215-598-7750
Donna polito
licensed massage therapist
Donna began her healing career as a personal trainer and obtained her Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from West Chester University. An athlete her whole life, fitness was her passion from an early age, inspiring her to help and educate people how to acquire and maintain a healthy lifestyle. As she puts it, “You are only given one body; treat it right!” As a personal trainer, her clients were seeing great results in their fitness goals. However, many of them would come to her a few days later, expressing muscle soreness and wanting to know what they could do to relieve this other than stretching.
Donna remembered how as a two-sport collegiate athlete (field hockey/softball) she first turned to massage to help her body prepare and recuperate before and after her games. Consequently, she decided to turn to massage herself to help her clients live pain-free lives. Donna feels that “this is by far the best decision I have ever made”. Donna now enjoys teaching young athletes the importance of taking care of their bodies and the benefits massage has on their performance.
Donna’s approach to massage is both intuitive and clinical. With a gentle yet deep touch, she specializes in techniques such as deep tissue, corrective massage, sports massage, Swedish massage and myofascial release to develop, maintain and rehabilitate the physical function of the body. In an age of technical and, at times, impersonal medicine, Donna believes that massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive and humanistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Sports, Cupping, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Hot Stone, Thermo Therapy, AromaTouch Technique
Add on to massage therapy offered: (Reflexology, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy)
Julia Bayardi
Licensed Massage Therapist
Julia’s journey into therapeutic massage began after she experienced a back injury in college. During her recovery, she discovered that the most effective component of her treatment was the massage work that she received. This new appreciation of healing supportive touch inspired her to pivot after her sophomore year, and enroll at the Massage Arts Center of Philadelphia, where she received certification for massage in 2005 and shiatsu certification in 2007.
During her career she has worked alongside respected chiropractors, in upscale spas, and has built her own private practice. She began instructing massage in 2009 and fell in love with massage education. In 2015, she opened The Philadelphia School of Massage & Bodywork, where she actively teaches massage and musculoskeletal anatomy courses and assists students on their own journey into massage therapy.
Julia’s bodywork is integrative, blending the different modalities and techniques that she’s encountered in her 18 years of practice. Her work has been effective in helping to alleviate symptoms associated with anxiety, scoliosis, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, sports related injury, and migraine headache. Above all else, Julia takes a client centered approach to her work. She takes the time to assess their needs, explain treatment plans, give feedback on their soft tissue condition, and offer useful suggestions for post-massage care. Her goal is to ensure that her clients always walk away from their sessions feeling better than when they came in.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Hot Stone, Prenatal, Shiatsu
Dominique Dunphy
Licensed Massage Therapist
Dominique set the intention in early adulthood that she wanted to “help people”. When she was trying to figure out the type of work she would like to pursue, it was that motivation that led her into massage therapy. Massage therapy training and practice was her initiation into the healing arts. She sees knowledge in massage therapy as the foundation that ignited a passion in her to continue to evolve in holistic healing.
Dominique has had extensive training and education in Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage. Also, she has had years of experience as a student, practitioner, and instructor of Hatha Yoga which she attributes to enriching her into a skilled professional.
Dominique combines the clinical and artistic techniques of massage, bodywork and holistic lifestyle principles in a whole-body massage treatment session that provides the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits associated with stress release, relaxation, and decreased muscle tension.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish
Maxine Schrack
Licensed Massage Therapist
Newtown Massage and Spa
Massage Therapists
Theresa Young
Licensed Massage Therapist
Theresa has been a practicing massage therapist for well over 24 years and loves what she does. Having her clients satisfied and feeling better than when they came in gives her such fulfillment. When she sees the relief on their faces after their session it absolutely makes her day. For her it validates a sense of purpose, personal duty and being on the right path in providing a service of helping others. Theresa’s specialties include: Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage, Prenatal massage, Energy work/Chakra balancing and Trigger Point. Melting away stress and discomfort is her main goal. She believes healing is a whole body experience. For her the goal is to find the source of the discomfort and gradually work on that source/root, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual, to achieve the ultimate "health" and balance of the whole being, for the healing to take place "Holistically."
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Prenatal
Add on to massage therapy offered:
Trigger Point Therapy
Felix Kofman
Licensed Massage Therapist
When Felix was growing up in Ukraine, he found enjoyment in exercise, playing sports and later became involved with martial arts. He started to use massage therapy as a way to recover from training. Because of his passion for sports and training, he became more involved with others who had similar interests. He then pursued a career in massage therapy in the early 1990’s around the time he immigrated to the United States from Ukraine. In addition to traditional massage therapy modalities, Felix also received additional training in pain management and medical massage therapy.
Since receiving his license, Felix has worked for a wide variety of facilities such as chiropractic and medical offices, salons, and with private clients. He also has experience working as a massage instructor.
Felix provides a wide array of massage therapy types including deep tissue, therapeutic, and prenatal, just to name a few. When working with clients he really wants to understand the reason and goal for why the client is getting a massage. Sometimes clients seek massage therapy for a physical condition or a mental reason. Understanding the reason(s) allows Felix to provide a massage session which can provide relaxation, relief of an injury or chronic condition, or relieve muscular tension. Attaining this information is valuable to allow him to provide the best and most appropriate massage experience for his client.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Sports, Hot Stone, Prenatal
Add on to massage therapy offered: Myofascial Release/Muscle Energy, Trigger Point Therapy, Stretching, Reflexology
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Tom Szelagowski
Licensed Massage Therapist
Tom’s motto is ‘Be Excellent to Each Other’. It is Tom’s commitment to make his client’s world a better place by helping you to unwind, alleviate stress, improve function and to Just..Feel..Better.
