I came to Susan Van Note to address a level of anxiety and fear that I experienced in my body after being diagnosed with and treating breast cancer in recent years. What I received was so much more! Susan opened the doors to a level of healing I didn't expect. Whether it was working with boundaries with others or the deeper stuff of releasing embodied fear, rage and trauma; her combined techniques of the Feldenkrais Method and Somatic Experiencing quickly unlocked what had been held in my body. I only wish I had come to her sooner as traditional psychotherapy has been helpful but her techniques are allowing me to have a new lived experience with feeling safe. Overall I feel more settled in my own skin and I have new tools to deal with anxiety when it comes up and that seems to be very infrequent now. I am so grateful to Susan and have the highest level of trust in her Somatic Healing work. read more

Susan is truly a gifted healer. Working with her has been life changing. Through her somatic bodywork, she helped me rewire my nervous system and gave me the tools and resources to get the best rest I have had in years. Beyond just relaxation, she guided me to reconfigure the way I operate in my day to day life, allowing my body and mind to finally feel more at peace. Her sessions go much deeper than surface level healing. They are supportive, intentional, and profoundly restorative. I left feeling not only grounded but also equipped with practices I can carry with me long after our sessions. If you are looking for someone who can truly help you connect with your body and find a sense of calm and balance, Susan is the one. read more

Susan has helped me immensely during the past few months! I have had on and off tension and pain (especially in my neck and shoulders) over the past few years. Last year it got to the point where I couldn't even sleep because I was in so much pain. I had tried everything: massages, acupuncture, chiropractor, etc. and nothing was a permanent fix. Susan has taught me the tools I need to regulate my body any time a stressor occurs and how to regulate my nervous system. Now, my tension is essentially gone and if I ever feel myself get stressed I know what to do to prevent that tension from occurring. I have so much gratitude for Susan and I cannot recommend her enough! She's been a life changer. read more

I have suffered from severe chronic tension and hypermobility that I had attempted to treat with: psychotherapy, chiropractic, PT, fascia and many other interventions that fell flat. Working with Susan has been a tremendous experience and have began to experience significant relief for the first time in my life. Her wisdom, experience, and ability to collaborate with your strengths while supporting your areas of growth shines in her work. I am beyond grateful for her and highly recommend her to anyone that has felt broken and stuck with Western medicine and modern psychotherapy read more

So grateful I found Susan!!! I was reading a book that spoke about the benefits of Somatic Experiencing work and I thought I would find a lot of relief for my C-PTSD so I got on the internet to find a practitioner. When I got to the Restore with Awareness webpage, I knew I was in the right place. I scheduled a phone consult with Susan after reading a few of her blog posts and doing the free Feldenkrais practice on her website. So far I have had four sessions over the past five weeks and my nervous system feels more calm than it has in YEARS! This has helped my overall stress and body tension dial way down and I now know what the felt sense of safety feels like. I have more energy available to me, confidence, and self-esteem. I can tell I'm benefitting from these practices because my balance has improved, I have way more job satisfaction, my sleep has improved greatly and I can feel more ease in my day to day life. I have years of body work (massage, chiro, cupping), acupuncture, talk therapy, shamanic therapy and nothing has stuck for me the way that Feldenkrais and Somatic Experiencing has. The most amazing part is that I don't have to even rely on anyone outside of myself. Susan has given me skills to be my own empathic witness and I am forever thankful. read more

I've dealt with c-PTSD for 20+ years and my nervous system has been dysregulated and dysfunctional for so long that I thought things like chronic muscle tension and pain, muscle masking, shallow breathing, constant exhaustion, and just a poor quality of life and lack of drive to be alive, was going to be my life. But after my first session with Susan, I felt so grounded, calm and at peace. When I opened the door from the office building and stepped out into the parking lot, I felt, for the first time in my life, that life was really worth living. I look forward to continuing my sessions with her. She's a kind, professional, extremely knowledgeable individual. I highly recommend her. read more

Eliminated my tinnitus of many months and could think more clearly. Is also helpful with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Femoral Neuropathy, and other nerve related pain. Results last long after you leave. I'm very grateful for the help! read more

I highly recommend Susan Van Note. For years her massage therapy helped my hip and back pain and was so relaxing. Then I started Feldenkrais lessons with her over 3 years ago and continue to this day. Not only does she help me with pain relief but also with calming any stress I may have. She's wonderful! Alan D in DC read more

I first met Susan when she was living on Capitol Hill. My massage therapist was quitting and she recommended Susan. Susan was great in working with me to help me deal with the chronic pain in my shoulders due to stress. She worked with me to help me learn how to recognize how to reduce the stress. Susan then moved away and I have been using her on-line classes to learn the value of small movements to continue to reduce the stress I put on my body. Although at first I wanted only to focus on massage, with Susan's expertise and listening skills, I learned to appreciate the emphasis on alignment and movement. She is wonderful! read more

