About Us
Hi, I’m Sheela Raquel, the owner of Tamarindo Muscle Therapy. I have been practicing massage and bodywork for the last 10 years. I started my career in Idaho State in the USA, specializing in injury rehabilitation using the Koontzin approach. Later on, I branched out to different types of massage and therapy. When I moved back to Costa Rica in 2013 I was surprised how difficult it was to find a good massage, let alone good deep muscle work, and like everywhere there were a lot of people in the area with chronic pain. It was not long at all before word got out about the Koontzin approach and I found myself working on friends and neighbors in my living room. It became clear to me that there was a real need for this type of treatment Costa Rica, and that I was going to need a team.
At Tamarindo Muscle Therapy, our mission is to help people heal and regain or maintain optimum muscle health and structural alignment. We have a team of the best neuromuscular therapists and massage therapists in the country that offer a variety of bodywork and massage techniques. We offer our professional services in the comfort of your own home, condo or hotel for a more tailored approach to each of our clients. For us, there is no such thing as a “cookie cutter” massage, everyone’s body and what it has been through is unique. Our job is to tailor every session to your needs and help your body heal in the most efficient way possible. You can imagine that I am very picky about the quality of a massage, and I would never recommend a therapist that I could not trust with my own body. So I have hand-selected a team of therapists to join me in this endeavor.
What makes what we do so different?
Not only are our therapists highly trained and hand-selected, with this modern approach to bodywork we look beyond your symptoms…we identify the cause. The body’s structural integrity is key to every system functioning properly – we identify structural misalignments or weaknesses and use natural movements and muscle manipulation to free up restrictive scar tissue, align the body, increase blood flow and restore proper muscle function.
We offer individual muscle therapy or massage sessions, group packages, and recovery packages for those looking for something more healing than just your “typical” massage.
What is the Koontzin Technique?
The Koontzin Technique includes very specific manipulation of your muscle fibers, involving a combination of pressure, movement, lengthening and manipulating your muscle fibers in a way that is in sync with your body’s natural healing responses.
Proper application of the Koontzin Technique results in the aligning, on a microscopic level, of muscle fibers that have been blocking the muscle’s natural ability to flex and stretch pain-free. At times a muscle can not even rest in a relaxed state, due to these fibers that have laid across the grain, (like a patch on clothing), restricting movement and pulling the muscle into a tight and stressed state.
We adjust for how and where the nerves interact with the muscles and your corresponding pain. We determine where you might be pulled out of balance and what the core reason for your pain or restriction of movement could be, and correct the cause with permanent results. You will feel it happening during and immediately after the session, and the results are even more noticeable as your body heals and adjusts over the following few days.
You determine just how deeply we can work, the deeper we work will correspond directly to the level of your positive results and alignment. Come and experience what it’s like to move without restriction and pain-free.
Our Team
Sheela Raquel
Sheela Raquel has been practicing massage and bodywork for the last 12 years, both in the USA and in Costa Rica. She specializes in the Koontzin approach and combines it with Neural Organization Technique (N.O.T) and other specialized Kinesiology modalities. She is also an instructor of Touch For Health and Gems Kinesiology. She believes in using the body’s natural bio-feedback systems to better understand the root cause of imbalance or disorganization in order to provide the most efficient and effective treatment.
The focus of most of her career has been rehabilitating patients after serious accidents or injuries. It is very important to her not only to find the source of the problem but also that her patients are able to let go of their pain, neurologically and emotionally so they can move forward.
Tarin
Tarin has 8 years of experience here in Costa Rica. She provides relaxation, deep tissue, lymphatic drainage, reflexology, and prenatal massage. Tarin provides massage because she believes that it is more than a luxury service and a way to spoil yourself…it is truly healing. Her interest is in helping her patients to feel better and live healthier lives.
Marta
Marta is the definition of “angel hands”. She has a soft and caring touch. With her 12 years of experience, she makes your tension melt away with her amazing rhythmic relaxation massage.
Ana
Ana is a skilled massage therapist who has been practicing massage for 6 years in the Guanacaste area and has received specialized training from Raquel here at TMT. Don’t let her size fool you, she is small but mighty. Ana loves doing deep tissue massage and isn’t afraid of getting in there and working out those knots. She is great at breaking up restrictive scar tissue and freeing up tight muscles.
Josh
Josh is a practitioner and instructor of Touch for Health (TFH) and GEMS Kinesiology.
Josh believes that true wellness comes from the inside out, so his focus is on resetting the body’s neurological, mental, and emotional systems for optimal functionality. To do this he uses the above-mentioned modalities along with Neural Organization Technique (N.O.T) and other Specialized Kinesiology techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of payment do you accept?
All payments need to be made in cash only. Our therapists do not travel with change so please make sure you have the exact amount on hand.
Will I need to get anything ready at my house before your arrival?
We will need an area spacious enough to set up a massage table. Our therapists will bring all of the equipment needed, including a massage table, sheets, and massage oils. If you have any allergies to certain oils or essential oils please let us know in advance, you are also welcome to provide your own massage oil or essential oils if you would like.
Due to the extreme heat conditions in Guanacaste, we recommend the massage be done in an air-conditioned room or with a fan, especially if it is a Koontzin Therapy. You are also welcome to provide your our own music if you would like.
What do I wear?
For Koontzin Therapy, there is a lot of movement and different positions you will be in, so some people are more comfortable in a pair of gym shorts or underwear. For other types of massage, this is not necessary, however, we leave it up to your discretion. Our main concern is that you are comfortable.
