Soulskin Bodywork

Hi loves - we're back with another trans care clinic for low-income gender-expansive people! I'm all booked up but at the time I'm posting this there are still a few spaces left with other practitioners for sliding scale acupuncture, scar work and massage, as well as space in the gender affirming voice workshop in the evening. More info in the caption below, sign up link is in my bio. See you there!

Why ritualize body transitions?

Many of us make our way through major changes and transitions without traditions or community to hold and connect us through them.

Some have lost connection to culturally-specific rituals through rupture with family of origin or spiritual community.

There can be so many logistics and things to tend to in times of evolution that we don't always have the space or know how to really be with what is happening.

I believe that our bodies and stories hold immense power that deserves to be honoured!

In my experience, lymphatic movement and scar work can be particularly magical touch therapies! And both can be taught so that you can offer your body ongoing tending outside of the session.

Lymph work gently and powerfully influences the movement of essential fluid throughout the whole body. This supports immune response while energetically and literally flushing stagnation to allow for the flow of needed nourishment on a cellular level.

Scar tissue also has both strong physiological and energetic  components. The protective adhesions that form with scar tissue can restrict movement, circulation of blood and lymph, and interfere with nerve function. Energetically, many people find that scar tissue can hold onto the emotions and protectiveness associated with the injury.

In addition to massage therapy, this offering calls on my training in scar tissue release, somatic s*x education, full-spectrum doula work and peer support. This is not therapy, but an opportunity to care for your changing body, be witnessed in the complexity of your story and honour this transition with your intention and attention.

Curious? Book a consult/planning call through the link in my bio.

Gratitudes & inspirations continued in comments 🐝🌸

What happens in a lymphatic or scar ritual?

How do you want to feel?

In a 30m consult call, I'll ask you what this piece of your body's journey means to you and we'll dream together on the ~vibes~, imagery, elements, objects, and memories that hold meaning for you.

When you arrive to our 90 minute session, bring with you any objects that you would like to be present for our work together. I'll propose ritual elements based on our conversation and we'll make any changes you request. In addition to either lymphatic drainage or scar care, we may include guided visualization, somatic noticing, movement, a "body poem", affirmations, witnessing, specific sounds or music, or other ritual elements.

As we close I will show you techniques that will support you in continuing to care for your lymphatic system/scar tissue at home and we'll chat about how you might invite loved ones into further marking this transition with you.

$150-$200 sliding includes our 30m call and 90m hands-on session. If this offering sings to you but you are low-income and unable to access it at this price, please email me at [email protected] and we will find a way forward together!

This can be a beautiful gift for a loved one moving through a body transition (just please confirm that this is wanted by them before booking a session!).

Introducing :  Lymphatic & Scarcare Ritual - ceremonies to mark transitions

tell the story of your changing body
honour this evolution with intention

You can book these specialized, co-created sessions August through December 2024.

I've been playing with these rituals with trans and non-binary clients tranquillement over the past year. They are now open to anyone navigating a big change in their body that could benefit from lymphatic or scar care. I am excited to finally release this offering into the wild!

Reasons for seeking out a bodywork ritual any include: preparation or recovery from any gender-related surgeries, birth, pregnancy loss, illness, trauma - whether recent or distant. Your joy, grief, ambivalence, excitement, fear, relief, rage about this change are all welcome and wanted here.

If you are seeking lymphatic or scarcare manual therapy without the ritual element, see my highlights for brilliant local q***r/q***r-competent therapists who specialize in this kind of care (all, of course, bringing their own magic to their work).

I am grateful that there are many of us, each specializing in what calls to us most!

Does the idea of a somatic transition ritual speak to you? Email me with your question: [email protected] or book a consult call at the link in my bio. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting details about what is encompassed in this offering.

Beloved clients and community,

After 3 fabulous years as your massage therapist and some time away, I am reorienting in my work and closing my general massage practice. Thank you for these years of trust in my care and for supporting the ripple of my small business.

