Shawna Ristic, BCTMB, MA, CIMI, CMT - Santa Cruz, California

Destinee C.

It is due time that I review Shawna! I have been going to her for sessions for 8 years now. She is the first bodyworker I have ever worked with, and its through this somatic work together that I have come so far in landing in my body. When I first began working with Shawna, I had undiagnosed chronic pain presenting as fibromyalgia. Unable to execute simple tasks without plentiful breaks and laying in bed often, I was not living a happy life and struggling to balance work and university with my body pain. I committed to showing up to our frequent sessions and being receptive to her touch and support. Because of our sessions, I have come profoundly far in feeling safe and alive within my own body, and changing the inner relationship to one of pleasure and compassion instead of pain. I have so many tools to navigate my inner emotional world thanks to Shawna’s skilled guidance and methods. I am now physically and emotionally able to live the life I’ve yearned for and dreamed of for years, a miracle I never gave up believing in thanks to her support.

I would not be where I am without Shawna sharing her experience, compassion, expertise in various bodywork modalities, intuition, ability to safely build trust with, and commitment to her clients. Through the years I continue to enthusiastically recommend her to friends, and although I have since moved away from Santa Cruz, we continue to work remotely, our sessions especially utilizing her intuitive gifts. Through our work together, I’ve learned how important it is for me to see someone who can incorporate spirit talk when it comes to healing. It’s a true blessing that I found her and that she is here sharing her heart and gifts with others! Thank you endlessly Shawna!

Lee T.

I’ve had two in-person bodywork sessions with Shawna recently, and I’m so happy to have found her. As a professional massage therapist myself, I’m very particular about the type of bodywork I receive, and what I like and don’t like. I like everything about working with Shawna! She’s intuitive, kind, sensitive, energetic, and skillful. I appreciate especially that she allows me to guide the sessions so that we have a sort of co-exploratory experience, which helps me feel more connected and integrated in all aspects of my being. I don’t have any significant issues I’m working on at the moment, I simply enjoy the relaxation and integration that comes from mindful therapeutic touch, as well as experiencing skillful bodywork as a client rather than a practitioner, and Shawna does an exceptional job of facilitating these experiences for me. I also know enough about massage and bodywork to know that Shawna would be the person I would turn to should I ever need more focused work. I look forward to many more sessions with her. Thank you Shawna!