Transcendent Touch gains feminine touch

Craig Lozzi , a well-established massage therapist for over 35 years has welcomed his daughter Laurel Lozzi into his practice. When it comes to massage, Craig and Laurel do more than relieve sore muscles. They believe in bringing healing.

His daughter Laurel said she started her bodywork career at 2 years old, when she would say, "'Ssage Papa, 'ssage! ...Your turn!" ("Massage Papa, Massage!" In two-year-old speak). “That's when I started my career, though I didn't have any aspirations or intentions of doing bodywork professionally. It was a given way of life and quality touch was taken for granted in our home.”

She said that since then, she’s gained life experience, had her own challenges and developed her own relationship to her own body and in her body. “I've developed a depth and passion which I now bring to my massage practice.”

After venturing out on her own, earning a degree in art from Westmont College and traveling the world, Laurel decided to follow in her father’s footsteps, return to Fallbrook, and like Craig, contribute to the lives of people through touch.

“I've been coming to Fallbrook for almost a year (since November 2016) to practice alongside my dad, who’s one of the best I know. Since that time, I've noticed our similarities and differences and how it's all good (as far as technique). We aim to schedule training sessions each time I visit – primarily where he teaches me things he knows – and occasionally I'll teach him as well.”

Craig said, "I never expected that Laurel would join me in my practice, although I had certainly dreamed about that possibility. Shortly after she left high school she took a massage training class and demonstrated a sincere interest to understand the intricacies of working with the human body. In fact, after doing massage for so many years, it's been my plan to find a person to mentor and bring into my business. So it appears at this point that that person has entered my life without me even having to search!”

He continued, “Laurel is a sincere, giving, intuitive, person. I feel an inherent trust in Laurel’s abilities and her intentions as a healer. That brings me a great deal of peace when opening my practice up to her. I have had other businesses with multiple employees, and the greatest concern as a business owner is always, ‘How will an employee represent me and my standards of practice?’”

“It's really exciting to have Laurel here and it just fills my heart with gratitude! I've always been one to set goals and work hard, yet sometimes life's greatest rewards come sheerly by grace! That is how I feel about Laurel coming into my practice!"

Laurel said she and her father have several similarities and some differences.

She said, “Our first similarity: we are both lifelong learners. Even though my dad has been practicing for over 35 years now, and he is still learning – from me, from other body workers, which ever way it comes. I'm constantly taking classes myself and have an insatiable hunger to learn, which I'm seeing will never be satisfied.

“Second similarity: a couple months ago I received a massage from him (receiving massage is another way of learning). The moment he first touched my back with his hands I felt the quality and sensitivity of his touch as he was sensing what those muscles needed. When I give massage, I too sense, or 'listen' with my hands and feel my way through what I'm hearing from my clients' body.

“This brings me to our first difference: we have a very different quality in our touch. He is distinctly masculine in his touch, and I am distinctly feminine. In other words, my touch is primarily nourishing and soothing, while his is strong and often to the point. Both are healing and have their place.

“Third similarity: words. We both love poetry. We both write as a creative expression. And we both believe the words we use with our clients are important.

“Second difference: we use words with our clients in different ways. Craig will often recite a poem or say a prayer for a client depending on what the client is experiencing in their lives and what inspiration comes through. I coach clients, though not on the massage table, in a completely different setting. I massage their psyches in a way I would massage their bodies – towards openness, healing and relief.

“Fourth similarity: People say, "Aaah, how do you find my spots? It's like you know exactly where to go." I hear both of our clients saying this - for better or for worse (wink wink) as it's not always pleasurable finding one of those spots. Answer: Simply because we feel it.

“Third difference: we prefer different tools. Craig primarily uses heat with movement to relieve stuck tissues and fluids. I primarily use movement. They both work. They feel different. Sometimes all of the tools will come together like a big melting pot of techniques and it's delicious.

“Fifth similarity: we build relationships with our clients. This is perhaps my favorite aspect of working in Fallbrook. It really is a community. I'll come into the office and see bags of avocados or lemons from clients. I'll text and share some tips that might be useful to a client. I'll trade services with other skilled healers and practitioners. Most of our clients are regulars and that's where I see the best work happening. It takes time for us, our bodies, to trust someone and to get to know that person. With more trust, there is more opening, and with more opening, more change is likely to happen. Words cannot compete with direct experience (maybe with the exception of poetry!). Experience is irreplaceable.”