I am moving towards some new specialized bodywork offerings, which I will post here soon! I will continue to share q***r and trans-related bodywork information and resources on this account.

Luckily! Montreal is home to an unbelievable number of incredible q***r, gender-expansive and q***r/trans competent bodyworkers. Check my highlights for some of my recommendations of local practitioners I have received care from who are currently (at the time of this post) accepting new clients. This list represents only a fraction of the amazing bodyworkers in this city.  Check out 's linktree and her "bodyworkers" highlight for even more.

My relationships with each of my clients have been deeply important to me. Thank you especially to my return clients for the opportunity to get to know you in this way!

Virtual q***r scar care support - drop in to chat with us, for free! Link in bio to join us.

Dec 28, 8-9pm [corrected time]
Jan 2, 4-5pm
Jan 15, 6-7pm
(Eastern time zone)

Join us, two playful gender-q***r bodyworkers, in a virtual space for all q***r bodies with scars. Whether visible or hidden, we're here for you and your loved ones to share, ask questions, and skillshare on scar healing.

We specialize in scars : from gender surgeries, illness, trauma, birthing, self-harm, or other ruptures. Whatever your scars mean to you – celebration, grief, numbness, uncertainty – all of you is welcome here!
Scar care goes beyond looks. It's about boosting tissue health, improving mobility, and aiding nerve regrowth. Unattended scars can cause issues like limited movement, pain, and circulation problems. Unfortunately, our healthcare systems often lack guidance on effective scar healing but q***r & trans communities have always found ways to skillshare our way to the care we need!

See you there

Virtual q***r scar care support - drop in to chat with us, for free! Link in bio to join us.

Dec 28, 6-7pm
Jan 2, 4-5pm
Jan 15, 6-7pm
(Eastern time zone)

Join us, two playful gender-q***r bodyworkers, in a virtual space for all q***r bodies with scars. Whether visible or hidden, we're here for you and your loved ones to share, ask questions, and skillshare on scar healing.

We specialize in scars : from gender surgeries, illness, trauma, birthing, self-harm, or other ruptures. Whatever your scars mean to you – celebration, grief, numbness, uncertainty – all of you is welcome here!

Scar care goes beyond looks. It's about boosting tissue health, improving mobility, and aiding nerve regrowth. Unattended scars can cause issues like limited movement, pain, and circulation problems. Unfortunately, healthcare often lacks guidance on effective scar healing.

See you there

Beloved community, this event is really special to me. If you've ever wondered what scar care actually looks like, what options are available to you/your loved ones, please join us this Tuesday! Click the link in my bio to reserve your spot (by-donation).

As you may know, my bodywork practice has been increasingly focused on scar tending and pre/post-op care for gender non-conforming bodies. With so much violence and injustice in the world, including ongoing genocide here and in Palestine and new waves of transphobic rhetoric pushing constrictive policies across turtle island - I think a lot about scars, as Ro ***rlyfluid says "seen and unseen". It is such a pleasure to be part of this team of amazing local practitioners all committed to the community care work of supporting scar healing and scar care education.

Scar care – whether by your own hand, a cherished loved one, or a skilled practitioner – has the power to transform. It's not just about aesthetics, but about radically improving tissue health, enhancing mobility, and supporting nerve regrowth. Unattended scars can lead to limitations in movement, prolonged pain and swelling, disruptions in nerve sensation, and circulation issues. Despite these challenges, our healthcare system often falls short in offering guidance and resources for effective scar healing.

That's why we're bringing the expertise of trans and q***r bodyworkers to the forefront, turning private sessions into a collective experience. See what resonates with you and your body, and engage with practitioners to gain insights into their unique approaches. Witness live, in-person demonstrations showcasing five distinct scar care modalities in action.

