Jonathan Groger, Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist

04/13/2026

“Massage reduces pain because the oxytocin system activates painkilling endorphins. Massage also improves sleep and reduces fatigue by increasing serotonin and dopamine and decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. So if you’re feeling out of sorts, get a massage. You’ll be actively triggering the neurotransmitter systems that work to make you happier.”

-Alex Korb, author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time

04/08/2026

Very excited to announce that I will be moving into an office space next month! It will be in the same general area (sw Durham), but with the added bonus of a more serene, clinical environment and more availability to see clients in the afternoon hours. 😌🎉

03/25/2026

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a70224575/kneeling-chair-review/

I read a scientific article a couple years ago that claimed back pain wasn’t from sitting, but instead from not engaging our back muscles when we sit. I especially have high praise for these ergonomic kneeing chairs that encourage core engagement and take pressure off the hip flexors, an area that tends to aggravated in prolonged seating.

And it lessens my chronic back pain.

03/20/2026

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Anne Lamott

03/14/2026

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/nov/13/massage-health-benefits

I took a thai bodywork class last fall and the woman who taught the class was from Thailand, where she said people used massage as preventative health care. Most people received bodywork on a weekly basis as a way to maintain the body, starting from a young age. And because of this cultural habit, the need for western medicine and doctors is much lower. Fascinating :)

While they can be seen as a luxury, massages are often part of healthcare – here’s how they affect physical and mental health

03/10/2026

“Just when you feel you have no time to relax, know that this is the moment you most need to make time to relax.” -Matt Haig

03/06/2026

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/06/nx-s1-5719268/sauna-heat-health-benefits-science

Science shows that saunas can support heart health, mental health, and reduce inflammation. Not quite the same as a massage, but worth adding to the self care rotation. :)

It's an age old practice that's having a moment right now. But is there anything to the health claims? Scientists say sauna is more than hot air.

03/03/2026

“If you don’t know, now you know” -Notorious B.I.G

02/25/2026

I am presently running a special from now until April. Anyone who leaves a review will receive a $10 discount off their next massage. Let’s call it the “non binary special” in honor of this fun comic. 😉

02/20/2026

“I lied and said I was busy.
I was busy;
but not in a way most people understand.

I was busy taking deeper breaths.
I was busy silencing irrational thoughts.
I was busy calming a racing heart.
I was busy telling myself I am okay.

Sometimes, this is my busy -
and I will not apologize for it.”

Brittin Oakman

I read an article recently about how rest is not doing nothing - it’s doing something that feels neutral or positive to the one doing it. I hope you all are finding your neutral or positive breaks from life’s chaos. 💜

02/02/2026

https://sandiegomagazine.com/features/i-tried-it-a-robot-massage/

Wow, robots giving massage. A friend asked me the other day if I was worried about losing work to ai, and I don’t think I am. No matter how precise and fine tuned a machine can get, it won’t replace human contact -being met with compassion, intuitive understanding, and the human to human exchange.

I hope you are all well and sane during this time of winter snow disruptions and a general world on fire. I have openings next week if you’d like to get on the schedule. Take care. 💜

08/19/2025

“Rest is revolutionary—it defies the pressure to always be ‘on’ and reminds us that we’re human, not machines.” -Ken Breniman