Julian Turner, LMT

The Mozart of massage therapy. Julian is focused on restoring healthy function and his work on trigger points can be painful, frankly – but you will feel like a new person afterwards. If you want a fruh-​fruh, rose-​petal massage, go elsewhere and leave the maestro to work his magic on someone who needs it.

I booked an appointment just the day prior and it was great that Julian was able to fit me in. After a week in town for work, my back was aching and I felt certain that my lower back was going to go out (I can recognize the tell-​tale ache before the pain starts).
I’ve had a lot of massages and I can say with certainty that this was the most painful massage I’ve ever had. I understand that my body needed a lot of manipulation, but there were several instances when I had to ask him to dial down the pressure. I expected that Julian would have continued to check in with me or just use a lighter touch, but he didn’t.
I think the work he did in my hips was very effective and, even after a cross-​country flight, my lower back didn’t go out on me. I am, however, still sore in various areas from the pressure so it’s not all win-​win.
His office is perfectly functional. It’s not a feminine space, doesn’t feel like a spa, and was too cold — but I wasn’t expecting that having read the reviews.
I guess my biggest gripe was the price — $ 230 for 90 minutes. Honestly, I’ve never paid more than $ 110 (plus tip) for 90 minutes. As a one-​time preventive measure, it was worth the money, but I can’t imagine returning when I’m back in DC. Don’t forget to buy the Unilocal coupon to save a little money.

Julian is seriously a master at his craft. He is extremely knowledgeable and knows the answer and the solution to what I can say is almost everything. Not only is he super sweet and friendly he is also caring, he’s not only in it for the money. I will recommend him to anyone that wants to see results. Not a phony 1hr long massage that will have you walking out the same way you came in. Check him out you will not be disappointed.

I had this back pain for about a month that got worse due to traveling. My husband decided to get me a massage before heading to Africa and found Julian and gave it a try since the location is pretty close to our hotel. My experience was AMAZING! He did some manipulation of certain points (groin, armpit, pelvic area) and it seems it’s a lymphatic massage.
After spending an hour and half, my body felt lighter and the bad back pain I felt was gone! He’s EXPENSIVE but worth it! I wish I got a Unilocal deal to make it cheaper.
Highly recommend Julian!
PS: 1 and half hour massage was $ 230 (not sure if the 15% tip was included)

I got a Unilocal deal for Julian a few years ago, and I went in expecting potpourri and Enya, maybe some ice water with cucumber in it. NO. NOPE.
Julian will push you to your body’s limits to work on your body’s ingrained bad habits. It’s excruciating, but… it’s so effective. Amazing! I have terrible chronic back pain and constant migraines, and Julian worked on my body’s trained habits. Not only did he work during the session, but he gave me «homework» of exercises to do to retrain my muscles, and it’s made a world of difference.
As lovely as a soothing massage is, it doesn’t address the underlying problems. Julian’s work is for the long haul, a solution to your pain rather than a brief reprieve.

Best bodywork I’ve ever had! Super professional, and very helpful. Would definitely go back to DC just for an appointment with Julian!

I originally purchased an internet deal for a 45 minute massage with Julian. After my time was up, I asked for another 30 minutes, it was that good.
Julian is very professional and a true expert in his field.

Very cool guy. Very intense massage. Very disappointing. Have gone twice with difficult to tolerate back spams and twice left in about the same amount of pain as when I arrived. For the cost, in dollars and tolerance of hyper intense elbow pokes, nail strikes and excruciating jaw joint manipulations, it was nowhere near the level of heading I needed.

Huge fan of Julian’s work. I’m a very active guy and see Julian regularly as a part of my training. After an hour on the table you feel like a whole new person.
Just for clarification, I see Julian strictly as a means to improve athletic performance, so I’m not looking for a relaxing spa experience. These sessions can be… um, uncomfortable (I’m quite sure he’d take that as a compliment). Make no mistake, it’s INTENSE. Surviving the hour can be tough, but afterwards you feel incredible.
Oh, and be sure to ask him about ‘the jaw thing’. It’s a religious experience.

