When I was a kid and my parents, uncles or aunts would ask me to give them a back rub, I would…read morebegrudgingly squeeze their shoulders with my little hands until I got tired, and then I would resort to karate chopping them with my hands instead. I don't know if Kathleen's hands were tired the day I saw her, but there was a lot of chopping in my massage. To be fair, she is a very pleasant person to talk to and her massage did succeed in raising the level of endorphins in my body, making me feel pretty relaxed afterwards well into the next day. But never during or after the massage did I actually feel like I had had a massage! That is to say, when I pay for a massage, I do not just want to feel relaxed. I want to feel worked on. I want someone with knowledge of human physiology to get in between the nooks and crannies of my muscles and undo knots in a "it-hurts-so-good" kind of way. I mentioned at the start that I liked deep tissue massage, but that's not what I got from Kathleen. Her massage style is more based on the notion that "human touch is therapeutic in itself." That is to say, the simple act of having your body touched and rubbed by another person allows the body to heal itself. That's true to a certain extent. Like I say, I did feel relaxed afterwards. But endorphins go away rather quickly. Actual bodywork lasts for days at least. Throughout my massage, I kept on thinking to myself, "when is she actually going to start?" She uses very light and long strokes that works on the chemical level, but she doesn't do much by way of physical pain relief. My favorite part of her massage was when the had me face up on the table and she worked on my outer thighs and the top of my legs. As these areas seldom get attention, I figure they're particularly sensitive, but I hardly ever felt her when she was working on my back. Her studio is part of a yoga studio and there's a field outside the window where kids play. So for part of my massage at least, I could hear kids jumping and yelling outside. (Her studio is on Canal St., not on Magazine St.) Parking is not really an issue, although the lot is behind the studio and the street that serves as the most immediate path to the lot is one-way so you have to drive around the block to park. Finally, I should disclose that I was a little unhappy with Kathleen in a matter unrelated to my massage. I had booked a Saturday appointment with her for 1:30pm. The day before she texted me and asked if I could move my massage an hour earlier. That cut into my lunch hour, but I wanted to be accommodating so I agreed. The day of my massage lunch took longer than I had anticipated and so I was 30 minutes late for my 90 minute massage. When I got there I asked her if she would be willing to charge me just for the hour, but she refused. I understand that I was paying for time reserved so I don't begrudge her the fact that I had to pay for 30 minutes I wasn't there for - I was late after all. But I do begrudge her the fact that I was only late because I agreed to move my appointment to earlier and was willing to accommodate her but she was not willing to return the gesture for me. In any event, my personal disappointment with her does not affect my review of her massage skills and in fact if she had been a stellar masseuse, I would certainly go back. But I was underwhelmed by her massage. After the massage she didn't even invite me back in the future or tell me to drink lots of fluids. It was the first time after a massage that I felt like I was at the end of an awkward date. Very strange.

Ms. Currie is a topflight massage therapist…read more I have sought massage therapy to help with chronic back pain, so my standards are pretty high. Of the 2 sessions we've had, each gave me immediate and longer-lasting relief from the tightness in my shoulders and back. She also obligingly used the massage opil I brought with me without hesitation. She is pleasant and professional. She responded to requests for more pressure and lingering on trouble spots. My preference is deep tissue and facia release. I may go for lymph drainage to help with my medical condition. I can't say enough positive things about this wonderful healer except that I will seek her services again.

Yera is a very intuitive and gifted healer. She immediately found my issues and I felt immediately…read morebetter when I left. Trained in multiple modalities I highly recommend her to anyone with neck or back issues or just looking to relax. A+++

I have been seeing Yera for over 15 years now and she is simply the best in every respect--as a…read moremassage therapist and as a person. She knows her stuff; in fact, so well that she's also taught it at Delgado. I hope her young charges have listened to her. Accept no substitutes. Go see her.

Great welcoming attitude and very professional and got the perfect deep tissue massage for aches…read moreand pains your body needs!

Extremely professional, very unique and satisfying massage! Won't book with anyone else Britt is…read morethe best in the city!!

I can't say enough good things about Elsa. She is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and genuinely…read moreinvested in her clients' results. Every session feels unhurried and personalized. She is also very flexible and accommodating with scheduling. I highly recommend her for lymphatic massage -- 10/10 experience!

Elsa is amazing! I saw her for a lymphatic massage. She was professional and made me feel…read morecomfortable from the beginning. The massage was for detox and body contouring. The services provided met my expectations and more. Will definitely be back!

Oh my gosh!!!!! Hands of Essence... how about HANDS FROM HEAVEN?????? Renata is a god-send when it…read morecomes to massages!!!! Not realizing how knotted up my body was when I came in, Renata was able to massage me, relax me, then educate me regarding my body & the stress I was carrying. I came in for a relaxing massage, but instead I got a massage & very helpful information regarding my body!!!! Talk about a bonanza!!! Additionally, Renata further aided in my relaxation process by providing the level of modesty (regarding my body) that made me comfortable. Not many times does a therapist that takes the time to inquire about your comfort level; whether your 1st or 100th time, this can be an issue. My hot stone massage wasn't long enough, as I didn't want her to stop. From the top to the bottom, there wasn't area that was untouched by her. She made sure all my muscles received a fair amount of stimulation and "unkinking"; as I was truly full of knots. I found the pricing to be fair & in-line with the cost of similar services at other locations. I am super ecstatic about Hands Of Essence & this will now be my go-to-massage salon.

