Past Tense Bodywork

Francesca was very kind and sympathetic to the pain I’ve been experiencing in my neck and shoulders for about a month now. I could only afford a 45 minute session but it was so worth it-​and she gave me a student discount! I’d recommend her to anyone.

This was such an amazing experience! After 2 years of lower back pain/​issues I booked a 90 minute appt with Francesca. I had seen several chiropractors and though my current chiro is the best I’ve worked with I was still relapsing every few weeks. I needed more than just an adjustment. Francesca listened to my physical & emotional problems & promptly got to work. She has such a kind spirit & is a true empath. Right off the bat I trusted her abilities to choose which massage styles worked best for me. She has unicorn fingers. I have not had a relapse since our appointment 5 weeks ago and have been able to significantly reduce my chiro visits. I love this woman! I am going to scream about her from the rooftops. Do yourself a favor and book an appointment.

MAGIC
I can’t recommend Francesca more wholeheartedly, as there is something very holistic & sincerely unique about her work. She does focus on your noted trouble areas, but it is something even more intuitive than that. Her exceptional energy creates an ideal environment & over-​all excellent experience. I leave not only feeling more relaxed, but also positive & «light». I’m sure I can’t effectively express it, so give her a shot and see for yourself. Understatedly, it is time & money well invested

Just finished my first massage here and I’m walking home. I feel like I was just born or something I have 0 pains and 0 tension anywhere.
Past Tense is a small hidden gem!
This. Place. Was. AMAZING.
A little sketchy when I tried to find it, but it is SUCH a gem!
I came to Austin this week for school and to prep myself for a good schoolyear, I wanted to relieve some tension (mainly in the shoulders, beck, lower back).
When I walked in, I had to fill out a little sheet and I did specify those areas.
At first, I had my doubts because it was a little light, but about a minute in, Francesca asked if the pressure was good enough. So I said she could go a little harder, and THAT is when the magic started happening.
She did this thing where she got the muscles UNDER my shoulder blades (which was a whole new world) and even did a mini foot AND face/​head massage!
Facial (x)
Massage (o)
(Kept my socks on bc i like my feet warm, but if I knew she was going to go to my feet, I would’ve taken my them off)
IT WAS SO GOOD AND SO RELIEVING IT WAS SO WORTH!
I got a 20% student discount (bc I am a student) and that was even better! (I would say though, full price would’ve been worth it, too)
She didn’t talk to you much like some masseuses do, and really let me soak of up experience! Huge plus.
And in case you’re wondering, it is nice and clean and dimly lit. And they have water.
Come here. It is worth it. Worth!

Francesca is just a tiny thing, but her hands are amazingly strong! I don’t know how she does it. The office is great and she has a relaxed and warm personality. I love the hot towels she uses at the beginning and end of each massage.
She massaged me all throughout my pregnancy, and I definitely recommend her for prenatal massage. She has this awesome apparatus that allowed me to lay face down up until I was pretty much full term!
I adore her!

Francesca is incredible. This is how a massage is supposed to feel! I walked out of my appointment feeling like a whole new person.
As you first walk in, the space is inviting, relaxing (and smells good too). Francesca will greet you with a smile, and ask you some questions about where you are and why you came in before she starts your massage. I think this really helps to add a personal touch and allow her to know what areas need the most work.
She is talented masseuse, firm, yet gentle, talking when appropriate but not distracting from the experience.
I can’t recommend her highly enough (and at a fair price too!). Knowing that I’m going to get a great massage every time I book an appointment makes it worthwhile. No longer will I be a client of the hit-​and-​miss Massage Envy type places.
Stop reading and start booking an appointment!

Everything I said about Francesca in my previous review still applies. I’ve been a regular client since 2009. She’s so good at what she does. Plus she’s hilarious and a grade A badass. I mean, the woman owns and runs her own farm. Are you kidding me? Very highest accolades.

I went to Francesca due to back pain while I was taking my grad school finals. She understood immediately what the problem was and took care of the pain in one session. It was exactly what I was looking for!

I’ve been seeing Francesca about every other month for a year. She is easily the best masseuse I’ve ever seen/​felt. I feel relaxed from the moment I walk into her space. The lobby is softly lit with hot teas and water available. The whole space is very nicely designed with simple, but beautiful pieces of furniture and art. Francesca’s massage room is very calming. More soft lighting, nice music, and a warm comfortable table.
Francesca makes you feel at ease right away and is very good at knowing how much to talk and when to let you just soak in the massage. She pays extra attention to any sore areas, always asking for feedback if you tense up or make any Unilocal.She remembers your body’s quirks so you never have to say it twice.
One other thing that I like is the online reservation system. It’s simple to find a time and set everything up without headaches.

I have had the pleasure of being massaged by Francesca many times throughout her long career as a massage therapist, and it has been a joy and a privilege to experience her skills just get better and better firsthand, over the years. Her touch is adept, her pressure perfect, her manner gentle, her work deft and utterly professional. Also, I adore her new office! It’s even better than the last space I visited her at, (which I thought would be pretty hard to top!) It’s clear that she truly loves what she does, and that commitment to giving loving and healing service shows in every moment of the time she spends with you. She’s one of the very, very best massage therapists in town, hands down (thumbs up!)

