The Gated Sanctuary, Centre for Healing 

Our therapists are among the most talented and skilled massage therapists you will find. We have carefully hand-selected our therapists from many applicants who wish to practice their art at The Gated Sanctuary. They each have at least three years experience as licensed massage practitioners with the state of Washington. They will customize their massages to your indiviual needs. For example, if you have tightness in your shoulders or low back, they will focus more attention in those areas in order to help your body heal. They can give you 30, 60, 90, or 120 minute massages and can provide deep-tissue therapeutic massage, relaxation massage, or a combination. Couple's massages in the same treatment room are also available.

The therapists wrote short biographies below in order to help you decide which one is best for you. Regardless of which provider works on you, we are confident you will be completely satisfied with your massage at The Gated Sanctuary. 

Frederick Steffen

(Having more than 25 years experience, Frederick is a Master Massage Therapist)

I have been a licensed massage therapist for more than 34 years. My experience in massage, however, started years before I was first licensed. When I was nine my mother, who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, had me trained in reflexology to help relieve some of her symptoms from MS. Since then bodywork has become my passion and my life's work. My mother was the inspiration for me to create The Gated Sanctuary.

My style of massage is a cultivation of learning through the years that the body responds to slow, deeper, loving work. I am naturally drawn to the areas in your body that need attention and my focus is to make your massage one of the best experiences of your life. I use a combination of reconstructive deep tissue massage, Esalen, and Lomi Lomi. I am a Reiki Master and an expert in Reflexology.  

Robert Seay 

I've been in practice and licensed as a massage therapist for over 21 years. My original training, focus and style of massage comes from the Esalen Institute, giving my bodywork a foundation of nurturing contact, long integrated strokes, and detailed attention to the whole body. I also studied the foundations of Ayurveda and the Marma pressure points in 2000/2001, while traveling in India. After further study, I received national certification  in Washington, which gave me a deeper understanding of human physiology from a western perspective.

I've lived and traveled extensively throughout the world and have had the opportunity to experience many different styles of bodywork. This experience has influenced my work deeply and allows me to develop a massage experience that integrates mind, body, emotion and spirit. I look forward to working with you someday. 

 Jeff Tissell 



(Having more than 25 years experience, Jeff is a Master Massage Therapist.)

I have been in private practice as a Licensed Massage Therapist in Washington State since 1991. As a Massage Practitioner I’m excited about assisting clients in understanding and appreciating their body’s capacity to change and for them to experience more balance and ease within their everyday life.

I bring to your session a studied and experienced understanding of the body, along with a finely-tuned sensitivity and compassionate touch. I enjoy working with athletes, movement enthusiasts, individuals recovering from injuries, and people simply wanting to feel more relaxed and at home in their bodies.

I draw from the classic disciplines of “Swedish” and “Deep Tissue” massage, as well as elements of Structural Integration, Somatic Repatterning, Neuromuscular Therapy, Bioenergetics, Myofascial Release, and Positional Release techniques.

For over two decades, I have been helping clients to achieve optimal levels of health, performance and vitality. I love sharing my years of personal explorations into traditional and cutting-edge systems relevant to nutrition, movement training, anti-aging and regenerative therapies.

As a seasoned massage professional in “practice” I fully appreciate and am still grateful for the ongoing opportunities to continue learning and applying that which can help those I work with as I continue to learn from those very individuals myself.

I enter each massage with a grateful spirit. I am thankful for the opportunity to hold space for you, and the potential to facilitate a new sense of physical self. My aim in each session is to create a bodywork sanctuary in which you can fully let go. Every session is a meditation for me. I am listening to your body's story; hearing and affirming it. I want you to feel held. If you wish to go into a meditative state, sleep, laugh, cry, or leave something on the table which no longer serves you, I will accommodate you.

I work with the heart and spirit of a healer. I listen; I work with you intuitively, enthusiastically, and positively. I love what I do! My love of healing massage has been richly enhanced by past midwifery work, Reiki attunement, yoga, meditation practice, travel, voracious reading, good healthy food, and many creative pursuits.

 Sarah Powell

I have been a massage therapist for more than 12 years. Similar to Esalen and Lomi Lomi styles, I use slow, graceful strokes and specialize in  treatment and relaxation. I tailor each massage to the individual needs of the client. I have been called, "intuitive," "magic," and "healing."

My hobbies include travel, art, education, writing, music, my teenage son, and my little dog.  

Inga Chinell

I have been at the Gated Sanctuary since September 2015. My massage practice started after graduating from Brennekke in 1998. I consider my massage techniques to be mostly therapeutic combined with lighter relaxing work near the end of the massage. My history of continuing education consists of Thai Massage, Lomi Lomi Massage, Ashi Autsu Massage, and Sports Massage.

I have been active in sports for many years. This has given me valuable insight in helping care for people that have sports-related injuries. And having had chronic headaches much of my life has provided a personal and compassionate perspective in treating my clients who suffer from them too. I take great pride in being able to help my clients heal through therapeutic massage. 

Michael Kaplan

I began massage as a teenager many more years ago then I choose to admit because my father had back issues and I was the only one in the family with strong enough hands to help with his pain. A friend of his was a back surgeon who taught me a little about massage and my career began.

My formal massage training was received at the Bellevue School of massage where I later returned as a teacher. I also have also been a pro-tem instructor at Bastur Univeristy. 

I describe my massage style as a flowing, firm to medium pressure, relaxing massage that sneaks in muscle therapy. I consider snoring and drooling a common compliment.

Marcie Leese (bio coming soon)