Jamie’s long educational journey started at the age of 12 when she asked for a cookbook on healthy eating for her birthday. At this early age, see began to see food as medicine. Eight years later, she would go on to graduate from the Crestone Healing Arts Center with 650 hours of massage therapy training. In 2002, she completed her yoga teacher training at The Mount Madonna Institute and her certificate in herbal studies from The Northwest School of Botanical Studies. A traumatic knee injury shifted her attention to orthopedics and injury rehab and furthered her fascination with helping the body heal. She then began studying neuromuscular reprogramming (NMR) and exercise rehab. After 10 years with an injury rehab practice, she went back to school to continue her studies and to complete her licensure in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine at the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate in Orthopedic Acupuncture and Classical Chinese Medicine. Jamie sees studying the body not as a means to an end, but as a lifelong fascination and a way of life.

Jamie’s long educational journey started at the age of 12 when she asked for a cookbook on health... Read More

Napier Bulanan (she/her) is a Certified Massage Therapist who comes from a family of healers. Her style blends intuitive, orthopedic, and somatic approaches.

Napier’s goal is to build body awareness in her clients to help manage pain and prevent injury. Through targeted and collaborative sessions, Napier works with her clients to strengthen the connection between their minds and bodies to bring lasting relief. Every session is tailored to each client’s unique needs, meeting the body where it is, and allowing the body to unravel at its own pace. Sessions typically blend deep tissue, trigger point, neuromuscular techniques, and manual lymphatic drainage to treat chronic pain, injury, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal dysfunctions.

Napier trained at the San Francisco School of Massage and Bodywork, where she learned that bodywork was an innate second language for her. She continued on to study Manual Lymphatic Drainage at McKinnon Body Therapy Center, a modality that is very helpful with treating chronic inflammation and fatigue and recovery from surgery/injury. Outside of work, Napier enjoys laughing with her daughter and husband, catching up with friends, crafting, and going to farmer’s markets.

Napier Bulanan (she/her) is a Certified Massage Therapist who comes from a family of healers. Her... Read More

Sophia Cantizano, L.Ac. is a California board-certified acupuncturist specializing in orthopedic acupuncture. Her goal is to help patients get back to the activities they love, whether that means returning to the gym, playing pickleball, sleeping more soundly, or simply moving through daily life with less pain and greater ease.

Sophia combines acupuncture, e-stim, herbal medicine, cupping, and gua sha to support healing and restore balance. Her approach is tailored to each individual while always prioritizing nervous system regulation. Fluent in English and Spanish, she strives to create a supportive, collaborative environment where patients feel heard and empowered in their care.

Sophia has a Master’s degree from the Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley and a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University. Her clinical experience includes an internship with the UC Berkeley Athletic Department, where she treated Olympic and collegiate athletes, as well as volunteer work at the Charlotte Maxwell Clinic supporting underserved women undergoing cancer treatment. She continues to advance her expertise in sports medicine and orthopedic care through training with Dr. Jamie Bender.

When she’s not in the clinic, Sophia enjoys weightlifting, baking sweet treats, taking long walks with her two dogs, and geeking out on skincare.

Sophia Cantizano, L.Ac. is a California board-certified acupuncturist specializing in orthopedic ... Read More

Erik has been practicing clinical massage therapy since 2011, after completing his training at the World School of Massage. With a background as both a yoga instructor and boxing coach, and a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley, Erik brings a unique blend of physical insight and thoughtful communication to his work. He is deeply committed to helping others pursue their passions and live pain-free—and will eventually be transitioning into a career in Occupational Therapy as an extension of that mission.

A strong proponent of deep tissue techniques, Erik believes that simplicity and precision are key. His work is grounded in a thorough understanding of anatomy and symptomatology, allowing him to tailor each session to support his clients’ specific goals. Whether addressing injury recovery or chronic pain, he focuses on effective, targeted work that helps people feel and function better.

Outside of massage, Erik enjoys solo backpacking through California, baking bread, making fresh pasta, and watching classic film noir.

Under the Orthopedic Massage umbrella, Erik specializes in both Clinical and Sports Massage, each tailored to support your body’s unique needs.

Clinical Massage focuses on relieving pain and restoring function. Sessions target specific areas based on the root cause of discomfort or an underlying condition, making it an excellent complement to ongoing care for chronic symptoms.

Sports Massage is designed to enhance performance and aid recovery. Whether preparing for an event or addressing the physical demands of high-intensity activity, this focused work helps keep your body performing at its best.

Erik has been practicing clinical massage therapy since 2011, after completing his training at th... Read More

Eva Larson, L.Ac. is a California board certified acupuncturist and herbalist with over 10 years clinical experience. She has specialized advanced training in several areas of health and wellness including nutrition, digestive disorders, pain management and women’s health. She is passionate about nutrition, exercise, cooking and human biology. She uses acupuncture, herbal medicine and whole food nutritional therapy to solve complex health problems that often seem hopeless.

It’s important to Eva to be valued by her community as an established, effective resource and an integral part of your healthcare team to help you achieve your goals. She is warm and non-judgmental and willing to meet you where you are. She loves working with people who are motivated to make changes, committed to the process and prioritize their health and wellness so that together we can uncover and correct the source of what is bothering them.

Eva studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego and graduated in 2007 with a Masters of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (MSTOM). She was drawn to acupuncture after suffering with eczema for much of her life and finding little to no relief through western medicine. After just a few acupuncture treatments, herbal therapies, and recommended lifestyle changes, her eczema symptoms largely vanished and she began to explore everything else alternative medicine has to offer.

When not in the clinic Eva can be found swimming in the bay, jogging the streets of Alameda, curled up with a book but more often than not, in the kitchen.

Eva Larson, L.Ac. is a California board certified acupuncturist and herbalist with over 10 years ... Read More

Oakland native Kaitlin is a Certified Massage Therapist and Licensed Esthetician with a deep passion for whole-body wellness and functional recovery. With a background in both therapeutic touch and integrative skincare, she brings a unique and skilled perspective to her work—one that’s grounded, intuitive, and centered on results.

After earning her esthetician license in 2017, Kaitlin spent several years at Aveda San Francisco Center, where she served as Lead Advisor and developed a holistic, education-based philosophy of care. Rather than focusing on products, she learned to connect with each person’s individual needs—an approach that now defines her massage work.

Inspired by her mother, who practiced massage before her, Kaitlin trained at the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville, specializing in orthopedic and sports massage. Her work blends precise, anatomy-informed techniques with an intuitive understanding of how the body moves and heals.

At Stepping into Wellness, Kaitlin focuses on pain relief, injury recovery, and movement restoration, helping clients move better, recover faster, and build long-term resilience. She’s passionate about empowering people to understand their bodies and take an active role in their own healing.

Outside of work, Kaitlin is also a hip-hop musician and an active member of a thriving community of talented artists. As a mother, she and her partner prioritize sharing creativity and culture with their children, often spending weekends at live music events and other artistic gatherings throughout the Bay Area.

Oakland native Kaitlin is a Certified Massage Therapist and Licensed Esthetician with a deep pass... Read More