Support Staff
Owner
Dave acquired LaRose Muscular Therapy from the previous owner and founder, Dawnette LaRose, in February, 2019. Dave’s role is to support our outstanding team so that we can continue to provide our clients with high quality, therapeutic massage and stretch services.
Office Manager
After working at LaRose Muscular Therapy as a massage therapist for 18 years, Melissa was promoted to Office Manager in October of 2021. Melissa studied massage therapy at Bancroft School of Massage and graduated back in 2001. In her free time you can find Melissa at the beach!
Leslye was introduced to LaRose Muscular Therapy as a client in 2007. After Leslye retired from her 40 years in manufacturing she became one of our receptionists back in August of 2015. In her free time she loves spending time with her dog and grandkids!
Lori joined LaRose Muscular Therapy in April of 2021. Lori enjoys her role as a receptionist here because she gets to work with people and the environment is very clean and safe. In her free time Lori can be found boating, walking her dogs, and spending time with her grandkids!
Alice joined LaRose in August 2022. She has been in customer service for 3 years, working for different businesses which allowed her to see what kind of business she wanted to work for. Alice wanted to work for LaRose because of the quiet environment and friendly staff. Outside of work Alice loves to paint,read, and spend time with family. Her passions include traveling and being involved in Mental Health organizations.
Allison joined LaRose Muscular Therapy in November 2021. She owned her own franchise for 20 years and wanted to work at LaRose for the hours and location. Outside of work Allison loves hot yoga, gardening, and going to the beach.
Justine started at LaRose in May 2022. She has been in customer service since she was 15. Justine wanted to work at LaRose because her mom is a client and feels that the therapists are doing a great job, so when Justine saw the ad she applied. Outside of work her 2 dogs dictate her life! She loves to take them on walks & to socialize. “I like to cook, NOT BAKE. I also have a thing for decorating & shopping so I can decorate, but that’s another story. Lastly, getting together with friends & family makes me smile.
Our Massage Therapists
Tici studied massage therapy at Lincoln Tech. Upon graduating back in 2007 she joined the team at LaRose Muscular Therapy. Tici is trained in relaxation, deep tissue, pregnancy and sports injury massage. In her free time you can find Tici dancing or at the beach!
Prenatal: YES
Monday mornings-afternoons
Wednesday mornings-afternoons
Friday mornings-afternoons
Saturday mornings (every other)
Jon became interested in massage therapy through his years playing sports and needing injuries taken care of. This led Jon to study massage therapy at Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in Worcester, MA. He graduated from Bancroft in March of 2013 and began working here at LaRose Muscular Therapy back in January of 2014. Jon is trained in relaxation, therapeutic, sports injury, deep tissue, and pregnancy. Jon’s passion is to work on the neck/shoulders and legs. He loves working on areas of injury through trigger point, stretching and deep tissue techniques. In his free time Jon can be found either outdoors or bowling in his men’s league!
Prenatal: YES
Monday afternoons-evenings
Tuesday mornings
Wednesday mornings
Thursday mornings
Friday afternoons-evenings
Saturday mornings (every other)
Kelsey R studied massage therapy at Spa Tech and graduated back in 2016. She joined LaRose Muscular Therapy in January of 2017. Kelsey is trained in relaxation, deep tissue, pregnancy, stretches, myofascial release and sports injury. She also loves using hot rocks as a therapy tool. In her free time she can be found spending time with her friends and family!
Note: Kelsey is not able to do CBD massages due to an allergy
Prenatal: YES
Monday evenings
Tuesday evenings
Thursday evenings
Friday evenings
Saturday mornings (every other)
Melinda graduated from Lincoln Tech back in August of 2016. She started working at LaRose Muscular Therapy shortly after graduating in September of 2016. She loves coming into work because she loves what she does and is very passionate about massage therapy. Melinda is trained in relaxation, deep tissue, reflexology, sports injury, pregnancy and stretches. In her free time you will find Melinda working out, doing martial arts, or hanging out with friends and family!
Melinda is also certified in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy from the Lyons Institute. Melinda has a passion for craniosacral therapy as she has many family members and clients that suffer from migraines.
Craniosacral therapy is noninvasive. It uses gentle pressure on the head, neck, and back to relieve the stress and pain caused by compression. It can, as a result, help to treat a number of conditions including migraines, headaches, vertigo, neck pain, ear infections, or TMJ.
Prenatal: YES
Monday mornings-afternoons
Tuesday mornings-afternoons
Wednesday afternoons-evenings
Thursday afternoons-evenings
Saturday mornings (every other)
Tuesdays at 3:45pm and 5:00pm, and Thursdays at 11:35am and 12:50pm.
