Header photo: Valmont for The Spa at The Setai, Miami Beach | Photo courtesy of The Setai, Miami Beach
How to find the right massage— and massage therapist—for you
I got my first massage when I was 13. It was painful. As a competitive figure skater growing up in Saint Paul, Minnesota, I’d sustained shin splints and stress fractures, and my coach sent me to a physical therapist. After the session, I felt relief—and a significant shift in my body. Years later, I turned to massage for other reasons: to untangle the knots in my neck and back, to mitigate depression, to help mend a broken heart. I started to understand the power of massage and its ability to heal the body, mind, and spirit.
Now, as a busy (and often stressed) New York City mom, massage is a crucial part of my self-care routine. I view it as my monthly “tune-up.” I also book treatments when I travel, to help alleviate jet lag and stress. People are increasingly prioritizing wellbeing while traveling: The global wellness tourism market reached $995 billion in 2024 (Global Wellness Institute) and is forecasted to grow at 13.2% annually through 2034 (Global Market Insights, 2025).
To make sure I stay on my wellness track at home, I have a membership at Naturopathica Spa & Healing Arts Center, which has locations in East Hampton, New York City, and Palm Beach. I often book the Defy Massage, a deep-tissue treatment designed to eliminate muscle tension and tightness with active ingredients such as sweet birch, arnica, and magnesium. My go-to guy is Shaka, who makes me feel like a better version of myself every time I step off his table. His path to becoming a massage therapist was unconventional: Golden Gloves boxing led to personal training, and, eventually, to massage.
“I believe that every single body is perfect in design and has the ability to heal itself if allowed to do so,” Shaka says. “Various forms of stress, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual, cause blockages that keep the body from being able to communicate with an area of itself. This leads to imbalance and disharmony. Through massage, we open those channels and allow the body to continue having a healing conversation with itself.”
When I found myself on Shaka’s table, I knew I’d found the right massage therapist for me. I only discovered his boxing background while interviewing him for this article, but it makes sense that I vibed with an athlete, given my background. At the beginning of each massage, Shaka asks me what’s going on that day and performs what I’d describe as a “body scan,” evaluating where my muscles and mind are in that moment. “I use it for what will be the rough draft of what I guess we can call that day’s massage story,” Shaka says. “I never know how the story will unfold. I learn from every single massage that I perform.”
So, how do you choose the right massage and massage therapist for you? “Start by asking yourself one question: ‘What does my body need today?’” says Cassie Pahel, vice president of spas at Naturopathica. “Your answer will guide you far more than any menu description. Ultimately, choose the therapist and treatment that support your physical and emotional wellness goals for that day— not just what you usually book.” At Naturopathica, massage is viewed as a collaboration. “Pressure can shift, focus areas can change, and your feedback only enhances the experience.”
Do you need to reduce stress, ease muscle tension and tightness, or improve overall health and wellbeing? “Deep muscle knots call for deep tissue or remedial work, while lighter touch preferences align with Swedish or hot stone therapies,” says Nancy Falero, spa director at The Palms AVEDA Spa Miami Beach. “Those seeking energetic alignment may opt for Chakra Balancing sessions or Stress-Fix treatments.”
I was visiting Miami prior to spending time with my family on Florida’s West Coast, and I had a feeling the 80-minute Stress-Fix at The Palms Spa would be exactly what I needed to prepare for the hectic holiday season. The massage—which is clinically proven to reduce feelings of stress— combines Swedish and deep-tissue techniques, foot reflexology, and acupressure, along with specialized deep breathing techniques featuring the AVEDA Stress-Fix aroma of lavender, lavandin, and clary sage. I added a 20-minute Shirodhara Warm Oil Treatment (from Sanskrit “shiro” for head and “dhara” for flow), which soothes the nervous system and rebalances the body’s energies. As my therapist, Uly, poured warm oil over my forehead, I felt myself drifting into a deeper state of relaxation.
After you’ve identified the massage that fits your needs, how do you find the right therapist? “Consider whether you prefer a male or female therapist,” Falero says. “Be sure to share your preferences with the booking team so they can guide you toward the best match.” Before your session begins, Falero suggests discussing your objectives so the therapist can tailor the experience accordingly. During the massage, don’t be shy: “Clearly communicate if the pressure feels too light or too intense, and request adjustments as needed,” she says. “At The Palms Spa, pressure levels are defined in our menu to help guide your selection: relaxing pressure, light to medium; deep tissue, firm to strong; and stretching, targeted techniques to improve mobility and flexibility.”
Before leaving Miami, I booked an Ancient Balinese Massage at The Spa at The Setai Miami Beach, with light stretching and pressure point techniques designed to improve blood flow, ease stress, and calm the mind. My therapist, Yabdale, also recommended a hot stone enhancement to increase relaxation and improve circulation. When I asked about the most unique treatment on the menu, she recommended the Vibrational Sound Bowl Therapy with Massage, but we didn’t have time for that 90-minute treatment. Following Falero’s advice to request adjustments as needed, I asked if I could possibly experience a few minutes of the vibrational sound bowl therapy at the end of my hour-long massage, and she obliged. The Tibetan singing bowls coda struck just the right energetic balance.
Back at home, after receiving edits on my new novel, I needed to clear my head. I searched for a treatment that fit the bill. I can walk from my Manhattan apartment to The Spa at Hotel Chelsea, perched on the penthouse level of the legendary hotel that has hosted many famous personalities, from Mark Twain to Leonard Cohen to Madonna. After reopening in 2022 following extensive renovations, the spa is a light-filled sanctuary in the city. I was intrigued to experience the Medicinal Muse—“our cure for writer’s block”—an ode to the original artists who inhabited the rooftop lofts, blending Traditional Chinese Medicine and contemporary practices to offer clarity and access to artistic channels.
My therapist, Savina, explained that Medicinal Muse is a full-body treatment focusing on precise pressure points in the head, neck, and shoulders, designed to “release negative energy and things that no longer serve you.” After a warm foot bath, I laid down on the table face-up and a sound bowl was gently placed on my abdomen, which felt like a tuning fork reverberating through my body. Figaro Apothecary’s heavenly natural botanical body oil lulled me into a blissful state. On a call with my agent’s assistant later that afternoon, I felt relaxed and inspired—and ready to meet my muse.