Doll Herbalism : Feminizing Surgery Support 4 Girls and Babes of all Genders, 's brilliantly crafted 3-part workshop series, has been a joyful and inspiring virtual touchstone throughout my summer. I've been blessed by perfect weather to be able to enjoy each one live from my favourite lush balconies.

bell hooks and Erich Fromm taught us that love is an act of will, an intention and an action and Ayelet's work lands like a powerful love letter and guide to trans fem community(ies) and to all of us working out how to move through this world with both a sense of bodily sovereignty and interdependence. 

This series was crafted with fierce love, grit and extensive community and scientific research : bringing together stories of case studies from Ayelet's herbalism practice, transfem poetry, accessible translations of herbal and medical science and revolutionary perspectives on trans bodies, surgeries and health. Herbal medicine is not a part of my bodywork practice but I knew I needed to be here for the sense of collective care and to celebrate and learn from Ayelet's genius approach to the timeless tradition of marginalized people figuring out our own healthcare in a world and medical system that is not equipped or offering to get around to it for us. 

If you didn't sign up for the series, you can still register for access to some or all of the recordings on the .clinical.herbalism website! These classes offer a fantastic and detailed overview of many common and less common feminizing surgeries, which are relevant and informative if you are, love or work with trans women and trans feminine people, even if you don't practice herbalism.

Thank you, Ayelet for being such a wonderful nerd about trans fem health and to your extended network and clients for generously sharing this wealth of community-sourced knowledge with all of us. I'm grateful for how this will enrich my practice supporting clients with pre and post op massage and lymphatic drainage through a deeper understanding of these surgical procedures and healing processes from a source I trust. My heart is full and it is a gift to be in community with you.

Our scars hold stories.

The connective tissue that emerges from trans and gender non-conforming bodies binds us back together after chosen rupture. Our scars heal and hold us, and also call out to be cared for.

We know that scars can be a cherished and powerful part of trans and gender-non-conforming bodies, hold complex swirls of grief and joy, and can also bring painful swelling, numbness, and limitations to movement. Tending to post-surgical scars on one's own or with the support of a bodyworker can be one pathway towards integrating and celebrating the significant changes that come with surgery : claiming agency over the healing process and re-connecting with a body in (r)evolution. Working with both old and new scars can transform scar health, appearance, and their impact on the rest of the body.

In this showcase four trans/q***r/genderq***r practitioners will discuss our approaches to gender-affirming scar care, speak to the heart of what calls us to this work, and the value of q***r & trans bodywork offered by & for our communities. Bring your questions and curiosities about scars and scar healing! We will also offer (optional) opportunities for those attending to connect directly with practitioners and each other. This event centers those who have had or are considering gender-affirming surgery(ies) and/or navigating the outcomes of non-consensual gender-related surgeries as well as bodywork/healthcare practitioners offering work by/for trans, 2-Spirit, inters*x, non-binary communities.

Supported by Pervers/Cité and the Concordia SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation.

Click the link in my bio to join us (free/by-donation)!

Dear ones! I have closed my books to new clients for the summer / until further notice. Returning clients (anyone who has already had at least 1 session with me) are welcome to re-book. I have limited summer spots left available - I recommend booking soon before they fill up! (Booking link in my bio)

EXCEPT
I am still open to new q***r & trans clients seeking lymphatic drainage and clients wishing to focus on scar care post gender-affirming surgeries.

BECAUSE
☆ I have several bodywork projects on the go and unfortunately need to do a little less actual bodywork for a while to be able to dedicate time to them!
☆ My other massage job has picked up, and I am adjusting to greater demands on my body and energy.
☆ I long for more languid summer days walking by the river and reading on my balcony than my current schedule allows.

LUCKILY !!
There are so, so many other politicized/gender & s*xuality defiant bodyworkers with vibrant and accessible local practices offering massage and MANY other offerings who are taking clients. A good starting place to find them: visit beloved mama of QT bodyworker community  's page and check out the "Bodyworkers" highlight. If you are seeking a specific kind of practitioner or specialization please reach out to me for recommendations. I am delighted to be well connected within this expansive web of skilled healing support community!