Johanna studied massage therapy at Branford Hall back in 2009 and has become very passionate about the practice over the years. She joined LaRose Muscular Therapy in July of 2020. She is trained in relaxation, deep tissue, and cupping. She recently completed a class on neuromuscular cupping therapy. Her goal is to help the client so that their movement improves. In addition to her license in massage therapy, Johanna is also proud of her certificate in graphic art.
Prenatal: NO
Tuesday mornings
Thursday mornings
Saturday mornings (every other)
Sunday mornings
Naomi became interested in massage therapy after stumbling upon Lincoln Tech. Before she knew it, it was October of 2019 and she was graduating from that same school. Naomi is trained in swedish and deep tissue massage. She is very passionate about massage and is eager to learn more. Some areas of interest that she wishes to explore in the future are cupping and pregnancy massage. She began working here at LaRose Muscular Therapy in January of 2021. When she is not working she can be found binge watching some of her favorite shows on Netflix or taking photos!
Prenatal: YES
Tuesday mornings-evenings
Thursday mornings-evenings
Saturday afternoons-evenings
Sunday mornings
Michelle first became interested in massage therapy while she was in school for nursing. She started by doing her own research and learning everything she could on her own before switching paths and going to school for massage instead. She graduated from Lincoln Tech in 2020 and started here at LaRose in October of 2021. Michelle specializes in Swedish, deep tissue, and prenatal massage. She focuses largely on relaxation and stress relief throughout her sessions and her attention to detail allows her to create a plan of treatment in order to reduce pain and stress as much as possible for her clients. In her spare time outside of work, you can find Michelle spending time with her family and her dog Loki!
Prenatal: YES
Monday afternoons-evenings
Tuesday mornings
Wednesday afternoons-evenings
Thursday afternoons-evenings
Friday mornings
Saturday mornings (every other)
Lisa joined the Larose Muscular Therapy team in October, 2022. Lisa became interested in massage because she has always been interested in health and fitness, and gravitates towards natural remedies to physical ailments. Lisa studied massage therapy at Bancroft in Worcester, MA. Lisa’s specialty is relaxation/Swedish, deep tissue, myofascial release. She feels she can help men and women from all walks of life to relieve stress, pain, and feel better about their physical health. Lisa’s goal is to create a mutual understanding between herself and the clients for the best outcome. In her free time, you can find Lisa camping and hiking mountains with her children and grandchildren.
Prenatal: YES
Alice joined the LaRose Muscular Therapy team in September, 2022. Alice became interested in massage through her own journey while recovering from an injury. She studied massage in Germany, and after living in the United States for many years, she decided to complete the Massage Therapy program at Lincoln Technical Institute and become licensed in Massachusetts. Alice specializes in deep tissue and sports massage. She is looking to help clients that are seeking relief from chronic pain/tension as well as those looking for relaxation. Alice feels that her skill set and personality makes her a great addition to the LaRose team. In her spare time Alice enjoys traveling and hiking trails.
Prenatal: NO
Kerry became interested in massage therapy through her grandma and papa. When she was a young girl her grandparents would always ask her to massage their feet and legs, which was something she grew up loving to do for them. It was also her Papa who recommended that she should go to school for massage therapy. Kerry went to Lincoln Technical Institute of Rhode Island. Kerry feels she can help all kinds of people with massage therapy, whether they just need relaxation, mental health, muscular pains, disorders, etc.,. “The love I have to help people may be something that is common with all therapists, but the thing that sets me apart is being a part of the medical field. I am not only a licensed massage therapist but I am also a CNA, working to care for our elderly since I was 18 years old”. In her free time Kerry loves being with her kids and family. She enjoys activities like hiking, Arts, reading and trying new things with her kids.
Prenatal: NO
Luz joined the LaRose Team in Dec of 2022. She graduated from Lincoln Tech School of Massage Therapy in 2014. Luz has always been interested in wellness and aiming to help make others feel comfortable when they are in pain. She has a passion for finding troubled areas and really getting in there to provide relief. Luz feels like she can help people of all ages through massage. She also feels that each therapist has their own value, quality, integrity and their own treasure inside, which makes everyone unique in their own way. In her free time you can find Luz, reading, walking trails and meditating.
Prenatal: NO
Luis joined the LaRose Team in Jan, 2023, and has been a massage therapist for 6 years. Luis studied at Lincoln Tech in RI, and graduated in 2016. He specializes in deep tissue with stretching and swedish massage. Luis feels he can help clients with back pain, neck pain and bad mobility. In his free time he likes to travel with his family to other countries.
