Theta Wellness
e. thetawellnessrva@gmail.com
p. 804.397.9075
Theta Wellness
e. thetawellnessrva@gmail.com
p. 804.397.9075
Specializes in Therapeutic, Deep Tissue and Sports Massage. Comfortable communicating in Spanish.
Troy has been practicing massage therapy since 2017 after graduating from the Lotus Professional College here in Richmond. His focus is sports and therapeutic massage, which is a combination of Neuromuscular Therapy, trigger point therapy, PNF techniques, positional release and deep tissue work. He has worked extensively with marathon runners, cyclists, CrossFit athletes, yogis, elite professional athletes and clients dealing with chronic pain and recovery from injury.
He is fortunate to have studied with very talented therapists in the Richmond community and continues to study anatomy and soft tissue mobilization techniques. He also loves working with prenatal clients, and folks looking to relax and alleviate stress.
Troy began his wellness journey in 2015 after discovering Ashtanga Yoga. A childhood gymnast, he immediately resonated with the practice of linking dynamic movement with breath. He went on to practice Ashtanga daily for over half a decade, learning half of the Advanced A series.
He still practices yoga daily, and in the last several years has become an avid rock climber. He is passionate about helping clients achieve their wellness goals and loves creating lasting connections.
Specializes in Deep Tissue and Orthopedic Cupping. Comfortable communicating in Spanish.
Megan Baker is a graduate of the Potomac Massage Training Institute, and has been in practice since 2013. She also holds a B.A. in Dance from Radford University, and taught ballet and modern techniques for 15 years. Her practice aims to bridge the arts of dance and bodywork through using her experience with dynamic movement and teaching to practically address functional issues in the body.
By combining Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage techniques with kinesiology and functional assessment, Megan offers a client-centered experience that provides the individual with heightened body awareness, improved flexibility, greater range of motion, and mind-body balance. Integrating elements of cupping, stretching, reflexology and myofascial release provides the client a well-rounded bodywork experience. Megan is also certified in Prenatal Massage. She is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is a member of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals.
Specializes in Myofascial Release, Acupressure, and Prenatal Massage.
“I believe that body and energy work can help guide us all through a journey of self-discovery to better health.”
Katie’s work is multifaceted, as she addresses pain with deep Myofascial Release techniques and works closely with subtle energies via Acupressure. As a trained prenatal therapist and new mother, she has a special place in her heart for mothers-to-be. Her practice is well rounded and accommodating to meet most people’s diverse needs. “Every client I work with is unique, each session is tailored to meet your mind and body where they are in the moment.”
With 10 years of experience and over 1000 hours of training, Katie is a deep well of information about bodies! She graduated from The Sarasota School of Massage Therapy in 2015 with 750 hours of training, studied 100 hours of Meridian Therapy with Science of Self, completed a 50-hour Myofascial training at Northern Virginia School of Massage Therapy, and many other hands on trainings throughout the years including fire cupping, Thai on the Table, and luxury body treatments.
Katie’s massage therapy is also heavily influenced by her yoga practice. The awareness cultivated by this ancient practice allows her to tap into the aches and pains of being human, and what we can do to support healthy habits for a better life. You can catch her teaching several times a week next door at The Yoga Dojo.
Specializes in Swedish and Shiatsu with light to medium pressure, perfect for relaxation and energetic healing.
Lili is a Certified Shiatsu Therapist and teacher, as well as a Healing Tao Instructor in Tai Chi, Qigong and Meditation. With Over 30 years of experience, she is also a faculty instructor at the Center for Shiatsu in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1979, she was introduced to Shiatsu and Tai Chi on her travels to Southeast Asia. She started to study both when she returned to Denmark, and had the privilege to study Shiatsu with Shizuko Yamamoto, Rex Lasalle, and Masahiro Oki, and studied Tai Chi with Bill Dockens and Troels Dahlgård.
The study of Shiatsu brought her to the USA in 1985, and to the The International School of Shiatsu with Saul Goodman. She has also studied with Waturo Ohashi and Luigi Gargioli. In 1987, she was introduced to Taoist Master Mantac Chia with whom she studied with for many years and became a Healing Tao Instructor, teaching within his system in Tai Chi, Qigong and Meditation.
She and her husband lived on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, where they were adopted into a Lakota family. Participating in Lakota traditional ceremonies profoundly shaped her relationship with the land, influencing her healing work to this day. She has been practicing for over 30 years, specializing in Shiatsu and Chi Nei Tsang (abdominal organ massage). She also offers Swedish and Hot Stone Massage combined with the energy of touch.
