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, Lotus Palm, ‘24

Alchemical Acupuncture, L Dechar ‘24

Shoulder Pain Techniques, Mally ‘24

Nerve Glide Techniques, Mally ‘24

UMAC 1, Upledger Institute, ‘25

NAET for Allergy Elimination, ‘25

Professional Organizations

AMTA ‘25