Since 1992, High Desert Healthcare & Massage has been committed to providing the highest quality bodywork in a relaxing and nurturing environment. Our priority is to offer outstanding treatments at an affordable rate, so our space is simple and peaceful, without the trappings of an expensive spa.

Each of the owners, Catherine Peck, Jill Gerber and Tracy Conrad, have loved doing bodywork for over 20 years. They are very particular about the independent contractors who join them, hiring only those who have great skill and excellent hands, and who also love their work. Most of our therapists have been with us for years and have thriving practices with a majority of repeat clients. We consider all of our therapists to be Master Level Therapists, and several of them are also instructors of massage, Rolfing ® or acupuncture.

As a group practice, we encourage our clients to try each of us in order to find multiple therapists who can meet their needs. With four treatment rooms and twenty therapists, we are big enough to provide a wide range of therapeutic modalities and treatment styles, yet small enough to give excellent individual, professional care. Simply put, we are all happy to be here doing what we love, and it shows in all aspects of the business.

We offer Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, Acupuncture, Rolfing ® Structural Integration, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Hot Stones Massage, Thai Yoga Massage, Shiatsu/Acupressure, Hands and Feet Reflexology Massage, Prenatal Massage, Reiki, and Lymph Drainage Therapy.

You don't have to choose just one...most of these therapies can be received individually, combined, or integrated into a Swedish massage, depending on your preference and needs.

Therapist Bios

Catherine Peck, co-owner (top picture)



Catherine Peck learned her first massage stroke at age nine from her father, who made it an honor to sit behind him in the car and "creeble" his neck and shoulders. A massage apprenticeship at a clinic in Denver twelve years later reaffirmed for Catherine that she had an intuitive affinity for massage. In 1985, a bodywork workshop rekindled the desire to connect with people through healing touch, and Catherine moved to Santa Fe to attend The New Mexico Academy of Massage and Advanced Healing Arts. After graduation, Catherine was invited to join the teaching staff there and was an instructor of massage and bodywork until the fall of 2005.

Catherine is one of the original co-owners of High Desert Healthcare & Massage. She remains extremely grateful to have her practice there, and feels that it is a caring place full of fantastic people. Catherine's work integrates Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Myofascial Release and Hands and Feet Reflexology with a deep energetic component, creating an experience that is therapeutic, nurturing and relaxing. She is also trained in Prenatal Massage.

Catherine says, "Doing massage asks me to listen, breathe, and be in attention with another person in the moment. Clients leave with a deeper connection to themselves, and their bodies usually feel better, too. I am so grateful to be doing this work."




Jill Gerber, co-owner (second picture from top)



Jill Gerber went to massage school in 1987, at the age of 21, out of a desire to leave the world a better place, an intention that she believes massage has helped her to meet. She has been a full-time bodyworker since then and loves it as much now as she did at the beginning.

In 1992, Jill founded High Desert Healthcare & Massage with four friends to provide a place for excellent therapists to offer bodywork in a peaceful, happy environment. She became certified as a practitioner of Rolfing® Structural Integration in 1996, an Advanced Rolfer® in 2002 and a Certified Rolf Movement Practitioner® in 2005. Her practice is currently half Rolfing and half massage, a balance she loves. People come for Rolfing® when they are ready for support in the next phase of their life, whether that means getting out of chronic pain, recovering from an injury, standing up straighter or moving out of a stagnant place in their life.

Jill has also received training in Advanced Myofascial Techniques, Prenatal Massage, and Hands & Feet Reflexology. This, along with her Rolfing training, has given her tools to work with a myriad of conditions. She is currently an instructor for Advanced-Trainings.com.

Articles by Jill Gerber: Rolfing ® for the Rest of Us, Why Get Massage? & Myofascial Release.




Tracy Conrad, co-owner (third picture from top)



Tracy Conrad moved to Santa Fe in 1981 in order to attend St. John's College, and, after graduation, she made Santa Fe her home. She eventually went to massage school, completing her course of study in 1991, and then became one of the founding partners of High Desert Healthcare & Massage.

Tracy became interested in acupuncture after being treated by Dr. Thomas Duckworth for asthma. The results were so impressive that she began a four-year apprenticeship with Dr. Duckworth in Japanese Kototama Medicine. She graduated in 1998 and obtained her state as well as national acupuncture license.