Lili’s philosophy is that the body is a gateway to awareness and higher consciousness. Since our body is our teacher and guide in life, awakening to your inner body guidance is the major focus of her work. Listening to and paying attention to the information your body transfers to the mind will help you experience greater awareness in all areas of your life. There is no disconnection between your body and your mind. It is all one, and it is in the integration and awareness of the two that brings healing and experiencing wholeness. Touch with awareness brings body and mind together, connected for health and vitality.
Specializes in deep tissue work, therapeutic and movement-integrated techniques, and prenatal massage.
After moving to Virginia in 2009, Erica completed her B.S. in Family and Child Development, with Minors in Psychology and Sociology. Seasons of healing and growth aligned as Erica furthered her passions and pursuits.
In 2017, Erica completed her education for Massage Therapy at Miller-Motte Technical College in Lynchburg, VA. At the beginning of 2018, she received her state license and became an insurance covered member of the American Massage Therapy Association.
Erica’s philosophy about health recognizes the important connections between the body, the mind, and movement. Our human history of movement collects patterns, skills and injuries. We develop and evolve physically under circumstances which shape and influence both our bodies and our minds. Addressing pain in the present can draw out weaknesses from the past - this can look like muscle adhesions or “knots”, limited range of motion, scar tissue, joint stiffness, inflammation, numbness or tingling, teeth grinding, headaches and migraines, and sleep difficulties.
Erica’s own health journey has been deeply impacted in a healing capacity because of bodywork, yoga, and overall holistic attention. She believes that anyone can have a future that looks and feels differently as a result of their improved vitality. It is her honor to provide others with positive, lasting and healing benefits. Her intentions as an LMT are dedicated to helping others to improve their quality of life.
Specializes in cupping, facial + deep tissue massage, and waxing.
Corey is an award winning massage therapist and esthetician from Blacksburg, VA. He has been practicing massage since 2016, with a focus on techniques such as cupping therapy, facial massage, and deep tissue therapy, among others. In early 2024, he earned his Esthetics certification from Lotus Professional College, and has since been serving as a full-time dual-licensed therapist in the Richmond community. Corey adopts an intuitive approach to therapy, carefully listening to his clients’ bodies to customize treatments according to their individual needs.
Specializes in barefoot massage, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release.
Emily Vaughan Brown utilizes deep and intuitive pressure to return a joyful openness to the body. Born in Washington, DC in 1990, Emily is a lifelong artist who discovered a passion for Massage Therapy in 2022. After a life altering decision caused her to begin again, in a sense, she followed a strong impulse and enrolled at Lotus Professional College. She utilizes a broad range of modalities to address pain, including but not limited to: postural assessment, trigger point therapy, assisted stretching, joint mobilization, myofascial release, dynamic cupping, and an overall deep pressure touch. Emily is thrilled to offer traditional table as well as barefoot massage at Theta.
Utilizing pressure that is both firm and fluid, Emily works in pace with each client’s breath to all at once shed sensory or emotional pain and to celebrate the experience of a unique life on earth. Through massage, Emily leads her clients to release discomfort, and attune to resiliency, tranquility, wisdom and joy.
Specializes in structural myofascial bodywork, Intraoral massage, neuromuscular therapy, and polyvagal manual therapy.
Syd’s targeted and intuitive work, combined with an educational approach, makes her a welcome fit for clients who are in need of a little extra care while also seeking a reset for their bodies. With techniques to address pain points body wide,
Syd specializes in releasing complicated tension in the neck, scalp, and shoulders. She’s the go-to therapist for TMJ discomfort, headaches, and restricting shoulder patterns. Clients with Scoliosis and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome have also found great relief from working with Syd on a regular basis.
To enhance the holistic experience she may integrate Polyvagal Manual Therapy, a gentle modality that centers the nervous system and prepares the body for deeper bodywork.
In addition to the specialties listed, Syd’s work extends to Pre-Natal services, Intraoral manual therapy, and Sports Massage for mobility and recovery.
Specializes in facial massage, gua sha, cupping, and Dermaplaning.
Chelsea graduated from Lotus Professional College with a degree in Master Esthetics, and has been practicing for several years. Her treatments are tailored to each client’s varying individual needs, helping them feel truly luminous after their service as they head out into the world. She also enjoys helping her clients develop effective at-home skincare routines.
Outside of the esthetics world, she enjoys reading, watching movies, exploring the outdoors, tending to her plants, practicing yoga, and indoor rock climbing.
