Meet Emma Harper of Heart Felt Bodywork and Massage Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Harper.

Hi Emma, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thanks so much for having me! A good place to start would be back in 2016. I bought a one way ticket to Bangkok to explore Southeast Asia for the last year of my twenties. I ended up spending 6 years abroad teaching English as a foreign language and yoga in Vietnam, Turkey, Georgia, and Portugal. When I returned to Denver, I decided I needed to plan more intentionally for my future with less exciting things, like getting an IRA and going back to school. I began working on my undergraduate degree in early childhood education and enrolled in a year-long course to become a licensed massage therapist. While living abroad, I frequently took advantage of massage and the benefits that it had on my wellbeing. I earned my massage therapy license and began my own practice, Heart Felt Bodywork & Massage Therapy, in September of last year. My time spent in different countries and cultures, along with the discovery of movement and meditation practices like Vipassana and Contact Improvisation, have profoundly shaped my approach to healing and bodywork. What began as a way to support myself while finishing my bachelor’s has morphed into an amazing opportunity to learn more about myself while practicing a form that has expanded my capacity for connection with my Self, others, and the natural world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Traveling and living alone in several different countries was often more challenging than it was ecstatic or blissful. I did not have much structure to rely on,like working for a company to help with housing and visas or having a partner for moral support. At times, it felt like my only option was to keep going; it was very much sink or swim. Through this experience I was able to tap into resilience and fully grasp the privilege of having a strong passport, being a native English speaker, as well as the opportunities these offered. Things I never appreciated (or knew to) before leaving the States. Despite lacking formal teaching education, I was able to wing it as a teacher. When you ask someone what made their favorite teacher so great, they often reference how the teacher made them feel or the kindness and attentiveness the teacher showed. These were qualities I was able to offer my students. Making people feel at ease is vital to learning and to accessing the parts of the brain necessary for language acquisition. Speaking a foreign language can be scary! During my time in Turkey, I learned Turkish. This gave me a deeper understanding and respect for the challenges that language learners and immigrants face.

We’ve been impressed with Heart Felt Bodywork and Massage Therapy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Heart Felt was something that grew and developed organically. As I began practicing massage I noticed what kinds of clients I was attracting and who I enjoyed working with the most. This tended to be people actively involved in their own healing. From post op patients looking for a gentle touch for manual lymphatic drainage or people with office jobs noticing where their tension and stress is being held in their body. Ultimately the client knows best. I aim to be of service by aiding the body in doing what it knows how to do best; to heal and restore. Heart Felt became a way for me to become a better listener to what my client says and to how their body responds to my presence and touch. I love the space I’ve created, one that offers a sense of safety and peace as soon as clients enter. I’m proud of my branding and the simplicity of my services offered; all modalities are the same price, combinable, and monetary gratuity is not expected nor accepted.

What matters most to you?
Authenticity, safety, and genuine kindness. It is such a huge act of trust and surrender to allow someone to touch your body. This is never lost on me when I am with a client. It is important to feel safe in bodywork environments and I want to make sure that is something that is always present for my clients, both consciously and  unconsciously. As the outside world feels increasingly overwhelming, having a safe space for healing is crucial for this work. The body knows when a touch has good intentions and security behind it, and I want to impart that to all I have the privilege to work with.

Pricing:

• 60 minutes is $100
• 90 minutes is $150
• 120 minutes is $200
• Tips are not accepted

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heartfeltbodywork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogaintheparkdenver/

I also teach donation based yoga classes in Denver’s City Park weekly during the summer. Please join!