Testimonials

Melissa Cruz
Oakland, CA
"As a professional dancer, I rely on my body to be in top shape and Monica has been a big part of my physical maintenance. If you need deep myofascial release, Monica’s got the knowledge AND strength to get into the right spots! I have always come out of our sessions feeling born-again, able to access all of those muscle groups I tend to overuse and abuse when dancing. Because she appreciates dance as athletic, I trust her completely to empathize and understand how strenuous my job is. When I make it to Hawaii, she’ll be the first person I see to book a session!"

Chrishelle J.
Discovery Bay, United States
Monica has the absolute best hands ever. She personally knows what areas to target. Every experience has helped me through all my challenges and I've always had a positive outcome. I refuse to deal with anyone else, she's that magnificent.

Kevin D.
Dublin, United States

Monica is a very talented Massage Therapist. She understands repetitive motion problems and has a very good sports background. I was suffering from tennis elbow and she taught me exercises to do at home. She recommended a Lacrosse ball for self massage therapy. She also explained why I should not always wear an elbow band. The advice she gave me totally worked and I was able to completely eliminate the chronic pain I had. The massage she gave me was also top notch, professional, and I felt great. Monica is a real pro and loves her work. I highly recommend her for massage and for help with therapy issues.

Bernadette L.
Millsmont, Oakland, United States

Monica Montoya at Muscle Movement Therapy is one of the most knowledgeable Personal Trainers and Massage Therapists. I have been lucky enough to have been personally trained by her since before the launch of her integrated business. She has helped me transform my body, guided me towards healthy eating, reviewed my ergonomic set up, and has devised a personal work out program specifically designed for me while keeping in mind the importance of ergonomics, form, and precision. As a long time flamenco dancer I have been able to keep dancing without pain due to Monica's ability to create a personalized fitness regimen that builds my core strength and keeps me dancing free of pain. Monica's deep understanding of pressure points, soft tissue massage, myofascial release, neuromuscular work, and Thai massage can turn pain into bliss and a thing of the past. When I recommend her to friends they always come back to tell me she is magic! Thank you!

Steve S.
Hayward, United States

I came to Monica, with tired/strained wrists/hands. We discussed what approach she was going to take with me before beginning. She informed me, that her goal was to teach me how to eventually care for myself, rather than continue to rely on her. This was definitely a welcome concept, as it seems most want you to keep coming back with your wallet, rather than truly help you. The massage was helpful, but even better, were the exercises she showed me to do on my own. I have complete confidence in her abilities, and look forward to working with her in the future.

Alejandra A.
Clayton, United States
Monica is an amazing Therapist, she really knows her stuff and she is very helpful and really understands body movement. I took my 17 year old for a session and she was very caring and explained everything very well to my daughter and even gave her some drills to do at home after her session, my daughter really liked her approach and I did too. I have tried other places before for my daughter, she is a swimmer and a water polo player so as a young athlete she's prone to injuries and I've never been satisfied and we've never seen real results until I took her to Monica. In only one session my daughter learned a lot and I thank her for it. Don't waste time looking somewhere else, she is the real deal and what's most important she cares! and you can tell that she loves what she does and to me that's really important. Thank you Monica!

Mike L.
Mike L.
Clayton, United States

Having lived 55 years aggressively pursuing athletically active and outdoor activities (skiing, trail running, mt. and road biking, backpacking, etc.) mobility is getting to be a challenge. My neck and shoulders are not as happy as they once were doing some of the things I like to do with arthritis and disk issues getting in the way. Monica has helped me stay in the game with these activities. Her skills in each area are well developed. But cross-training is one of her most valuable attributes.
She can pinpoint what is going on and apply the exact therapy to manage the situation. She doesn't just do "feel-good" massage. She identifies the root cause and provides the appropriate approach, be it deep tissue massage, Thai massage, palates, ergonomic workstation design, etc. At the beginning of each session she takes an inventory of the situation, progress since last time, and sets the focus going forward with me.
At one point I had a car accident that left my neck in bad shape. A series of six sessions with Monica helped to release the affected neck and back muscles bringing things back to normal in a few weeks.
To get to the root causes of some the neck strain Monica evaluated my workstation and recommended a sit/stand workstation. She also diagramed what I personally needed to do to improve my situation. What a change those recommendations have made for the better.
She has been very helpful in coaching me to better posture (a life-long goal).
Monica is client-focused and professional. I have recommended her to friends many times and continue to do so.

Cedric Y.

Oakland, CA

I've always been an athletic person , and at my Advanced age , I do have aches and pains from time to time; in addition , the nature of my job , and recreational activities can leave me pretty sore . I scheduled with Monica for her 90 minute consultation , and therapeutic massage , and I ended up requesting an additional 30 minutes . I highly recommend Monica Montoya to the serious athlete , or weekend warrior . For knowledge , professionalism , and attention to detail , you can't go wrong with Monica , and you won't be disappointed!

Rick W.
South Carolina

After hiking with my dogs as much as 140 miles per month, with some occasional jogging, my calf muscles were giving me tremendous grief. Monica’s intuitive methods of bodywork
helped my calf muscles to heal and perform nicely. Monica’s skill lies with being able to determine which muscles need increased flexibility, along with correct exercise form (very important, to prevent injuries). She is very helpful, and my calf muscles thank her!

Marc F.
Pleasant Hill, CA
Monica is great! I recently had hip surgery and was experiencing muscle spasms causing additional pain and discomfort. Monica was very knowledgeable and able to work safely around the injury. She explained what she was going to do and why. The muscle work session helped with my ability to get comfortable and reduced the pain due to the muscle spasms. I would highly recommend muscle movement therapy with Monica.

Karl F.
San Ramon, CA

I really wasn't sure what Monica meant when she talked about "body work" then I tried Thai Massage with her. This was, by far, the best massage work I've ever had - and I start to understand what she means by body work. Monica's approach was really thoughtful - she took into account my damaged shoulder but this session was really more general. Monica did things with her feet and hands and with stretching and massaging that really made a fundamental difference in how I felt. Her approach is very holistic I think, and she has a great deal of knowledge of different techniques and approaches. Another important aspect is just how you feel a sense of trust with Monica. She is really providing a form of therapy through her techniques - and it comes across in such a way that you feel confident in her abilities and what she has to suggest for you. I really feel that Monica cares about helping you achieve your optimum and that there is a thoughtful approach to achieve your goals - not just a general session where you feel better for a couple of days. Monica's approach is for life improvements, not just for the day. I was really impressed. It was absolutely amazing.

Go A.
San Francisco, CA
Monica is a miracle worker! I dislocated my shoulder and struggled for a very long time with movement and mobility. When I saw her, she focused on the affected muscles from my injury. Monica is attentive and pays attention to details. She gave me exercises to work on to speed up my recovery and mobility.

Gary P.
Oakland, CA
I have had nothing but excellent bodywork from Monica. My wife and I have done both regular and Thai massages...both very good. I play the strenuous sport of handball and her knowledge and care has helped me recover from some very stiff times. She has been a delightful “find”.

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Testimonials