Marya (pronounced like Mariah) is a certified massage therapist through the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards and a Birth Doula. 

 

Marya’s interest in massage therapy began when she received her first massage in high school.  As an active teenager involved in several sports teams, she was no stranger to injury and muscle fatigue but was amazed at how much better she felt after just one hour of massage.  In college, a stressed-out Marya took a study break to receive another massage from a fellow student and again was pleasantly surprised at the difference an hour could make in both her physical and mental wellness.  These two massages planted the seed for a potential path in massage therapy.

 

After graduating college, Marya was given the opportunity to train as a birth doula with DONA International through a local YWCA and work with teen mothers.  This was a phenomenal experience and opened her eyes to a very different process of labor and delivery.  While continuing doula-care and trying to understand how labor and delivery could be so different for so many women, life happened (!) and Marya had to put doula-care on hold.  Since then Marya relocated to Northern Virginia, studied to become a Certified Massage Therapist and graduated from the Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage in Falls Church, VA.

 

Marya now teaches other massage therapists and specializes in therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy, Reiki, Integrative Reflexology, Lymphatic Drainage, Fertility Massage, Prenatal Massage, Postpartum massage and infant massage instruction.  She is also a birth doula which includes a training workshop, lactation education, independent study in birth and lactation, and attendance at a birthing class.

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Looking for Vital? You can reach him directly at vital.akimana@yahoo.com