There’s nothing fancy about my story — I’m a mom who got tired of working long factory hours, missing my kids, and wearing down my body. I was miserable & wanted a change. I still wanted to stay connected to healthcare and help people, but I also wanted the freedom to actually be present with my children. Making a little more money doesn't hurt, too.

A few late-night Google searches later, I found myself enrolling in a community college massage therapy program at age 32 — and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Now I get to do work that feels meaningful, healing, and aligned with the life I’m building for myself and my three kids. I literally get to learn something new each week, whether it's from my clients or about massage therapy.

Seeing clients walk out feeling lighter and more relaxed, or even just in less pain -- that's where the reward is at for me. That’s when I feel like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, doing exactly what I’m meant to do.

My goals for 2026 are to deepen my training in deep tissue work, become certified in TMJ therapy, and expand into facial stretch therapy. If I had to describe what side of massage therapy I lean into, it would definitely be the less "spa" side and more of the "clinical" "treatment" side.

Rita's Massage & Bodywork, LLC.

Swedish