As first-timers for the couples massage, my husband and I…read morewere beyond satisfied. We received the deep tissue massage...Renata did my husband and Terrell did mine. Finding the location was a little tricky, since our GPS got us stuck in the library's parking lot. Don't go that way if your GPS tells you! Just look for the Napoleon Room, and the sigh for Hands of Essence is in the corner downstairs. Renata and Terrell answered all our questions that we did and didn't know to ask. They made us feel like comfortable and focused on the areas we pointed out to even. We can't wait to go back!

BEST MASSAGE IN NEW ORLEANS! I've been going to Tam at Well Body Studio for massages for 5 years…read morenow (Swedish, Therapeutic, and Prenatal), and I count my lucky stars every day that I found her. I cannot recommend her highly enough. I refer all my family and friends to her, and they continue to have nothing but glowing reviews. Here are some things I love about massages with Tam: 1.) Tam eases you into a massage. Instead of diving into the most painful knot or problem area first thing with full force, she reminds you to breathe and guides you toward a place of relaxation first so that your muscles are more primed to receive more focused pressure. I struggle with anxiety and cannot tell you how important it is that I feel relaxed and safe BEFORE i can enjoy or benefit from a massage. Tam knows how to do this. She is thorough, she is deliberate, and she takes her time so that you never feel that anything is being rushed. This allows you to actually relax and get the most out of the therapy. (She also gives very calm and clear guidance on what to do: when I need to roll over, or adjust my positioning, or what to do before the massage starts, or when it is over. This helps you relax further by limiting opportunities for confusion and awkwardness.) 2.) Tam is a magician with pressure. She is strong, but adapts her pressure based on the area of the body and the body's muscle response. She's always keenly attuned to me and how my body is responding, and i've never had to ask her to adjust her pressure. That said, she also verbally checks in with you to make sure that the pressure feels right and encourages you to speak up if anything needs to be changed or addressed. 3.) Tam doesn't talk through your massage. She lets you relax into your bliss and detach. That said, if you WANT to talk or have a question or concern, she is happy to engage in conversation. She lets you guide the talking piece. 4.) Tam is both confident and humble in her work. She is highly skilled, highly perceptive, does a thorough intake before the massage, and quickly makes you feel comfortable. And she ALSO listens to what you need and how your body/situation may be different. She adjusts based on your needs and is open to your thoughts. 5.) I feel SO rejuvenated after a massage with Tam. It's as if i've also been through a meditation, Reiki session, restorative yoga, deep stretch, and blissful sleep all at the same time. Don't waste your money at the fancy spas in town. Trust me, i've been to them all. Tam is the only massage therapist you'll ever need.

Thank you, Tam!! I woke up around 10am today and couldn't move my head or get up w/o excruciating…read morepain in my neck. Today is Sunday. I went on yelp to check out massage reviews and filtered it to what was open. Well Body Studio was 1 of 2 with good ratings to come up. I called both and left messages. Within 3 min, Tam called me back. The other never did. Amazingly, on a Sunday, she was able to get me in a few hours after I called and in time to get home for the Saints game. She did a great job. I needed super deep treatment and she really focused on the the 2 areas I told her were in pain. My issues aren't completely healed - I'm beyond an hour of work, but WOW... It's almost 12 hours later and I feel SO much better than I did this morning. I really didn't think I would find someone on a Sunday and I'm so lucky I did. THANK YOU!!!! I'll definitely be back. Oh yeah -1 extra bonus... great music. No cheesy spa flutes. Just some good ol jazz.

My girlfriend bought me a yelp voucher for this place last year for Christmas. I've never received…read morea professional massage. I was actually looking forward to it. I'm just getting around to using it before it expires. I called several days ago to book an appointment and there was no answer. I left a voice message stating what I wanted to book and for what date and time range. I didn't get a callback yesterday so I called multiple times throughout the day and could not get anyone on the phone. I left another message. Today, still no answer. I guess she's avoiding calls now that the voucher is expiring. I advised my girlfriend to contact Yelp to get a refund since this lady doesn't want our business. Hell of a way to establish new client relationships!

This was only my second time receiving a professional massage, and this experience blew the first…read moreexperience out of the water! My ladyfriend and I found this spot while we were in New Orleans for five days over New Year's week. We took a cab uptown and found the place, which was the first floor of what appeared to be a classic New Orleans single-family mansion. The interior of the spa was very nice, and Zoe greeted us and made us feel comfortable. We determined that I would go first, and Zoe had me go into the massage room and asked me some questions about what I expected, whether there were any areas of concern that she should concentrate on. She then left so that I could disrobe (she said any level of disrobement would be fine with her), and made small talk with my girlfriend and made sure she had everything she needed while she waited. The massage was very nice. Full body. I particularly enjoyed the attention she gave to my heels, my hamstrings, and in and under my shoulder blades. The massage lasted about an hour, with soothing nature sounds playing throughout the duration. After the massage she took my girlfriend in while I waited and read some books in the spa area. Her massage lasted about an hour as well and she enjoyed hers thoroughly as well. After all was said and done, we talked for about 10 minutes about our respective backgrounds and New Orleans politics. The massage was reasonably priced and she accepted cash or credit. I reccomend her to anybody who wants a relaxing experience.

Excellent massage! Clean and professional with a relaxed…read moreatmosphere. Parking was not an issue, but I went around 1:00 so I can't speak to other times. I will be back.

Great place to get a massage. Masseuse is very attentive to pressure and any aches or pains…read more Also it's a very clean place and you get a full hour massage not 50 minutes like some national chains Highly recommended