for heart awakening, a home for healing,

a home for peace.

Jennifer's yoga, meditation & bodywork 

photography by Randi Ostro

Jennifer Coomes BA LMT RYT, founder of  The Essence Studio (formerly a holistic healing and movement studio), now focuses her work on the art of healing, health, and

self awareness through her teachings as well as client-centered bodywork practices that are infused with an eclectic blend

of therapeutic massage, energywork, and movement that

have been known to awaken and release freedom and

healing in the body and spirit.   As part of connecting with

her own essence, Jennifer enjoys seeing others tune in to

find the laughter, grace, authenticity, and love that resides inside, setting the foundation for opening flowing pathways within and with each other.  She brings a depth

of awareness, honesty, and compassion to her work,

highly influenced by her life experience as well as education and self exploration into psychology, meditation, spirituality, massage and bodywork, dance, and yoga.

Jennifer graduated with a BA degree in Psychology from Depauw University and began her career initially in the automotive and sealant industry. Working with two sister companies, she created and managed internal quality

auditing systems and teams, engaging with many levels 

from production employees to executive management. 

After helping to lead the companies to achieve a significant quality certification, she transitioned her career to follow

her longtime interest in medicine and wellness, guiding

her to a move to Arizona in 2000.  Soon after & along

the way, she trained in massage and bodywork with

Arizona School of Massage Therapy, Spiritwinds School

of Thai Massage, yoga therapy with Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, and yoga teacher training  at the Southwest

Institute of Healing Arts.  She also studies Zen Buddhism, meditation, and koans with teachers at Desert Lotus Sangha and has taken refuge, pure, and bodhisattva vows in this tradition.  Some of her formative and continuing teachers include Terri Bonebright PhD, Heath and Nicole Reed,

Kim Blumert, Master Lek Chaiya, Cain Carroll,

John Tarrant Roshi, Jeff Martens, Rachel Howlett Sensei,

Mark Stephens, Mary Bruce, and Carrie Hensley.  

Currently, Jennifer has enjoyed serving as part of the

Adjunct Faculty at Chandler Gilbert Community College

since October 2005, and at Phoenix College since February 2008, where she teaches and writes curriculum for various massage and bodywork modalities.   She also shares

workshops and teachings  throughout the valley.  In

August of 2008, Jennifer will begin her studies at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, pursuing her longtime vision of becoming a doctor. Jennifer has practiced massage and bodywork for over seven years and has enjoyed educating bodywork students for six years.  Since starting her practice, she has worked within a wide range of environments including physical therapy, corporate businesses (including Intel), sporting/charity events, and alternative healing centers where she has enjoyed sharing bodywork to awaken alignment and movement in the body, calm and center the psycho-somatic (mind-body) connection, and improve overall well-being in the body.  When not working, Jennifer loves to to take time to enjoy nature, family, friends, engaging conversation, laughing, writing, photography, and the arts. 

Jennifer is a professional member of Associated

Massage & Bodywork Professionals (ABMP), a

registered yoga teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance, and a member of the Arizona Yoga Association (AYA).

"Jennifer is a serious meditator who thinks deeply