After working in marketing for eight years after college, massage therapist Elise Smith of Be Held Bodywork (325 A Street, Suite 1) began looking for a new career path.
“I made a big list of fields I’d be interested in and started investigating what I would need to get started in those,” Elise said. “A lot of them would’ve required a bunch of extra schooling, like a master’s degree at least. Massage therapy had often been a background interest—it seemed like a feasible amount of schooling, and a local community college happened to have a program. So at 30 years old I found myself back in college. And thank goodness, because when I finally got into my first massage class in my second quarter, it all clicked. I could tell I had found what I was meant to do in the world.”
After getting her license in February 2019, she began working at a spa in the Bay Area, while working on opening her own practice on the side.
“The spa was awesome overall, but I found that I was back in the matrix,” she said. “I knew I wanted to work for myself, but I didn’t have the energy or time to give it my full effort while working full-time at the spa. Plus California rent prices? So I was halfway trying to do mobile massage on the side and after the pandemic and a broken wrist, massage ended up on a hiatus. Then I moved to Ashland in the summer of 2022 to be closer to family. In my 20s, I never thought I’d want to live in a small town, but it turns out to be the nervous system reset that I didn’t know I needed. I love it here.”
After getting her Oregon license, Elise worked for someone else again, but in November 2022 she opened her own office in Medford before eventually relocating her practice to Ashland, sharing a space with Holistic Health Acupuncture.
“They are the best group of people I could ask to have around me,” she said. “So November marks one ear of having my office in Ashland, and three years of running Be Held Bodywork full-time.”
Elise describes Be Held Bodywork as deeply relaxing and results-focused massage therapy.
“I am a pretty even split between right and left brain so you’re going to get intuition backed up with detailed anatomy knowledge,” she said. “I’ll probably tell you about the function of a muscle as well as the energy meridian and associated emotions involved. I’ll get as woo-woo as you want to go but I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so I’ll meet you where you’re at. I’m looking at the body in a pretty holistic way—everything is connected to everything else, not just physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well. My business is named Be Held Bodywork because I want it to be a space where you can come and be safe and be held and supported. I want you to get up from the table feeling deeply seen (in an energetic sense! Not exposed!) and totally cared for.”
Elise offers deep tissue, trigger point, and intuitive neuromuscular therapy. Clients can expect a detailed intake on their first visit.
“I’m looking to both make lasting structural or functional changes in your problem areas, while activating your parasympathetic nervous system to get you out of fight or flight,” she said. “I do not want to push past what your body tells me it wants. We might do some cupping and/or a few hot stones if you’re up for it. If you need lighter pressure, I got you. It’s as deep as you want to go. But if you’re looking for a massage that is only Swedish techniques, only gliding, I might not be the best fit.”
Elise also offers mobile massage services, and she loves doing events, including pop-ups, corporate retreats and teacher appreciation events.
“Last year I got to travel and work at a golf tournament in St George, Utah,” she said. “In August I was asked to do chair massage at rehearsals for Lainey Wilson’s production team. And in September I got to be one of the practitioners in the Healing Garden at Cascade Equinox, a music festival near Bend. That was a dream come true and I am hoping to do more festivals next summer.”
Appointments can be scheduled online at beheldbodywork.com, or for more info, call or text 541-414-7295. You can also see her on Facebook and Instagram.
