Indigo Massage and Healing Center

Indigo Massage Healing Center Co-Creators: Joe and Charity

For those that have spent more than 20 minutes with us, you have probably already heard our passion for what we do. We're looking to help facilitate people's healing process, whether it is through our bodywork or just a statement that we may say in passing, something that makes you think. Our passion has brought us from a one room massage studio to a larger healing center where we can network with other healers to help people find the right match and the right space for their own healing work.

When we work we offer more than a massage. We offer a healing session. But we don’t call ourselves Indigo Healers because we don't heal you. We know that YOU do that work. We just help you balance, help you find a space for yourself where you can reconnect and unwind. Our goal is to have you feel like the pieces have been put back together and you can go out and do what is called of you in these changing times.

That said, we are skilled massage therapists with experience working at chiropractors as well as spas. We've worked with athletes, marathon runners and golfers who have said that their races and games were improved by our work. We have worked with those who sit too much, work too much and hold too much stress in their bodies. We've worked with elderly, people with MS, and people recovering from injuries. We've had great success with children, particularly those dealing with ADHD or other emotional issues. It is our belief that a lot can be released through the body.

We were both trained and have taught at The Amherst School of Massage Therapy
(500 hours of techniques and A&P). The school offers basic massage training, which we have expanded on through numerous additional courses and hours of practice on each other. We took additional Shiatsu training with Xiaqiang Zhao, and a year long energywork course with Devita Birdwell through Temple Academies. We have Usui and Angelic Reiki training with Dr. Michael Verrilli and our Reiki Master with Nona Hatay and have studied the mind/body connection with Joseph F. Brescia. We have taken CranioSacral Therapy I and II through Upledger Institute, and Aromatherapy training with David Crow of Floracopia. We have studied personal growth work with Jessie Ayani and we are always continuing to learn.

Joe has worked at just about every job possible before being able to live his dream as a Massage Therapist. His experience as a certified nurses assistant brings him awareness of people's different situations and how he can best help them. His years of manual labor in various jobs has made him very strong and dexterous with his hands (If you have come to us you probably already know this!) Joe also has passion for learning and growing. He devours spiritual books and channeled information, and is able to process it in a way that changes his life and gives him something to offer those clients that may benefit from his knowledge. Joe just completed his first life coach training and is now studying with the Psychosynthesis Center to offer more counseling and dialogue work for his clients.

Charity graduated from Smith College with her B.S. in psychology before beginning three years of travel. She led sea kayaking trips in Baja, Mexico, studied natural health from a Mayan woman in San Cristobal de las Casas, and helped establish a rainforest preserve in Costa Rica. She also worked as an au pair and volunteered at an orphanage in Morocco. Although immensely happy with her adventures she was ready to return to the US to help people at home. She found massage and fell in love with the work. You can feel her natural healing touch and loving presence as she works from her heart. Charity is currently studying Transformation Kinesiology.

Jennifer Eckard enjoys bringing presence, compassion, and intention to every session. She was first attuned to Reiki 15 years ago. She graduated from her training in Bodywork and Therapeutic Massage at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in 2006. Since then, she has returned to Kripalu to assist their Bodywork Training several times, as well as deepened her Reiki training to the level of “master”. She has also been trained in Thai Yoga Bodywork by Michael Sitzer, MA, LMT, CYT, and assisted his trainings in Lenox, New York, and Arizona. She is passionate about combining Thai Yoga Bodywork, energy work, and Deep Tissue massage to allow people to come into balance, and find more freedom in their bodies and in their lives. Jen is also committed to her own personal growth, through practices including meditation, yoga, artistic expression, and Ayurvedic lifestyle, and is happy to draw upon these tools when it can help others in their journey toward vibrant health.

Katherine Pangborn, M.A. has worked in a variety of settings over the past 15 years ranging from shelters, to hospitals, to outpatient clinics. She has studied psychology from many perspectives including Jungian, Existential, and Buddhist philosophy. Her true passion is helping people discover and rediscover the joy of feeling intensely alive, divinely connected and inspired to walk (or trail blaze) their own unique path.

Jonathan Kapsten received his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in 1981 and began private practice in Anesthesiology in 1986. He remained in private practice until 1998. During those 12 years he also studied and practiced Tang Soo Do karate, Tai Chi, Qi gong and Ia-do. Later he became a Reiki healer eventually being ‘attuned’ to the 3rd level of Reiki, which some call "Reiki Master". In 1998 he decided to start a second career. He chose acupuncture for its proven effectiveness, its diagnostic rigor and because it offered a more personal and less political form of healing to which he could apply myself. He received his Master of Acupuncture degree from the New England School of Acupuncture in 2001. During his time at school and afterwards he focused his studies on Japanese Acupuncture. He has studied both in the United States and in Japan. He is a member of the Japanese Toyohari Association, an NCCAOM certified Diplomate in Acupuncture, a licensed acupuncturist.

Dr. Bonnie has 20 years experience as a surgeon, instructor, counselor and health care provider. She begins her consultations by listening to your concerns and offering education that can help you learn more about your body, lifestyle and nutrition. She blends her knowledge with gentle hands on techniques such as advanced craniosacral, osteopathy and homeopathy and offers grounded suggestions that support your healing process for a change that you can really feel.