Prenatal: YES
Erin joined the LaRose team in February, 2023. Her massage career began with attending Lincoln Technical Institute where she was on the Dean’s List during her entire course of study. She is also a Registered Nurse with a specialty training of Emergency/Trauma and previously held her EMT. Erin has always gravitated towards hands-on healing professions. Her mother was a certified massage therapist/reflexologist as well as a Registered Nurse. Erin’s strengths are finding problem areas and working the muscle in a way to relieve the tension/adhesions. She is well versed in relaxation and deep tissue and her detail work offers the best of both types. Erin feels that she can help all types of clients, and with her RN knowledge is comfortable taking on the more medically complex clients to offer them the healing relief of massage specialized for individual unique traits. In her free time, Erin enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Erin is a wife, and mother of two teenage boys. She enjoys kayaking and hiking with her family and their dogs. She also enjoys cooking and baking and loves to go to different psychic fairs and other events. Her true hobby is intuitive custom paintings.
Prenatal: NO
Edgar graduated from Lincoln Tech in May of 2023 and joined the LaRose Team after graduation. His mom is a massage therapist which made him interested in massage therapy growing up. Edgars speciality is deep tissue and he feels like he can help people relieve pain and to relax. He feels that his confidence is what sets him apart from other therapists. You can find Edgar on the court, shooting hoops with friends and spending time with family.
Prenatal: NO
Laila is our first Hybrid Massage/Stretch Therapist. She joined the LaRose Team in March, 2023. She became interested in massage therapy through her aunt, and then learned the importance of stretch therapy and how they go hand in hand for a healthy routine. She has a love and interest for how the body works, which makes massage and stretch are a perfect match for her passion. Laila got her massage training at Lincoln Tech and Stretch certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Laila feels her specialty in Massage is her deep tissue technique and in Stretch is the encouragement of movement for loosening the muscle tissue and achieving full range of motion. She feels she can help people of all ages and lifestyles. Laila has a passion for learning new techniques and helping other people. In her free time you can find her singing karaoke and traveling and taking photos of nature.
Prenatal: NO
Jairelyn joined the LaRose Team after graduating from Lincoln Tech’s Massage program. Jairelyn has always loved the concept of healing through hands-on therapy. She specializes in Swedish and Deep tissue and feels she can help clients of all different ages and backgrounds. She believes she is intuitive and adaptable to feedback. In Jairelyn’s free time you can find her out biking and creating art.
Prenatal: NO
Jess joined the LaRose team in May, 2023. She has been a massage therapist for 12 years and graduated from Lincoln Tech in 2011. Jess stumbled upon massage therapy when she struggled with anxiety and a horseship injury. She found massage healing in so many ways and she wanted to be the one helping others with massage. Jess is trained in Swedish, Therapeutic, Deep tissue, Prenatal and Oncology massage. She loves using her skills and years of experience to create a unique session for each individual client.
Prenatal: YES
Liv graduated from Spa Tech of Westborough and has her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Dean College. She joined LaRose in August 2023. Liv became interested in massage therapy through co-workers who told her that she would make a great massage therapist. Her future goal is to become a chiropractor. Liv’s favorite types of massages are deep tissue and prenatal massages. She believes she can help athletes, pregnant women, and anyone seeking relief. ‘Everyone needs a massage!’ Liv listens to clients’ needs, focuses on their problem areas, and is always eager to learn – she believes these qualities make her massages exceptional. In her free time, you can find Liv on Webster Lake or in the gym, where she is working towards becoming a WNBF Pro.
Prenatal: YES
Jacinta graduated from Spa Tech of Westborough and joined the LaRose Muscular Therapy team in 2023. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she chose massage therapy as her profession, and it has since evolved into her true passion. Her preferred modality is deep tissue massage, as she believes it allows her to effectively assist individuals dealing with muscle tension, seeking pain relief, or simply aiming to relax and alleviate stress. What sets Jacinta apart from other therapists is her unwavering dedication and commitment to her clients. Outside of her professional life, she finds joy in spending quality time with her family and indulging in video games.
Prenatal: NO
Our Stretch Therapists
Tici is an experienced massage therapist who has been practicing massage here at LaRose Muscular Therapy for 14 years. She was already using a variety of therapeutic stretching techniques in her massage sessions and recently became interested in exploring the benefits of using stretch therapy on its own. Tici received her Stretching & Flexibility Coach certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine in 2021. She has found that one of her favorite methods to use during her stretch sessions is the traction technique. Traction is a therapeutic stretching technique used to relieve pain and realign the spine by using a pulling force in one direction while resisting movement of the body with an equal and opposite force. Tici’s background and experience in massage therapy sets her apart from other therapists and has allowed her to help many people recovering from injuries due to sports, exercise, and other accidents. She believes that stretch therapy will allow her to help an even wider range of people in the future. Outside of work, Tici can be found dancing, going for walks outside, and spending time with her kids!