I will update here when my books reopen. Thank you for your understanding and to my absolutely incredible clients for making my work so deeply joyful and fulfilling

Started my morning serenaded by birdsong (and some squirrel drama) with the dreamiest rooftop massage from ! Here are our squinty smiles in the full sun before we got the umbrella sorted out..

Samia and I became friends in massage school in 2015. I feel so lucky that our respective winding roads have led us to now being coworkers and community collaborators, too 😍

Thanks ***rlyfluid for so generously sharing your gorgeous and vibrant rooftop-turned-studio 💖

Things I forget to think to tell people that I offer...

Whenever I post about something beyond what people usually think of as Swedish massage I get DMs and questions - which I love! I took a moment today to think about what I am trained in and now practice that I forget might not be obvious. 

I completed a 400 hour massage program in Montreal in 2016 and then I moved to Halifax and studied full-time for 2 more very intensive years (2200 hours plus 3 rounds of student clinics) .halifax. We covered a lot in that time! 

In addition to fundamental things like Swedish technique, anatomy & physiology, ethics, etc I am trained in quite a few more specific things I thought it might be interesting to list here. This is just what I could think of off the top of my head, I might add more in the comments as I remember 😅 

If you're curious about any of these options, DM or email me and I'll be happy to chat more about it!

Since graduating I've done other continuing education trainings like massage for clients with hypermobility/EDS, table thai massage and lomi lomi. Everything in the list below was part of my foundational massage training:

Fasciatherapy, Intra-oral massage, Scar massage, Chair massage, Clothed massage, Manual lymphatic drainage, Trigger point therapy, Massage during pregnancy, Infant massage, Postural Assessment, Passive stretching, Homecare: progressive stretching & strengthening, Hydrotherapy 

Ft photo of me in my favourite 2019 study spot  🤩

Tonight I took myself on a solo date to see the opening of 's movement and installation duo .

I'm forever gushing about this city's outstanding network of q***r & trans bodyworkers. It is a strange thing to hold dear an ethos of community and collective liberation when much of the work I (and we) do happens in a small closed room with 1 person at a time.

Nurse Tree, the installation component of the show, brought up such a welling up of tenderness and pride in me. What an incredibly moving experience to get to bask in such a warm, loving, poweful q***r/trans healing & holding space in public. How miraculous to be both a fly on the wall and honoured guest, witnessing the intimacy of open-space bodywork, held within the cozy and ethereal container of this layered multi-sensory installation.

In this frightening moment of heightened scrutiny, violence and control towards trans and gender non-conforming bodies, when the existing mainstream healthcare options are both complicated and being legislated farther out of access - this representation of deep care was both a balm and a burst to my heart.

Trans people are precious. Trans affirming care is magic. We (are forever learning how to better) take care of each other and I love us so fiercely for that.

Thank you for bringing this incredible vision to life , , , , , , .kiki

This show continues through may 6th! Sliding-scale tickets are available at www.m-a-i.qc.ca

Photos were not allowed in the gallery so you get this massage studio glamour shot of tonight's gay4art outfit instead 💫

A beloved friend who also sometimes comes for massages with me told me this story recently : During a massage with another practitioner she found her body positioned uncomfortably on the table. She noticed the automatic tendency to just accept it and wait it out but then, remembering conversations we've had and positioning adjustments we've made during sessions, it clicked that this experience was supposed to be for her, and that she could change the circumstances. She let the therapist know she was going to take a moment to adjust to a more comfortable position and got to settle back into enjoying the rest of her massage.

I was deeply touched and excited to hear this story!! THIS is the sense of agency and ability to self-advocate that I want for my clients and for all of us.

Of course I want my clients to get what they come to me for and to feel comfortable asking me for what they need. And my even greater wish is that the practice that happens in our sessions acts as conditioning to flex and strengthen these skills more broadly - for use in other healthcare settings and daily life beyond.

