Gentle, Clothes-On Care that Calms the Nervous System

Hi, I’m Karise Lewin, LMT. For over 12 years, I’ve had the privilege of helping people heal from chronic physical pain, persistent tension, emotional stress, and nervous system overload using gentle, clothes-on CranioSacral Therapy, Fascial Counterstrain, and structural bodywork. As part of her extensive training, Karise has taken specialized trauma healing courses and effectively served clients who have experienced extreme trauma.

Education & Specialized Certifications

Karise completed her professional training at the Denver School of Massage Therapy. Rather than stopping at conventional relaxation massage routines, she immersed herself in advanced structural modalities—including: Fascial Counterstrain (FCS), CranioSacral Therapy, and Spinal Reflex Therapy (SRT).

Karise realized early in her practice that aggressive deep tissue work often keeps the patient's nervous system guarded and resistant to release. Instead, she dedicated herself to evidence-based, trauma-informed therapies—most notably Facial Counterstrain - Courses Taken: Foundations of Fascial Counterstrain (FCS1), Lymphatic-Venous part 1 (LV1), Lymphatic-Venous part 2 (LV2), Visceral (VS), Myochains and Spinal Ligs (MS1), and Diagnostics. Upledger CranioSacral Therapy - Courses Taken: CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1), CranioSacral 2 (CS2), and SomatoEmotional Release 1 (SER1) - modalities that honor the body's natural protective instincts.

"The most fulfilling part of being a bodywork practitioner is knowing that I have the gentle tools to affect long-term structural change—helping the nervous system shift out of fight-or-flight so genuine recovery can happen." — Karise Lewin, LMT

Shifting the Body from 'Fight or Flight' to Healing

When chronic pain, emotional stress, or trauma lingers, the nervous system gets locked in sympathetic overdrive. In this state, blood pressure rises, muscles stay chronically tense, and cellular healing stalls.

In our Virginia Beach office, Karise’s sessions are effective and deeply relaxing. Because therapies like Fascial Counterstrain and CranioSacral are performed with the patient fully clothed in flexible, comfortable attire, clients feel completely safe and respected. Using scientific techniques, including a hands-on scan of the head to identify areas of contracted fascia and then supporting the fascia into positions of ease, Karise allows the protective fascial sheaths around nerves and muscles to release naturally without pain.

A Shared Life & Passion for Patient Care

Karise works as an integrated care team with her husband of 41 years, Dr. Fred Lewin. Together, they share ideas, review client progress, and ensure every visitor receives deeply coordinated care. As a proud mother of five and grandmother of ten, Karise brings motherly intuition, patience, and attentive warmth to every treatment session.