Laurel is an experienced and certified yoga instructor who has been teaching since 2013. She holds numerous certifications in various styles of yoga, meditation, and wellness through her studies with an array of internationally known teachers and recently received her Stretch & Flexibility Coach certificate from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Laurel truly enjoys supporting and inspiring others to improve their wellness, remain present, and build a deeper connection to their body, breath, mind, and being. Laurel has her degree in Art & Art History and is a musician who has had the pleasure of touring both nationally and internationally. Outside of work, Laurel loves to travel, hike, play with her dog, and check out live music!
Tracy is a current personal trainer with 20 years of experience in the fitness world. She has multiple certifications from ACE and also has her Stretch and Flexibility Coach certification from NASM. Fascial tissue has become a passion of hers as she is able to help people understand how it works and why it is so important to keep healthy. Once Dave Higgins, the owner of LaRose Muscular Therapy, introduced her to the world of Stretch Therapy, it was the perfect fit for her. Tracy’s specialties include making the hips, low back and neck feel much more comfortable and thinks that fascial stretch work can truly benefit anyone and everyone!
When not at LaRose, you can find Tracy doing anything outdoors, especially around water or the forest. Her and her family spend every Sunday at the Lake from June-September either kayaking, paddle boarding, playing in the water or exploring some trails in the woods.
Stephanie has always had a love for kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology. She received her bachelor’s degree in Dance from Dean College and is also certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Stretch and Flexibility coach. She first became interested in Stretch Therapy when she was looking into going back to school to become a PTA.
Being a dancer her whole life, Stephanie truly appreciates the human body and what it can achieve. She has seen and experienced the positive, long-lasting effects that stretch can have on a body. Her mission is to share this with our clients here at LaRose. She believes everyone can benefit from stretch therapy, but she particularly enjoys helping dancers and athletes since she knows what their bodies are going through and can understand on a personal level.
Outside of work, she is the lead singer of a funk band and a recording studio singer. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and baby boy. They love being outside as much as possible!
Mackenzie got her undergraduate degrees in Health Science, Psychology, and Healthcare Administration from Stonehill College and her Masters in Clinical Integrated Exercise Physiology from Temple University. She has a variety of experiences in various fields of healthcare that include working at Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center, and completing her internship at Journey Forward working with patients with Spinal Cord Injuries. After finishing her masters degree she reevaluated the direction she wanted to head in and was fortunate enough to come across this opportunity.
Mackenzie is a firm believer anyone can benefit from stretch therapy. Coming from a college athletic background she wishes she had an opportunity to take advantage of this service herself.
In her free time, she likes to coach field hockey, run, travel, spend time with friends and family.
REHABILITATION AND INJURY PREVENTION
Mackenzie also runs our Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention program which is designed to bridge the gap between physical therapy and injury prevention. Taking on a more Athletic Training based approach, this program is a combination of rehabilitation techniques as well as assisted stretching. Sessions will use multiple modalities to treat and prevent injuries and any lingering muscular concerns. The goal of this program is to address individuals’ concerns and develop a plan customized to help them meet their goals.
How is it different from Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST):
While similar to FST, this program introduces a multidimensional approach to rehabilitation and injury prevention. The assisted stretching for this program is less gentle than FST sessions with the goal of this being to hone in on specific areas of concern.
How different age groups would benefit:
The benefits of this program are not only dependent on your current lifestyle, but also based on your goals and what you are looking to achieve. Individuals who lead active lifestyles whether through athletics, recreational activities, or career would benefit greatly from this program. With the approach being a bit more aggressive than FST, individuals who have major surgical history or have difficulty rotating, flipping from side to side, or lying flat for an extended period of time may not benefit from this program.
Laila is our first Hybrid Massage/Stretch Therapist. She joined the LaRose Team in March, 2023. She became interested in massage therapy through her aunt, and then learned the importance of stretch therapy and how they go hand in hand for a healthy routine. She has a love and interest for how the body works, which makes massage and stretch are a perfect match for her passion. Laila got her massage training at Lincoln Tech and Stretch certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Laila feels her specialty in Massage is her deep tissue technique and in Stretch is the encouragement of movement for loosening the muscle tissue and achieving full range of motion. She feels she can help people of all ages and lifestyles. Laila has a passion for learning new techniques and helping other people. In her free time you can find her singing karaoke and traveling and taking photos of nature.
114 Water Street
Milford MA 01757
8 AM – 9 PM Every Day
We are leaders in the area of muscular therapy. We help and assist our clients to achieve optimal health, relief, and movement. Our facility is a clinical environment that is relaxed and therapeutic. Our employees strive to be masters in the craft of muscular therapy.
