Joseph (Mo) Morris, LMT
EDUCATION
SPECIALTIES
CONTACT (313) 264-9516 [email protected] |
Born and raised in Detroit, Mo spent 23 years in the restaurant industry, 15 of them as a fine-dining Chef, before becoming a massage therapist. This is where he learned the importance of being hospitable and communicating effectively with others. His many years in the industry have instilled in him an instinct for hospitality, and he feels that each client should be honored like a guest.
Growing up, Mo was told by friends and family that he had a natural gift for touch. As he got older, he bore within him a growing desire to help others. In 2015, he enrolled in massage school, where he learned that all things in the body are connected and that it is possible to tap into the body’s energy and truly “listen” to what it is saying. One of his first clients at school came to him with chronic thoracic back pain from breaking her back when she was a child. Mo gave her a 60-minute massage in the area of the old injury. The following day, she called him crying in great pain. As they spoke, he realized his mistake: he had focused only on the problem area and neglected other areas of the body that played important but less obvious roles in her chronic pain. Giving a more holistic treatment would have minimized her pain the following day. Thankfully, she returned and Mo was able to correct his mistake and provide her with relief. The lesson? Treat the body as an integrated whole, not as a bundle of parts. Life happens. Urgent family issues forced Mo to leave massage school with only two months to go, and he found himself in Tucson managing a senior living facility. There, it soon became apparent that most of the residents did not receive any human touch outside of being changed by their nurses. A natural empath, he made time to offer the residents gentle back and shoulder massage. One resident he worked on was notable for her failing memory, to the point that she couldn’t remember her name, last meal, or where she was. To everyone’s astonishment (including Mo’s) she managed to remember who he was solely by his touch. That was the moment he decided to return to massage school and complete his training, because he knew he wanted to continue helping others in a more holistic way. When it comes to bodywork, Mo is always eager to learn new techniques and tailor his approach to each guest’s needs. He takes the time to have a conversation with the client before each session and pays close attention not only to their words but also to how their body communicates with him on the table. When a client explains their bodily discomfort, he observes and evaluates to find the root of that discomfort. Mo believes that educating clients about the source of their pain is an ongoing part of their healing. Doing this work, he is often reminded of the quote “One day, may we all meet together in the light of understanding.” Outside of the treatment room, Mo likes to spend time with his family. “I have five kids,” he says, “A 12-year-old daughter and four Pomeranians.” He enjoys being in nature, taking hikes, camping, backpacking, and taking his dogs for walks. Every day for him is an adventure and a journey of understanding the inner world and the outer world. |