Tom Pettengill Massage

Tom has a very special combination of experience, intuition and skill. He is a great listener and really understands the body. He is helping me find pain relief after 5 years of chronic back/hip pain. After my first session, I had my first pain free night of sleep in months. He is also helping me develop strategies to stay pain free. I highly recommend Tom! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Tom has been really great for helping with different tensions that I have in my back. I always feel extremely relaxed and loose when I leave the office each week. Tom has a strong touch that seems extremely intuitive and thoughtful. I was new to orthopedic massage and although it is much different than "regular" massage, I have ended up really liking it and Tom is great with instructing you on how to get the most benefit out of the experience. He is also located in the Berkeley Acupuncture Project location so you can conveniently go get acupuncture afterwards or beforehand if you'd like! Highly recommend Tom!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I am extremely grateful to have found Tom.  Despite months of physiotherapy 'treatment' at Kaiser, an old shoulder injury was healing very slowly, and had -- as a side-effect -- caused a painful "tennis elbow. " While checking out acupuncture treatment at BAP, I ran across Tom's profile.  After just two massage sessions with him, my shoulder and "tennis elbow" are much improved, and I am quite hopeful that, after a few more sessions, they will be alleviated completely! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I've enjoyed my sessions with Tom very much. His presence is open and caring and puts one at ease from the beginning. I have had different parts of my back flare up at different times. Each time I have seen Tom for a session, he has been able to release the tension and soreness from the muscles that are struggling. His knowledge of anatomy and how the muscle groups work together is impressive and he takes the time to answer questions and give suggestions. He's a wonderful healer! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I saw Tom a few years ago when he was just getting started at BAP. I had a 30 minute massage with him and was extremely satisifed. He is honest, kind, and can deliver one heck of a therapeutic session. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I came in with a snowboarding injury and over two sessions am able to move, swim and exercise again. Tom offered me targeted sports massage to get my shoulder, neck, and back to release tension. It's exactly what I needed. There are many other approaches to body work, and I've tried a few but Tom's has been the most effective. I'm back at 75% and hopeful for a full recovery. It can be hard to find the right healer on Yelp, but if you need a powerful, targeted massage with a deep understanding of physiology and anatomy, Tom is a great choice. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

The bottom line: you'll keep going back. Tom has a real healer's touch, and creates an incredibly relaxing environment. He's a great listener, his pressure is just right, and he brings real kindness and caring to each treatment.

