either open or constrict different Shen to correct flow of life energy.
Pressure range: Medium - Deep - Extra Deep
Esalen® Massage
Esalen® Massage is a unique form of bodywork, developed since the 1960s at world-renowned Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. The massage approach utilizes a variety of techniques and theories working “with” the body as opposed to “on” it. This technique is melded classic Swedish massage with sensory awareness practice with slow, flowing t’ai chi. Known for its soothing, long integrating strokes, creating an experience of deep relaxation supporting the natural ability of body and mind to self-heal. For more information visit, www.esalen.org
Pressure range: Ligth - Medium
The technique
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