Informed consent and communication have really become a passion and focal point in my bodywork practice. Keep an eye out here for a new offering at the intersection of Swedish massage and the embodied consent aspects of my training in Somatic S*x Education.

Coming soon !

I just completed Table Thai massage Level 1 (of 2) with the fantastically knowledegable and hilarious teacher Sukha Wong at Lotus Palm Institite of Thai Massage and Traditional Bodywork . I'm so grateful to have had access to these teachings, movements and body wisdom in addition and contrast to the Swedish massage lineage I was primarily I trained in.

I will be incorporating
table Thai techniques into my practice to further support joint mobility and circulation, stretch muscle tissue and add flow and variety to the techniques I currently draw from. I'm also excited to have a new range of effective techniques to bring to my clients who choose to remain clothed during massage sessions (which is always an option!).

Thai Massage is a complex and holistic component of traditional Thai medicine based in the embodiment of metta meditation and knowledge of the sen (vital energy lines, similar to the meridians in traditional Chinese Medicine) throughout the body. I have a lot of respect for this extensive body of knowing, which is certainly not something I can claim to have learned in it's entirely over a 3-day training! If you would like to experience a full Thai massage from a practitioner who
has in-depth training and knowledge in this tradition, book a floor or table session with incredibly skilled and sweet practitioner Iggy (.kiki) - who I was delighted to finally meet in person and practice with this weekend!

As these two clients have noted*, pre and post surgery massage can help support physical healing processes in many ways...encouraging more ease of movement after developing external and internal scar tissue, draining fluid causing excess swelling, minimizing muscle tension and engaging the lymphatic system before surgery, aiding scar mobility, encouraging circulation to help the healing process. 
 *(all messages shared with clients' explicit consent)

The first note is from a client who came to see me after developing 2 seromas (pockets of excess fluid beneath the skin) in their chest the week after their top surgery drains were removed. After one session combining fascial work (to open up passageways for the fluid to drain) and manual lymphatic drainage (gentle techniques stimulating the lymphatic system to help recirculate the excess fluid) they noticed a big improvement! 

The messages in the second slide are from a client who had top surgery several years ago and didn't have notable concerns or restrictions with their scars but were curious to see what some focused work there would yield. This was their result following one session of fascial work and targeted scar massage using castor oil. 

I've also seen some amazing results of increased comfort and mobility in clients recovering from feminizing surgeries like breast implants, tummy tucks and BBLs.

If you are curious about pre or post-surgery care, I invite you to book a session with me through the link in my bio, or shoot me a message for more information!

We are blessed to live in a community of many awesome and skilled q***r bodyworkers! If I am not the right fit for you, Manna .Resistance.Bodywork specializes in top surgery and c-section scar care and Ro  offers beautiful T4T pleasure-based bodywork and scar care for trans bodies.

I am adding my hands to  and 's community care offerings with $0-60 pay-what-you-can bodywork sessions to Person/Iranain people impacted by ongoing state violence and injustice. If this is you - you can book an appointment in the usual way, through the online booking system linked in my bio. Enter "Healing for Iran" into the "questions/comments" box in the last stage of the booking process. While my work always centers those at the margins of gender and s*xuality, this offer is open to any Person/Iranian person seeking respite. 

For those who may not already know me : I am white and do not have direct personal/lineage ties to Iran. This is a care offering in loving solidarity, recognizing that in moments like this it is most often the people who are personally impacted who are also doing intensive care work within their own communities.
If you would prefer to work with a practitioner with shared cultural ties, visit Sara or Sarv - their books are open for you!

I have limited availability left in my calendar for December, but this offering will continue into the new year and for the forseeable future, as long as it is listed in the "fees" section of my website. www.soulskinbodywork.com
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As a q***r bodyworker, s*x-positivity is an increasingly important value in how I offer care to my communities. Here is a little about what that looks like for me and why I feel strongly about it!

