Matias Rozenberg, Shiatsu & Registered Massage Therapist

The patient's head lolls to each shoulder as she shakes her limbs loosely before sighing contentedly. She ambles out of the therapy room relaxed and pain-free thanks to a massage at Matias Rozenberg Shiatsu & Registered Massage Therapist. A practising Shiatsu therapist since 2003 and with Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) certification, Matias Rozenberg has long desired to help others, even before he transitioned to massage therapy. "I felt it was my calling to help people. It's always been my calling," he explains.

That impetus to do for others was first sparked when Matias earned a Master's in social work prior to studying RMT and Shiatsu, which Matias defines as "a Japanese style of massage that is based on traditional Eastern acupoint theory. It's sometimes referred to as 'acupressure' or 'acupuncture without needles.'" Matias offered social work services in expressive arts therapy and community arts programs but wanted to explore an approach that focused on helping the body as well as the mind. This inspired Matias to move towards Shiatsu massage and then Registered Massage Therapy.

After having worked for a decade in various therapeutic environments, Matias decided to open his own space in 2013, establishing one of the few full-time Shiatsu and RMT spaces in Hamilton. "It just felt right," he says. "I was inspired by the challenge." In addition to working full-time in Hamilton, Matias serves clients in Toronto twice a week.