Meet Jen Samson | Movement Coach + Bodyworker (Grand Massage + MVMT)

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jen Samson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jen, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
First, I want to thank Stacey Constante for nominating me for this piece! She is a brilliant and powerful teacher, guide, medicine woman, space holder, mother, and friend.

The pursuit to build my own business and practice began prior to my career as a movement coach and bodyworker. For many years after my undergraduate, I was an independent event producer, working mostly within the live music sphere, as well as endurance sports. I was nearing the point of starting my own LLC when the pandemic hit the US, and the event industry came to a halt. I had been living in Chicago for over 6 years, but was often on the road for work. Chicago is an incredible city, though without the constant travel, I quickly realized I’m not a big city person after all, and felt trapped. I was landscaping in the interim; when I wasn’t working I was constantly getting outside the city to the forest preserves to hike and run. I completed the Tahoe Rim Trail that summer, worked on a farm in California, finished my work with the presidential debate, and by the end of 2020, I knew I needed to be closer to the mountains where I could hike regularly and find community of like-minded people. I was inspired to move to Colorado having visited my dear friend Tori on the west slope over the years, and landed in Longmont late December of 2020.

I began working with FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) Movement Coaches Jake Corley and Traci Bennett with Optimal Wellness to help with my scoliosis issues and joint restriction. Being an athlete my whole life, I’ve had my share of injuries, as well as overtraining and under-recovering, but never quite knew how to rehab, or to prehab. I gained so much relief and body awareness from this work. I began incorporating bodywork sessions with them in combination with the movement training, and experienced profound decrease in pain and tension, increased range of motion, and overall improvement in body awareness. I became obsessed with this work. I kept dreaming of attending massage school and exploring movement coaching to learn how to help others as much as these practices helped me improve my quality of life.

I knew then that I wanted to have my own practice and build an offering where these two modalities would come together. I hit a few speed bumps along the way, navigating my health and eating disorder recovery, but by fall 2022 I had enrolled in massage school in Boulder. It was in the first month of school that I was introduced to GOATA and Primal Movement through my ergonomics instructor Casey Maas, who is an incredible Rolfer and Movement Coach on the front range. I believe when you become fascinated in a topic, so much so that you’re up late and up early, finding moments to read, listen, observe, practice, you’re supposed to follow that calling. That was the experience I had, and still have. The human body, the way we move (or don’t move), fascia, the nervous system, pain and the experience of pain – I’m forever captivated. I completed the massage program in January 2023, and moved to Granby. That summer and fall, I completed both the Primal Movement and FRC movement certifications. I’ve been working with clients both in person and online since then.

My manual therapy practice has continued to evolve as well. Last year, I was introduced to Electrons Plus therapy, a technology which uses guided PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy). This technology is predominantly used within professional sports organizations, and is used by practitioners such as LMTs, chiropractors, athletic trainers, and physical therapists. PEMF is not a new technology, but this is the only device that I am aware of which uses a GUIDED approach. I use this in my practice to assess muscles and movement, as well as stimulate and charge the body’s cellular energy. It allows me to feel and see where to apply the electromagnetic fields, revealing insights into the health of the tissue. My manual work is specific and clinical to begin with; Electrons Plus enhances my ability to target specific areas of need with precision.

A major driving force for me to build my own practice is my passion for exploring the backcountry, particularly through backpacking, hiking, and outdoor recreation. My spirit requires the solitude and remoteness for several days at a time to take in the awe-inspiring beauty of this sacred land while physically exerting my body. It brings me joy. It grounds me. My partner, who is a massage therapist and operates the business alongside me, and I value the time and space together to backpack, hike, rock climb, snowboard, trail run, and explore the outdoors with our two dogs.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Grand Massage + MVMT is a unique offering that blends movement training with therapeutic bodywork using Electrons Plus therapy, operated by myself and my partner, David. I am a movement coach, we are both licensed massage therapists, but above all we are healthcare providers. The health and success of the client is always number one.

Movement Training integrates Primal Movement and Functional Range Conditioning® principles, offering corrective, functional movements to improve mobility and performance. This practice is for all bodies, and is tailored to the individual. The work begins with a Movement Assessment, a slow motion analysis of the client’s complete movement profile. This includes posture, mobility, alignment, squat and hinge patterns, walking and running gait, and injury risk. Primal Movement studies the movement of indigenous cultures, babies, and some of the greatest athletes, and has identified clear patterns of efficient locomotion, which occurs rotationally. Observe nature and you will find spirals in all living things. We look at the building blocks of movement – squat, hinge, carry, reach, crawl, walk, run – and train those, with a focus on pulling the body to be back chain dominant. FRC focuses on increasing active, useable ranges of motion while improving articular mobility, strength, resilience, and neurological control.

