About Us
The Retreat team is a diverse group of talented professionals who are passionate about working in a friendly space where everyone is welcome. Our providers are experienced, skilled and dedicated to their clients. We offer services customized for you on the day of your session. This allows us the opportunity to provide you great results, to the highest standard, at every single visit. We believe your appointment should be something to look forward to, and that clients of every shape, shade, age and background feel welcome, wanted and cared-for by The Retreat team. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Our Team
APRIL
MASSAGE THERAPIST
April’s passion for massage therapy began early in her life with a desire to help family members and friends who were hurting. She has been a licensed therapist since 2009. April enjoys connecting with her clients on a real level and discovering how she can help them achieve a better quality of life. She specializes in Swedish, Trigger Point, Sports Massage, and Prenatal. Embracing a holistic approach to self care, her twelve years of strength and endurance training and lifestyle nutrition add depth to her ability to serve the whole person.
AUGUST
LEAD MASSAGE THERAPIST
August is a graduate of Miller Motte College and has been a licensed massage therapist since 2006.
He is a soft tissue specialist and works at a slow smooth pace, rarely breaking contact and emphasizing the unity of flow from one technique or area of the body to another. He specializes in Craniosacral, Therapeutic, Deep Tissue, Sports Massage, Myofascial Release, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Oncology and Prenatal massage techniques. August’s focus is on helping his clients reduce pain, increase range of motion and recover from injury.
CAROLINE
ESTHETICIAN
With over 10 years of esthetics experience and a background in massage therapy, Caroline is committed to creating a relaxing experience for every client. She believes in the healing power of touch and taking time to slow down and prioritize yourself. She most enjoys Brazilian waxing and creating customized facial treatments so you can feel your best in your skin. When she isn’t working, you can find her cheering on the Durham Bulls at the DBAP.
JACE
MASSAGE THERAPIST
With a gentle approach and lighter pressure Jace uses Myofascial and Trigger Point Release to unwind chronic issues while weaving head massage and Reflexology into the mix often. When pain and anxiety are involved, Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy are used to achieve a deep calm. Jace’s additional training includes: Lymphatic Massage, Oncology Massage, Fertility and Prenatal Massage & Women’s Wellness Massage. When asked where she is from, Jace answers “Durham” with pride. After living in the Midwest, Hong Kong and Philly she finally settled in the Triangle in 1991. Jace counts her journey with massage beginning at age 13 when her brother was having migraines. While being everyone’s go-to for massage over the next 2 decades she pursued other fields; ultimately, attending Wake Tech Community College for Therapeutic Massage graduating in 2007. Jace brings all her life experience into her intuitive style.
JEREMY
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Originally from Boston, Jeremy has been in North Carolina for over 20 years. He was a student athlete and is still an avid runner. Jeremy’s involvement in sports and wellness spurred his desire to pursue a career in massage therapy over 10 years ago. Jeremy’s certifications include Craniosacral, Deep Tissue, Thai, Swedish and other modalities which lends to his very adaptable style. Jeremy successfully works with many athletes and weekend warriors, but with his laid back sense of humor and friendly nature, he makes everyone feel comfortable in the treatment room.
KATE
ESTHETICIAN
A Durham native, Kate detoured to New Orleans for a few years, but returned home to pursue her esthetics career. Kate graduated from Elevate Salon Institute and is certified in microdermabrasion, peels, dermaplaning, microneedling, Hydrafacial,Glo2Facial, lash lifting/tinting as well as face and body waxing. A determined student, Kate is a certified Dermalogica Specialist and is a sponge for post graduate education. She knows how important it is to feel beautiful in your skin, so Kate’s focus is giving each client a customized treatment to fit their individual skin care goals. Clients appreciate Kate’s attention to detail, and her measured, gentle approach.
KENZIE
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Kenzie graduated from The Bodhi Tree Center for Healing Arts in Nevada in 2015. While at school she studied an array of massage modalities and grew her passion for all things related to health and wellness. Kenzie’s dynamic therapeutic approach to bodywork integrates all physical, mental and spiritual work. From traditional Craniosacral, Deep Tissue, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fascial Freedom Therapy, Shiatsu, Joint Health, Fertility Massage, and Mobility, Kenzie blends multiple modalities based on her clients’ needs. She loves to work closely and consistently with her clients over time to observe change and the healing process.
LARA
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Lara first entered the massage field as a way to support others through grief and transition. She draws knowledge from her diverse life paths to offer a space to rest and integrate what might be stirring in your life and body. She sees massage as a way to invite people into a deeper relationship with themselves and others.
Lara’s approach is rooted in somatic & trauma-informed techniques that focus on the nervous system. She creates a space where people can access their inner resilience and nurture their capacity to grow, heal, and change. Her practice weaves together Swedish, craniosacral therapy, Reiki, and deep relaxation to foster an experience of warmth, ease, and reconnection.
