About Blackbird
Rachael and Michael don't just own Blackbird — they work in it. Both are practicing massage therapists, hands-on with clients every week, because they believe the people running the business should also be the people doing the work.
That philosophy shapes everything, starting with how they treat their own team. Therapists at Blackbird aren't handed a script — they're given the freedom to develop their own style, work in a way that fits who they are, and grow into the kind of therapist they actually want to be. No corporate playbook, no one-size-fits-all approach. Just skilled people doing meaningful work, supported instead of managed.
Blackbird has come a long way from its first home in a single small room. Today, it's a full studio with a trusted team of therapists — and a growing focus on recovery services alongside traditional massage. Add to that a partnership as the go-to massage provider for the Stars Hockey team, and Blackbird has become a place trusted by everyday clients and elite athletes alike.
At the core of it all is one thing that hasn't changed: real relationships with real people, and a commitment to helping every client — whatever brought them in — leave feeling better than when they arrived.
About Rachael
Rachael was born in Abilene, Texas, and grew up in Round Rock, just down the road from where Blackbird sits today. Before she ever became a massage therapist, she ran her own cake decorating business — creative work that still shows up in her today, from the walls of Blackbird to the way she approaches every session.
Rachael specializes in Manual Lymphatic Drainage, trained in the Vodder method through Klose Training. Her path to MLD wasn't academic — it was personal. A dear friend, diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age, began teaching Rachael MLD to help her through recovery. That experience planted something that never left: a pull toward the clients who really need the work, not just want it. When Rachael's own sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at 31, that calling became even more clear.All of the art in the studio is Rachael's own — hand-made pieces that Michael actually designed the entire studio space around.
But ask Rachael what she loves most about being a massage therapist, and it's not the technique — it's the people. She loves talking with her clients, hearing them, laughing with them, and yes, sometimes crying with them too. Many of her relationships go back a decade, to her very first clients when she started this work. To Rachael, that's the whole point: massage isn't just bodywork, it's connection that lasts.
About Michael
Michael was born in upstate New York and made his way to Texas at 21, following his parents down — and never left. Before massage, he spent years on the road as a merchandise manager for artists like Coldplay, Madonna, and ELO, selling millions in merch and learning what it takes to run a tight operation under pressure.
With a background in Olympic weight lifting, Michael specializes in working with athletes, using his own method — Deep Thai Mobility — to help clients restore mobility and release deeply tense muscle. When people really need serious work done, Michael is who they come to see. He works with the local hockey team, the Stars, on game days and throughout the week, helping players stay loose, mobile, and ready to perform at their best.
As an owner, Michael also handles most of Blackbird's day-to-day business operations — and he's the one who designed the entire studio, building an atmosphere with a little bit of magic built into every corner.
But for Michael, the technical work is only half of it. What he loves most is the connection — working hands-on with people, getting to know them, and being part of helping them feel and move better.
