Samantha Goldberg Blackthorn
Samantha is a musician, massage therapist, Iyengar yoga teacher, anatomy teacher, tarotlogist, mystic and herbalist. She founded Ace of Cups as a dream to build a center to serve her east Austin community which she moved in 2001 to raise her two daughters. She has a degree from CSU in biological science with an emphasis on anatomy and physiology as well as extensive studies in botanical sciences.
She has been in practice as a massage therapist since 2003 with over 2000 hours of training and a focus on pain management, myofascial trigger point release, structural integration, profession specific and sports massage. Samantha has extensive experience working with acute injury and chronic pain. She works in clinics, massage schools, wellness center and onsite in high intensity locations such as large art installations and on job sites. She teaches anatomy, kinesiology, and massage technique at massage schools and clinics in the states and abroad.
Samantha studied botany and edible, medicinal and psychedelic plant science from Dr. William A Weber in her undergranduate studies. She moved to New Mexico and studied with Dr. Tieronna Lowdog and worked making herbal formulas with Bert Norgorden. She also provides private Iyengar yoga sessions, herbal consultations, tarot card readings, classes in mystic arts, meditation, herbal and mystic classes.
Katie R.
Katie comes to us from the world of sports and kinesiology. Her passion is all things to do with the optimal performance of the body. She completed her bachelors in kinesiology at Cal State Northridge while playing soccer on the universities team. She attended massage school at National Holistic Institute where she learned advanced modalities. She started her career working as the massage therapist for UCLA football team, a very reputable chiropractor, as well as at a holistic physical therapy clinic, and has gained knowledge in those settings for therapeutic massage. Deep tissue, sports massage, pain management, myofascial release, clinical and structural/postural correction are some of her specialties that can aid in performance and everyday life! Katie has a detailed approach and is able to apply advanced techniques and create the perfect session for your individual needs. Katie is also available for personal training and stretching sessions.
Kirsche D.
Kirsche has been in practice as a massage therapist in Austin since 2009. Kirsche first encountered bodywork as a form of somatic healing and a potent consciousness raising practice in the late '90’s in the context of dance studies. She is an intuitive and experienced therapist who brings extensive knowledge of the anatomy of body and movement to each of her sessions. She is a graduate of Body Intelligence program in Biodynamic Cranialsacral Therapy and received her Ashiatsu and Fasci Ashi training from Jeni Spring in San Antonio, TX. She is currently a trainee in the Feldenkrais Method. Kirsche is the creator and director of Waterloo Juju, a social entertainment company that helps clients research, design and embody intentional, interactive movement scores for every and any social occasion. She holds a PhD in Dance History and Theory from the University of California, Riverside.
Sovereignty Natasha Hornedo
Sovereignty Natasha Hornedo is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Mystic, Womb Priestess, Tantrika, Educator, Psychic-Somatic Healer, Coach and embodiment guide based in Austin, TX. Her passion is supporting others in connecting, actualizing and embodying their Highest Self Potential. She is especially passionate in supporting those who identify as highly sensitive, or Neurodivergent womxn in reconnecting to their source of power. Natasha has been a devoted and dedicated student of all things mystical, shamanic and tantric since 2011 when she received her first certification of 200 hour Yoga Training in New York. She has since continued her professional studies through the physiological lens as an licensed massage therapist with over 2000 hours of educational courses and advanced training. Natasha's massage work is geared toward deep trauma release and integration and has a highly somatic breathwork and energetic focus mixed with advanced structural deep tissue. She supports her clients in balancing the energetic and physiological systems of the body and teaches them how to activate their own healing capabilities.
Tooki Pradidpoka
Tooki comes from Thailand. As a child in Thailand she learned traditional Thai Massage. She enjoyed helping her family members feel better by providing Thai massage on a daily basis to relieve fatigue and pain. Thai massage or Thai yoga massage is a traditional therapy combining acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and assisted yoga postures. She offers it at Ace of cups on the mat and the table. Eventually she decided to move to the United States where she studied formal table massage training at Lauderstein Conway to be able to practice in this country. Tooki is passionate about helping clients to achieve their wellness goals. She provides the best-in-class client experience, with treatment that cares for body, mind and and spirit. Tooki believes that good massage therapist must have a love of service and and devotion to reaching their clients needs and she excels in this area. Tooki is great with deep tissue, traditional Thai massage, table Thai, and can also provide an incredibly relaxing session when the client prefers that.
Tooki looks forward to helping you achieve a better state of wellness!