Specializes in Acupuncture, Gua Sha, Cupping, and Tui Na (Chinese Medicine Massage)
Elizabeth earned her Masters of Oriental Medicine degree at the International Institute for Chinese Medicine in Santa Fe, NM in 2002 and further studied at Chengdu University Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Chengdu, China, from where many of her teachers came. She is a practitioner of TCM, which includes diagnosing according to Taoist principles. She incorporates a variety of modalities in her work with patients depending on their needs and tolerances. Acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, tui na (TCM massage), and ear seeds are used regularly in her practice. She strongly believes that the treatment is a partnership between she and her patient.
One of Elizabeth’s favorite things about being an acupuncturist is helping people help themselves. In addition to assisting people with many types of pain, stress, and internal imbalances, she loves to educate her patients about how they can better take care of themselves. This can mean teaching them simple breathing and/or movement exercises, or giving advice about diet and lifestyle adjustments.
Since she began her journey as a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) in 2003, Elizabeth has worked in private practice as well as at Jencare Senior Medical Centers, where she worked alongside primary care physicians to assist seniors with their health and well-being. She is passionate about serving her community and is thrilled to expand her clientele to include the community at Theta Wellness and The Yoga Dojo.
She has been practicing tai chi, qi gong and Vipassana meditation since beginning her TCM training in 1998. Before that, she was practicing Iyengar yoga and learning medicinal herbs.
Specializes in Thai Yoga Bodywork.
J Miles is a yoga teacher and healer who has been dancing to the rhythm of life since childhood. He has been learning and studying martial arts, yoga, and other healing modalities for over two decades. He is a reiki level two practitioner, and has been practicing Thai bodywork since 2008. His style has been crafted over the years by real life experience, practicing different modalities of healing touch, and learning from many teachers on the path. Clients are given space to breathe as a guide and remember that they are the Healer. His sessions aim to create for each person a fluid, sustainable and enjoyable healing experience that proves to be beneficial over a lifetime.
J is a long time yoga teacher with over 20 years of experience. He is the founder of Project Yoga Richmond (PYR), and the creator of the Maha Vira Yoga Mindfulness and Leadership training. Healing sessions available on Wednesdays.
Sarah Coghlan is a Classical Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine practitioner. She holds a Doctorate from Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts and a Master’s degree from the Pacific College of Health and Sciences in New York.
She trained in classical acupuncture, herbal medicine, and classical pulse taking in the lineage of 88th Generation Daoist master Jeffrey Yuen and her teacher, Ann Cecil-Sterman. Sarah is most passionate about supporting those with chronic and complex conditions, psycho-emotional-spiritual concerns, and those moving through periods of transition and rebirth.
After a decade working in International Development, she also has a deep interest in the intersection of conflict-related trauma and peacebuilding; and the potential for acupuncture as a tool for resistance and resilience.
Sarah is excited to be back home in Virginia and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Richmond community. In her free time, you can find her traveling, thrifting, swimming in the river, or lost in a good book.
You can book a treatment with Sarah during our Community Acupuncture events.
Lauren first experienced the benefits of a wellness practice in her teen years. With a background in many forms of movement as a dancer, skier and snowboarder, she often found her youthful body more tired and achy than it should have been. She experienced the transformative and healing effects of both massage and acupuncture from a young age, and has always implemented into her life, both as a form of recovery for her body, and also to alleviate anxiety, depression, and stress.
Lauren and her partner, Adrian, opened The Yoga Dojo in Scott’s Addition in 2015. As the community continued to grow, they both pondered on what would be the next steps for the Dojo. In 2021, they began to transform the current space that now is the home to The Yoga Dojo and Theta Wellness, bringing a new destination for healing and self-exploration to the Near West End of Richmond.
She has completed the Meridian Yoga Technique Levels 1 + 2 certifications under the guidance of Rose Erin Vaughan, Melissa Soong, and the Science of Self team. Lauren is also a certified National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Acu-Detox specialist. She feels a strong calling to serve the community, offering these incredibly healing modalities to the Dojo community and beyond.
Lauren also holds a BS in Fashion Merchandising from Virginia Commonwealth University, which comes in handy while running the studio’s day-to-day operations. Away from the studio, Lauren enjoys traveling and exploring with her husband, Ryan - always seeking out and learning from the best holistic wellness centers and spas around the world on their adventures. When home, she enjoys spending time reading, and hanging with their rescue pups, Howdy and Frankie.
Adrian got into the wellness world after needing a real life change. He decided to take a chance on a yoga class after hearing about its positive effects on the mind and body. He has a strong background in rock climbing, so he took to the strength and balance aspects of yoga quickly. Finding a real love and challenge in what he likes to call the architecture of movement, as it primes and conditions us for all other types of movement, he knew instantly that this was going to be something life changing.
