When Robin speaks about her path, her tone is steady — calm, grounded, reflective.
“I live in Asheville, North Carolina, on the southeast coast of the United States,” she begins.
“Where I am now in my Esalen Massage life is primarily in my teaching career.”
After more than three decades in the work, she has found her rhythm.
“I’ve been practicing Esalen Massage for thirty-three years, and I spent sixteen of those years at the Esalen Institute, giving massages full-time. Now I own my own business in Asheville, where we focus primarily on Esalen Massage in addition to offerings like saltwater flotation, somatic psychology, and workshop production.”
Teaching has become her center.
“After having my kids and moving across the country, I shifted away from full-time massage to very part-time practice and full-time teaching. About a year ago, I stepped into the role as the chairperson for the Esalen Massage and Bodywork Association — filling Brita Ostrom’s shoes. With my background in business ownership and Esalen Massage, I felt well positioned to help continue bringing this work into the world.”
Listen to the full interview here:
How It Began
When asked what first drew her to Esalen, Robin smiles.
“It was my mother who drew me there,” she says. “In my early twenties, our house in Oakland burned down in the 1991 Oakland fire. We lost everything we owned. It was a tragedy, and also a catalyst for change. Suddenly, we had no possessions, and my mom decided to go to Esalen to become a work scholar — something she had always wanted to do.”
While her mother settled into life on the cliffs, Robin and her brother went north to British Columbia to study organic farming. “When we finished, our mom was still at Esalen, working in the kitchen and doing massage on the crew. So we decided to go visit her. That visit really brought me there, and was the beginning of a long relationship with Esalen”
She joined the Work Scholar program herself, working by day and learning by evening. “One of those months was a massage program with David Streeter, an old-time Esalen practitioner. That began my journey.”
Discovering the Language of Touch
Like many who arrive at Esalen, Robin received a massage soon after.
“Having been a trained dancer, I had a lot of holding in my body,” she recalls.
“And very quickly, my body started to change and unravel — not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. I was very intrigued by what was happening to me while receiving massage. That hooked me in from the perspective of the receiver. I wanted to learn what was happening, why I was having these big emotional releases, and why my body was changing.”
Her curiosity became her teacher.
“I didn’t have any formal training in anatomy or physiology. My background was in dance and photography — very different from massage. I felt inspired and also a little overwhelmed. It was a whole world I knew very little about.”
She smiles, remembering those first uncertain years.
“The challenges came when my skill level surpassed my knowledge level. I was getting skilled at touching people and helping them unravel, but without understanding the psychological and physiological side. I sometimes didn’t know how to handle what came up for clients.”
Support and mentorship held her through that learning. “I had mentors, and the Esalen environment was supportive. I took community college classes in anatomy, and I studied Gestalt and psychology at Esalen. That helped me understand what was happening — and how to hold it better.”
Teachers and Lineage
Robin’s voice softens when she speaks of her teachers.
“My first teacher was David Streeter — a Tai Chi master, a Zen monk, and just a cool guy. Then Brita Ostrom and Dean Marson were my certification teachers. I teach with both of them today.”
Her memories of mentorship are vivid.
“Another big influence was Ray Swartley. I got a lot of massages from him, and we started a small group — three students and him. We met two or three times a week, working on each other, talking, learning. I spent several years in that small group. It shaped me deeply.”
Later she studied with Suzanne Scurlock, a craniosacral therapist.
“Watching her helped me sense how she worked with people — what stillness could do.”
She pauses. “I was lucky. I arrived at Esalen at a time when the masters were still there — John Upledger, Gabrielle Roth, Fritz Smith, Brita, Deborah, Vicki, Peggy. I could sit with them, ask questions, and assist them. There was a lot of transmission happening — not through words, but through presence.”
Collaboration and Community
Now, as part of Esalen’s next generation of leaders, Robin sees her role as a bridge.
“Our senior teachers are now our elders — the wisdom keepers. They hold decades of learning. I see myself as a bridge between their generation and what is emerging now.”
Her studies in Somatic Experiencing® have become part of that bridge.
“I’ve studied with Peter Levine and the somatic experiencing approach. I’m fascinated by trauma and the nervous system. There’s so much new research that can help us understand what happens in the body. For me, collaboration means bringing the best of our lineage together with this new knowledge — so Esalen Massage keeps evolving and stays relevant for our time.”
Gathering the Circle
When Robin speaks about the Global Village Gathering, her tone turns soft again.
“Why am I joining the EMGV Gathering? Because this practice has been not only a career path, but a life path for me. It wasn’t something I planned. It just took me in and moved me through my own healing process.”
She sees the gathering in Switzerland as a beginning.
“This is the first time teachers and practitioners come together in this way — to share the work, to collaborate as humans, to remember why we do this. It’s exciting to build an international network and strengthen our global community. The world needs that connection and presence right now.”
At EMGV26, Robin will teach An Esalen Massage Approach to Trauma, a workshop she has developed over ten years.
“It weaves Esalen Massage with somatic experiencing and new understanding of the nervous system. It’s about meeting clients with compassion and skill. There are simple things we can do to support a wide range of experiences. It’s simple — but not always easy.”
You can find Robin and her courses at Stillpoint Wellness in Asheville.
Watch her Introduction to Esalen Massage — an instructional video born from years of embodied teaching.