about

My greatest contribution and passion in life is caring for animals and their emotional and physical wellbeing. I chose animal bodywork as a means to honor this passion because I realized, through firsthand experiences in working with my friends’ and my own animals, that challenging, mystery ailments were solved and behaviors and vitality improved, all with trained touch and a holistic mindset. As time went on, I realized I spent many hours of the day reading, learning about, and practicing animal bodywork. Since then, in deciding to start my own practice, I have committed to attentively working with each and every animal in my care. I have also committed to a lifetime of reading and attending classes with the desire to get to the source of issues ever more efficiently and effectively.

My approach to bodywork essentially includes acupressure and various types of massage and energy work. Applying these together serve four main purposes:

Discover potential issues sooner to prevent them from escalating.
Work on areas where the body is compensating, either from lameness, illness, or the side effects of medications or surgery, in order to reduce pain, regain freedom of motion, and improve the fluid functioning of organs and tissues in the body.
Calm the mind, balance behaviors, and increase vitality.
Stimulate the body to heal itself.

The most basic core in all of my work is seeing the soul of each animal beyond their ailments, behaviors, and traumas, and connecting with them with the utmost respect and authenticity. This connection, at the base of it all, is what then allows me to best utilize my hands-on bodywork skills. Witnessing how animals respond, and positively affected by this kind of work, is my greatest gift to both the animals and their guardians.

certifications

Acupressure

Trained with Kim Bauer, CAAP, LAMP, SAMP, Instructor, Northwest School of Animal Massage, Vashon Island, Washington.

Acupressure is an over 4000-year old Traditional Chinese Medicine healing art where the practitioner applies light pressure on relevant points of the body and along meridians, or superhighways inside of the body, where energy, or Qi, flows. These points and meridians connect to organs, muscles, bones and soft tissue. When Qi gets blocked, like water getting stuck behind a dam, this disruption can lead to pain, lack of function, or illness. Acupressure can release those blockages and begin to initiate natural healing and balance. When something feels off with our animals, or when there’s a mystery issue, it can be an indication of disharmony in the body and mind. Using acupressure can be applied at that early stage to prevent a bigger issue from occurring. It is also used for animals in training and competition to help keep them functioning at a high level. In addition, it’s used often for geriatric animals, as it is a light, non-invasive touch that can build their immune system and help aging organs and joints function better. It is also used to help control chronic and acute pain and speed the healing process of injuries. If animals have been on medications, acupressure can assist with easing the side effects. Since the body is interconnected physically and emotionally, acupressure can also balance behavior issues, like aggression or anxieties, while working physically on the body.

swedish massage

Trained with Lola Michelin, LMT, LAMP, SAMP, Director, Northwest School of Animal Massage, Vashon Island, Washington.

Swedish massage is a technique using various types of strokes, tapping or stretching to relieve muscle fatigue, soreness, tension, tissue restrictions, muscle knots, stiffness, and poor circulation, all of which can also effect the smooth function of the organs, the health of the immune system, and behavior issues. Massage can be used at a regular maintenance level to help prevent injuries and encourage health in the body. It can also be used after surgery to help the body heal, as well as keep the body from over-compensating, thus preventing another injury from occurring. Pre- and post-competition massages can be beneficial to athletic animals to keep them flexible and their muscles tone and supple. Massage also benefits geriatric animals to increase circulation, keeping nutrients flowing to all parts of the body and reducing joint stiffness.

Visceral Therapy

Trained with Dr. Kris De Ceulaer, DVM, Ph.D., Instructor, Lier, Belgium.

Visceral Therapy is about encouraging the mobility and strength of the organs, as well as the tissues that connect with them, and other areas in the body where motion is lacking. Like Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (explained above in the Acupressure section), motion is life. Everything is in motion and animals need motion to keep them healthy, flexible, and able to play and work. Visceral Therapy recognizes the central importance of keeping the organs and surrounding tissues working without restrictions. If an organ doesn’t have optimal motion, it can cause issues such as neck, mid-back, and low back pain. Joints of the spine or in the legs can become restricted and painful as well. By restoring the natural motion of each organ and connected tissues, and re-establishing the brain-body connection, pain and restrictions are reduced. If attempts at reducing pain in the past have failed, this can sometimes help.

