About Me:
Elizabeth Choe, CMT. The Massage Mama.
About 16 years ago, I received my first massage from a coworker who had recently finished massage school, and was offering free massages. I had spent most of my twenties depressed, floating through life, and felt stuck. During that first session, I lay on the table, soaking in the new sensations that took me out of my mind, where I had mostly been living, and more fully into my body. Honestly, I felt better than I had in years, and couldn't believe I hadn't known about massage therapy before. (All I knew about massage up to then was from James Bond films!) A few years later, I signed up for massage courses and discovered that this work came naturally to me. I signed up for more, then ended up in a career that I enjoy and am passionate about, more than a decade later.
Since receiving my certification in 2000 and discovering massage therapy as a true calling, I've continued my education in Zen Shiatsu with Master Ryuho Yamada, pregnancy massage certification with Mahriah Blackwolf, and traditional Thai massage at Wat Po in Bangkok, Thailand. I recently received further certification in Pre and Perinatal Massage Therapy with Carole Osborne. I've worked in spas in San Francisco including Family Sauna, Elisa’s Health Spa, Acqua Di Roma, and at Preston Wynne Spa at the Hotel Los Gatos and in Saratoga. I've also maintained a small private practice doing in-home massage. I've continued to fine tune my approach and techniques with continuing education, as well as by listening to the needs of my clients. Over the years, I've become convinced that massage therapy is a necessity, a wonderfully simple and natural way to step away from life’s many responsibilities and distractions.
In my spare time, I love being with my husband and two daughters. I love going to saunas and spas. I love movies of all kinds (in my other life, I have a degree in Cinema Studies), especially those that feed my soul. For many years, I've also been involved with community access television. Jikoji Zen Retreat Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains is where my husband and I used to live and where we still go whenever we can to meditate and to see the spectacular sunsets on the Ridge.
Since receiving my certification in 2000 and discovering massage therapy as a true calling, I've continued my education in Zen Shiatsu with Master Ryuho Yamada, pregnancy massage certification with Mahriah Blackwolf, and traditional Thai massage at Wat Po in Bangkok, Thailand. I recently received further certification in Pre and Perinatal Massage Therapy with Carole Osborne. I've worked in spas in San Francisco including Family Sauna, Elisa’s Health Spa, Acqua Di Roma, and at Preston Wynne Spa at the Hotel Los Gatos and in Saratoga. I've also maintained a small private practice doing in-home massage. I've continued to fine tune my approach and techniques with continuing education, as well as by listening to the needs of my clients. Over the years, I've become convinced that massage therapy is a necessity, a wonderfully simple and natural way to step away from life’s many responsibilities and distractions.
In my spare time, I love being with my husband and two daughters. I love going to saunas and spas. I love movies of all kinds (in my other life, I have a degree in Cinema Studies), especially those that feed my soul. For many years, I've also been involved with community access television. Jikoji Zen Retreat Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains is where my husband and I used to live and where we still go whenever we can to meditate and to see the spectacular sunsets on the Ridge.