Tom became interested in holistic body work over 30 years ago, having been inspired by a high school counselor who taught him that ‘we hold our issues in our tissues’. After training at the Center for Human Integration and the Bensalem Natural Health Center, he earned certification in 1992 and has since become licensed in PA and NJ. Tom is also a Certified Yoga/Meditation Instructor and is on the faculty at the Lansdale School of Business teaching Anatomy and Physiology.
Tom offers a holistic, customized massage, combining various modalities to meet your needs (Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Thai, Reflexology, Stretching, Cupping, Hot Stone, MFR). Recognizing the mind/body connection, he brings more than massage skills to the table. Tom has the patience to spend an entire session on your hands if necessary. His uplifting demeanor exudes empathy and compassion and humor. He will always brighten your day.
Employing an integrative mix of appropriate modalities, Tom has helped alleviate sciatica, plantar fasciitis, meralgia, neck, knee, and back pain, thoracic outlet and carpal tunnel syndromes as well as routine/chronic aches and pains. He has also made clients so comfortable and relaxed that they have dozed off. Our session may focus on a particularly troublesome area or may be a soothing, unwinding full body session. The choice is yours.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Hot Stone, Sports, Cupping
Add on to massage therapy offered: (Reflexology, Myofascial Release, Stretching)
In her early teens, a relative of Maxine was involved in a car accident. She quickly saw how massage became a vital part of this person’s rehabilitation treatment. This led Maxine to become fascinated by the health benefits of massage and how it can truly transform a person’s capabilities, increase range of motion, decrease pain, and impart calmness, relaxation and a positive mindset for a happier, healthier life. Maxine is intrigued by how the body’s systems are connected and the infinite number of modalities she can learn to improve clients’ lives. One important lesson Maxine has learned from massage is being humble enough to know you are doing the right thing, yet encouraged to continually learn.
Maxine graduated with high honors in Anatomy and Physiology from Cortiva in 2010. Since this time, she has mostly practiced alongside a physical therapist, treating clients with a variety of conditions, including but not limited to frozen shoulder, sciatica pain, plantar fasciitis, fibromyalgia and injuries due to car accidents. Maxine’s technique is based on your body’s needs. Typically, she applies medium to firm pressure, focusing on muscular or anatomical needs, followed by stretching (passive range of motion). Maxine customizes her massages by using trigger point therapy, localized hot stones or cupping to alleviate muscle tension and perform myofascial release.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Cupping, Hot Stone, AromaTouch Technique
Add on to massage therapy offered:
Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release
Angelis Cumba
Licensed Massage Therapist
Angelis has been practicing massage therapy for 21 years and focuses on a wide variety of issues. She realized at a young age that she enjoyed working with people and taking care of those in need of massages. Her focus then became on helping people with injuries, pain management and range of motion using a holistic approach. Her goal was to assist people reach their health and healing goals inside and out. As a massage therapist, Angelis uses a variety of techniques including swedish, deep tissue, warm stone, cupping, prenatal and light stretching. She believes in what she does and self-care. Angelis enjoys learning and continues to develop her skills to better help serve the community and her repeated clients.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Hot Stone, Pregnancy, Cupping
Dana Brown
Licensed Massage Therapist
Dana began her career as a long-term care nurse and spent a decade managing people and clinical research projects in academic institutions and the pharmaceutical industry. She stepped away from her 9 to 5 in search of more balance and enrolled in Jean Madeline Aveda Institute to become an esthetician and started working at a spa. Due to the therapeutic nature of her touch, clients often asked if Dana was also a massage therapist and they encouraged her to become one. Dana took this as a sign and enrolled at Philadelphia School of Massage and Bodywork and she has not looked back. Dana has also completed Reiki I/II training and an 8-week mindfulness-based meditation program.
While some of her credentials may appear unrelated to massage therapy, each of her previous experiences truly influences how she shows up for her clients.
For Dana, the best part of being a massage therapist is being able to holistically care for others more than she could in her nursing and clinical research roles, offering nearly instant relief without torturing them in the process. She specializes in helping women relieve low back and hip pain through an integrative approach. Dana’s calm demeanor allows her to listen to the concerns of clients and address each with authenticity and care. Clients praise Dana for her confident touch, moderate pressure, grounded presence and ability to relax the mind, body and spirit.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Thai Yoga Massage
Add-on to massage therapy offered: Thai foot massage, stretching, myofascial release for lower body (legs), face massage
Jennifer Kada
Licensed Massage Therapist
Since at a young age Jennifer had a strong desire to help others, to be kind, and do what she could to make things better. After college she worked as an executive assistant at the American Red Cross. While there she began to experience low back pain. After 2 years of being under doctor care she was told that she was in worse shape than when she had started. Due to this she decided to look elsewhere for a solution. Her healing journey wasn’t always easy and had many bumps in the road. However, to her it was worth it because she discovered massage, other healing techniques, and the importance of living a healthier lifestyle. Jennifer knew she wanted to help others who were suffering and experiencing chronic pain. She knows that there is no such thing as a quick fix pill, but believes massage definitely is the closest thing and she is doing what she can to help others feel better.
Massage Types Performed: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Sports
Add on to massage therapy offered: Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy