Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiera.
Hi Kiera, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I went to college to become an art educator, and worked for several years as a NYC public high school art teacher. However, after being diagnosed with an automimmune illness in my mid 20’s, I found a lot of relief in being a client of therapeutic massage. I also felt that I wanted a closer connection in my professional work, and I went back to school to become a massage therapist. I’ve been practicing massage therapy since 2008, and teaching massage since 2012. In 2023, I began to expand my private massage practice, MaMassage Brooklyn, by hiring other massage therapists, and now have a team of 8 therapists. I also teach continuing education classes for massage therapists. My practice centers women’s health and reproductive support, including perinatal massage, lactation counseling, and pre/post operative manual lymphatic drainage for gender affirming care and other surgeries.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Some parts of the path have been smooth, while others were rocky! It was difficult to go back to school after having completed college and graduate school and then realizing the work I wanted to do required another degree. But I love learning- the challenge was in taking a science-heavy program while working full time. As an adult learner, my needs were different, and that gives me a perspective as an educator of practitioners that I think is useful. In the pandemic, we all faced the need to pivot, and during that time I grew my online course offerings. In 2022, I left my full time teaching position to expand my private massage practice and education offerings, and I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of years about how to increase our client base. Without having a business degree, I had to lean on a business coach and an SEO expert- since my intuition is more in the clinical realm. Their advice and support has helped MaMassage Brooklyn grow exponentially these last couple of years!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
MaMassage® provides inclusive, evidence-based massage therapy, education and perinatal services from a trauma informed perspective.
MaMassage® is a safe and effective form of prenatal massage therapy that integrates massage techniques such as myofascial release, swedish massage, manual lymph drainage, acupressure and Shiatsu to treat common concerns during the various stages of pregnancy. We are located in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn and serve the diverse communities of NYC. MaMassage® serves the pregnant client, however they identify, whatever their history, and each session is tailored specifically to the client’s needs and goals after establishing trust between the client and the therapist.
This practice is also inclusive of non-pregnant clients who identify as women, transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming. We offer services such as pre/post op manual lymphatic drainage, medical massage, hormonal wellness massage, western styles (Swedish, myofascial release) and Eastern styles (Shiatsu/acupressure) and a signature blended style we call Meridian Massage.
MaMassage® was founded by Kiera Nagle, MA, LMT, CLC, CMLDT (she/her). Kiera has been practicing massage therapy and reiki for over 17 years. She is also a certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist, certified Lactation Counselor, DONA-trained Birth Doula and ProDoula trained Postpartum Doula. She has worked in integrative settings such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center, providing massage therapy to patients at the Olson Center for Women’s Health. She taught massage therapy at CUNY-Queensborough Community College, and supervised massage interns treating high risk antepartum patients at Northwell Katz’ Women’s Hospital for 10 years. Kiera was also full time faculty and clinical supervisor at Pacific College of Health and Science NY, where she served as the Director of the Asian Holistic Health and Massage Therapy Program for 12 years. She is the creator of MaMassage®, a curriculum for Prenatal, Labor and Postpartum Massage Therapy Continuing Education training. Kiera is also a CPMT- Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist. Kiera’s private practice, MaMassage® Brooklyn, focuses on Reproductive Health and trauma-informed care. She was the 2018-2019 Massage Therapy Foundation Community Service Grant Recipient for her work with survivor/clients at the NYC-based nonprofit organization, Womankind. She recently completed a Spinning Babies® training. Kiera is also a Certified Acu Detox / NADA Specialist. Kiera experienced an amazing pregnancy, which was highlighted by a weekly prenatal massage, and is the queer parent of an amazing teenager!
What were you like growing up?
As a child, I was both an artist and a caretaker type, mostly an introvert who loved to draw and read. When playing with peers, I was often found in the role of mother, teacher or nurse. I loved to “make medicine” with twigs and berries, and tuck my playmates in to read them a story. I was a little bit shy, but once you were in my inner world, I always forged special connections with letters, handmade gifts, and care. These aspects of my persona and interests definitely feed into the work I do with students and clients on a daily basis!
Pricing:
- $160/60 min massage
- $220/90 min massage
- Course offering prices vary, but average at about $40/hour.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mamassage.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamassage_brooklyn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mamassagenyc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiera-nagle-ma-lmt-clc-cmldt-18b44952/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kieranagle9326
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mamassage-brooklyn-brooklyn
Image Credits
Dorota Micali Photography
David Meanix Photography
This Aperture Photography