Meet Rachel Garza of Open Hands Massage in Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Garza.

Rachel, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My interest in massage and bodywork started when I was in my teen years. As a gymnast, it was very important for me to have full control over my body and have a strong capacity to visualize. The concepts surrounding body movement, acupuncture points that correlate with organ systems, as well as the numerous modalities that can trigger the healing process in the body peaked my interest and motivated me to pursue my education in this field.

The following year I enrolled at Tennessee Institute of Healing Arts in Chattanooga, graduating in 2003. There, I completed my massage therapy and bodywork education with an emphasis on neuromuscular therapy, a precise and thorough treatment of the body’s soft tissue.

My move to Arizona was in 2005 and attended Southwest Institute of Healing Arts to expand my knowledge in Reflexology. In 2010, I opened my own business, Open Hands Massage joining forces with Total Lifestyle Chiropractic where I spent the last seven years gaining an extensive amount of education on how the nervous, fascial and skeletal structure works together within the body. I really wanted to find less aggressive ways to loosen fascial adhesions and scar tissue, which lead me to train in Fascial Stretch Therapy at Stretch to Win in Tempe, AZ in 2014. FST is a constant, gentle form of stretching the body through different fascial lines.

The availability of training in multiple modalities continues to grow. And with it, the many therapists in this field. Cupping Therapy had always been an interest of mine and I had the opportunity of attending two advanced certification classes in 2016. Using negative pressure to reduce inflammation, release emotional energies, and promote healing is an ancient form of medicine dating back 3,500 years ago.

In 2017, I moved OHM to Arizona Wellness Medicine where I had the opportunity of working alongside Dr. Emily Parke, a well known functional medicine doctor, motivating me to create specialized treatments for my patients. Today, I am pleased to be moving into a new space for my business with a storefront. My goal for this year is to introduce lymphatic drainage as another service I can further offer my patients.

Has it been a smooth road?
Owning your own business is never a smooth road. Nor is life. When I first started my business, my hours were quite limited due to having a newborn little boy. That made scheduling clients very tough in the beginning. With massage, it takes time to build trust with your clients and to make sure they feel you are reliable.

In 2015, I experienced a huge burnout in my career. I was seeing 7-10 clients a day and pushing myself too hard. This put me in adrenal fatigue and created a slew of health issues for me. I almost closed my practice because of it. This was also the year after my divorce. Becoming a single mother did some damage as well.

My health issues did not seem to get any better. I knew I couldn’t continue running my business and taking care of myself. So I decided to try working for someone else for a while to give me a break. I needed the break, but I didn’t enjoy being an employee. I knew I could do so much more back on my own. That’s when I decided to restart my business and go back out on my own.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
My business is centralized around bodywork. I enjoy calling myself a bodyworker rather than massage therapist because there are so many modalities that I incorporate into my sessions. Many of my clients know me for all of the different cupping treatments offer. One of my most popular treatments is for TMJ and Migraine sufferers by blending my knowledge of trigger points of the cranium and sinus cavities, cupping of the face and neck, and fascial stretching of the shoulder and neck area.

I am grateful for the trust and care my clients have in me to give them the best care I can.

What sets me apart
I’m not a magic bullet. We all have bad habits relating to movement and posture. I truly believe that 90% of the therapy I give happens once my clients walk out my door. It’s not just about releasing muscle tissue and reducing pain, it’s about creating better habits. Educating clients on how to move better, show them exercises and stretches, suggest other modalities. If I don’t think I have the tools to help ail them, I pride myself on having a wonderful connection of other therapists, chiropractors, pilates instructors, doctors, etc. The main goal is for my clients to feel that their health is moving in the right direction.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Scottsdale is a fabulous place to start a business! Our city is growing at an exponential rate and there is more than enough business to go around.

Pricing:

• Regular hour sessions are $80

Contact Info:

• Address: 10505 N 69th St
  Suite 800
  Scottsdale, AZ 85253
• Website: ohmbodywork.org
• Phone: 4807474420
• Email: rachelgarza@ohmbodywork.org
• Instagram: ohm_bodyworkandmassage

Image Credit:
Rachel Garza

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