Even as a young girl, Kate had a knack for kneading away stress. Her talent for easing aches and pains—along with her gift for playing piano—even earned her an appropriate nickname: “Magic Hands.” Later in life, after 13 years of working in retail, Kate realized the full potential of this nickname when she shifted gears and began working as a professional massage therapist.

Today, Kate presides over Soothe Massage Therapy, where she prides herself on customizing treatments for each of her clients. “I like to start out by just having a conversation,” she explains before describing how she uses knowledge of a person’s occupation and lifestyle to respond to individual needs. Rather than limit herself to a single modality, Kate relies on Swedish and deep-tissue techniques to soothe nerves and heal shoulders sore from carrying around backpacks or suits of metal armor.

To help her clients relax, Kate has decorated her studio in a soothing, neutral palette. The notes of a piano or classical guitar mingle with the quiet burbling of a fountain as she begins to work her magic, stroking away tension and removing loose change lodged between shoulder blades.