Melissa is the owner of Somatic Roots. She practices Aquatic Integration ™ GYROTONIC®, Somatic Movement Therapy, Qigong and the work of Moshe Feldenkrais in sessions. Her work draws heavily from her roots with the Institute for Internal Transformation in Qigong, meditation and movement mechanics. She has been combining these modalities as a means of gaining insight into the mind, using the somatic experience as a tool. It has been a quest of passion and of an insatiable curiosity. She enjoys sharing these tools and in aiding her students to empower their own journey of insight and well being.

2005 to current - Studied Qigong at the Institute for Internal Transformation, given teaching permission in 2008.  

In 2010 completed her certification in the GYROTONIC METHOD with certifications in the Pulley Tower, both Level 1 and 2 as well as the Gyrotoner and the Jump Stretch Board.

2017 Trained in Yin Aquatic Approach and Somatic Movement, “land” sessions. 

2022 Trained in Aquatic Integration with Cameron West

2024 MBS Practitioner certification (the works of Moshe Feldenkrais)

2024 Apprenticeship program under Cameron West in Aquatic Integration

Melissa currently lives in Encinitas with her cuddly companion, Watson.