Japanese Kototama Medicine is a style of acupuncture that concentrates on finding the root cause of the dis-ease in the body and balancing the energy flow so that each person can achieve better health and mobility. In her treatments, Tracy utilizes sterile single-use needles which are planted super-superficially and are extremely small, about the diameter of a human hair. Tracy tends to use a single-needle technique, meaning that the patient never has more than one needle at a time anywhere in the body. This makes it easier to adjust the treatment to the patient's comfort level and ensures that the session uses the minimum of needles needed to balance the pulses.

Tracy now concentrates exclusively on acupuncture, finding it effective for many conditions. She is continually fascinated by its depth and complexity.




Cathy Louisell



Cathy Louisell first became interested in body/mind integration after receiving Rolfing treatments. A need to address her own physical pain and tightness ultimately led her to train as a massage therapist. She graduated from the Boulder School of Massage Therapy in 1981 and went on to study Cranial Sacral Therapy with Dr. Hugh Milne in 1987 at Esalen Institute. She has been studying Continuum Movement with Emilie Conrad since 1989, and has also studied Chi Nei Tsang (Chinese visceral manipulation) with Caryn Diel at White Cloud Institute, Gi Gong, Sound Frequency Theory and Therapy, Neurological research, and Energy Medicine as a regular part of her continuing education in the fields of bodywork, movement and consciousness.

Cathy's understanding of a unified field influences all her work. To help her clients achieve spiritual, emotional & physical integration, she works with light, pulse and rhythm and the primary energies of the four elements (earth, including animals & plants, air, fire and water). Her work incorporates Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Chi Nei Tsang, and Reflexology. She also practices Barefoot Shiatsu and Prenatal Massage.

The ability to embrace and enjoy living in a physical body has been Cathy's passion. She loves developing her being through movement and bodywork. Nurturing people, and offering joy and ease is her pleasure.




Christina Ricciardelli



Christina Ricciardelli has been a massage therapist since 2005. She received her education in southern Maine and gained much of her experience in Portland, Oregon. She augments her Swedish Massage training with Deep Tissue Massage, Trigger Point Therapy and Reflexology techniques. She is also trained in Hot Stones Massage.

Christina's approach is to focus specifically on each clients' problematic regions while addressing the body as a whole. She regards client/therapist communication very highly and works diligently to ensure that the client leaves feeling that his/her concerns have received exceptional attention.

Christina has recently moved to Santa Fe with her husband. She is an amateur horticulturist, an organic gardener, and she transports herself via bicycle.




Doug Conwell



Doug Conwell is a graduate of Jay Scherer's School of Therapeutic Massage in Santa Fe, NM, and has been a massage therapist since 1979. He has additional certifications in Polarity Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Trigger Point Release and Hot Stones Massage.

Doug refers to his work as Intuitive Massage because it calls upon deep listening to the client. Overall, it is a meditative, flowing experience that incorporates Swedish Massage, Trigger Point Release, Reflexology, non-specific stretching and Cranial Sacral Therapy, with some deeper tissue work integrated as appropriate.

Doug's sessions include guided breath work and visualization, allowing the client to become more fully aware of his or her own body and areas of tension and stress. Once he determines where the client may have structural or tissue stress and holding, Doug uses gentle pressure and Feldenkrais-inspired movements to help the client discover new patterns of flexibility, range of motion and vitality. He always makes sure to add gentle stretching and short pauses as he transitions from one area of the body to another, allowing the client to integrate the overall healing experience.




Evelyn Clark



Evelyn Clark offers her clients a blend of experience, knowledge and love of the work. You can relax under her hands with the confidence that you will enjoy your treatment and feel great as a result.

Licensed by the State of New Mexico, Evelyn is also Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. She ran her own successful massage therapy center for 17 years in downtown Boston, MA, before moving to New Mexico in 1999.

Evelyn has had extensive training throughout her career as a massage therapist. In her work, she synthesizes ancient, traditional and present-day scientific and intuitive knowledge to provide an effective and transforming therapeutic massage experience.




