My Story

From a very young age, I’ve known I’ve wanted to help heal others. At first I thought that meant being a doctor, but I quickly learned that I was not one for traditional schooling, and the more I learned about western medicine, the more turned off I became. It wasn’t until I suffered a severe injury in high school that I really began to explore unique mediums for healing. 

After my injury, I spent months not feeling safe in my body. Then I discovered acupuncture. All of a sudden, I felt as if the severed relationship between my mind and my body had been healed. My body and I could actually be together. The acupuncture points were so moving for me that when I got home from the appointment, I tried pressing on the points I had received in my treatment, specifically the ones around my ears because that is where I experience the most pain. 

As I touched these points around my ears, I was swept into a psychedelic experience of energy coursing through my body. I felt parts of me awaken that I had never felt before. 

In my first year of college, I started telling people about these points, and almost immediately, many people were asking to receive them. So, I spent much of my time in dorm rooms, hanging out and giving points. I had already been offering points to my family members for some time, but I hadn’t been sure it was a practice I could really share with the world. Practicing on my friends was eye opening, because everyone was so receptive to the practice. Through this, I also realized what a meditative experience it was for me. It allowed me to sink into full presence with the body I was working with, and therefore also my own energy and how it was affecting the quality of my touch. 

The practice continued to deepen. I got a big book of marma and studied it front to back, I enrolled in a South Asian indigenous healing course, and I continued to practice on people. At first, just a few close friends, and then I connected to a professor who I could practice on. She gave me real feedback, no sugarcoating, and believed in my potential. This led me to take other  courses within relative fields— birth doula and postpartum doula training, including bodywork for lactation and other birth related needs. I also started to work in hospices.

Working in hospice, often what these patients longed for most was touch, especially loving and caring touch. After leaving college, I moved to Boulder, Colorado, where I did a course — End of Life Gentle Touch — and worked in hospice doing light bodywork. I especially focused on those who didn't have family or friends to come see them. My most common service became the foot massage; Grounding, but not too personal. This end of life touch helped people feel less alone when they were on their way into the unknown.

I left Colorado and got into ortho bionomy (working with muscle rhythms) at a school in San Francisco. I then had the privilege and opportunity to go to India and study marma from a master. I took a month-long intensive, 9am - 8pm 6 days a week, learned 108 points on the body, and got a certificate from the government of India. (That last part is just a fun fact). 

I also did a course on myofascial release upon my return to New York City (my hometown), which taught me about the intricate world of fascial release.

Now, what I say I am really interested in is what it is to be alive. I love to be cared for and I love to care. This is my strength. With that, I am continually learning more about boundaries and different methods of caring. The necessity of these practices has made itself so obvious to me, especially because almost everyone in the world is in pain! If you’re not, you’re lucky, and you probably will be at some point later in your life. It’s just part of aging and being human.

I feel most alive when I can make someone feel a bit better in their body and a bit better about being alive. From birth to death, our bodies need care and attention and touch, and all of us deserve relief from pain.

I am currently living and working in New York City. I offer specialty bodywork, end of life care, and birthing/doula services. Please contact me directly if interested in my birthwork or end of life care. Otherwise, find all the info about my specialty bodywork services here.

I am not here to fix you, because you are not broken. I am here to witness and honor you. I am here to be fully present with your healing process. May the work I do lead to expansiveness and abundance in your body.

With love,
Rebecca Rosenthal