The heart and soul behind the Healing with Tess, is Tess Nikolopoulos Skudlark, a well respected healing arts therapist and familiar face in the SFV, Calabasas, Topanga and Westside, serving these communities for over 10 years. Tess is a Massage Therapist, Reiki Master Teacher, Yoga Instructor and SVA Ayurveda student practitioner. With a hunger and deep passion for healing, she loves continuing to learn and explore healing modalities and integrate them into her practice. Tess was attuned through Reiki Master Teacher level by Emerging Om’s founder,  the amazing Reiki Master/Teacher Dr. Katayoun “Kathy” Kangarloo, with whom she has shared a sacred learning relationship with for over a decade. She has also received attunement and studied with healing artist and author, Tuesday May Thomas.  Through her own healing experiences with Reiki, she has learned the deep healing power of energy. Tess is also a certified, California licensed and insured massage practitioner (Lic #57705). She has received training in a variety of modalities including, but not limited to Swedish, Structural Bodywork, Deep Tissue,  Lomi Lomi, Reflexology, Pregnancy Massage, Aromatherapy/Aromatouch, Hot Stone and also trained with the well-respected Saul David Raye in Thai Yoga Therapy.  Tess believes in the essential power of touch, and the incredible healing that occurs from peeling away the built-up and stored layers of tension, stored emotions and imbalance. In addition, Tess completed one year of training and certification in yoga and ayurveda with Mas Vidal through Dancing Shiva’s Veda Yoga & Ayurveda Teacher Training Program.  She furthered her yoga studies by becoming certified to teach kids yoga through the Mini Yogis program, and also Chair Yoga for Everyone – a program designed by Tuesday May Thomas, to teach yoga to those with physical limitations or challenges.  From bedridden to athletes, yoga can be adapted to fit one’s personal needs. Tess’ approach to yoga practice is to offer it as a physical form of spiritual ritual or as she refers to it “body prayer”.   Her instruction is based on Raja Yoga or the traditional eight limbed path and Ayurveda,  and are taught in the vinyasa flow style. This includes traditional yoga poses, breathing techniques, meditation, chanting and other yogic practices with focus on cultivating a deep relationship with the inner self. Her major influences include teachers Mas Vidal, Annmarie Solo,  Katayoun Kangarloo and Bryan Kest. Currently, Tess is embarking on deeper studies of Ayurveda, and was certified in Ayurvedic bodywork by the California College of Ayurveda. Also in July 2014, she began and continues training with the renowned Ayurvedic doctor Vaidya RK Mishra. Tess has had her own personal yoga and meditation practice for over a decade, she is a member of Self-Realized Fellowship and her life is her spiritual practice. Her main objective is to facilitate her clients with the love, wisdom, healing touch and guidance needed for discovering the real healer – the healer within.  She is honored and grateful to share her passion for this lifestyle with you. Thank you for visiting this site!  Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.  Peace. Keep up with Tess by liking her page on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/healingwithtess