Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kiera Nagle. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kiera, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

After practicing massage therapy part time on the side for almost 15 years, two years ago I left my full time job running a massage program at a local massage school to start my own practice. In that two years, we’ve taken on our own space, and I’ve hired 6 other therapists. It felt risky to leave the security of a salaried position, but after many years advising other folks how to start their own practices, I was ready to take the leap. (It also helped that my kiddo was moving towards the high school years and more independence!) Now, I’m so grateful for my amazing team and the ability for us to all do what we love- providing trauma informed, client centered massage therapy care with a focus on reproductive health, in a beautiful space within the heart of Brooklyn.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

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. 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, as we also provide medical massage, manual lymphatic drainage, and integrative massage techniques to support overall health and wellness with a focus on reproductive health.

MaMassage® founder, Kiera Nagle, MA, LMT, CLC, (she/her) has been practicing massage therapy and reiki for 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.

Kiera is the creator of MaMassage®, a curriculum for Prenatal, Labor and Postpartum Massage Therapy Continuing Education training for licensed massage therapists. Kiera is also a CPMT- Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist. 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.

At MaMassage® Brooklyn, we are proud to serve the diverse community of Brooklyn with truly client-centered massage therapy care and other services. And, Kiera is proud to be able to share her expertise with other massage therapists through education and mentorship.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Other than training/knowledge, in the field of health and wellness, compassion is key. As massage therapy practitioners at MaMassage®, we take the time to listen and connect with our clients so that we truly understand their goals and concerns and can plan their treatments accordingly. We follow up with self care recommendations, referrals and other resources so that clients can extend the benefits of the care they receive from us. We remember their birthdays, and their due dates, follow up after sessions, support their pregnancy losses, and reach out when we haven’t seen someone in awhile. This truly client-centered and compassionate approach keeps clients coming back to the respite of our care, which reduces their stress and positively impacts their overall state of health.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the pandemic, I pivoted towards curriculum development and online education opportunities, and these zoom classes and webinars continue to be an asset to the educational component of my business. They allow for some aspects of the MaMassage® curriculum to reach beyond the local area, so that massage therapists in other parts of the country can achieve continuing education goals and bring new skills to their clients. Another pivot was that as we returned to treating clients in the later part of the early pandemic, we restricted our practice to focus on women’s health and gender affirming care. More clearly defining this niche in our practice has been beneficial in also refining our target market and working more with the clients we love to serve best.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://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

Image Credits

Shannon Carpenter
Dorota Micali
David Meanix