Working with Susan has been incredibly calming to my nervous system, plus it helped decrease my back pain significantly! I absolutely love receiving Feldenkrais sessions from Susan! I always leave feeling calm, centered and more relaxed. Plus, I've suffered from low back and hip pain and Feldenkrais with Susan helped decrease that pain immensely. I highly recommend working with her! read more

Susan's care for her students is palpable. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in her online Feldenkrais group classes, which improved my mobility and soothed my nervous system. I have MS, so this is a huge win. read more

I first went to Susan for massage in 2019 because she had a room connected to my yoga studio in DC and I had chronic hip pain. I had trouble standing up straight after sitting on the couch and blamed it on squats and heavy lifting in crossfit. Regardless of what caused it, it was embarrassing since I was in my 40's. I remember leaving sessions with her completely relaxed. Mid-pandemic, I made an appointment with Susan and discovered that she had learned additional techniques that continued to relieve my hip pain and create ease. Working with Susan not only reduced my hip pain, but also decreased my stress level, and calmed my nervous system . The techniques seemed so simple, but were extremely effective. I now take her online relaxation classes (since I'm not in Cali). The class is technically called Feldenkris, but I call it relaxation class and to be honest I find it a bit boring. But, I force myself to do it because 1. it's not hard and 2. when I attend class weekly, I sleep so much better for several days. If you've read this far, do your body a favor and make an appointment with Susan right now! It will be time and money well spent. read more

The best I feel is when I'm working with Susan. She will work with your body so that you can be pain free and/or at your most comfortable and moving with the most ease. She knows what she's doing and she'll listen to you and take time to find out how she can best help you. Highly recommend! read more

My first encounter with Susan Van Note was getting massages from her after being persuaded by my husband. I have fibromyalgia with constant pain all over. I had given up hope that I could get a comfortable massage and hurting more afterwards. Susan is the only massage therapist that has helped me. When she added Feldenkrais Body Awarenss to her skill set I already trusted her and was willing to try it. She is really an expert. I have worked with her on a regular weekly basis for sometime now. She has great knowledge of the body and has gradually helped me release the tension that is caused by my pain. Insomnia is part of Fibromyalgia because waking in the night with pain makes it difficult to return to sleep. Since working with Susan I am able to sleep much better and she has made that possible. I cannot recommend Susan more. She listens and helps me be so much more comfortable and happy. I really look forward to my sessions with her. Susan S. read more

I met Susan through business networking. She shared information about the benefits of Feldenkrais. I had never heard of it and was intrigued, due to the minor chronic aches and pains I had learned to live with. Susan explained the treatment in simple terms and her professional, yet gentle, manipulation literally made by joints feel like they were melting back to their original state. I received several treatments and even noticed that, in addition to better range of motion, I was also able to think more clearly and felt calmer overall. I highly recommend her services! read more

Susan is amazing in many different ways. She has such a big heart for her patients, but also has a love for healing the human body and is passionate about her work. I am a bedside nurse and am on my feet the majority of the day and the rest of my day is spent charting on a computer with poor posture and lots of tension in my body. I'm also a cycling instructor and have seen some differences since working with Susan for the past few months. I've had poor posture my entire life, poor circulation to my hands and feet, lots of tension and pain in between my shoulder blades from muscle spasms ever since nursing school, and a tense neck. I always used to keep my shoulders up to my ears, curled my back, and now I had wrist surgery limiting some of my ability to do things for a month while I recover. I would have to try and get the blood flow back into my limbs by repositioning myself often and would constantly feel uncomfortable. After working with Susan, I started to notice that my body would recognize my tension that I've been storing and have been using certain techniques that Susan had taught me to change my posture and release tension. My body now tends to do this on its own now and my pain, tension, and posture have significantly improved. I feel better at work and I tend to have better posture now while teaching my cycling classes and keep my eyes up more often while teaching and my every day life. Going consistently has increased my overall health and I'm so thankful to be working with Susan so she can teach me techniques I can also use in the future in order to prevent further injuries and keep awareness of my body mechanics. I had been going to get massages from another company once a month and it would always provide temporary relief but working with Susan has had long term effects on my body and I couldn't be more happy about it! You won't regret working with Susan, you're going to wish you had gone to see her sooner. read more

Believe the hype - Susan is truly amazing! She works with you to get a sense of your goals from the massage truly does listen to your body and adapt as the massage in the process. She is caring, attentive, professional and SO SO SO knowledgeable. Do yourself a favor and schedule an appt today! read more