LAUREN
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Lauren pursued her license in massage therapy in 2015 when she saw how it significantly improved the healing process for a close family member. As an avid reader and talented artist, Lauren is a keen observer who carefully listens to clients’ needs. She specializes in Craniosacral, Medium Pressure Relaxation Massage, Myofascial Release and is keen to provide clients with alignment-based exercises that can help them address issues outside of their in-studio massage session
LB
MASSAGE THERAPIST
After many years working in gyms, LB decided to broaden his knowledge of how the body works and became a licensed massage therapist in 2011. He worked Ironman and Marathon events for over 6 years deciding he wanted to focus his massage practice on athletes and better mobility. LB’s style is one of a firmer pressure with assisted stretching. He is certified in Deep Tissue, Sports, Therapeutic, Cupping and Swedish massage. He enjoys helping his clients meet their goals whether they are training/performance oriented, injury recovery, or more general therapeutic.
LIV
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Liv began her journey in bodywork at the Desert Institute of Healing Arts in Tucson, Arizona, at just 18 years old. Nearly 30 years later, she has woven together decades of massage and structural training with more recent trauma-focused work in Somatic Experiencing™ . This combination allows her to see pain not only as tight muscles, but as nervous system patterns rooted in injuries, life events, and stories the body still carries.
With an intuitive ability to read the body’s both physical and energetic truths, Liv can blend massage, craniosacral/fascial work, trigger point, and Somatic Experiencing™ to unlock what’s held and restore flow. In addition she provides prenatal massage, services centered around head, neck and jaw issues, scar tissue manipulation and deep tissue massage. Her presence is equal parts deeply human and spiritual, offering clients a space where science, intuition, and soul converge.
Se Habla Espanol.
PAULA
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Paula chose to become a massage therapist because of the powerful effects of massage she experienced as a client. She graduated from Body Therapy Institute in Siler City, NC, in 2015. Paula’s approach combines Swedish massage, Myofascial Release, Craniosacral, passive stretching and mindfulness to help create a safe space for clients to listen to their bodies and embrace their capacity for self-healing.
RICH
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Rich has been a licensed massage therapist since 2009, and enjoys providing result-based, client-centered massage therapy. His style is to integrate a variety of modalities to achieve each client’s desired outcome. Rich’s specialities include Craniosacral, Therapeutic, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Warm Stone, Reflexology and Sports. He believes that therapeutic bodywork contributes to a healthier and happier community. Rich feels strongly about the positive impact of massage, and volunteers his time to provide bodywork for workers on health and academic campuses.
SALLY
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Sally recently relocated to North Carolina from Illinois where she was trained at the Soma Institute of Clinical Massage Therapy in Chicago. From her background as a paramedic and a teacher, she believes massage is a very effective means to manage stress and pain, and as an important component of self-care. Sally’s style is a blend of relaxing Swedish massage and focused Therapeutic work to help her clients live a more relaxed and pain free life. Additionally, Sally is certified and very adept at Warm Stone massage, and has a faithful following for her Prenatal work.
SHANNA
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Shanna has been a licensed massage therapist since 2014 and practices Swedish, Prenatal, Reflexology, Trigger Point, Craniosacral, Therapeutic, and Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage. She has a slow and purposeful flow to her work, allowing the muscles to naturally respond to touch and allowing optimal relaxation while providing meaningful therapeutic work. Shanna gets great joy from making someone’s day whether it be through pain relief, stress relief or just a change in her client’s mood. She considers herself very fortunate to be working in a field she loves. Shanna always looks forward to continuing her education and learning about different techniques and modalities.
SHANNON
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Shannon believes that massage therapy helps you to feel better by aiding you in the ability to move better. He discovered massage therapy at the age of 19 when he began to receive bodywork on a regular basis. This was enough to convince him to enroll in classes for massage therapy just a few years later at Miller-Motte College. He has been a licensed massage therapist since 2006 and has logged many thousands of hours of hands on experience. His specialties include Deep Tissue Massage, Injury and mobility rehab, and deep assisted stretching. He also performs other modalities such as Hot and Cold Stone massage, Medical Cupping, Gua Sha, Reflexology, Swedish, Pre-natal, and Trigger Point Therapy.
JULIA
GENERAL MANAGER
Julia came to Durham after living out of state for more than 10 years. She has a background working with small downtown business owners in various grass roots organizations. She knew when she moved to Durham that she wanted to stay with small business. Her position at The Retreat checked all the boxes! From working with a small female-owned business and being in a vibrant growing downtown environment to her love for all things massage and skincare as a client!
Email: jgoff@theretreatdurham.com
