Artichoke Hearts Healing
"Your friendly neighborhood massage therapist!"

About The Practitioner

Keryn grew up in Santa Fe, NM.  She enjoys a very active lifestyle, being drawn towards nature – rock climbing, skiing, swimming, kayaking and hiking (including backpacking the grand canyon twice), and dancing  (ncluding ballroom, Latin, belly dancing, swing, contra, country and Israeli). After completing college in 2002 at Arizona State University, with a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Social Work as well as a Certificate in Gerontology, she moved to Austin to be closer to her brother and new baby nephew. In Austin she got involved in the local Jewish, Vegan, Lindy, and Atheist communities, including spending 4 years as a Co-host of a local TV show called The Atheist Experience. Keryn got married in 2008. Together, she and her husband took up SCUBA diving and traveling, and have also tried zip lining, sky diving together. She also took up gardening, and working as a cast member at local Renaissance Festivals. In her professional life she served 15 years as a social worker in various fields, including nursing homes, home health, hospitals, hospice, and the Department of Aging and Disability Services. Keryn and her husband have rescued many local cats over the years, getting them neutered, vaccinated and chipped, and also participating in local catch/spay/neuter/release programs. They currently have 6 cats, and have made several donations to Texas Humane Heroes. In 2013, after battling weight gain, infertility, and a miscarriage due to PCOS, Keryn became pregnant with her first son, who was born in September, 2013. She decided to become a full time stay at home mom. Once her son was 15 months old she took occasional contract/part time/PRN jobs. In 2015 she tested positive for the BRCA2 mutation. When her second son was 15 months old, she was beginning to look into taking up more contract/part time/PRN work when, during enhanced routine screening, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She put her job hunt on hold and began her treatment process. She had a full bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation, a hysterectomy in under 10 months. Throughout her cancer journey she did her best to maintain a positive outlook. On the other side of cancer, as part of a process of taking her life back, Keryn decided she no longer had the drive to do Social Work, a very high stress field. She decided her heart was calling her to massage therapy. There she'd continue be able to work in a helping profession, but also one that brought more Zen into her life, as well as the lives of those she serves.