Janis Diamond



Janis Diamond received her first therapeutic massage in 1993 as part of a treatment to aid in recovery from chronic pain. Her experience was one of relief, relaxation and, most importantly, nurturance that she had never felt before. As she continued her treatments, it became apparent to her that massage was not only helping her to regain physical freedom from pain, but was a body-mind-spirit connection, providing a solution for mental and emotional stress.

In 2001, Janis graduated from massage school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has been working at High Desert Healthcare & Massage since 2002. She integrates Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, Reflexology, Hot Stones Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Aromatherapy, Chakra/Energy balancing, Ayurvedic Marma energy work and Prenatal Massage into her sessions as appropriate. She also specializes in helping women who are recovering from abuse and addiction issues by recognizing and honoring these clients' need for nurturance, relaxation, healing, and modest yet comforting touch.

Janis believes we are all blessed with natural gifts and that, combined with her training, compassion and the ability to listen to her clients through touch is the magic behind every modality she practices. She feels she has been able to administer therapeutic touch and massage as it was given to her during those years of her attempts to recover health and well being.




Jewel Alexander



Jewel Alexander is a 2nd degree certified Reiki practitioner and master candidate in direct lineage through Reiki Alliance Masters, in the true and honorable Usui System of Natural Healing, or "Usui Shiki Ryoho."

A Spiritual Counselor, writer, and Certified Life Coach, she has progressively studied deep human spirituality, leading fields of psychology and consciousness, health, wellness, and the contemplative arts for over 30 years. Specializing in helping people navigate life's transitions, her coaching, writing, and gentle wisdom serve to help people build consistent skills for increased, sustainable well-being and happiness.

Jewel holds a Masters degree in Consciousness Studies and certification in Life Coaching from John F. Kennedy University. She lives and practices in Santa Fe, NM.

Articles by Jewel Alexander: Have You Had a Massage Lately?




Jim Reid



Jim Reid started practicing massage part-time in 1989 while raising a family and working as a mechanical engineer. In 1995, he quit his day job to focus entirely on massage and has never looked back. He feels bodywork is his calling, and a great pleasure, inspiration, and source of discovery and learning.

Jim specializes in Deep Tissue work, but he emphasizes that this does not always mean hard pressure. He is a good listener and enjoys focused work, addressing specific problems, and working out the kinks. He incorporates different techniques to get muscles to relax, including Myofascial Release, connective tissue work, Trigger Point Therapy, Swedish Massage, Polarity Therapy and Reflexology.

A long-time student of Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Gung, Jim has completed instructor training in a spinal chi gung method. He is currently studying Advanced Myofascial Techniques and intends to complete the entire course for certification. In his spare time, he enjoys film, performing arts, good books, good food and good company.




Karen Welden



When Karen Welden received her first massage in 1985, she felt that a whole new world had opened up for her. It wasn't until 1992, when she graduated from massage school here in Santa Fe, that she realized what that new world meant. She felt then that she could be a student of massage for the rest of her life, and, since that time, she has grown and changed in ways she would never have imagined. After 16 years of practicing massage, her passion and dedication are still strong.

To Karen, the most important aspect of massage is finding the connection with a client who comes to her for help in finding his/her place of relaxation. She says, "There is nothing like receiving a massage, except maybe giving one." Her work incorporates Swedish Massage, Reflexology, Ortho-Bionomy, Cranial Sacral Therapy and intuitive work. She is also trained in Prenatal Massage.

Karen's current area of focus and learning is in the field of energy work. For the past few years, she has been exploring the healing effects of the Crystal Bed, which uses a combination of quartz crystals, color and light to aid in the process of physical and spiritual balancing.

Articles by Karen Welden: Crystal Bed Healing




Liz Bucy



Liz Bucy graduated from the massage certification program at Northern New Mexico College in 2005. A former cafe owner and pastry chef, she loves to create a warm and nurturing environment for others. She enjoys the freedom and creativity that comes with being a massage therapist and is grateful for the time she gets to spend with her clients. Liz specializes in Swedish Massage, deep work, Trigger Point Therapy, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Reflexology, Prenatal Massage and Therapeutic Touch.

In her free time, Liz enjoys practicing voice and guitar, dancing, running, cycling, and spending time with her 10-year-old son.




