Meet our new MUCH massage therapist, Valeria.
Since February 2026, she has become part of our team.
Valeria is studying in the third year of the University of Rehabilitation. She has practical experience with children with special needs, that is carried out three times a week.
Here is her report:
Angelina is a girl with autism. She is 5 years old. She has defects in speech, sometimes uttering individual words or sounds, but they are unclear. This child is disturbed by the social and emotional sphere. She cannot express her needs in words, and because of this she often has mood swings, she can become confused or emotionally unstable because she cannot express her thoughts.
I worked with Angelina very carefully and gradually so as not to cause additional stress. During the massage treatment, the behavior of the child is unstable: sometimes she can lie quietly, sometimes she starts screaming and seeking help – she wants to be held by her hand. I use a vibrating platform to reduce the muscle tightness throughout her body. Standing on it, she is afraid. She shouts, but when she gets used to it – she gradually relaxes.
In addition, I do simple exercises with her, such as “pick up – give”. I ask her to pick up a toy and give it to me, but Angelina does not always respond to verbal requests. She is focused on something else, and does not pay attention to the request. If I showed gestures for what she needs to give to me, she does it without problems.
At the end of the month, I noticed that Angelina had become a little calmer responding to procedures. She calmed down more quickly after an episode of fear, and gradually trusts me more during our session. These are small but important steps forward. I believe that with the right support I can help her gradually develop. Thank you for your support and attention to her life.
Talking with her parents, I saw that they were in a state of psycho-emotional tension. I see anxiety in her mother’s eyes, denial in some situations, guilt and fear in other situations. After her daughter’s first massage therapy course, I see how she is going through all of the stages when she notices the dynamics and the positive result, and how her eyes glow with happiness.
