More Stories

Touchstone – What’s in a Name

I chose the name, Touchstone, for several reasons, the most obvious reason being that I combine the mediums of manual touch and warm stones into every massage session.  However, touchstone was a very intentional name for deeper reasons too, three in particular.  They would be my children: Jason, Laura and Travis.  For me, the role of being a touchstone for them, especially during their formative years, has been the most meaningful role I’ve had in my life, and the love of my family has been my life’s greatest gift.  I will always remember the day of my graduation from Virginia School of Massage and the over-the-top thunderous applause from my husband and three kids when my name was called to accept my diploma.  It profoundly touched me.

Story of the Stones

When I began using stones in massage, I wanted the stones that I used to have a history, one infused with good karma.  So when my husband took his mom on a road trip back to his childhood home in Massachusetts, I asked him if he could bring me back some rounded stones of a particular mineralogy, size and shape.  He graciously obliged, picking out many of the ones that I use to rest on the body.  I also picked up a couple on a hike that I took with my son to Blue Hole, here in Virginia, and then received a couple more from a client friend who had collected a few while in Alaska.  The smoothest stones that I use in my palms when I massage were sent to me as a gift from my son’s dear friend, Shawna, and are from a rocky beach in Maine.