Faces of Bodywork: Rachel McGill

• Education: LMT from the Lauterstein Conway Massage Therapy School (2013); 
Level 1 Trauma Touch Certification Colorado School of Healing Arts (2021)

• Owns: Tactus Austin (Texas) 

• Specializes in treating headaches, TMJ, low-back pain; works with athletes

Massage & Bodywork: When did you start practicing?

Rachel McGill: After school, I worked at Oak Haven Massage in Austin for seven years, where I earned hundreds of training hours in neuromuscular massage. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I opened a single-use space, where I could deep-clean the treatment area between sessions. It was a way for my clients to receive massage in a way that felt safer than larger studios. As we came out of lock-down, my business grew.

I work with athletes at all levels, from casual joggers to bodybuilding competitors. I am a problem solver at heart. My sessions are often lively, incorporating proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching, trigger-point therapy, and positional release coupled with a lot of communication. 

M&B: Any words of advice for anyone new to the massage profession?

RM: Establish good boundaries when you first start and revisit them often. Healthy boundaries not only avoid unwanted misunderstandings about treatment, they also protect your client’s space in session. I have long-term relationships with many of my clients, and it can feel like they are family, but the treatment space is sacred. I check in with even my chattiest clients to make sure they know they can give me feedback or request quiet sessions when they need it. Boundaries exist for both therapist and client, and I’ve found they lead to trust in session, which always leads to better treatment outcomes.

Also, (on a separate note) try contrast therapy for sore hands.

M&B: What is something you wish people knew about you?

RM: I believe in massage as a tool for not only fixing physical aches and pains but also as a tool for calming the nervous system. I’m passionate about providing massage to people in the community who need it, and so often they are the people who can least afford it. I keep my prices as affordable as possible and offer a sliding scale to teachers, first responders, and single moms.

M&B: Can you tell us something that feeds you on a personal level?

RM: I’m an avid hiker and camper. With a job that involves such close connection with clients, I think it’s essential to reconnect with myself. Solo hiking and camping provide me with balance needed to keep my work and personal life separate. They also take me to some of the most beautiful places in the Southwest. I have hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion (Utah), Half Dome in Yosemite (California), Guadalupe Peak in West Texas, and the Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park (Maine).

M&B: Who is someone you look up to?

RM: Teddy Roosevelt has always been one of my biggest heroes. He overcame severe childhood asthma to become an adventurer, president, and national park conservationist. He understood the value of setting aside wild and scenic places for future generations, and through his conservation efforts, some of the most beautiful parts of our country remain for us to reconnect with our sense of awe.