Have you had memorable positive experiences with s*x-positive practitioners?

If you are a service provider, how do you bring s*x-positivity to your work?
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I'm very excited to share that Community Healing Days are back and have received a grant to be able to operate regularly with more support and sustainability!

I'll be one of the therapists offering PWYC sessions at the next two, coming up September 22nd and October 20th. You can book with me or with or another fantastic bodyworker at the link in my bio. More info about CHD below!.............................

Repost : We are happy to launch the next round of Community Healing Days!

We are a collective of alternative and traditional therapists offering free and by donation services to the community.

We hope to provide compassionate touch to those who cannot normally access these services. We prioritize very low income folks, non status folks, refugees, single parents, the q***r and trans communities, indigenous folks and people of colour, and other marginalized communities.

This year we offer participants the opportunity to contribute to more integrative healthcare in Quebec. We are gathering feedback from participants about their unmet healthcare needs and their experience of Community Healing Days.

We hope this project can serve as a pilot project that can be expanded throughout the province. We believe everyone from should benefit from healing touch, and preventative and traditional healthcare.

If you would like to access our services, we are offering a monthly by donation Community Healing Day in the Plateau. Click the link in bio to apply. 👆

Hope to see you there!

For more information, check out the Family Care Collective Montreal, Manna .resistance.bodywork and Tiger Lotus Coop

Come meet me and so many brilliant local bodyworkers and magic-makers of all kinds this Saturday at Le frigo vert! Treat your shoulders (or hands, feet, whatever!) to a free mini chair massage. I'll only be there the first day but the fair goes all weekend.

This covid wave has been ruthless, please wear a mask while inside!

Yarrow is one of my most beloved plant allies and one whose presence I invite into my treatment room.

I love to tell people about how the immortality elixir that Achilles (the guy with the "Achilles heel") was immersed in was yarrow water. Only today, as I was writing up a client note referencing emotional release with work on the achilles tendon, did it click for me that it's right there in the Latin (and French) names for yarrow! Achillea millefolium/Achillée millefeuille.

I believe this gorgeous yarrow print was made by Cea Wiley of Bright Hollow Medicinals.

Posted • .apothecary Come meet q***r and trans healers, try out their services, and buy their goods! July 23rd and 24th 11am-6pm @ 1440 rue Mackay. Wheelchair accessible - for all other accessibility info go to www.lefrigovert.org To table at the fair, please email [email protected] ***rhealing ***rmontreal ***r ***revents

BREAST & CHEST MASSAGE

Did you know that your breasts/chest can be included in a massage therapy session? 

What are the benefits of chest/breast massage?

This part of our body can experience pain, muscle tension and fascial restrictions that can benefit from massage like anywhere else.

Lymphatic drainage, fascial work, scar work and other approaches can be helpful before and after chest/breast surgeries whether cancer-related, top surgeries, reductions, implants, augmentations, post-surgical revisions or otherwise. Clinical post-surgical care, if any is offered/accessible, rarely acknowledges the need for integration and re-mapping sensation of a changed body. The pace of a massage session can allow for this.  

Massage can help alleviate pain, swelling, discomfort and congestion related to breast/chest-feeding.

This sensitive, often overlooked and s*xualized area of the body can feel wonderful when receiving touch for the sake of touch, that is only for you, without the other factors that come up in a s*xual context.

When our breasts/chest play an essential role in our ability to make a living or in our s*xuality or the nourishment of little humans, our own relationship with them can be complex.

Many of us have had our chests/breasts objectified, have felt disconnected from them, have felt a misalignment with our understanding of our genders, have had shame and trauma and wrong-ness projected here by s*xism and transphobia and fatphobia and white supremacy and the ever shifting targets of impossible beauty standards. 

Whatever your relationship to this part of your body, intentional, consensual touch that is on your terms can be a pleasurable and empowering part of receiving bodywork.

If breast/chest massage interests you, send me your questions / let's chat about it at your next session!