Based on all the reviews here, I saw Susan when I was staying on the Hill for a week-long conference in D.C. and now wish I could work in D.C. more often because Susan is probably the most knowledgeable, caring, and professional massage therapist that one could ever meet. She spent a lot of time listening, asking questions to find out what would help and also gave me so many great suggestions to take home. I would highly recommend Susan to anyone seeking not only a great massage, but also a calming, helpful experience. read more

Susan delivers amazing massages and integrative body work. I booked an appointment when I was dealing with lower back and shoulder pain, stemming from repeated stress as an aerialist and flying trapeze catcher. I wasn't expecting miracles, just hoping for a bit of relief. Instead, I got miracles! Susan was attentive to my specific concerns and quickly identified several long-term habits (in how I sat, stood, and moved) that were contributing to the pain I was feeling. Over the course of just a couple of sessions, I experienced a dramatic change in how I felt in my body. She also recommended a couple of very simple things I could do on my own that helped me reverse some of those bad habits. I imagine that the reviews for Susan look over the top, but it's because she is truly incredible. Her body work has made a huge difference in my day to day life, and her massages are incredible at addressing pain and at providing general stress relief. I cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

Susan is fantastic. My massage was incredibly relaxing, restorative and also informative. She understood I wanted to learn about how my body takes on stress, and throughout the massage she talked to me about the muscle groups in my body and how they work together. She is both knowledgeable and highly skilled. Looking forward to another massage! read more

Susan is the best!! I started seeing her when I was studying for the bar exam two years ago, and thought I would just go for a few months. But I love Susan and have been going every few weeks ever since. I even got my husband hooked and he goes regularly as well. Susan is lovely as a person and also amazing at what she does. She pays attention, takes notes, and works really hard to help with any particular issues. I think of her as more than a masseuse because while the hour or two you're there is relaxing and feels good, her work helps you keep feeling great for weeks. I feel so lucky to have found her!! Whether you just want a one time massage, or someone to help you for years to come, go see Susan! read more

I had a GREAT massage with Susan a few days ago.... and I am still feeling the positive effects! She is very knowledgeable, well versed in the damage we do to our bodies in our busy lives, and very good! The facility was clean, calming and comfortable. I highly recommend a visit to Susan for a Massage. read more

Susan is a true professional and a phenomenal masseuse. I've been going to see her for nearly two years, and she is always able to work with me to figure out where I need any specialized attention. Do not hesitate to choose her for your massage needs. Massage aside, she is an amazing person and a kind soul. My highest recommendation. read more

Susan Van Note is truly the best! I started working with her while I was pregnant and I credit her with being the person who helped me survive those nine months :) She takes time to learn what works best for your body and she is thoughtful in mapping out a plan for each session. She is kind, professional and extremely good at what she does. read more

I have been seeing Susan for three years and am so grateful to have found her. She has an incredibly calming presence and is very attentive to your needs. Susan takes the time to get to know you and customize her services to best suit you. She really redefines what getting a massage means! Highly recommend. read more

I've never appreciated body work more than with Susan. I had really tough to treat muscular & joint issues that were not resolving despite multiple rounds of physical therapy, multiple visits to an orthopedist, multiple rounds of prescriptions to deal with inflammation/steroids. Susan is an amazing listener, she is attentive, thoughtful and comprehensive in her treatment. While my experience wasn't a "spa day", it truly helped me heal and I've gotten back into walking without pain & doing exercise classes for the first time in a YEAR. I am so grateful to Susan for working with me and will keep up my maintenance schedule to make sure I never have an immobilizing injury experience again! read more

Susan is amazing. She's generous with her time, pays attention to detail, very killed and reads how the body reacts to different pressures and was also very educational throughout the massage. I left feeling much better and more informed about my own body. Would highly recommend read more

THE BEST massage you'll have in DC!!! I've been going to Susan for a few years and every time is a great experience. She helped me through my pregnancy with amazing prenatal massages and I've been returning to her post-baby over and over again. Susan is a constant student of her profession, learning new techniques that she applies to address whatever issues your body is experiencing. No aches or pains? Great! You'll have the most relaxing massage! I've been getting massages my entire adult life and Susan is the best in this area by far! read more

I have been seeing Susan for seven months. She is a "body whisperer"! She listens to what you say as well as what your body tells her as she works her magic. I had an acute injury when I first visited Susan. She assessed my situation and gave me suggestions. I saw a physical therapist a few days later and his assessment and suggestions were in parallel with Susan's. She is OUTSTANDING. If you are considering a massage therapist, just stop. Go to her site and book. You won't be disappointed. Oh - and did I mention the online booking? read more