Land Acknowledgment
The uncomfortable truth is that the lands where we live, work, and play were created through the forced removal of Indigenous peoples from their traditional homelands. These peoples have lived here since time immemorial, and their descendants are still here, maintaining cultural and spiritual connections to the land. The land I practice on was originally the home of many tribes that currently fall under the umbrella of Coast Salish. For more about Land Acknowledgement and why it matters, please see my Resources page.
Who is the
KOLETO WELLNESS GROUP?
The Koleto Wellness Group is a growing wellness project, founded by Katrina Koleto, LMT.
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Our mission statement is:
To help our fellow humans achieve greater levels of total wellness through massage, movement, meditation, and more.
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But Katrina is just one person, so who else is part of the Koleto Wellness Group? YOU are!
I could not do this amazing work without my clients doing their own work. Each client brings to the table their willingness to care for their own body.
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In addition to that, the Koleto Wellness Group couldn't exist without countless teachers, mentors, sages, guides, ancestors, and loving community members. Although I am one person, my work is a manifestation of the energy of many.
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About Katrina:
Massage is a powerful healing modality. It's fascinating and rewarding to give, and can be life-changing to receive. My love and respect for the work, and for my clients, shines through in every session.
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My clients know I truly care about what they're going through and that I will do everything I can to help them relax, reduce pain, reduce stress, and feel more comfortable and at ease in their bodies, including offering self-care tips for between massage sessions. My work is most helpful when it is part of a whole picture of self-care, when massage is just one of the pieces of a client's overall wellness plan.
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I'm currently accepting new clients for a limited time only!
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Because I offer non-judgmental, open-hearted care, I end up with a lot of repeat clients who aren't as comfortable with other practitioners.
I have a gentle and accepting philosophy that there is
no wrong way to have a body,
which means I adore bringing health and healing to folks who have any shyness around their bodies-- from clients who identify as fat, to folx who are trans, to persons with disabilities, to folks with trauma histories, and all sorts of other kinds of shyness or dysmorphia. When you come see me, there is no need to apologize for body hair, sweating, lactating, or even passing gas. Bodies gonna do what bodies do, and I am 100% ok with that!
I've seen it all, and your body is beautiful and sacred to me,
exactly as it is.
I bring a body-positive, trans-inclusive, non-ableist, anti-racist approach to my work.
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MY TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES:
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My massage approach fuses many different styles, including slow deep-tissue and myofascial work (to really get the knots out), and soothing, nourishing Swedish massage and gentle Craniosacral holds (designed to calm the nervous system), with an emphasis on structural alignment. I like to see (with my hands as well as my eyes) where the body is out of alignment or unbalanced, and then I try to unwind the tissues.
Habits and repetitive motions can cause imbalances that can eventually lead to pain or even injury. When my clients commit to regular sessions, they universally experience an increase in overall mobility and a decrease in day-to-day discomforts.
Massage isn't magic, but it sure can feel that way sometimes!
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With clients' consent, I also occasionally employ tools such as hot stones, cupping, gua sha, essential oils, and CBD (also known in WA as CHABA). And as we go, I always encourage feedback-- I want you to tell me what works for you and what doesn't, so together we can create the perfect experience.
MY MASSAGE STORY:
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A lifetime of kinesthetic interest has led me to many body-focused pursuits throughout the years, including a dance minor in college, a year as a group fitness instructor, and several years as a Physical Therapy aide.
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Eventually, ​I was working as a caregiver for a man who was partially paralyzed by a spinal cord injury. His Physical & Occupational Therapists and Massage Therapists taught me several bodywork techniques that I used with this client daily, to improve his function. Eventually, it dawned on me that doing this bodywork with my client was my favorite part of the day, and that with a little training, I could make bodywork my primary occupation.
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Unfortunately at that time, I was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer, and in the midst of receiving treatments for that, I also broke my wrist in a scooter accident. The wrist was so painful I had to quit my caregiving work, and I took on a couple of part time jobs that were easier on my wrist. I spent the next two years trying to figure out what to do with my life if I wasn't going to be a massage therapist. I considered going to grad school for Physical Therapy, but I was daunted by the missing prerequisites left by my English degree.
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Then, one day, it dawned on me that I was sitting there cancer-free with a healed wrist, and that there was nothing stopping me from going to massage school. Within a year, I was enrolled at the Cortiva Institute, and in 2013 I became a Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Washington. I began working right away, both in a supervised setting with others and in a part-time private practice, and in 2017, I left my position as an employee and transitioned to a thriving full-time private practice.
"When you touch one thing with deep awareness,
you touch everything."
- Lao Tzu
QUALIFICATIONS/
RELEVANT EDUCATION:
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Cortiva School of Massage, 2013
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Current CPR & First Aid Certification
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Massage Technique Instructor, Northwest Academy for the Healing Arts, 2019
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Certified in Mental Health First Aid, 2022
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Masterclass in Guided Meditation with Jack Kornfield, 2022
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Nia Technique Teacher Training (White Belt), 2008
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Moondance Facilitator, 2016-2021
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Currently studying accredited (NASM) Personal Trainier Certification Course, 2022
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Key organizer for Dance Camp Northwest, 2013-2019
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Studied with the Seattle Insight Meditation Society, 2008
MY DANCE BACKGROUND:
A lifelong dancer, with a college minor in dance, I found myself leading dance fitness classes in the late '00s. Eventually I joined the Seattle ecstatic dance community as both a dancer and a DJ. In 2018 I was a co-facilitator for an all-genders dance called Evolution, founded with me by my life partner, Kevin Haggerty, aka The Reality Doula. And from 2016 to 2021, I was also a co-facilitator for a dance I founded for women and nonbinary folks, called Moondance: A Gender-Intentional Dance, though we only met one time in 2019, due to my struggles with adenomyosis (which eventually led to a hysterectomy). I had hoped to lead more Moondance events in 2020, but given the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19, Moondance ended up being held via Zoom only for a few short months during 2021. But I still occasionally dance with others at local ecstatic dances (like the FreeForm Dance Dance) and of course all around my living room.
GET IN TOUCH
3417 Evanston Ave N
Suite 412
Seattle, WA 98103