Bodywork by Rebecca Brightly

I can’t believe this practice doesn’t have more glowing, five star reviews! I am one of the many who was introduced to Rebecca through the Tippr coupon for Stellar Massage. I received massages from both Jacob and Rebecca. Since they now both have private practices, I’ll review Rebecca here.
As others have said, the online booking system is super convenient. Yes, the space is small, but cozy. You’ll be greeted in the petite front area and offered tea or water while Rebecca does your intake. She really takes the time to listen to your unique needs and goals for your massage session. She does offer unscented massage oil/​lotion, and didn’t use scented candles/​aromatherapy (which is great– I am allergic to smelly stuff and it’s great that so many massage therapists are aware that many people are).
Rebecca has strong hands and really knows her stuff! She was able to melt away some chronic tension through deep tissue massage. I got that lovely floaty afterglow that I only experience after an especially effective massage.
She uses a really nifty iPhone app to scan your credit card, if that’s how you’re paying!
(Also, it’s not the business’s fault if people who buy their group deals are incapable of reading the terms and conditions, or if a customer is completely ignorant of the parking situation on Capitol Hill. Anyone remotely familiar with the Hill knows that you need to add at least 20 min extra for parking– or just live on the Hill and walk there in 10 min, like me! ;)

I bought a two massages for the price of one deal through Tippr and really enjoyed both of my massages with Jacob, although the experiences were a bit different. If you’re looking for someone thorough and gentle, I would definitely recommend him.
Massage #1 was in general, very relaxing and I nearly drifted off to sleep several times. Jacob did a great job working out the sore spots and I was pretty rubbery afterwards. The biggest downside was that due to their location right on Olive Way and being the first sunny Saturday afternoon in a long time, I kept getting startled by loud engines zooming past.
The noise factor was much less noticeable with massage #2 and in addition to working out a lot of the knots, we did some stretching exercises to shift the muscles around and help prevent them from knotting up in the future. The massage seemed to last a long time (in a good way!) and I felt relaxed and restored afterwards.
The space itself is pretty small and functional, but I tend to keep my eyes closed so it doesn’t really matter. The table is quite high compared to others I’ve experienced, so a shorter person might find it difficult to get up/​down. They have online booking which is very convenient, and although I’ve seen complaints in the past about their limited schedules, I’ve never had a problem with getting an appointment. It just takes a little advance planning as there are only two masseuses. They were also super accommodating about canceling my appointment on 4 hours notice because I had a cold and re-​booking me for the next week at no charge.

I’ve been going to see Jacob regularly since september 2010. He has done wonders for an old shoulder injury that keeps coming back. His knowledge of anatomy has helped me diagnose the real source of the problem and make real progress towards feeling better all the time.
Jacob and Rebecca have always given me excellent service, even going as far as to change their massage appointment schedule to fit mine!
This isn’t a spa that will serve you cucumber water and then mess up your back because their therapists don’t have a clue. These people know what they are doing. They are an independent small business that you should feel good about supporting.
And I also highly recommend the hot stone upgrade. Perfect on a rainy winter day.

I really liked this place — the experience was very soothing and relaxing. My shoulders had been feeling very stiff for some time, and I thought I’d try going for a good massage. This was my first massage ever and I was very glad I picked this place. Rebecca was awesome, she took the time to understand why I had come and what I wanted and made me feel comfortable and pampered throughout. I will definitely be going back here soon.

Thank you Rebecca for a wonderfully therapeutic massage. I had a nasty headache when I came it and left feeling a heck of a lot better.
New business up on Capitol Hill and I think she and her team will do quite well. This is no spa setting with floating candles and egyptian cotton robes, but if it’s muscle therapy and healing you want, Rebecca is your MT. Very professional, personable and she has great understanding of structure and function. A little loud on top of another store, but I was so relaxed it was tolerable. Cool little computer system for payment as well.

I randomly visited Stellar when I was in desperate need of a massage. My shoulder was near seizing up but I walked out of the office with movement and followed the prescribing icing for the rest of the day and by the next day was well on my way to feeling back to normal! One week later and I was totally fine.