Not flexible at all if you need to cancel an appointment. She charged me for my appointment and didn’t even offer a future discount to try to compensate or work with me at all.

This is the best massage I have ever received. Francesca is friendly, personable and you can tell she really cares about her clients. I haven’t seen her since December for an appointment and I wish I had the cash. I wanted a deep tissue and she gave me the best massage I’ve ever had. I highly recommend her!

A good massage is:
1. Effective. It’s not too difficult to rub and knead muscles, but to properly loosen them up to the point of being able to effectively heal is tough. I’ve had ineffective massages. This wasn’t one of them.
2. Comfortable. The idea is to relax. Feeling uncomfortable, whether it’s the music being played or the masseuse’s attitude, won’t really allow you to fully relax your muscles, which leads to an ineffective massage. The ambiance was relaxing and very well put-​together, but not overdone or lavish. Having multiple zen gardens, koi ponds, and a haze of incense does not denote a quality spa/​masseuse, and as with any business, you’re partly paying for what’s in the lobby. If you don’t agree with this theory then you probably don’t pay close enough attention to lobbies. Most importantly, any key element of the massage, from the music to your comfort level as far as undress, are in your control. Francesca was extremely adept and relaxed in this environment, and that pretty much guarantees an enjoyable experience.
3. Affordable. You can find multiple places in the area that average about $ 30 – 60 for a 60-​minute massage. That’s cheap, no doubt. But you get what you pay for. If you want to get rubbed on for 60 minutes and then forget that you got a massage two days later, drop $ 30. If you’d like to receive a massage that actually promotes healing and has longer lasting effects than a day or two, then you’re gonna have to spend on average about $ 1 – 1.25 a minute. Anything over $ 2 is a bit much. I paid $ 90 for a 75 minute massage. Other rates are $ 80 for 60 minutes, $ 120 for 90, $ 150 for 120. I’ve had $ 300, 60-​minute massages. Felt great. Didn’t feel $ 220 better. Didn’t even feel twice as good. Expensiveness is subjective, but I think this is the sweet spot for quality and price.

Francesca is amazing. Believe the hype!

I just ran my first half marathon last week (what?! what?!!) and had scheduled an appointment with Francesca for the following day. So smart on my part!
Toward the end of the race, my legs got all sorts of cramps and tightenings. I couldn’t wait to have Francesca’s hands on me.
I hobbled in to the lovely (new) space and told her of my ailments. As she talked to me, I already started to feel a bit calmer. Just talking to her started the whole process. That’s how good she is!
She’s got an amazing touch and as I lay there, I started to relax immediately. I know I need to keep this review G-​rated, but I will say having her hands on me is really amazing!

Warning: You may want to consider having someone chauffeur you from your appointment! My last massage from Francesca, I left feeling unfit to drive. It was a birthday massage, so it was a good thing that there weren’t any super thinky things on my agenda for the rest of the day. I was completely useless. Incredibly relaxed, and completely useless.
I’ve had the privilege of being on the receiving end of Francesca’s magical massages for several years now. She fixes me when I’m broken, energizes me when I’m tired, relaxes me when I’m stressed… you get the point. This woman will hit your reset button.
And, it’s worth a mention that she recently moved her practice to a new building off Lamar. The place is clean, quiet and peaceful. And I’m moving in.

Francesca is the one who rubs you the right way. Always. End of story. I have been to oh so many a masseuse, but this is THE. ONE. There’s a reason this lady is 5 stars across the board, unanimously. Hooray, your search is over! Now, go book an appointment this instant!

Francesca is amazing. Sweet, upbeat, knowledgable, thorough – a total pro. Best massage I’ve ever received, hands down!

After a disheartening episode of bouncy castle fail, I was laid-​out on my floor with a heating pad under my lumbar.
To cut a long story short, I spent a very unpleasant hour with another bodywork provider, who stuck needles in me, shocked my ears, and left my back looking like I’d been attacked by a giant squid. I left their office feeling worse than before, and more than a little perturbed.
The next day, I was in worse agony than before, back on the floor with the heating pad. At the suggestion of a friend, I decided to go see Francesca. After an hour of her ministrations, I felt like a new man. A BETTER man. A MAN WHO COULD STAND UP STRAIGHT OR BEND OVER TO TIE HIS SHOES WITHOUT PAIN.
I have been to a few different masseuses over the years, and I don’t hesitate for a second in stating that Francesca is by far the best I’ve ever experienced. She has an intimate knowledge of how the body works, and a true talent for ferreting-​out and fixing your knots and muscular problems.
Aside from the obvious mastery of her trade, Francesca has a warm, comfortable manner, and makes you feel at home and like you’re in the hands of a friend.
As much as I hope I don’t ever need her services again, I am pleased to know where to go to get fixed-​up! I would happily recommend Francesca to anyone, she is a professional and a goddess.

Of the dozen or more massage therapists I have seen in Austin, Francesca is amongst the top 3. Her sensitivity to what my body needs, on a given day, is remarkable. And I love her close listening to the issues I needed to discuss, as they came to the surface of my mind, because of the work. She made me feel important and relaxed. Her office put me at ease, as did her healing touch. I was impressed by the way she blended various modalities into her own unique style. Francesca’s talent as a healer and her beautiful presence cannot be understated; I would reccomend her service to anyone.