Meet The Massage Therapists

The Healing ZONE Massage Staff

Brio Kelly Howard, Owner

Brio has been a licensed massage therapist since 2015, beginning with a foundation in Shiatsu—a Japanese style of finger pressure that balances the body’s energy. Their career has always been rooted in the medical side of massage, collaborating with chiropractors, physical therapists, naturopaths, and acupuncturists to help clients reduce pain, release tension, and support long-term healing.

This strong clinical foundation sparked a lasting curiosity in muscle function and movement, particularly how muscles work together to support mobility, like in the shoulder. That curiosity continues to drive Brio’s work today.

Their massage style is therapeutic and intuitive, blending elements of Swedish massage, fascial release, and targeted deep pressure. Every session reflects years of hands-on experience, ongoing learning, and a deep respect for the body’s complexity. Brio describes their approach as a combination of technique, muscle knowledge, and a lot of curiosity.

They’ve pursued specialized training including:
• Massage for People Living with Cancer with Gayle MacDonald
• Integrative Scar Tissue with Sharon Wheeler
• Ongoing fascial training with Jess Kern

Whether you’re navigating chronic pain, recovering from injury, or simply seeking a more balanced body, Brio brings thoughtful, informed care to each session, helping clients feel better in their bodies.

Brio has limited availability but can help you find the right therapist for you. Text them at 503.801.1109.

Nanci Newton, LMT

Nanci has maintained a full-time massage therapy practice for over 25 years. In 2000, she cofounded The Healing ZONE Therapeutic Massage and was dedicated to providing quality care for all clients. Since passing on The Healing ZONE to Brio, Nanci is pursuing her passion for teaching massage therapy, mentoring newer therapists and offering educational events at local centers and universities. In her free time, Nanci enjoys juggling and playing percussion in as well as codirecting a local New Horizons Band.

She has taught Oncology Massage with Tracy Walton as well as Prenatal Massage with Carol Osborn. Her work has been featured in Thrive magazine, and she was honored by Massachusetts General Hospital in 2014 as part of “theonehundred” for her contributions to cancer care. Nanci has also presented at the Society for Oncology Massage Healing Summits and AMTA conferences.

Although not currently accepting new clients, she is happy to help connect you with the right therapist. [email protected]

Jennifer has a background in modern and improvisational dance, which enhances her massage training and understanding of the body. She constructs individualized treatment plans for her clients using a blend of bodywork techniques including muscular therapy, Swedish massage, neuromuscular therapy, myofascial release, gentle scar tissue mobilization, passive and facilitated stretching, sports massage and deep tissue.

In addition to general therapeutic and relaxation work, Jen specializes in working with clients with more complex medical histories (such as clients with cancer histories, and people in the midst of diagnosis or current treatment) as well as gentle scar tissue work. Her advanced coursework includes training in oncology massage with Tracy Walton, Gentle Scar Tissue Mobilization for Post-Mastectomy and Radiotherapy with Jamie Elswick and Traumatic Scar Tissue Management with Nancy Keeney Smith and Cathy Ryan. Additionally, Jennifer has trained in pre and perinatal massage therapy with Carole Osborne and enjoys working with clients at all stages of their pregnancy.

Tara Borgilt, LMT

Tara is a 2022 graduate from Ashland Institute of Massage in southern Oregon. She also has a BA in Spanish literature from Reed College, Portland, OR.

Tara has a background in early childhood education and she practices and teaches the Afro-Brazilian martial art Capoeira in Northampton. Connecting with people through their experience in their body inspires her passion for bodywork. Tara brings a warm presence, patience, and an intuitive curiosity. In a session with Tara, you can expect to feel something new and be invited to expand the current patterning of how you feel in your body.

Tara loves working with fascia and the connectivity of our body as a whole. She encourages mobility and vitality by incorporating full body stretches, gentle manipulation of limbs and joints, breath-work, and tuning into subtle sensations of movement. She offers full-body or specific-focus myofascial release sessions and Swedish massage with an emphasis on gentle movement of the joints. Tara works in partnership with her clients and encourages their sense of empowerment.

Martha Hoffman, LMT

Martha (they/she) holds a B.A. in Dance (somatic studies) and East Asian Studies (Chinese) from Oberlin College, and speaks Mandarin.

Martha’s touch style is intuitive, intentional, and grounded, and incorporates breath to support release. Using a deep somatic awareness, Martha guides her clients to relax and revitalize through layers of skin, fascia, muscle, and bone. She views each session as a new opportunity to build trust.

Martha has training in Swedish massage and has taken supplemental classes in craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, abdominal massage and prenatal massage. Outside of The Healing ZONE, Martha works as a full-spectrum doula and fertility awareness educator.

Julie Fender, LMT

Julie has been working in the field of wellness and healing for over 20 years. She is a graduate of The Muscular Therapy Institute.

In 2000, she became a Certified Breath Worker at the Inner Arts Institute. In addition she has experience working in the fields of Herbal Medicine, Energy Healing, Constellations, Creative Visualization, and Somatic Experiencing. Through her sessions she aims to help clients experience comfort in the body, stillness in the mind, and an overall sense of well-being.

Mary Kate Farley, LMT

Mary Kate (she/her) became a Nationally Certified; licensed Massage Therapist in 2006, as well as a Reiki Master Teacher and Kripalu-trained Yoga Instructor. She continues a life-long love affair with learning, especially about the profound benefits of modalities like massage, yoga, nervous-system regulation, and energy work for removing barriers and facilitating ease and joy-filled living!

Mary Kate consciously nurtures a trauma-informed, gender-affirming, compassionate container so people can feel safe to experience whatever might bubble up for them. Her intuitive approach follows the principle of “meeting people where they’re at” and she sees her role as being an “empathetic other,” a consistent presence, to support her clients’ finding pathways of freedom from suffering.

Hannah Donner, LMT

Hannah (she/her) is a 2022 graduate of The Massage School. She has completed additional training in Oncology Massage with Healwell. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College.

Hannah first became interested in massage therapy as a way to address injuries and chronic pain. Soon thereafter she discovered and fell in love with its profound effects on the nervous system. As a lifelong movement enthusiast, Hannah’s massage practice is infused with her knowledge of anatomy and physiology, as well as a keen kinesthetic awareness. Hannah brings a compassionate and grounded approach to each massage session. She is passionate about helping her clients access a sense of physical and emotional ease. Hannah’s approach is to meet each client where they are at, and is particularly skilled providing adaptations based on the ever-changing needs of the individual. Hannah has been an oncology massage therapist at The Cancer House of Hope in Westfield for almost a year.

Tracy Caroll, LMT

Tracy’s focus is to facilitate healing and relaxation in all bodies through compassionate and informed touch She utilizes compression, long strokes, deep tissue, fascial movement and Reiki to loosen connective tissue for easier movement and increase blood flow.

Sarah Casey, LMT

Sarah Casey is a 2000 graduate of the Connecticut Center of Massage Therapy. She has a BA degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Sarah offers a creative blend of many modalities including Swedish, Thai, lomi lomi, pregnancy and seated massage.

Sarah’s strengths lie in her listening skills, her intuition and technical abilities to be able to work with her clients to tailor the massage plan. Her work is based on the perspective that she and her client are a team.

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