Meet Reeca Gaspari | Body work, Craniosacral Therapist & Story Teller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Reeca Gaspari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Reeca, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“Comparison is the thief of joy” is a quote I call on a lot. I think of it as a reminder when I begin to compare myself to others or even to myself. For instance, if I have a terrific day of work one day and then the next, perhaps I don’t quite feel as if I’m in my groove, it’s deadly to compare the days. It’s even worse to compare oneself with others. I like that these six simple words can wake me up to the real reason we are here; to experience what makes our heart sing and to focus on being present in the moment.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I was lucky starting massage school while working as a receptionist at the Tao Healing Arts Center in Santa Monica. I was fortunate to study with amazing teachers while being around very talented therapists. I learned quickly that all body work is energy work and first and foremost there must be a connection between therapist and client. The ability to hold space for another person, to establish a relationship of trust and safety is the foundation for meaningful work. The challenges to building a business were trusting myself and accepting that mistakes were part of the process. I had to learn about boundaries big time, and being pragmatic about certain decisions. Once again dealing with comparisons…what worked for others didn’t always work for me. The office space I am currently operating out of feels good. I share the space with two other women and we make it work. That hasn’t always been the case, but as I said, mistakes were part of the process. My bodywork is customized for the individual – I don’t believe in “cookie cutter” sessions where a routine is performed so I use different techniques depending on the situation.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in LA to me means beach walks and bike rides, hikes on trails in various parts of town and visits to downtown to see a play at the Mark Taper, dance at the Dorothy Chandler or to discover books at The Last Bookstore. I love a meal at Kendall’s, a French Brasserie on Grand near the Music Center or Meet Me in Paris in Culver City. There’s the Culver Hotel which has a comfy but sophisticated ambiance for drinking and/or dining. I’d definitely drive up to Ojai for the day or spend a couple of nights at The Ojai Retreat and Inn. There are art galleries like Porch Gallery, wineries and terrific food, plus natural outdoor hot springs. Having lived in LA for over 30 years I’ve made good friends and there’s such joy in simply hanging out, eating, perhaps crafting a jigsaw puzzle or strategizing over a game of Catan.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who came along in my life and gifted me with ideas, new directions or sparks of possibilities and I am grateful to each and every person. I have to say though, that my daughter, Paige, has been an anchor for me in remaining truthful to myself. I wanted to be the kind of mother that was an example for living through her own fear; for being willing to step outside the confines of what is familiar and comfortable. I wanted to show her that learning is a life long adventure, that her best teacher resides within herself and that it’s important to ask for help when needed. I could only show her that if I was doing it! She has been vocal about how much I have accomplished and will call me out if I fall into self criticism. It boils down to I just want my daughter to be proud of me so I have to show up and walk my talk.

Website: www.reecagaspari.com
Instagram: tikatavistar
Linkedin: Reeca Gaspari
Yelp: Reeca Gaspari

Image Credits
All images by Justin Rosenberg