A New Chapter in My Massage Journey: Healing in the Heart of a Poker Room
After 23 years in the massage therapy world, I thought I had experienced just about every environment imaginable—spas, clinics, athletic centers, backstage events, private homes, college sports facilities, and everything in between. But recently, my journey took a turn I never expected… straight into the middle of a buzzing poker room.
I’ve officially joined The Lodge Poker Club, a massive, high-energy poker room with around 30 tables full of players completely dialed in to the game. It’s nothing like the soft music, dim lighting, or calm atmosphere most people associate with massage therapy—and maybe that’s exactly what makes it so refreshing.
Here, I roll up to the table, set up my chair, and work on players right where they sit—no face cradle, no typical massage setup—just skilled, focused neuromuscular work while the cards are flying. They’re leaning forward calculating plays, holding tension in their shoulders, necks, mid-back… and I get to help them stay loose, comfortable, and mentally sharp without ever leaving the game.
It’s wild, it’s different, and honestly… it’s really fun.
This gig has opened up a whole new side of my career. I’m not just providing a service—I’m marketing who I am, what I offer, and the work I’ve built my entire life around. Every table becomes a conversation. Every player becomes a potential connection. And in an environment where tension, adrenaline, and fatigue build fast, I get to watch the power of skilled bodywork instantly change someone’s posture, comfort, and mindset.
Right now, I’m focused on growing RiverCity Royalty Massage strictly as a mobile service. It’s been a rewarding challenge starting from scratch here in Texas, rebuilding my practice client by client, mile by mile. But working at The Lodge has given me a whole new community to serve—people who appreciate great work, value feeling better in their bodies, and genuinely spread the word when something impresses them.
And that’s exactly how I plan to grow here, one great session, one connection, one table at a time.
My dream is to eventually open an office here in San Antonio that blends everything I love—therapeutic neuromuscular work, advanced pain relief, and a touch of royalty-level luxury. But for now, my “office” might just be a poker table, a massage chair, and a room full of intense card players who light up the second their shoulders finally let go.
It’s unconventional.
It’s energizing.
And it’s become one of the most interesting, unexpected, and surprisingly joyful chapters in my entire massage career.
This is part of my journey—and I’m excited to see where it leads next.