Hi, I'm Andrea. Here's a little (or a lot) about me:
At the suggestion of my boss at what I call "my last real job", I got my first massage at 26 years old in the student clinic at Ashmead College in Vancouver, Washington. They gave me to the student that had the lightest pressure since it was my first time. I went back weekly for 3 more visits, asking each time for someone new who could give me more pressure, until I found the one who could go deep enough for me. She suggested upping my sessions to 2 hours weekly, because "I could spend an hour just on your glutes". Yes, I needed massage and I needed it bad. I had just finished 9 years in the Army, 3 years of weight training prior to that, and 10 years as a dancer from age 5. Needless to say, I had an active life and now I was paying the price with back pain, general muscle tension and stress in my twenties.
I stuck with that massage therapy student weekly until she graduated. Sadly, she never started a practice so you might say I signed up for massage school a few months later so I could get massages twice a week for a year. I always say it was the best $10k I ever spent! Really though, I went to massage school because I realized I had been missing out on this amazing treatment for far too long and if I could feel so much better because of bodywork, I wanted to help others get relief from pain and discomfort as well.
I graduated from Ashmead College in 2002 and began my practice as soon as my state license and insurance came in. I haven't looked back and I still love my "job". In the mean time I have taken a lot (they are required!) of continuing education classes and they have led me to create the practice that I have now and enjoy still.
I have beaten the attrition rate of most massage therapists by incorporating loads of self-care and modifying my schedule over the years so I can avoid the burn out so many massage therapists get from caregiving for so long.
Some of the things I enjoy to keep stress levels low: going for walks, meditation, strength training, growing my own food, taking road trips, yoga, DIY stuff, bicycling, dancing, kayaking, hiking and skiing. I also get to snuggle our cat, Munchkin (Munchie, Muncheez, Munchez, Munchie Bottom), when she lets me. She is Persian so she is bonded to my partner, Josh (lucky guy). We also have a new addition - Tiger Kitty. He adopted us and won't let us forget it! He demands his snuggles from us yet is very independent and will demand attention from random passersby when I am gone all day at work.
In the past I was also active with the Naturally Beautiful Backyards, Clark County Master Composter/Recycler, WSU Watershed Steward and WSU Master Food Preserver programs.
Thanks for getting to know me!
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Andrea Collier, Licensed Massage Therapist
Washington State Massage License #MA 00016616