Magdelyn Brennan



Magdelyn Brennan has been practicing massage since she attended the New Mexico Academy of Healing Arts in 1988, here in Santa Fe. One thing she loved about her education there was that it emphasized being present in oneself and trusting one's intuition. She came away with the belief that the foundation for a good massage is making conscious contact with the person on the table more than any particular technique. The wide variety of modalities she learned there and in the ensuing years also support her free-style, creative approach to each client, with their differing needs and preferences. Her work incorporates Swedish Massage, intuitive and energy work, Reflexology, Penetrating Massage and Deep Tissue Massage. She is also trained in Prenatal Massage.

Magdelyn has been happily working at High Desert Healthcare and Massage since 1997 and has enjoyed the opportunity to work with both her own clients and those just passing through from near and far. She works at both of High Desert's locations, downtown and Eldorado.




Melanie Stillion



Melanie Stillion was certified as a massage therapist in 2003 by the Heartwood Institute in Garberville, California. She has since become a certified practitioner of Rolfing® Structural Integration and certified Rolf Movement® practitioner.

She specializes in Myofascial Release and Deep Tissue Massage and has received additional training in Swedish Massage, Zen Shiatsu, Nutritional Counseling, Reiki, and Cranial Sacral Therapy. A background in Tai Chi and Triyoga ® brings fluidity to her practice.

Melanie says, "Whether a client comes in for support, pain relief, or relaxation, I always appreciate being invited into their experience."

In her free time, Melanie enjoys hiking with her dog, experimenting in the garden and creating natural body butters and salves.




Nancy Miller



Nancy Miller has been practicing massage since she graduated from The Massage Institute of New England, in Cambridge Massachusetts, in 1995. After working in Chiropractic as well as Spa settings in the Boston area, she relocated to Santa Fe in 2000.

Nancy has an intuitive, compassionate touch. Her training was primarily in Swedish Massage, and she has been influenced by a range of techniques and styles, including Thai Massage, Reiki, Cranial Sacral Therapy and La Stone Therapy.

Nancy believes that true healing occurs when the body reaches a state a deep relaxation, and she strives to assist her clients in reaching that state.




Richelle Herzig



In the healthcare field since 1980 as a nurse, Richelle Herzig began her holistic health practitioner training in 1991 with IPSB in San Diego, CA. She has been doing bodywork in private practice and clinical settings since then, specializing in pain management, injury recovery and body/mind awareness. She integrates modalities such as Neuromuscular Massage, Myofascial Release, Passive Joint Movement, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Reflexology, Acupressure, Prenatal Massage, energy work and oriental techniques to personalize health treatments to each client's needs.

Richelle's priority is to be sensitive to what the client can receive in order to allow the healing process to happen at his/her own personal pace. She loves her work and respects its limits as well as its probabilities!

Articles by Richelle Herzig: Neuromuscular Massage





What sets us apart from the rest...



• Our therapists:
  
  
  
  • All have at least 2 years professional experience, with an average of 15 years in practice, and many have over 20 years experience
    
  • Graduated from accredited massage schools and complete continuing education classes every year
    
  • Are trained in Swedish massage and a wide variety of bodywork modalities
    
  • Have all been with us for years, some for the 16 years we've been in business
    
  • Have thriving practices with a majority of repeat business
    
  • Meet our high standards for professionalism and the exceptional quality of their work
    
  • Are licensed in the state of New Mexico
    
  • Are here because they love what they do!
    
  
  
• Caring, friendly staff
  
• Not a day spa, but a group massage and healthcare practice dedicated to helping our clients feel better
  
• Large percentage of repeat clients who have been coming to us for years, some for the entire 16 years we've been in business
  
• (As far as we know) best prices of any spa or group massage practice in Santa Fe
  
• Conveniently located downtown, just two blocks from the Santa Fe Plaza
  
• Second location in the community of Eldorado, 20 minutes from downtown
  
• In business since 1992
  
• Locally- and women-owned
  
  




"When you enter the haven of High Desert Healthcare & Massage, you leave the world behind. On your reluctant return, you emerge into the day nourished and restored in mind and body. I highly recommend it."
-Linda J. Ging, Santa Fe, NM