our approach
At Sterling Touch, we recognize our bodies’ inherent abilities to repair and recover from a vast array of ailments and we believe that, by providing tender care and specialized support, we are able to boost this process.
To do this, we prioritize calming the nervous system, guiding you into a parasympathetic state of rest-and-digest. This deeply restorative state gives your body a break from the energetic demands of the commonly overactive fight-or-flight response. It is in this relaxed state that your body’s reparative processes are able to more fully take place.
Your safety and comfort are key to this process. Our emphasis on clear and open communication keeps you in control at every step. By taking an active role in this process, you’re able to help us find a pressure and pace that feel right for you. Together, we can co-create the most effective and soothing massage experience.
Our approach is further guided by the principle, “no pain, more gain.” Essentially, our bodies’ unconscious response to pain is to stiffen. Not only does this create a sort of shell, or armor of protection that makes it difficult to reach deeper layers of muscle, this response also reduces circulation throughout the tightened areas. To avoid triggering this protective response, we center pleasure, not pain, as the pathway to deep relaxation.
With breath as a guide, the more relaxed you become, the more receptive your body is to this work, and the easier it becomes to reach the deepest layers of your being. When done well, massage and bodywork can open possibilities for releasing, repairing and restoring a profound sense of wholeness and a special gratitude for all the wonders that make you, you.
About us
Beginning with a similar foundation, we continue exploring our individual interests within the broad field of touch therapy. Bringing our different approaches together, we’ve created Sterling Touch, a practice focused on therapeutic massage, restorative bodywork, and conscious movement.
Grounded in clear communication, safety, and comfort, our goal is to enhance the connection with your body, fostering ease, balance, and an appreciation for your body’s wisdom. In partnership with you, we strive to support not just physical relaxation, but mental clarity, emotional warmth, and an overall sense of well-being.
Julian Ughetti
Learning to navigate life with chronic back pain is a daily struggle. For me, this struggle began as the lingering result following a number of traumatic spine and brain injuries in my teens. Somewhat serendipitously, all these challenges eventually led me into a life-changing bodywork session in 2019. This one session dramatically shifted my internal felt experience in a profound way. I very excitedly showed Su how much range of motion I gained and gleefully described how weird and wonderful the sensation of the absence of pain felt.
This sudden newfound freedom lasted three days before the pain returned with a vengeance, but the experience was deeply imprinted in my mind. A door to a world of new possibilities had been opened and I was determined to find my way back.
Shortly thereafter, we went into COVID lockdown, and I had nothing but time to dwell on how far I felt from that delightful feeling of lightness and ease. Motivated to understand what happened, I picked up the first book I found on bodywork and began developing a daily movement practice. This book referenced numerous others, and each movement session developed my internal awareness and illuminated deeper layers of patterning that raised more questions. One year later, I enrolled in The Wellness Massage Center & Institute.
It is an absolute honor and privilege to practice this work which has brought so much relief and hope to my life. Each person who walks through the door brings a life of experience and their own unique patterns. It is a joy to meet someone where they are and to work together to grow their awareness and instill a greater sense of internal coherence and functional adaptibility.
Su Ughetti
My journey into massage and bodywork began after watching Julian’s body transform dramatically with the help of consistent bodywork, the fostering of postural awareness and the development of a daily movement practice. Witnessing such transformation inspired me to pursue my education in massage therapy.
Practicing massage has become a joy in my life. I love witnessing how people respond to my work. It feels like magic, especially when people come to see me with pain or stress, then 90 minutes later, get up from the massage table with a smile on their face, feeling relaxed and refreshed. It is a gift to continue exploring and learning new magic as I further my education and hone my craft.
I graduated from the Wellness Massage Center & Institute, where I studied traditional Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, among other modalities, and have since expanded my skills with certifications in Hot Stone Massage, CranioSacral Therapy, and Phenomenal Touch Massage.
My approach is deeply shaped by my lived experiences, emphasizing trauma-informed care and clear communication. I believe healing begins with feeling safe and heard, and it is my honor to support your journey to wellness—body and mind—as my practice and style continue to evolve.