Awaken your body’s natural medicine.
Breath and awareness-based touch soothe your nervous system and restore your sense of wholeness.
Your body is a temple. Each session is a ritual honoring the wisdom and unity of mind, body, and spirit.
Welcome to Temple Ritual Bodywork, a space for soothing the nervous system and reconnecting with your body’s natural ease.
I’m Joanna, and I believe that feeling good in your body transforms how you move through the world. Through slow, intentional Esalen® massage, I offer space for you to remember that your body is allowed to rest. To feel good. To be held without performance or shame.
Your body carries its own medicine, a natural pharmacy of oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins are released through compassionate touch. I’m here to help you access that wisdom.
Your body knows how to heal- it just needs time, space, and compassionate touch to remember.
Come as you are. Your body will do the rest.
All sessions are grounded in professional, non-sexual touch and clear consent.
Joanna Morgan, LMBT #22082,
Certified Esalen® Massage Practitioner
My path to massage started with fascination for the body's innate ability to heal. When I experienced my first Esalen session, everything changed. Now I hold sacred space for your healing journey - whether you're in recovery, rebuilding, or simply reconnecting with your body. You belong here.
I hold space for anyone seeking healing & belonging,
especially for:
Survivors of abuse and violence
People in recovery from addiction
The LGBTQIA+ community
Anyone rebuilding after incarceration
Those healing from religious trauma
Anyone the world has marginalized
Your body carries its own medicine- oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins are naturally released through compassionate touch.
This work invites your nervous system to soften and your body to remember its innate capacity to heal.
Your body is a temple - even when the world treated it otherwise.
What clients are saying:
“I highly recommend a 90 minute massage to create a shift change with the nervous system. Joanna’s approach is intentional, skilled, intuitive, and contentious. Very unique style of massage that not only releases tension but heals the mind.”
“I had the pleasure of receiving an Esalen Massage from Jo at Temple Ritual Bodywork. I knew it was not a typical massage but rather a nervous system reset which I knew I needed. The work was mesmerizing and completely relaxing. The movements of the Esalen Massage moves like water but her strokes keep you connected. I promise you’ll be listening to yourself snore. You have to try it!”
“Jo is absolutely wonderful! Her presence is so warm and welcoming, and the way she embodies Esalen massage truly feels like peace. She carries such a sense of calm, and you can feel that peace flow through her massage style. I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to feel more alive, refreshed, and deeply cared for.”
Benefits of Massage Therapy
Every body is different. Not every style of massage will resonate with every body. We all have unique needs, preferences, and ways we process touch. I encourage you to explore until you find the therapist and modality that truly feel right for you. Below are some of the physical, emotional, and energetic benefits of massage- many of which deepen when you find the right fit.
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Musculoskeletal System:
Reduces muscle tension and chronic pain
Improves flexibility and range of motion
Enhances posture and body alignment
Speeds recovery from injuries and surgery
Reduces inflammation and swelling
Alleviates headaches and migraines
Circulatory & Lymphatic Systems:
Improves blood circulation and oxygen delivery to tissues
Supports lymphatic drainage and detoxification
Reduces blood pressure
Enhances immune system function
Nervous System:
Activates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest)
Reduces chronic pain through endorphin release
Improves proprioception (body awareness in space)
Enhances sleep quality and duration
Regulates nervous system response to stress
Other Physical Benefits:
Improves digestion
Supports respiratory function and deeper breathing
Releases dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin (feel-good chemicals)
Reduces adrenaline & cortisol (stress hormones)
May reduce symptoms of chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis
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Stress & Anxiety:
Decreases cortisol & adrenaline (stress hormone) levels
Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression
Creates mental clarity and improved focus
Provides safe space for emotional processing and release
Helps break cycles of rumination and overthinking
Mood & Wellbeing:
Increases production of serotonin and dopamine (feel-good neurotransmitters)
Enhances overall sense of wellbeing and contentment
Improves self-esteem and body image
Reduces symptoms of PTSD and trauma responses
Creates feelings of being cared for and held
Cognitive Benefits:
Improves mental clarity and decision-making
Enhances memory and cognitive function
Reduces mental fatigue and burnout
Supports creativity and problem-solving
Important Note: While massage offers significant mental health benefits, it is not a substitute for professional psychological and/or psychiatric care, particularly during crisis. This work is most powerful when used alongside appropriate mental health support.
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Embodiment & Presence:
Deepens mind-body connection and awareness
Helps you feel more "at home" in your body
Enhances ability to be present in the moment
Supports grounding and centering practices
Increases awareness of breath and sensation
Emotional/Energetic Release:
Allows space for stored emotions to surface and release
Clears energetic blockages and stagnation
Supports trauma release held in body tissues
Creates opportunity for spiritual insights and realizations
Honors the body as sacred temple