Michelle G.
Michelle took up the healing art of massage out of a passion to help people feel better. She graduated from Lauterstein Conway school of massage. Immediately after she took advanced training in cupping therapy. Michelle bases her sessions on the specific needs of the clients using a rhythmic flow to help relax the client and muscles. Michelle excels in intuitively listening,and coming up with a treatment plan to accomplish the best massage for the individual. Michelle uses many modalities. Cups to relieve tension and to promote blood flow, deep tissue/Ashiatsu to push metabolic waste out of inflamed areas, Swedish to promote blood flow and relaxation, and she designs the session for your optimal well-being. MIchelle is a compassionate therapist that is not afraid to get deep into your tensions, find the spots and release them. Michelle's biggest passion is Ashiatsu, barefoot massage. She has advanced training in this modality and excels in this technique. Michelle believes that with Ashiastsu she can get deeper and help the client experience an even deeper relief. She believes the results are longer lasting and a profound effect on any size client.
Kira S.
Since natural healing has been my lifelong passion, I decided to become a massage therapist. I attended Body Mechanics School of Myotherapy and Massage to learn techniques designed for healing injuries. I specialize in injury treatment and sports massage. I am certified in deep tissue, myofascial release, prenatal, lymph drainage, lomi lomi, Swedish, trigger point and more. In my personal experience as a massage therapist, I practice listening and focusing on my clients’ needs in order to really resolve what the client is struggling with and restore balance.
Drea
Austin native Drea Marz has been working in the healing arts since 2009. She graduated from San Francisco’s National Holistic Institute, where she studied Swedish, deep tissue, sports, shiatsu, Thai, polarity therapy, myofascial and trigger-point release techniques. She received her yoga certification from Austin’s Dharma Yoga and continued to do their advanced training the following year. Drea spent 3 years at the Austin State Hospital giving “peer support” to those navigating the mental health system. During her time there, she implemented and held weekly meditation groups on each of the service areas and she facilitated other embodiment-focused groups. Drea has held weekly contact improvisation jams and taught classes and workshops in and around Austin.
In 2017, she graduated from The Body Intelligence bio dynamic craniosacral program. Since then, she has been making regular pilgrimages to Peru to practice bodywork and to be inspired by the natural medicines and ancient healing art forms of the Amazonian and Andean cultures. She is recently back from Urubamba, Peru, where she learned “Dynamic Dancing Thai Massage” with Pablo Guerrero. Drea truly believes in the body’s wisdom and its innate ability to heal itself. In her sessions, she deeply listens for where the client is at, meeting the body with steady nurturing attention and touch that supports the system in releasing tension, restoring vitality and promoting relaxation.
Jennifer S.
Jennifer is an intuitive therapist who draws from both eastern and western modalities, customizing your session to release stress and guide the body, mind, and heart towards peace and well-being. Jennifer employs Poly-vagal informed manual therapy techniques to encourage the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to relax into a state of social engagement and release stuck patterns of fight/flight/freeze. She specializes in shiatsu, deep tissue, pain management, prenatal, and relaxation therapies with the intent of optimizing physical and emotional health by balancing and unblocking energy flow.
Jennifer attended massage school at The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School and Clinic, and continues to study Thai/Zen Shiatsu, acupressure, anatomy, breath-work, and the mind-body connection. In her free time, Jennifer can be found riding her bike, doing yoga, gardening, beekeeping, and working with healing plants.
Aimee C.
Aimee has had a 20 year career as a massage therapist starting in 2000 in Dallas, TX. She graduated from Texas Massage Institute. She has worked in all varieties of massage establishments from high end spas to chiropractic clinics, with a focus on helping people free themselves from chronic pain. Years of experience working on every body type has honed her touch and healing intuition. She has training in Myofascial Release from John Barnes. She also incorporates Neuromuscular therapy, trigger point, Myoflexxion stretching, and acupressure techniques synergistically to release chronic pain patterns.
In addition to her many massage certifications, she also completed the 3 month ”Work as Meditation” program at the Osho center in Pune, India. There she learned to focus all of her attention on you in the present moment to help you relax and heal.
Amber V.
Amber is a Licensed Massage and Certified Vibrational Sound Therapist with her top goal in helping her clients feel better in their journey with self care.
From her musician heart’s perspective, the Vibrational Sound Therapy can broaden the benefiting effects of the session, where she plays a series of bronze bowls on body with deeply relaxing tones.
