Brian May

Brian is a Massage Therapist, Personal trainer, and the founder of SOMA Healing Arts co-op.

  • How long have you been a Healing Artist?

    I’ve been a Healing Artist for 11 years. My journey began in movement—I started as a personal trainer focusing on full-body, unconventional, and functional movement. I quickly realized that strength and mobility weren’t enough; people needed deeper relief and connection to their bodies. After a year, I became a certified massage therapist, integrating hands-on healing with my movement knowledge. Over the past decade, I’ve worked with thousands of clients, from athletes to everyday individuals, helping them move better, feel better, and create lasting change in their bodies.

  • What brought you into this work?

    I was drawn to this work as I became more aware of how disconnected people had become from their own well-being. I saw it in my own family—my father was born with a hearing impairment, and in my opinion, that made him more susceptible to the marketing ploys of Big Food, which in turn impacted his health. Seeing how easily our culture normalizes pain, stress, and illness made me want to do something about it. At first, I focused on my own health, but as I learned more, I felt a deep responsibility to help others. Over time, it became clear that my purpose was to help people experience a life with less pain, more ease, and greater awareness of their bodies. This work is my way of contributing to a healthier world, one person at a time.

  • How would you describe your style/flow?

    Clients often describe my touch as “gentle yet firm.” I take a balanced approach—never too forceful, but always intentional and deeply effective. My sessions are not about routine techniques; they are fluid, responsive, and fully customized. I tune in to each client’s body, listening to the nervous system and the tissue, adjusting my approach moment by moment. I believe that true healing comes from working with the body rather than on it, and my goal is to create a space where my clients feel both safe and deeply transformed.

  • What inspires you most about working with clients?

    There’s an instant sense of fulfillment when I see someone’s body relax, their breath deepen, or their pain ease—whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or even spiritually. The work I do doesn’t just stay on the massage table; it ripples out into my clients’ daily lives. When someone walks out of a session feeling lighter, more at peace, or with a renewed sense of connection to their body, I know I’ve done my job. That transformation—whether subtle or profound—is what keeps me inspired every day.

  • Do you have a favorite technique or modality?

    I don’t have a single favorite technique because no two sessions are ever the same. Instead, I love the freedom of customizing each session, drawing from a variety of modalities based on what the client’s body needs in the moment. Some days, that might mean deep tissue work and focused compression, while other days, it’s more about fluid, rhythmic movements and nervous system downregulation. The art of this work is in listening—not just to what a client says but to what their body is communicating. That’s what allows me to blend techniques seamlessly and create a truly unique experience for each person.

  • What do you hope clients feel or experience after a session?

    Lightness. Space. Bliss. Ease. I want my clients to walk away from each session feeling like they’ve shed a layer of tension they didn’t even realize they were carrying. My goal is not just temporary relief but a shift—physically and energetically—that allows them to move through their lives with more freedom and awareness. Whether it’s pain relief, better movement, or a deep sense of calm, I want my clients to feel like they’ve come home to themselves.

  • What sets you apart as a Healing Artist?

    What makes me different is my ability to blend movement awareness with hands-on bodywork. My background in functional movement allows me to see the body holistically, understanding not just where tension exists but why it’s there. I have a strong sense of body mechanics and leverage, which means I can apply deep, effective pressure without force or strain. My approach is analytical yet intuitive—I scan the body as I work, constantly adjusting to what I feel. More than anything, I’m deeply invested in the experience of my clients, ensuring that every session is not just therapeutic but also restorative and deeply connected.

  • Do you have a philosophy or mantra that guides your work?

    Heal the world one body at a time.

    This work is much bigger than any single session. I believe that when people feel better in their bodies, they show up differently in the world. They move with more confidence, interact with more ease, and experience life more fully. My mission is to create that shift for as many people as I can, knowing that even small changes in one person’s well-being can have a lasting impact on those around them.

  • What’s one thing clients might not know about you or your approach?

    I don’t come into a session with a goal or a predetermined outcome. Many practitioners have a set agenda or a structured sequence, but I approach bodywork differently. I’m not here to “fix” anything—I’m here to listen and respond. My only intention is to create a session that feels good, supports the body’s natural healing process, and meets the client exactly where they are. If deeper transformation happens along the way, that’s just a bonus.

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