Beloved clients and friends,

As difficult as this is to say, beginning this fall, I will no longer be a permanent member of the staff at Freed Bodyworks. The District of Columbia and Freed Bodyworks will remain my home base for the next two years, but in that time, I will be traveling extensively. This isn’t a farewell, but it will be the first of many partings.

In my absence, I strongly suggest booking a session with one of my colleagues at Freed. For work most similar to mine, I recommend Sadiqua Iman, Emily Brown, and Rita Elsner. These fantastic people are incredibly capable, experienced massage therapists — each working in the field twice or three times as long as myself. I will add extra time to our next session to discuss which therapist would be the best match for you to ease this transition. Additionally, I’ll brief each therapist about the work we’ve been doing, such that they can pick up where we left off.

For the next two years, I plan to mature my skills as bodyworker and to expand the modalities that I can offer. I hope to also grow my “hands-off” skills in teaching, communication, and coaching. I will be traveling abroad — which I’ve never done as an adult — as well as spending quality time with my aging parents. While the original impetus for my travels is my partner’s resettling, I see this time as an opportunity for exploration and challenge. I’ll be spending the late fall on the west coast, the winter in southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia), and the summer in the pacific northwest, with regular visits to Ann Arbor, Michigan to see my partner. During my returns in the falls and springs, I will be offering sessions at Freed, and will be in contact with my availability.

I hope that in the months to come, we stay in touch. I’ll be posting about my travels here, sending letters, and putting sweet photos on my instagram (@keeparies).  Shoot me a note if you’d like email or postcards!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the incredible support you’ve given me, and the trust you’ve placed in me. My work at Freed has been the most meaningful work in my life, and it has been an honor to do that work with you.