After benefiting so much from yoga in mind and body, and feeling first hand the transformational effects on his entire outlook and perspective on life, he felt very called to teach. Adrian received his 200 hour Ashtanga training along with his Rocket teacher certification from Asta Yoga in San Francisco, CA. He completed his 300 hour certification under the guidance of Marie Belle and Roots Love Yoga. With the benefit of retrospect, he feels that what we are all searching for is in fact searching for us too.
Corey Lorenz, or as many call her, Coco, has been living in Richmond since 2013. The practice of yoga found her a few years later in 2017 when she entered a path of recovery from addiction. In 2020, the stars aligned and she found The Yoga Dojo, which she now considers her second home. She completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher training with Lauren and Adrian, and is currently enrolled in our 300 hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training, and has over 1000 hrs of training that inform her teaching. Coco’s other specialized trainings include: Y12SR Peer Recovery Specialist Certification, Trauma Informed Yoga Certification, Meridian Yoga Level 1 + NADA Ear Seed Specialist, and is a certified Prenatal Yoga Teacher and Birth Doula.
When Corey isn’t on her mat or continuing her education, she can be found most days at the front desk of Theta Wellness. As manager of both the studio and spa, Corey is here to help you navigate whatever your wellness goals may be. Having received the benefits of a consistent movement practice and regular bodywork, she knows how transformative and nourishing these forms of self care are. Corey looks forward to matching you with the right yoga class or massage therapist for your specific needs. If you see her around, know she is more than happy to chat and answer any questions you may have.
Elizabeth found wellness at a time in her life when she was needing a reset. She found that investing time into herself and her wellness was the best investment she could make.
Elizabeth’s background in hospitality and service reflects during her day-to-day at the spa. She enjoys making people smile and feel good, which drew her into The Yoga Dojo’s 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training.
She believes that through a positive mindset anything is achievable. Elizabeth is focused on putting energy into others’ wellness journeys, and helping people feel the absolute best they can. She looks forward to greeting you at the Theta desk to help facilitate your own holistic journey.
Rebekah was first introduced to yoga at the age of 7 and immediately fell in love with the practice of intentionally twisting her body into shapes. In 2019, her love of the practice led her to complete her 200-hour teacher training through Maha Vira Yoga and she continued on to complete her 300-hour training in 2020.
Rebekah has a passion for holistic wellness and sees the physical yoga practice as one small, yet oh-so-important piece of the puzzle. These days, her personal practice is more about stillness and UNtwisting into presence. Her teaching style is methodical with an ever present focus on pairing movement with breath in order to get us out of our heads and into our bodies. She believes that by practicing presence on our mats, we increase our ability to be present throughout our daily lives which allows us the ability to experience true wellness.
Outside of teaching, Rebekah is also an interior designer and professional organizer. She loves creating spaces that encourage ease at home so that we can show up as our full selves.
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Michael, who left this realm on January 28, 2025. Thanks to all that came to his Celebration of Life at the studio. His service will be held at a later date, which we will announce here once there are more details. For those that have asked about contributing to assist his family with final expenses, the GoFundMe link is HERE.
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Michael has been developing his bodywork skills since 2012. This is when he began his journey out of chronic pain and into a work environment that afforded him the opportunity to be of service through his gifts. Michael is a trained chemist with a Masters Degree in Polymer Science. He worked in the industry for five years before graduating from massage school and shifting his career. He has grown his skillset by training in craniosacral therapy, receiving the generous mentorship of an advanced Rolfer, and meticulously studying human movement and development. His love lies in teaching and giving his clients knowledge to better understand their bodies so that they can work together to bring relief and ease into their experience.
Michael's philosophy is that the body heals when it feels safe and the body feels safe when it has time to decide how it can best organize and balance itself. Michael promotes change by employing patient steady pressure throughout the session in order to give the body the time it needs to self correct. Michael works with all structures in the body through the interconnectedness of the fascia. Every body is wrapped in and supported by a system of tissue known as fascia. Fascia is the living expression of organization and disorganization within a physical body. By interacting with and listening to the fascial system, Michael is able to use leverage and pressure to create space and bring relief to these systems that move us in Life. Michael is passionate and shares this gift in his work. He loves working with the cranium.
A session with Michael begins with an assessment of your current movement capacity including injury, pain, imbalance, tension etc. This will involve a history of your body. You remain clothed during a session. You will be treated with slow steady pressure and asked several times throughout the session to stand up and move in order to assess change within your system. Michael aims to educate you on the function and form of your body and how to better your physical experience.
Testimonials
Testimonials