Rise and Be Well

I was in Fort Bragg for just a few days, but, feeling all stove up from pretzeling myself to work on my laptop, I walked into Rise and Be Well and asked if they had any openings the next day. They did. Usually I only go to massage therapists that friends recommend, so my expectations were low. Luckily, I got Abraham Cohen, who turned out to be wonderful. For the first few minutes of the massage, I was on the fence. I’d booked a Swedish massage, and wondered if he was going deep enough. When I asked him to apply more pressure, he asked if I wanted to upgrade to a Deep Tissue massage. That fell like upsell to me, so I said I’d stay with the Swedish. He then explained that he’d trained in ortho-bionomy, which favors a lighter touch and stimulates the body’s ability to self-heal. Digging into your knots is not necessarily the best bet for lasting relief.

Mostly I like to be quiet during a massage, but I appreciated his description of the ortho-bionomy. Whatever you call it, it worked! I walked out feeling lighter, looser, and happier. Abraham is also a very interesting guy — we covered a lot of ground, from commercial fishing to AI to Dolly Parton (RIP). Unusually for me, I could have a conversation AND completely enjoy the massage (and I’m sure if you didn’t want to talk, he would accommodate your wishes). Highly recommended.

Rise and Be Well has become my go to place for all of my self-care needs! I highly recommend the Lucia light therapy; I have been doing sessions every week for over a year and it has become my favorite service there. The float tank and new sound bed are great services too! Plus yoga classes, sauna and cold plunge tank, there is something for everyone.