Frequency Therapeutic Massage + Bodywork

SpOoKy SeAsOn to be a massage therapist

In case you didn’t know, you can find Dangled Honey | Liz Vesneske and myself both working under one roof right in the village of Hamburg! It’s still coming together but at least we have this sign! We’re gearing up to set up the storefront shop and we’re looking for artists that make stuff with their actual hands to showcase their work. Come say hi!

The 2026 Borderland Festival Massage Crew!!

Veronica
Chelsea
Trista
Joe
Danielle
Jazmine

We’re out here all weekend keeping the vibes high!

LISTEN—LEARN—HEAL

The spaces I create to allow yourself room to tune into your body and listen to what it is asking for is what makes my massage sessions different than other kinds of massage. You typically find in spas salons, chiropractic offices, or other massage parlors.

Burnout, overwhelm, and too much screen time have been some of the reasons my clients have been booking their appointments. Of course, all the mechanical benefits at a terrific by product to help the body find a path to healing.

But what is it your body actually needs?

If we never take the time to intentionally slow down and deeply listen to it, we may never know.

There’s only one way to find out.

Massages can be expensive. Given that they have a costly perception around them (think paying for a $400 spa day at a resort or a monthly reoccurring massage membership for $100 every month) for the majority of people, this is an expense that should be relatively thought out. If you’re going to pay a random stranger to rub your naked body it better be good, not creepy, ideally effective, and ultimately feel like it’s worth what you’re paying for.

In my experience working in spas, salons, chiropractic offices and massage studios I have seen services that cost anywhere from $45 to $185 for single session. Just the other day I saw a post from an influential bodyworker specializing in lymphatic drainage for celebrities charging over $350 for a service. The skill set and level of continued education of a massage therapist is certainly one of the factors that can set one therapists price apart from the next but what are the other factors really? At the end of the day doesn’t everyone want to feel a lot more relaxed and less in pain?

There’s an online advertising company that businesses pay to sell discounted goods and services to a high volume of customers and there’s a reason why massage coupons are so popular. This company has been active for nearly two decades and is, as far as I know, still widely used by people in the market seeking anything from entertainment to car detailing services. I remember back in the day using the site for trying new restaurants mostly and recently discovered they can now hook you up with deals on a Costco membership.

Coming home from my yearly vacation in the mountains, I’ve revisiting one of my favorite quotes I found in a book from the time when I was the massage training program at the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca, NY. These words are written by author Deane Juhan in his book “Job’s Body” and so eloquently describe how connected our thoughts and feelings are affected by our bodies largest external organ.

When I’m working with a client experiencing some amount of physical pain or discomfort, it’s near impossible for me—the practitioner to see what’s really changed, however the shift in their mood or state of mind is almost always deeply felt after a session.

Consider how powerful this is outside the context of massage therapy: our bodies function with a mechanism that not only protects but acts as a highly reliable communication device. Maybe there’s a reason humans are designed with skin and not a shell.

My name is Joe Myers and I am a nationally certified and NYS licensed massage therapist (plus a bunch of other things). I got into this work in 2015 after dealing with my own pain management and self care while playing in bands and working in restaurants (FOH mostly). This lead me down a career path that weaves in and out of healthcare, hospitality, fitness, and the arts.

In massage school I often think back to one of my teachers commenting on how massage therapy is like “the gateway drug” to a boatload of other careers and ways of making a decent living. A successful career in massage therapy looks different for everyone in it. Some massage therapists work full time and staff other providers and some work part time. Many advance with more health education and become nurses, chiropractors, doctors in medicine and alternative therapies or psychology or social work. Some stay engaged with the grind for much longer than others (I have coworkers in their 70s.) Those who stay in the game longer discover endless opportunities and environments to share their work in—spas, salons, chiropractic offices, chain massage places, music festivals, hospitals, cruise ships, restaurants, and schools. I’m sure there are others, these are just the places I’ve had experiences working in.

The point I was hoping to make when I started this post had something to do with my WHY but I think the WHERE is an aspect that often gets overlooked. I’ve always found pleasure and positive feedback in making spaces for people to come get what they need.

In my experience, getting a massage in a chiropractor’s office might relax your muscles but the experience overall is never ~relaxing~ and no amount of essential oils or “just breathe” signage is going to make a difference. Then there’s the type of person who frequents the upscale day spa and ask to use their HSA benefits to pay for services to treat their fibromyalgia and they’re pairs with a random massage therapist that is zoned out in an Enya-induced trance balancing your out-of-tuned chakras.

How do you know that you’re getting what you need?

Remember that part of your job as a massage therapist is to protect your energy!

Remember that “everyone” will not fit your ideal client or target market!

Remember that if you have the privilege to be your own boss you have the responsibility to fire sh*tty clients!

It’s also important to make sure you speak with your mentors and bosses about who qualifies as one of these types of people. But If you’ve been working for longer than a year, you’ve probably encountered one or two of these people already.

These conversations can be difficult to have and equally as important for the longevity of your career and integrity of this WILD profession.

Oh, the people you’ll meet.

therapy, getting massages, as a massage therapist

10 Songs I Started Playing During Massage Sessions 10 Years Ago When I Only Had My Music Library to Choose From:

1. Ex Confusion - When I Think of You
2. Balmorea - Ecco
3. 36 - Room 4
4. Bing & Ruth - Badwater Psalm
5. The Album Leaf - Wet the Day
6. múm - We Have A Map of the Piano
7. Brambles - In the Androgynous Dark
8. Nils Frahm - Ambre
9. Hammock - I Can Barely See You
10. Aphex Twin - Alberto Balsalm