Holistic Health Solutions

I have some major medical problems that are giving me symptoms that cannot be resolved with surgery or medications so I’ve been looking for some new solutions. A friend of mine recommended acupressure as her husband was having a good response to it. Admittedly, I really knew very little about it but James was able to explain enough about Jin Shin acupressure to me that I gave it a try. First of all it was very relaxing and during this process I was able to pinpoint some areas that I didn’t realize I had been carrying tension in like my right leg (just the right one, I didn’t even know you could do that) and my jaw. Secondly, I could feel a significant reduction of joint pain during the next several days.
Now the facts are that this is obviously an ongoing process and has some synergy to it. Because my results have improved, I know it requires maintenance to get a cumulative effect. That’s my own opinion from what my body is telling me. After just two sessions, I feel that it is truly worth it for my health and my physical comfort getting my pain to a manageable level so I can participate in life. I am also very appreciative that he takes notes, follows up on them and that I have a full 60 or 90 min session with someone who can learn my preferences and not just the masseuse du jour. I’ve had body work many times whether it’s massage, water therapy, scrubs, etc. so I’m pretty picky and this is really working for me.

My appointment was with James and he was so nice and welcoming. Let me preface my next statement by saying that I’ve gotten many massages in the past, some of which were absurdly expensive, but the massage I got from James was the best I have ever had. His attention to the body and how your muscles feel is beyond professionalism, it’s passion for what he does. I made a future appointment and will continue to do so.

They say there is a trinity of being: Body, Mind & Soul, and that in order to have a happy, healthy, whole life, these three things need to be in balance. This led to my search for the «perfect» holistic health practitioner. I wasn’t in balance. At that time my body felt clogged with old energy. My mind harbored old stale thoughts. And my soul… let’s just say I was far away from the feeling of being connected to something larger than myself. I felt separate. Lost. I found James Vaughn, CMT, ATC thru an internet search, yet I truly know now that it wasn’t by happenstance.
During my intake we went thru a short series of questions that immediately made me feel understood, cared for, and that I finally found THE practitioner who could guide and support me on my journey. No health practitioner had ever done this with me before. I felt I was finally on my way. Prior to our massage time, I thought I knew just what I wanted in my massage. I shared where I hurt, where I hold tension etc. Not only was the first session amazing, but it revealed and addressed so much more than I realized I was carrying. It’s the more I want to bring your attention to. James has the ability to see intuitively into process. The work he facilitates works on so many more levels than what we can even begin to fathom. There is a profound brilliance in his work. He can tap the weakest, scariest part of you with such deep compassion that you feel compelled to stay and work through it –knowing you’re in a safe and sacred space to get what you need. He helps you realize that you’re so much more capable than you know, and that so much more freedom and joy in life is available to you. You feel safe. You feel a transcendent love. You feel deeper peace and clarity just being in his presence after even a short time. You know you’re in the right hands.
So I committed to my happy, healthy life plan, which James helped me put together, and booked weekly sessions, with the belief that I could and would be able to create the balance between my Body Mind & Soul that I was looking for. My treatments have ranged from Swedish, Deep Tissue, Acupressure Therapy, Life Coaching, and Intuitive Counseling. To date I can truly say I am a changed person, inside and out. Everyone in my life has been asking me what I’ve been doing lately. They see the change. My path is affirmed. Putting my massage/​treatment program with James as a top priority in my life, I am already seeing the life I want to live come into being. I feel hope. I feel confident. The wellbeing I feel now is whole new world for me. And I know this is just the beginning. So if you are searching for the «perfect» holistic health practitioner, massage therapist, body worker, life coach, HEALER, then you need to set up your session with James. It will become the most important time for you in your day. It could be the most important, life-​changing choice you’ve made in your life thus far.

Knowledgeable, professional, skilled — and affordable, for me!

From overdoing it at the gym to relieving stress from work or an upcoming belly dance performance; James has been able to get me back to feeling myself on many occasions.
I’ve met numerous massage therapists over the years but none with such an expansive knowledgable base. He educates his clients on techniques he uses and explains how they work.
During my first session with James, I thought I’d save him time and tell him what I wanted — he pretty much told me what I needed and I’ve never questioned him again. James has been my therapist for 2+ years now and I have no need to look elsewhere but instead am frequently recommending him to those who truly have not experienced such relief.
Either for therapy /​medicinal or purely relaxtion, there is no quesion… go see James!

As an orchestral conductor who constantly beats up my body through conducting, as well as spending half of my life on airplanes, I have had a lot of massage therapy and body work done all over the world, by some immensely talented therapists. James ranks among the very best of the very best. I have had many transformational massages from James, and ever single time I was impressed that although he is impeccably trained, he is also a true natural healer. He’s got «the gift.» Within the first 30 seconds of my first massage with him, I knew that he knew exactly what he was doing, and then some. He is extremely intuitive, and his massage comes from a genuine holistic approach. He is extremely well trained in an impressive number of different modalities, and knows exactly when to use what. If you are in need of a more-​soothing Swedish style massage, he can deliver that brilliantly. Equally so, his deep tissue work is among the best I have ever encountered anywhere. But Swedish and Deep Tissue are just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of James’ vast menu of modalities. Even though I have had hundreds (thousands?) of massages over my conducting career, he introduced me to new modalities that were very beneficial to my own unique personal situation and physical state. For example, as a conductor who gives new meaning to «repetitive stress syndrome» since I stand in front of orchestras day in and day out wafting (mostly) my right arm for hours on end daily/​weekly/​yearly, I always (especially) have major issues with that side of my upper body, as well as my lower back. James knew exactly what to do. He thoroughly understands the human body, and what it needs to regain its optimum balance. In addition to his highly intuitive abilities, he also communicates with his clients in the verbal medium, but knows how to translate that into the physical. So, an actual massage from James feeds the soul and the body in many, many ways. You can feel the stress — both physical and mental — dropping away from your body and brain during the massage itself. But the actual proof of his talents are how exceptionally balanced and pain-​free you feel the day after. .. the week after. And following body work by James, that improvement is impossible to miss. There are a lot of fantastically-​trained and talented massage therapists in Northern California — we are very lucky in that respect. But there are a tiny few who take massage from being merely excellent, to that higher, elite, unquantifiable level. James Vaughn is one of those elite few.

I have had some amazing massages with James. Highly trained and highly intuitive. His sessions are very healing and technically sound.
He has a great ability to do deep work in a variety of ways, and I come away from each session having experienced a new level of relaxation and balance.
I know that he also teaches massage. His knowledge of healing and health and the body is vast. It is all very apparent through his work. I highly recommend him for anyone needing anything from a feel-​good massage, to deep holistic transformation and release of tension or pain for the long run.