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Our Approach

As healthcare professionals, our focus is your wellbeing. It is your responsibility to know how you feel, how you want to feel, and what you want your life to look like and our commitment to help you attain those goals.  Everyone's journey is different and at Massage Arkansas we celebrate those individual experiences and strive to help you on your path.

Meet Jessica Tolliver, MMT, MMP, RYT

Hello!  My name is Jessica.  I am a very active mother of two.  I enjoy Hiking, Cycling, & Yoga. I believe in taking care of the mind, body & soul.

I self-trained in massage in my early 20's by reading books and practicing on friends.  Later I enrolled in Massage School at Touching America School Of Massage in 2014, so I could formally follow my passion.

My personal testimonial to Massage Therapy began a year before I enrolled in school. I had a knee injury which resulted in surgery. I went from a very active lifestyle to bed-ridden for a month.  Although I did my prescribed physical therapy, my muscles atrophied.

Once I got back on my feet, and was released to do so, I began the climb back into fitness.  This was met with great resistance from my body.  Nearly a year after the surgery I could barely walk, experiencing excruciating pain in my hip. This became almost debilitating.

I eventually consulted an orthopedic surgeon, who recommended a highly invasive surgery.  Determined to avoid the knife a second time, I consulted my fellow students and instructors at school. After a single deep tissue session I was nearly pain free.  After three, I was completely pain free.

I always believed massage was good for relaxation, improved circulation and overall well-being.  And now I know first-hand that it is also healing.

Although I am committed to continuing my studies into different modalities, I am primarily intuitive in my work. I listen to the client and I also listen to the body.  More times than not, the muscles will tell me what they need.

A lot of my work is based on Eastern Philosophy and I also back this up with Western science. I believe in finding a balance between the two. I bring positive energy, a variety of modalities and a strong knowledge of the anatomy to each session.

When the Arkansas Massage Board was absorbed by the Arkansas Department of Health in 2015, I was appointed to the Massage Therapy Technical Advisory Committee (MTTAC)  In 2018 I was reappointed for a second 3 year term and currently hold the position of Chairman .  It is this way I am able to help therapists throughout Arkansas improve our field.

In 2017, through advanced continuing education efforts, my license was upgraded to Master Massage Therapist, MMT. In 2017 I also received my MMP, Medical Massage Practitioner certification.  In 2019 I became a certified Yoga Instructor.

I teach community workshops around Arkansas in Stretching and Partnered Stretching because I believe self care is just as important as any other therapy.

I also teach continuing education classes to other massage therapists. My mission is to raise the bar for Massage Therapy in Arkansas.

 

Meet Denise Laster: LMT, CPT, and certified Neufit & FSM Practitioner

With nearly 20 years of experience as a certified fitness instructor and specialties in pelvic floor, mobility of the aging population, and Frequency Specific Microcurrent therapies, Denise brings a wealth of knowledge, skills, and treatment options to her massage therapy clients.

Denise’s career began as a certified personal and group

fitness instructor straight after graduating with a MA in Health & Human Performance from UHCL. She worked for 3 years at Arkansas Sports Medicine until she became a stay-at-home mom for 12 years. She was recruited to enter back into the fitness world in 2010 and started teaching and specializing in the over 65 year old population after realizing their ability to perform daily activities was far greater than how they were performing in life. She became passionate about helping them become more agile with greater strength and balance and has gained a strong following in her group fitness classes. 

In 2018, Denise discovered that many of her older clients, as well as herself, were dealing with pelvic floor issues. When she learned that it was preventable if caught early enough Denise began educating herself from some of the top pelvic floor therapists locally and nationally to learn how to help prevent and/or stop this from happening. In 2022 she completed her certification as a pro pelvic floor exercise therapist with Core Exercise Solutions. This was going to be her new future. 

However, simultaneously in 2018, Denise began working with a local trainer that specializes in Neufit direct current therapies. It was with this training that she began going down her rabbit hole of learning how to use electricity to help heal injuries. A few years later she was introduced to the world of Frequency Specific Microcurrent and Dr Carol McMakin and her world was forever changed. This led Denise to want to have her own practice. However, this required her to need a license to use the electrical equipment. Physical or massage therapy were her two choices. When she heard that the multi-talented, Jessica Tolliver was opening up a school, Master Massage Learning Institute, that would teach massage therapy focusing on pain and injury management, Denise knew she’d found the right fit . Denise signed up immediately as her first student and graduated in January of 2023. By April Denise was an LMT and Jessica brought her on as a welcomed addition to Massage Arkansas/CAM.  

With the combination of these direct current therapies and her skills as a fitness trainer and massage therapist, Denise has found her niche in helping people get out of pain and function better in life. Give her a try!

 

Let's Work Together For Your Health

I believe that everyone can benefit from massage.  I also believe that every type of massage is not for everyone.  Schedule on line or send us a note and set an appointment today.  Together we can develop a personal treatment plan customized for you.