Meet Morgan Nichols (they/them)

I come to massage with a profound interest in how we can bring more awareness to our bodies. My experience with massage started as a way to take care of my loved ones and it has blossomed into the work I feel most aligned to in my life. What a pleasure and joy to work with others in this potent time. 

My bodywork journey started as a way to hone a skill. I was witnessing the way so many beloveds near and far, especially engaged in activist work, were hurting. Bodywork has enabled me to learn about my body in a way nothing else has. I have recognized emotional and physical patterns and their connections while receiving work. It has allowed me to hold the vastness of my body. I was drawn to Threshold because I really wanted to be in a safe space that is for and by queer trans people of all sizes.

I grew up in Saint Paul, moved out West to Bellingham WA after high school, and now have recently returned! Before studying massage I was drawn to studying math, teaching, and attachment theory. I’m also a farmer and reverent dreamer. I like to cook, go for long walks, read fun fiction, and be with others!

How do you describe your style as a bodyworker?

My style as a bodyworker is full of curiosity and compassion. After we talk through your hopes for the session, I will give a general idea of what I am thinking our time could look like and then ask for your input. I like to begin with grounding, compression, and then go into focused work. I work slow and deep in general massage and use engaged lighter work for Manual Lymphatic Drainage. I want to meet you where you are at; whether you are experiencing heightened pain and sensitivities, are looking for nervous system regulation, general body maintenance, or recovery focused. Recipients of my work have described my work as present, curious, welcoming, intuitive, gentle but firm, grounding, and structured. 

What are your goals when working with clients?

My goal when working with clients is all around bringing you more awareness to your body. I do this through meaningful individualized care; finding out what your hopes are and meeting them to the best of my ability. I work well with specific pains, swellings, and injuries - finding myself able to help pinpoint what the cause could be and working til you find relief. I am a deeply invested person who is interested in working vulnerably with others. I truly believe that when we are more in touch and grounded in our bodies we can show up better in our relationships and communities.

What does “trauma-informed” mean to you?

I see being trauma informed as a way of acknowledging that trauma sits in all of us differently at different moments. To be aware of that means I do not judge or critique what your body is telling you and needing. Our bodies put up layers of protection, tension, and pain as a reaction to trauma. A teacher of mine, Care, who has created a business - The Erotics of Liberation has taught me that if trauma happens to our bodies, that is the place for healing and liberation. That if trauma happens in our relationships, then healing and liberation will also occur there. To be informed about this for me means to be curious curious curious! A lot of my ruminations are around how I can communicate sincerely and openly to my clients for them to feel safe to share what they are wanting and needing. I have worked with many people with whom it's their first time receiving bodywork and love to be a gentle opening to this world.

Are there teachers, lineages, or traditions that inform your work?

My work is informed by my massage school teachers Traci Soriano and Theron Eirish, Somatic practitioners Prentis Hemphill and Care, and craniosacral therapist and organizer Susan Raffo. It is informed by the Dakota land I practice on, this wetland with the Mississippi running through it. I am deeply humbled by these teachers and am just beginning my journey of learning more intimately the many lineages that inform my work.