My path to bodywork has been full & winding. In my early twenties I earned a Master’s Degree in Sociology while teaching courses in Gender & Sexuality at Illinois State University. Wanting to engage more directly in social justice, I left higher education to support the human rights efforts of NISGUA in Guatemala. Here I accompanied survivors of genocide as they pursued restorative justice with the International Criminal Court. In my early thirties I returned to higher education, this time to pursue a PhD in English from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Upon graduation, I taught courses in philosophy & ethics at the New School in New York City. In 2015, I was hired by the University of Southern California (USC) & moved to Los Angeles. As an Associate Professor of Writing at USC, I taught classes in identity and diversity to many passionate and socially engaged students. But I longed for a practice that more tangibly supported one’s physical, emotional, & spiritual well-being. Having practiced yoga & qigong, I knew the healing value of movement & meditation. After the pandemic changed everything, I also wanted to be closer to my family. In 2022 I moved to Maine & enrolled at the Downeast School of Massage (DSM) where I earned my LMT in 2023. Since graduating, I’ve completed additional training in Acupressure, Cranio-Sacral Therapy & Thai Yoga Massage to better assist the integrated mind-body-spirit. I am passionate about continuing education and will bring the best tools from my rich cross-disciplinary kit to facilitate your whole-body healing.

My specialities are: Therapeutic Massage, Acupressure for Trauma Integration, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, & Thai Yoga Massage. I also offer Fire Cupping & Gua Sha. Distance energy healing sessions are available via zoom.

I can be reached at 309-212-6503.

With gratitude, -Meridith

Education

MA Sociology, ISU, ‘00

PhD English, UW-Milwaukee ‘12

LMT, Downeast School of Massage ‘23

Continuing Education

UHT, Qigong Instructor, ‘23

Yoga Instructor, 200-RYT ‘23

Deep Massage I, David Lauterstein ‘23

Cranio-Sacral 1, Upledger Institute ‘24

Cranio-Sacral 2, Upledger Institute, ‘24

Acupressure 120 Hrs with Ching Liu '24

Thai Yoga Massage Cert, Lotus Palm, ‘24

Alchemical Acupuncture IHC,Dechar‘24

Shoulder Pain Techniques, Mally’24

Nerve Glide Techniques, Mally ‘24

UMAC 1, Upledger Institute, ‘25

Professional Organizations

AMTA ‘25