Electrons Plus therapy is an exciting, effective technology which uses guided PEMF, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy; it is the only device of its kind as it allows us to guide the electromagnetic field to provide point specific work for the client. Much like a battery, the human body is electric. Our cells carry voltage. The electric charges necessary to maintain optimum health in our cells can decline from age, injuries, and illness. Electrons Plus helps to restore this healthy electrical balance within the body. We use our hands to guide the electromagnetic frequency into the client’s body, stimulating the healing process at the cellular level. This technology helps increase range of motion, tensile strength in ligaments, nerve regeneration, and loss of muscle function after surgery.

Some of the greatest accomplishments I take pride in are the improvements we see in our clients. Bodywork is a wonderful practice, there are many healing modalities, it is an art, a craft, and deeply intuitive. Manual therapy alone is not enough to transform one’s tissues to produce lasting change. I do not heal you. You heal you. Lifestyle adjustments must be made, including improvements to the ways we move our bodies and hold them at rest. The magic and the science lie within the combination of movement training and bodywork. We witness lasting change when a client is willing to commit to the training, while also resolving lines of tension, adhesions, injured tissue, traumas, etc. through manual therapy sessions. This does not come without its challenges. So many people lead busy, hectic lives; it is not easy to disrupt a routine that feels comfortable. Not everyone is willing or ready to make the modifications necessary to change their stories.

I ask respectfully to consider these scenarios. Are you willing to feel challenged to fight for body awareness and liberation? Are you willing to passively receive massage repeatedly that may offer temporary relief without making any lifestyle changes? Are you willing to accept pain and discomfort as part of your story? Are you willing to change your story to make peace with your body?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Grand County is absolutely stunning year round! Plan to get outdoors, pack active clothing, you won’t need to dress up to go out to eat, bring a day pack for adventuring, and always remember to leave no trace. Two Pines Supply in Granby is a great local outdoor gear shop. Otherside Used Gear in Grand Lake is a cute spot for seasonal used gear, and some of the best coffee around. If you’re making a summer or fall trip, check out some of the trails in the Indian Peaks Wilderness; if you’re acclimated and want bigger climbs, hit the 13ers off of Berthoud Pass, or tag Byers for an almost-13er. I personally prefer to hike, trail run, backpack, and climb where there aren’t many people; of course Rocky Mountain National Park is beautiful, but take some time to explore lesser known areas like the Never Summers if you enjoy more solitude. We also have some fun outdoor rock climbing in the county up toward Meadow Creek Reservoir. There are a few welcoming and inclusive Run Clubs in the area; on Thursday evenings you can join the group out of Viscous Cycle Brewing in Fraser, and on both Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings you can jump in with the Hot Sulphur Springs group. If you’re making a winter or early spring trip, hit the slopes at Winter Park, Mary Jane, or Granby Ranch for families; consider taking a lesson if you’re new, there are so many wonderful instructors here. Winter Park is also home to the NSCD, the National Sports Center for the Disabled, so know there are options for a variety of people. For a few cheaper options, explore some of the nordic ski trails, or bring/rent snowshoes and get out for some snow hikes. If you haven’t spent much time in the mountains, winter hiking is pretty magical, you’ll warm up quickly, and there are far less people on the trails than in the summertime. If you’re looking for more specific recommendations, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly, there really is something for everyone. 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My partner, David Dunn, has been such a rock in my life. We met on a backpacking trip, and when I shared that I was interested in attending massage school, he shared that he had been a therapist for about 10 years! David encouraged me to keep seeking what felt in alignment with my goals, and to this day lifts me up and reminds me of my gifts. He is a giver and a feeler, and extends that compassion toward his friends, family, clients, and strangers. He shows me how to stay present and enjoy the moment. My mom, my siblings, my friends, and my mentors along the way have certainly helped shape my path as well.

Website: https://grandmassagemvmt.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_jamson_lmt/profilecard/?igsh=dXc0eGM4Z3U3Mzg1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jen.samson.3

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jensamsonlmt?si=9rgMnTYIKZ7DKXj0

Other: jensamsonlmt@gmail.com