welcome

Hello, I'm Emily.

I am a licensed massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, and owner and sole practitioner of E. Ruth Wellness Massage.

I am passionate about helping people feel better in their bodies. Our bodies have an amazing ability to recover from stress, physical and emotional. My goal is to support clients during this process. I utilize techniques to encourage the innate restorative capabilities of the body to heal and strengthen. I encourage clients to be involved in their therapy. My years in practice have taught me that an awareness of one's body is empowering. This awareness provides the tools to respond proactively to stress and allow for long-term change. 

As a therapist and owner, I am with my clients for all aspects of their massage therapy experience. I invite you to learn more about E. Ruth by continuing below or contacting me by phone or email.

movement & body awareness

The way we move and listen to our body affects how we feel. E. Ruth focuses on these principles. Before and during each session, I listen, observe and assess. I explore limitations and imbalances in soft tissues that may cause discomfort and restrict movement. I encourage muscle tissue to relax and lengthen and for fascial tissue to loosen and glide. As a result, the passageways for fluids, nutrients and cellular waste products are open; without blockages, the body's natural physiological processes are supported for optimal health and function. 

I also focus on strengthening awareness of one's body. This might involve asking clients to describe changes they notice, prompting clients to focus on their breath or guiding them through active movements. By staying engaged, physically and mentally, the brain to muscle connection is activated, extending the benefits of therapy beyond our sessions. Mindfulness of how one’s body moves, and can move, helps break habits that cause discomfort, build new muscle memory, and maintain long-term relief.

style & techniques

Therapy at E. Ruth is more than a routine massage. Discomfort often results from more than one cause: an injury, compensation patterns, chronic health conditions, work posture, surgery, daily physical activities, emotional stress, sleep quality and more. Because of this, and because I understand that these stresses are dynamic, I sit down with my clients before each session to discuss what they need. I balance the long-term and short-term goals of my clients to provide the best personalized holistic therapy. I also welcome feedback after each session to strengthen the therapeutic value of future sessions.

I believe understanding what and how client feels are the keys to my practice. My approach is to work with the body and not forcefully push through soft tissue (which may cause pain and tissue damage). Often my work varies from slow, gentle techniques to ones that engage deeper tissues or broader regions. I check in with my clients to make sure they are not in any discomfort and adjust pressure and therapeutic techniques as needed.

I am trained in various styles of massage and bodywork: myofascial massage, neuromuscular techniques, sports massage, craniosacral therapy, intraoral massage, Thai massage, breathwork, and yoga. I incorporate various techniques in each session, adapting to my client's goals, their body's response and their comfort. No two sessions are alike. 

Depending on therapy goals, and unlike typical massage therapy, much of my work allows for clients to stay fully clothed. With clients in exercise or yoga attire, I am able to move about the body efficiently and utilize techniques that affect multiple areas at a time. During therapy, clients may sit on a massage chair, rest on a traditional massage table and/or move through a few guided yoga poses on a floor mat.

background & experience

I became fascinated with massage after my first craniosacral massage session in 2010. I felt restored and at peace with my body. I discovered that healthcare is more than fixing a problem; it can acknowledge and promote with is right with the body. I became eager to share this awareness with others. Within months, I enrolled in the 1,000 Hour Extended Massage Therapy program at the Cortiva Institute, Seattle.

My training at Cortiva provided me with a solid foundation. I trained in assessing posture imbalances and soft tissue restrictions. I practiced extensively in Swedish massage, myofascial and neuromuscular techniques, orthopedic massage and structural bodywork. While at Cortiva, my curiosity about the therapeutic value of touch led me to conduct a case study on relaxation focused sessions for a client with diagnosed TMJ dysfunction. Relieving jaw and facial tightness continues to be a focus of my practice today.

After receiving my massage license, I opened up E. Ruth with the mission to bring comfort into people's everyday lives and to offer healthcare as a rewarding experience. After a fulfilling three years in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, I fell in love with scenic downtown Edmonds and relocated E. Ruth in early 2015. In 2020, I temporally, or so I thought, closed my doors in light of the pandemic. After much patience and reflection, I reopened early 2023 in the neighboring Mountlake Terrace town center. As a small business owner since 2012, I take pride in all aspects of my practice. 

I am committed to developing expertise in by field. My continuing education includes license endorsement in intraoral massage, training in Thai and shiatsu massage, craniosacral study through Bastyr University and yoga teacher training through Twist Yoga Edmonds. I have also volunteered at community fairs and fundraising events. I am always exploring ways to make massage more accessible to the community. If you are interested in bringing massage to a fundraising event, assisted living community, a community center or to other underserved populations, please contact me.