Meet Marissa

Hi, thanks for stopping by!

I’ve always wanted to make the world a better place, and I’ve worked towards that in lots of ways over the years.

As a teenager, hanging out regularly at the YMCA in Honolulu, I dove deep into volunteer service. I found that picking up trash on beaches and cheering for Tinman Triathletes as they finished their grueling swim was fun to me. I learned that I loved helping people.

I also got a taste for politics through high school, through the Y’s annual Youth Legislature program. That experience gave me life lessons in speaking up for what I believed in, having empathy for people I disagreed with, and a power each of us has to make a difference in our world.

After college, I dedicated myself to non-profit work. I found joy in the meaningful work, and I loved the belonging I found in a community built around caring and having a positive impact.

I realized I wanted my work to be more hands-on, and I enrolled in massage school. As a pregnant massage student, I quickly learned most of my peers were afraid to touch my pregnant body for fear of doing something wrong. That planted a seed in my head that there’s a need for more common knowledge about pregnancy in massage.

Receiving prenatal massage was a critical piece of my wellness during my pregnancies. It helped me feel good when everything was uncomfortable. It helped me chill out when I was worried about all the unknowns ahead. Postpartum massage was just as powerful. I was shocked at how sore my neck, shoulders, and forearms could be from holding a baby, and the massages I received were vital.

Postpartum, I struggled with postpartum depression as the community I’d built seemed to fade away, and I was immersed in learning to care for baby. I forgot to care for myself, and it wore me down to utter depletion. I struggled for a long time before recognizing that something was really wrong, and that motherhood didn’t have to feel so overwhelming.

When I finally broke free from my baby haze, I emerged with two beautiful sons, a toolbox full of new strategies for caring for myself, a beloved therapist, vital mood stabilizing medication, and a mission to help other moms avoid the kind of postpartum overwhelm that had taken me down for so long.

I’m grateful for the community I found in parents who have also experienced PMADs (perinatal mood and anxiety disorders) is humble, resilient, values messy authenticity, and has a great sense of humor. I’m proud to hold membership in that community.

My volunteer work with Baby Blues Connection as well as launching my massage business, Mama Needs Massage, gave me the opportunity to develop a nuanced skill of deep listening that I’ve crafted over the years: listening as witness.

This skill of listening just to bear witness -- and not with the intent to fix a problem -- has found applications in every role I play. It’s proving especially helpful lately as a parent of teenagers.

As I built my small local massage practice, I leaned into building community around me, both with clients over the years and with other small business owners and service providers. That community-building process has been transformative for me and my business.

In 2024 I joined forces with Debbie DeNardo of Massage CE Solutions for an exciting and timely partnership. Through this collaboration, Debbie is able to retire from her 15-year career of teaching continuing education knowing that her long-beloved classes live on; and I am able to expand on my teaching journey with the tried and true curricula, mentorship, and support of a seasoned professional. I’m honored to take this on alongside my original classes and various events.

I’ve developed a business that’s founded on meaningful connections. And that has infused the journey with exciting collaborations, deep fulfillment, and fun. I look forward to welcoming you to this little community soon!