Who We Are

In January 2021, Vital Body Therapy was acquired by Essentia Body Therapy, inc; Owned by former Vital Body General Manager and Massage Therapist, Kayla Savage and her husband Joshua Savage.

Kayla and Josh have kept the foundational spirit of VBT alive by employing highly skilled and compassionate therapists to deliver a superior massage experience to our clients. Each having 500+ hours of training and a commitment to ongoing education, all of these professionals offer exceptional service and care that exceeds industry standards. We want your experience at Essentia to meet your needs from the moment you schedule your appointment to long after you’ve left our clinic. We are passionate about our work, and we look forward to serving you and your health.

Our Therapists

The therapists we employ are all certified, highly skilled professionals with at least 500+ hours of specialized training. Most have worked in other clinical settings such as chiropractic, PT, and acupuncture offices. You can be assured that each one brings to the table a large body of knowledge, a passion for their work, and exceptional professional qualifications. You’re in good hands!

Kayla Savage

Kayla’s interest in body science and her intuitive healing nature led her to the National Holistic Institute in San Jose, CA. There she received 1350 hours of intensive training and graduated as an Advanced Neuromuscular Therapist & Health Educator. She offers a more clinical approach to bodywork, taking the time to assess her clients before each session to ensure that their needs and expectations are fully met.

Although Kayla is trained in multiple therapeutic modalities, she specializes in the treatment of chronic pain and myofascial dysfunction. She also has training in injury prevention and rehabilitation, and she offers lymphatic facilitation for both pre- and post-operative injuries. This technique aides the body’s natural healing cycle, thereby helping to shorten recovery time. Her goal as a therapist is not only to help people find relief from their chronic pain and daily restrictions, but to promote a greater sense of well-being.

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

September Miller

September’s grounded, calming energy & mindful approach to bodywork allows for a more relaxing therapeutic session. After completing the 1350 hour program at the Emeryville campus of the National Holistic Institute in 2015, she began gaining experience in luxury day spas, private studios, chiropractic offices & wellness centers.

She specializes in Prenatal Massage including Birth Preparation, Swedish / Firm Swedish, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point Therapy & more. September loves being able to take her knowledge & skill sets & customize sessions for her client’s based on their needs in that moment.

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

Laura Craig

Laura Craig has been practicing massage therapy for nearly 20 years. She has worked in Nevada, Hawaii, and her home state of California. Her specialties include deep tissue and injury rehabilitation with a focus on therapeutic quality bodywork tailored to give each individual client exactly what they need. She has continued her education through the medical assisting program at Cabrillo college, where she recently graduated. She combines her passion for healing and knowledge of the human body to create a session where the client will feel peaceful, respected, and come away renewed and restored.

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

Jen Prebezac

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Thai Massage, The Five Senses

Lisa Lewis

I didn’t know at the time, but the Universe had definite plans in regards to my true calling. 

When the shift started, I already had a job I loved as an assistant discharge planner at a medical facility in Chico, Ca and I thought I would be there forever.

 It just so happened that I also loved to work out knots and ease tension in the necks and shoulders of the overworked nurses who worked on my unit. It got to be a habit that they would stop by my office on their breaks to get a little relief. Fast forward 12 years later, and here I am, still a full-time therapist, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

From providing relaxation and comfort to those who merely want to unwind, to finding those hard-to-reach knots and honing in on those trigger points, I can honestly say that this is a job that is NOT a job - it is a joyful occupation in which I gain more knowledge each year.  

That said, I am truly honored to be a therapist, and it is a huge privilege to help those who come to see me. 

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

Amasa Southwick

Amasa is an experienced, well-rounded massage therapist who is passionate about providing her clients with the best care possible. She aims to meet whatever needs their body, mind and spirit may be having when they book their massage. She graduated from a 636 hour program at the Virginia school of massage in 2006 with a focus on Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Myofascial Release and has hundreds of hours of continuing education since then that informs her practice.  With over 15 years of hands on experience she is confident she can meet her clients needs, whether they are looking for relaxation or specific focused work on problem areas.  Amasa is passionate about bringing more healing into the world and is grateful for the opportunity to do so through her hands-on bodywork practice.  