Myofascial Lines Release Therapy

Trained with Kim Bauer, CAAP, LAMP, SAMP, Instructor, Animal Ease Therapies, Hood River, Oregon.

Fascia is a web of tissue that connects every aspect of the body, deep and superficial. If you were to take away everything from the body and leave just the fascia, you would still see a 3D picture of the animal, because it’s an infinite, connected web of tissue. So if one area is restricted in the body, it’s going to effect, or compensate, in another area. A neck problem, for instance, can limit collection and power in the horse’s hindquarter. The lines flow deep around the organs as well, so problems with the stomach, like ulcers, can cause pain and thus compensate with pain and tension somewhere else in the body. In Myofascial Lines Release Therapy, thirteen lines that move through the body, from front to back and down the limbs, have been discovered to connect dysfunctional areas with the compensation and pain areas. Identifying which lines are effected, then releasing tension in them, helps relieve the pain and restriction and restores fluid motion. Also, merely testing the lines, before even seeing any dysfunction yet, can help to prevent injuries and imbalances before they occur, so this method is also a beneficial prevention and maintenance tool.

Aromatherapy

Trained with Joan Sorita, Co-Founder, Instructor, Northwest School of Animal Massage, Vashon Island, Washington.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils from bark, leaves, flowers, rinds, roots, stems, or wood of aromatic plants to use therapeutically. It’s used with animals in two ways: absorbing topically through the skin or inhaling through the nose. Since animals have a stronger sense of smell than people, inhaling essential oils can quickly transport the effects into their bloodstream. Many types of essential oils and blends can help issues, but letting the animal self-select the options available is allowing them to decide what specific oils their specific body needs without imposing an oil on them they don’t like or need. Once they’ve chosen, essential oils can assist with anything from aggression and anxiety, to inflammation and digestive upset, to bacteria or fungus, to repelling insects and parasites, to sleeplessness and pain.

Dog and Cat First Aid

american red cross, portland, oregon.

Bachelor of Arts, English

Portland State University, portland, oregon.

Bachelor of Science, Psychology

Portland State University, portland,oregon.

currently working toward certifications

Animal Normalization Therapy

Training with Patries Kortekaas, PT, Instructor, Eugene, Oregon.

Craniosacral Therapy

Training with Tracy Vroom, Director, Instructor, Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage, longmont, colorado

Myofascial Release

Training with Ruth Mitchell-Gollaway, PT, Author, Instructor, Equinology, Napa, California.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Training with Theresa Mueller, Founder, Holistic Equine Academy Of Lymphedema, West Milford, New Jersey.

Tui Na Chinese Acupressure-Meridian Massage

Training with Amy Snow, Owner, Author, Instructor, Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute, Littleton, Colorado.

Veterinary Technician

Penn-Foster Online College.

“Charisse has been working on my horses for over two years. She is very intuitive and she goes at each horse’s pace to earn their trust, which enables her to go deeper and address the areas that need the most attention. I always gain new insight about my horses after she has worked on them, and the best part is they move and feel better.”

Sister Bragdon

“With her training, skills and abilities, Charisse has given our 12-year old chocolate lab a happier, healthier life in his aging years, arthritis and kidney disease are to be expected. But kidney disease prevents him from having pain medication for arthritis. Instead, Charisse performs acupressure and other techniques to relieve his pain and allow him a happy lab’s life. He is happy and still takes long walks, plays and brings us continued joy. Her work with him the last year has made him a healthy, contented dog.”

Ginevra Blake

“Charisse Tooze has been a true blessing to our family. She is truthful, intelligent, intuitive, caring, ever-learning, tenacious, and a flexible healthcare professional. Our animals love and trust her, and we appreciate the results!”

Pam Kidd and Jack Boquist