The Owner

The owner, Patrice Gutrick, comes to you from a place of continual healing as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse turned integrative healer. Her goal is to help others realize how trauma, some even intergenerational, gets stored in the body. It needs to be released and that can start with a therapeutic healing massage. It is inspired by her late and dear grandmother, Mama (her favorite flowers are incorporated into the logo), love of the color purple, nature, and animals. Patrice was inadvertently introduced to massage as a teenager and would give her grandmother and Aunt Shirley massages just for fun, in addition to helping them relax. They would doze off or fall into a peaceful sleep, just about every time. Her last memory of one of the massages with her grandmother was her grabbing her hands and telling Patrice that she "should do something with these hands."  She didn't pay much attention to this until she received her first full body massage as an adult while searching for alternative ways to heal depression and anxiety. Only then, did she understand the power of a massage with therapeutic touch. Patrice's grandmother made her transition away from this place called Earth on July 1, 2021 and she feels like she is still with her everyday. She truly believes the therapeutic touch she gives is spiritually guided and with her grandmother as her angel. 

Patrice truly loves helping others, especially along the lines of healing. As a survivor of childhood sexual trauma, she self-published a book of poetry titled No Longer a Victim: Poems From a Survivor. She has also lead a support group and maintained a blog, Blessed & Liberated™, to help other survivors of childhood trauma; in addition to, advocating for mental illness awareness which personally led her to years of psychotherapy. She understands how alternative methods of healing play a huge role in healing, and massage therapy is one them. Patrice has long-term plans of learning more ancient ways of healing and obtaining certifications in animal massage/reiki, geriatric massage, tai chi, meditation, trauma informed bodywork (to help other survivors of trauma) and other ways to help her clients to heal, feel, and move better.

Patrice studied at Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage and received her certification in February 2022 and is a professional member with AMTA. She absolutely loved every bit of it and then went on to receive her license to practice in Virginia in August 2022. She also received her registration to practice in Maryland in June 2023. Patrice was trained and certified in various modalities including swedish, sports, prenatal, neuromuscular, deep tissue, hot stone, and more.  With all of the training she received, Patrice knew that she wanted to incorporate as many techniques as possible into each session. She began her professional work inside of ACG Integrative Wellness as an Independent Contractor in October 2022 and flourished. Megan took Patrice under her wings, motivating, mentoring, educating, and encouraging her to reach a level she didn't know she could within a short amount of time. This helped and allowed her to build and maintain a wonderful list of clients who trusted her with their wellness. Below is a list of trainings Patrice has completed thus far since receiving her license to practice, and it will continue to grow as she also has plans to learn more about trauma informed bodywork.

Additional Training & Certifications

• Myofascial Release Massage (Upper Body) with founder Howard Rontal (Lower body Summer 2024)
• Reiki level 1
• Professional Development Trauma Informed Care
• Assisted Active Stretching
• Anxiety Disorders & Massage Therapy
• Various continuing education courses, such as ethics, self-care, and more with AMTA, ABMP, and Biotone.

Outside of her ever-growing love for massage therapy and holistic health/wellness, she absolutely loves animals, spending time with her husband, daughters, family, and friends. She also loves bowling, reading, researching, crafty projects, DIY, watching animal documentaries or shows (Dr. Pol & Critter Fixers are her favorite), or anything that feels good within her spirit and helps her inner child to heal. She believes we all have some level of trauma and helping her clients to heal and release what no longer serves them, is also helping her. She truly believes that your purpose must be discovered by navigating through many different avenues and trying various things…massage therapy is that for her in this stage of life. Sometimes things might not seem right to you or the best time, but there is a much higher purpose for all things in our lives. 

"It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable." Maya Angelou

Rest in Eternal Peace Mama. We love and miss you dearly. 7/1/2021