Denise DeShetler, M.A., CMT

A seasoned pilates professional raved to me about Denise. We spoke first, and I loved her friendly demeanor,. I was comfortable, instantly.
Having her work on my body was amazing! She has the strongest fingers I have ever on my back. Her touch was intuitive. She knew where my tender spots were before I did! While she explained the various types of massage we could have done, I went for deep massage and she included cranio sacral therapy, which I also loved. After our session, my knots were gone and I felt so much better!
Location is easy, just off the Powell Bart line. The space is intimate and serene. I HIGHLY recommend Denise for anyone looking for a knowledgeable massage professional.

I’m so happy I met Denise!
She has been working with my alignment in my right leg and I have to say I am seeing and feeling great results!
I was having this nagging pain in the back of my right knee when I would walk. I am a Pilates instructor and was using all the tools I had in my tool belt to help relieve the pain and it wasn’t working. I knew I needed more than Pilates to relieve myself of this chronic pain. This is where Denise comes in. She is helping me to realign my knee and foot through muscle and facial release and it’s working! I took a nice one hour long walk yesterday on the beach with NO PAIN! Sweet!
The combination of Pilates and massage is working!
Thanks Denise!

Denise Massages have helped me fighting several short and long term issues with my neck and legs. She also helped by making good suggestions on good postures to help recovery as well as efficient stretching exercises.
Denise is able to provide whole body massage and at the same time has a great focus on areas needing more care which is a plus i’ve found in comparison to other practitioners .
Overall, Denise comes out as very caring, she takes time to listen and understand where you’re at before and after the session.
I’d seen Denise over 20 times in the last year and i can tell, i went to both in her SF location during the week but also to the new oakland location since it’s not far from where i live. Both location provide a quiet, safe and soothing environment. I never felt rushed, that’s definitely a plus!
I usually ask for 60min for most problems but the 90min is a real treat, to unwind stress of the week and start relaxing.
Denise has signed up with easy online booking system where you can also reschedule and get email notification easily.

Denise is an EXCELLENT massage therapist. I get a lot of body work and had the great pleasure of winding up on her table for a massage this past week. She was very compassionate and professional, really liistened to what I needed, and was super sensitive to my unique concerns. She used a variety of techniques, checked in with me about pressure and had me totally unwound into a completely blissed out state by the end of the session. Better than any drugs for sure. Will definitely be going back!

I was in town for a conference and luckily for me choose Denise for a relaxing massage. I’ve gotten enough to be able to tell the difference between someone who does massage as a job, and one who truly sees it as a craft, and Denise is definitely that. One of the best massages I’ve had.
Can’t say much about how good the location is since I’m not from San Fran, but from what I can tell, I think it’s pretty solid as it’s right in the shopping district and across from the mall.
You would never guess the location was a place to get a massage, but don’t let that throw you off. The room is comfortable, and Denise has a great laid back approach.
I concur with the other reviews about how she does a great job of mixing up different techniques. I felt more relaxed after then I do after most massages I’ve had.
All in all, highly recommended and you can’t go wrong. I’ll definitely use her again when I’m in town.

«Heaven, I’m in heaven…»
I just had my first massage here. It won’t be the last (I’m sure about that because I’ve already booked two more :-)
An incredible chain of coincidences, that I won’t mention because it’d be side-​tracking, made me drive to SF on a week day to have a deep tissue massage at Denise’s.
She asked me a couple of questions to know what approach to chose, and she was absolutely observant of my reactions to regulate the pressure. Wow, the woman is strong! I loved it!
I felt better right away, and I wasn’t even feeling bad before. I have to echo previous posters in highlighting the restorative effects of her wonderful hands.
Location is anecdotal, but it definitely helps that she is at the Flood Building. BART, bus, parking, and shopping/​dinner options for before and/​or after are very much available.
Today I’ve fund myself a brand new non-​guilty-​whatsoever pleasure.
Thank you Denise, I’m coming back soon!

I think Denise has magic hands. I’ve seen her two times so far (with a third visit planned) and it’s been an amazing experience each time. The first time, I was exhausted due to some stress and when I told her I was afraid that the massage would just leave me feeling relaxed and sleepy, I was surprised to definitely feel rejuvenated and energetic as well as relaxed. The second time was similar in that I wasn’t feeling well physically (I was a wee bit hungover) and her session was restorative this time too but in a whole new way.
She definitely knows what the client needs and figures how to heal and give energy while providing an amazing massage. I highly recommend her, she’s already turning my friends into repeat customers, too!

Let me start here by saying as tiny as Denise is, she is packing some serious force in those hands.
I have been to Denise twice and she is an excellent massage therapist. She is extremely thorough with the «pre-​op» portion, she is very considerate comfort levels, and can really work your body with strength and efficiency.
During the massages, she would gage my body’s responses and my breathing to make sure she wasn’t putting too much pressure on, and asking if I was comfortable.
In addition, I really like her lotions, they are non greasy and not overwhelming in scent, making the rest of the day bearable without a shower. I also really like the modern tunes she plays, not your average enya, but very soothing just the same.

I had the pleasure of being referred to Denise DeShetler for some bodywork. Denise was amazing. Her studio is in a fantastic location in downtown San Francisco. It was easy to find and super cute. She asked me great questions and was able to tune into exactly what type of massage I needed, even when I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I was impressed with her professionalism and ability to make me feel completely at ease and comfortable with her. I have had many massages over the years and this was by far one of the very best. I walked out of her studio completely relaxed and feeling great. I would highly recommend that everyone spend an hour with Denise.

For the sake of full disclosure, Denise is a friend of mine. That just made my first massage from her all the more nervewracking, because I happen to be somewhat of a «massage snob.» I don’t care if the place is fancy, I just find massage to be very important, personal and rehabilitative. If she wasn’t good, what would I say? Let’s just say I have never had a problem with that. I’ve only had a few massages from Denise but she already rivals a masseuse I have been addicted to for nearly ten years. She is strong, polite, receptive, and entirely respectful and professional. She really listens to you and your body, and tailors her techniques to what you need to feel better and repair yourself.

I have had Denise’s bodywork over a dozen times, and every time it gets even better. She has a unique style that combines the best of Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Trigger Point techniques, along with great stretches, and she has new tools to add each time I see her.
On top of that, she has amazing intuition for where I need the most work, even when I don’t know myself. If you like head and neck work, ask her to spend extra time there; you’ll be blown away.