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

Dan Perez

Since I was young, sports have always been a big part of my life. My love for sports led me to taking sports med and anatomy/physiology classes in high school. After touring the National Holistic Institute in San Jose I realized Massage Therapy combined my love for helping others and my love for kinesiology and body science. While completing the 900 hour program at NHI I was able to work with the San Jose Saber Cats arena football team and massage at events such as the San Francisco Giants Race and Olympic Rugby Qualifiers. This is where I found my love for sports massage and working with athletes to rehab and prevent injuries. Mixing eastern and western modalities in my approach to bodywork, I like to incorporate Swedish, shiatsu and sports massage techniques to create a relaxing experience that also effectively decreases tension and trigger points helping clients recover and ultimately prevent further imbalances within their musculature.

Available Modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, The Five Senses

Megan Saavedra

Free- spirited and ambulate in nature, I relocated to the area to pursue a life that offers the luxuries of year round gardening and the endless sound of the roaring ocean. Intrigued and driven to understand how the environment around us affects us; I studied Sociology at Sacramento State. After receiving my Bachelors of the Arts in 2016, took my newly harnessed education and love for science back to the classroom. I became a licensed massage therapist; obtained the title of Neuromuscular Massage Therapist and Health Educator through the National Holistic Institute College of Massage Therapy (1250 hour program) in 2018. Since diving into the bodywork world my appreciation for both medical and therapeutic massage has grown and I've added modalities such as dry cupping to my arsenal. I incorporate various modalities into each of my sessions to create a customized and effective massage plan for each client.

Availabe Modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, The Five Senses

Andy Torrez

My name is Andoeny but may also go by Andy. At the age of sixteen I was invited to my first ever yoga session. In that moment I felt so much respect and love for myself that it sparked the curiosity to learn more about the connection between our body, to the spirit and our emotional state. I was fortunate to have completed the yoga teacher training at Nourish in 2019 and then in 2022 graduated from Cypress Massage Institute, here in our lovely Santa Cruz County. I am continuing my education at Cabrillo, taking various human biology courses with the ultimate goal of blending my holistic approach into the medical field. It is with tremendous gratitude that I hope to bring a bit of nurture through touch to the lives of those that I work with. My intention is to solely be a witness to the healing that you are capable of. It being physical, emotional or spiritual.

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Pre-Natal, The Five Senses

Hilary Ballou

Hilary is a massage therapist, neuromuscular therapist and health educator. Having studied at the Redding campus of the National Holistic Institute, she also tutored many of her classmates. She continued on to complete NHI’s Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy program at the Sacramento campus for a total of 1250 hours of training. She is an avid learner & seeks out as many continuing education courses as she can fit into her schedule to keep learning, broadening her skill set, and finding new inspiration from a variety of modalities.

Hilary found massage after exploring many other career and educational pathways. She blends Eastern and Western massage techniques and applies wisdom and experience gained from a background in healthcare and hospitality to create her own holistic and science-based approach to body therapy with the goal of facilitating both relaxation and healing. She often incorporates advanced assessments, chronic pain management, lymphatic facilitation, injury prevention, and injury management, as well as neuromuscular and myofascial techniques, into treatments where applicable.

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, YoMassage

Julissa Garcia

As a graduate of the National Holistic Institute in San Jose, with over 600 hours of training, I have been providing massage therapy to the community since the beginning of 2022. Coming from a background of helping others, community service & wellness; I like to combine both Eastern & Western Modalities along with Breath Work to help connect the Mind & Body in relaxation. I intuitively blend Swedish, Deep Tissue, Acupressure, Myofascial Therapy & Shiatsu into each of my sessions. I believe in being comfortable in your own body and my number one priority is YOU when you're on my table

Available modalities: Essentia Signature, CBD Signature, Deep Tissue