Her fascination of the human body helps to build individualized sessions for her clients.
She has experience with different modalities ranging from Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal and postnatal massage, and has interest in energetic and botanical remedies.
With guided intention on breath, she hopes to nurture the ability to unravel and smooth ourselves from the kinks that life can bring. Taking care with each client to offer a unique and relaxing experience
Chalcicoatl
Chalchicoatl has been a massage therapist for 10 years. She walks the path of an Indigenous Medicine Worker and Moon Priestess using the energies of her people and native lands to illuminates the deeper energies. She grew up around indigenous ceremonies which informers her style. Her touch is intuitive and effective. One of her many gifts is helping others become aware of and release underlying emotional buildup, and bring attention to the whole body to inspire healing. She empowers and supports clients to be a part of their own healing path. Chachicoatl is trained in traditional western massage, Reflexology, Prenatal, Connective Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular therapy, Reiki energy work, Polarity therapy, Ancestral healing, and Hydrotherapy During her sessions she weaves these together in a nurturing, safe, relaxed way. She has warm mothering energy and truly holds space in a transformational way.
Annamarie Liberati
Annemarie Liberati is an amazing massage therapist trained in many advanced modalities. She was first introduced to the world of massage while taking classes on a trip to India. Upon her return, she immediately enrolled in the Lauterstein-Conway massage school here in Austin and graduated in 2012. She has since expanded her knowledge of the healing world to include craniosacral, cupping and reiki. Annamarie is also a metalsmith and jewelry designer and can be found at pop up markets around town selling her wares. Having a natural love and affinity to service, she excels at creating the perfect session just for you.
Ayjshane
(Asia-Nay) received her massage license from the Academy of Massage Therapy Training in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. After graduating in 2016 she made her home in the colorful and magical city of New Orleans, Louisiana. In New Orleans she studied and practiced tarot, divination, and energy work. In 2019 she relocated to Austin Texas to study Ashiatsu, taking multiple intensive training sessions for the modality. Ayjshane is very dexterous in her feet and believes that Ashiatsu can provide a wildly satisfying and relaxing massage. She believes in taking time before every session to deeply discuss client needs to ensure a therapeutic and alleviating massage. Ayjshane is a lover of poetry, nature, tea, dance, and warm inviting spaces. She is a poet, author, and curator of healing creative spaces around Austin, Texas
Corbin
Corbin is a practitioner hailing from Houston, TX and has been serving the public as an LMT for 3 years. He has a knack for kneading your knots in a way that will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed and ready to face the day! He specializes in Relaxation, Swedish, and deep tissue techniques. Corbin has advanced training in cupping therapy, manual lymphatic drainage massage and Reiki. He is excited and grateful to share his gifts and abilities with his fellow humans in the Austin area. On his free time you can find him at the gym or at home making art.
Justin
After working in the corporate world and using massage to relieve stress, Justin was moved to change paths. After a profound craniosacral appointment Justin gained an awareness for how powerful massage and craniosacral can truly be and decided to become a massage therapist. Justin studied massage at A New Beginning Massage School. After graduating he completed over 500 hours of training in Upledger and biodynamic craniosacral that included TMJ work. Justin is a certified Yoga Teacher which complements his massage practice. Though new to massage Justin has a deep understanding of the body. What Justin wants you to know? "I am a friend first and an expert second. You will feel at ease and genuinely cared for through an intentional quality of touch that allows your body to relax.
Gord
Gord has been accumulating the skills necessary to be an effective body worker for much of their life. With over a decade of experience in mindfulness practice, grounding, and compassionate presence, Gord offers a heart-centered approach to lasting health and healing. He strongly believes in order to effectively heal, one must feel safe and supported. To accomplish this end, Gordon emphasizes a pacing and quality of touch that brings clients into the comfort and resilience of their own body. Employing techniques inspired by Thai massage, Reiki, cupping, deep tissue massage, and other energy work, gord will invite you in your entirety to connect to the innate harmony and healing potential within. Gord is amazing at full body massage, energy work and floor/mat work.
Alicia
Alicia loves helping others and believes it is her true calling and passion. She thinks that massage should be accessible to everyone and that each person can benefit from bodywok. She is our DEEP tissue specialist with advanced training in myofascial release therapy and deep tissue techniques and she LOVES to share her skill. Alicia has been working to perfect her technique and currently uses it to help others heal, reduce stress and pain, and help clients to improve performance and range of motion.
Alicia loves being a mother to her teenaged son and 3 year old daughter.
