Closing this chapter
Hi! I stopped my practice for the indefinite future. I’m at a point in life where I have a deep felt sense of "I just want to practice being a human being, not a human doing." I’m ready to try to embrace focusing more on myself and my own health, desires, joys, and relationships, and not be so externally focused on others all the time, including clients, so am pausing being a practitioner in general. This feels like what my mind + body need to let the next chapter naturally and fluidly emerge at its own pace. I am so deeply grateful to all of my clients for being in practice together, for all of your trust and your feedback, and to folks who have contributed to my sliding scale work that has been foundational to my practice. For my last round of content for the time being, I shared photos and some words I wrote during a hike in Rock Creek Park that emerged from various conversations with friends and therapists over the years.
I'm leaving my site mostly intact for now so folks can still find resources I've shared, things things I've written, FAQs that can be helpful to massage students and massage clients wanting ideas for how approach massage therapy, information about "somatics," and
recommendations for other therapists.
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About
Jay Sheffield (they/them pronouns)
Located on Nacotchtank (Anacostan) and Piscataway land known as Washington, DC, USA
My path to becoming a bodyworker was encouraged by the burnout in organizing and activist spaces, and I am committed to offering bodywork and somatic support in service of encouraging self and community care. I believe in every client’s own body wisdom and ability to create more space and capacity in the nervous system; I am here to support that, to witness, create a container, and hold space for anything that comes up and wants to be acknowledged. I am a white, queer, non-binary human and I strive to offer work that is accessible, affirming, and accountable to queer and trans folks and Black and Brown folks. I strive to offer work that is consent-based, trauma-informed, race-informed, fat and body affirming, and that honors how, when, and where clients want to, and don’t want to, involve touch. Please know that I consider receiving client feedback a gift to better my understanding and practice.
Check out this interview about my work (both in massage therapy world and sex education world). Huge thank you to Reina Gattuso for such a thoughtful interview. In many ways, this article feels like a culmination of the last decade, and I am so grateful for all of you who have supported me along this path.
Upcoming Events & Practice Updates
No sessions of any kind available at this time.