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom has been very helpful and kind at addressing my needs from week to week. He is very thoughtful, and his approach/technique puts me in a good space mentally and physically. I typically see him for pain/discomfort in my hands from straining my muscles too much at the keyboard or playing guitar and piano. I have also had work done on my neck and back. He is very versatile and caring! Thank you! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom is a truly gifted healer. As a yoga teacher who needs lots of support (so I can best support others), I have had many, many practitioners work on my body. Tom is by far one of the top therapists I have had the pleasure to work with. Working with him is like having my own personal somatic therapist, masseuse, and chiropractor rolled into one! He seems to use his vast knowledge, as well as intuition, to locate the places where my body is holding both physical, energetic, and emotional tension. He then creates the most compassionate and effective pathway into these bones and tissues to move what is stuck or stagnant back into healthy flow. He custom-designs each session just the way I need it to be in that moment, and leaves me feeling truly nourished on all levels. I notice that for weeks after our session my body is pain free and my heart is lighter. This is essential in order to show up in the best possible way for my friends, family, students, and myself. Thank you Tom! You are an important member of my mental and physical healthcare team :-) More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom creates a very relaxing and welcoming space.  He listened to what was going on with my body pain and explained his approached throughout the session. He doesn't do the normal feel-good massage but instead does work focused on soft tissue and releasing tension and re-educating the muscles to relax. Definitely recommend Tom! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I recently started seeing Tom to address an old injury that was giving me more pain as I improved my fitness. I was concerned that the problem wouldn't respond to treatment. Tom is knowledgeable in anatomy and is a skilled orthopedic massage therapist as well as a gifted and intuitive healer. He was able to quickly hone in on the issue. Under his treatment, I'm already experiencing greater mobility and less pain. Highly recommended. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I have been seeing Tom on a weekly basis for a year now, and I've been incredibly grateful for the progress that we've made in treating my chronic pain and muscle tension. Tom's manner is warm and sincere, and I always feel at ease in his kind presence. He has been very attentive throughout each and every session, and he always remembers what's been going in for me in many dimensions of my wellness. I've been fortunate to experience Tom's skillful approaches, and I have benefited from his extensive knowledge of the body; Tom's practice of Muscle Energy Techniques has been a real game changer for me! Because of working with Tom I have experienced the following: better pain management, decreased neck and shoulder tension, decreased joint pain, increased somatic awareness, mood improvements, improvements in digestion, better sleep, and so on. I have so benefited from Tom's caring support, and I cannot recommend him enough! Thank you, Tom! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom is a gifted body worker with a gentle and intuitive touch. He uses a combination of active and passive release techniques (orthopedic massage) to relieve muscle tension throughout the body. As someone who suffers from chronic jaw, neck, and back pain, I've had tremendous relief from our weekly sessions. Over the past few months, I've had less back spasms, headaches, and teeth clenching/grinding. I am amazed at how much my TMJ has improved. I cannot recommend Tom enough! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom is great! I started seeing him about 6 months after breaking 2 ribs on my back. I was still in a lot of pain and couldn't exercise or do a lot of my normal activities. I've been seeing him now for about 6 months and the benefits are outstanding. He's really worked with me and my injury and as the healing progresses the focus of the body work changes. He's easy to schedule and affordable (I can see him 2-3 times a month thanks to his sliding scale at bap). Really good at what he does! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Intune with the ways of the body- musculoskeletal and nervous system. Tom's technique of muscle contraction holding and pushing release is amazing. My body is responding effectively. He gives enough pause in between and always starts the session 'inviting me to receive & maintain attention to my body, should I choose' I generally do not want male practitioners for bodywork, but I feel completely respected and recommend him to anyone who wants more awareness and comfortability in their body! He also had a great deal he offered me initially as a Birthworker! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom has a wonderful intuitive healing touch, which he uses right alongside his vast knowledge of anatomy and physiology. He worked on me for 2+ years, and in that time, besides improved physical alignment and health, I gained a better understanding of the body mechanics and root causes of some of the issues I was having, which he discussed with me and showed me with textbook images. I also felt I gained a more subtle, but powerful, energetic awareness which I experienced in that deep relaxed healing state of his treatments. I enjoyed his orthopedic treatments as well as the oil massages (with his homemade infused oils!) he provided. He is truly a generous, knowledgeable, professional practitioner. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I love Tom's technique- he listens to your description of what's bothering you, and then applies just the right amount and type of pressure to help you release locked muscles. He really helped me loosen up my pecs, lats, rhomboids, and traps. I gained a ton of upper thoracic mobility in just an hour of work with Tom, and after a few sessions I feel so keyed into my own systems, and better able to take care of myself. He does this amazing blend of deep tissue and orthopedic massage, listening to your breath to release with the pattern of your respiration, and uses this great technique of having you activate/contract a muscle, and then massage into the subsequent conscious "relax" of the muscle. It isn't a technique I'd encountered before, and I found it supremely helpful for muscles that were stuck in a hyper-contracted or spasmed state. Think of it as "retraining" your brain-to-muscle communication systems.I highly, highly recommend Tom to anyone interested in a thoughtful, active bodywork session. My one caveat is that if you want a massage that is passive and just "nice/relaxing," Tom may not be the therapist for you. He's the thinking athlete's bodyworker. You have to be willing to consciously concentrate on what's going on and help him help you. But if you're willing to do that, you will get a lot out of a session with Tom. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I received work from Tom for 2 different injuries- one for an intercostal muscle strain and one for on-going neck and shoulder tension. It was evident both times that my comfort and safety was of the utmost importance to him; I felt very held and supported through both treatments. He started off by first asking me a number of questions around the injury to better inform what he would be doing. He then fully explained how he was going to proceed, which was comforting to hear. The atmosphere was very soft and calm, and I was able to fully relax and be in my body while he worked. Both times I received relief and left feeling lighter, calmer, and grounded.It is clear that he deeply cares for the well-being of anyone on his table and is fully present in mind, body, and spirit for each patient. His humor and compassion are his greatest strengths and make his massages that much more effective. I would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I had never heard of orthopedic massage, but was willing to try anything to get relief from acute lower back pain. Tom thoroughly and patiently explained the process and what he could and could not offer. The procedure, itself, is pure heaven. You're on a standard massage table, but fully clothed and on your side hugging a soft pillow. Tom's hands are magic. He is an excellent communicator, knowledgeable practitioner, generous with his time, and has a warm sense of humor, as well. He's a gentle, caring soul. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom worked on an old ankle injury. The treatment itself was wonderful and I loved being a part of the process. Tom is a very skilled practitioner, and I have much more mobility in my ankle because of his work. I felt very safe in his presence, as he is a genuine, generous, kind hearted human being with a great sense of humor. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Tom has given me some excellent, calming and healing treatments. I was a bodyworker for years and I know when I'm in the hands of a genuinely gifted practitioner with a solid spiritual foundation. Tom is the real deal.

Reviewed on Yelp