The Body Knows: How Massage Therapy Became a Path to Healing for Karena Muñoz

“Wellness isn’t a destination—it’s about choosing yourself, even in the mess.”—Karena Muñoz, Muñoz Wellness

Karena Muñoz, massage therapist and founder of Muñoz Wellness

Karena Muñoz had built a life around showing up—for her clients, her family, her community. But eventually, her body called her out.

After years of pushing through stress and stacking responsibilities, her health issued a clear warning. It was the kind of wake-up call that forces everything into perspective—and opens the door to something new.

That moment became the turning point in her wellness journey. Not the end of struggle, but the beginning of a deeper alignment.

Today, Karena is a massage therapist and the founder of Muñoz Wellness. Her practice is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: the body holds wisdom—and when we tune in, we find healing.

The Body Speaks—We Just Don’t Always Listen

Our bodies speak in tension, tightness, fatigue, and breathlessness. But in a culture that rewards busyness, we often ignore those signals until the message becomes impossible to miss.

Karena learned firsthand that wellness isn’t just about what you eat or how much you exercise—it’s about presence. “I realized I couldn’t pour from an empty cup,” she says. “My wellness journey began the day I chose to show up for myself so I could show up fully for others.”

She now helps others make that same shift—out of survival mode and back into connection with their own bodies.

What Massage Therapy Really Does

Massage therapy isn’t just a treat—it’s a therapeutic tool that can help regulate the nervous system and restore balance on a deep level.

Research shows it can:

• Lower cortisol (stress hormone) and boost serotonin

• Improve sleep, digestion, and hormone regulation

• Support lymphatic flow and immune function

• Help the body release stored physical tension and trauma

  
  

(Source: Field, T. [2014]. Massage therapy research review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice)

The Science of Somatic Healing

Karena’s work aligns with growing research in somatic therapy and trauma-informed bodywork. Psychiatrist Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in The Body Keeps the Score, explains how the body stores unprocessed experiences—and how physical practices like massage can support emotional healing.

This connection between body and mind is something Karena sees every day. “People carry things in their bodies they’re not even aware of,” she says. “Massage helps bring those patterns to the surface, not just to release them—but to finally acknowledge them.”

Wellness Isn’t Linear. It’s a Choice—Over and Over Again.

For Karena, wellness isn’t something you arrive at—it’s something you return to, again and again. Through bodywork, she helps clients reconnect with themselves in ways that are physical, emotional, and deeply personal.

She knows what it’s like to override the body’s signals. Now, she holds space for others to slow down and listen—to the subtle tension, the stored emotion, the quiet intelligence of the body.

Healing isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.

Want to Learn More?

Karena welcomes clients into a calm, light-filled space where each session is tailored to meet the body exactly where it is. To connect or book, follow her on Instagram @munozwellness.