This is notttt a fancy spa experience. It is a serious massage by someone who knows his stuff — listens to your problem areas, works on them, explains what might be causing it, and explains how you can avoid it in the future. I will warn you — if you have lots of chronic pain, it won’t be super fun while he is massaging you — BUT when you get off that table, you will feel like a new person.
He works on fixing the issue not just temporary feel good massage while you are on the table. I recommend it for those who work at an office job and is at a desk all day (like me – major lower back pain and hip stiffness) or if you are super active runner, etc. and need some good deep tissue work for your muscles.
Julian is a professional and he provides good customer service from the text reminders to online scheduling to just general helpful and attentiveness.

Julian is my favorite masseur. Period. He is so talented, he knows mechanics as well as anatomy and not only treats your current problems but gives you strategies to prevent them from occurring. I’ve had recurring upper back pain since I was a teenager, and I’ve seen numerous massage therapists, physical therapists, and even been to an urgent care center about it. No one has made my back feel as good as Julian.
He’s courteous and professional while still being friendly and relatable (sp?). He really works with you to make sure you are working towards accomplishing a goal. He doesn’t have rough hands, he gives a good level or firmness, and has always asked before working on areas that might make me uncomfortable. The room he works in by the convention center is spacious, dark, and comforting too. A little challenging to locate, go in by the tobacco shop and head of the stairs. He shares space with some sort of pilates studio at that location. I would recommend him over most anyone else I have seen in this area.

Julian is a gifted, empathetic massage therapist. His skills are right there with his feel and intuition, on a very high level. Last week I was in DC on business travel and my neck was totally frozen. I called him, having had no previous contact, and he took me in at 11:30 pm. I saw him again two days later. Both treatments made a huge difference. You can’t do better than Julian.

Julian consistently gets high reviews, and there is a good reason for that. He’s damned good at what he does, incredibly knowledgeable and makes it easy to set up and maintain your appointments.
Last year, I had a major surgery on my stomach to revise a decades-​old cancer scar. Massage was a huge part of my rehab, and Julian was there every step of the way to help me in my recovery.
In addition, he’s just a good guy who truly cares about the people he sees. I honestly can’t recommend him highly enough. Also, his office is next to a cigar shop, so if you’re in the mood to cleanse your system and then pollute it immediately afterward, you do have that option.

Best Deep Tissue massage I’ve ever had!

I went in to Julian with painfully sore shoulders and a spot in my lower back that has seized up after strenuous exercise for as long as I can remember. (I am a young office worker and part-​time fitness professional on the side, so I am stressed out and sore a lot of the time.)
For the sake of full disclosure I should say that I LOVE deep massages and can rarely find a therapist who gets deep enough into the tissue.
Not only did Julian give me a thorough massage using consistent deep pressure (and thus, relaxing for me), but towards the end of the session when I confessed that I was still feeling a lot of pain in the two problem areas that had brought me in that day, he spent an extra 30 minutes of his own time working out those kinks. As other reviewers have written, that intense therapeutic time was pushing even my limits of discomfort, but I trusted Julian throughout, and in the end I was instantly free of the pain that had brought me in.
I can’t tell you how many other massage therapists I’ve visited in DC who’ve left me and my aches and pains still feeling unaddressed. Not with Julian. He is a master of the musculoskeletal system (perhaps from his engineering background?) and just has an intuitive sense of how the body works.
I have recommended friends to him as well. One slight warning in advance, the building where his studio is is an older row house that’s been split into seperate units and they weren’t numbered properly when I got there. Just look around on the top floor and you’ll find him.

I’m glad I got to take advantage of Julian’s Unilocal deal and book an appointment with him. He’s a very professional and talented massage therapist. I love that his website allows for scheduling appointments online. Prior to the appointment, he even sent me an automated email and text message as reminders. In person, he is soft spoken and took his time to ask me what I wanted to get out of the massage. He listened attentively to my known health issues. Unlike traditional spas or centers that offer a menu of massage styles that are chosen by the customer, Julian focused more on identifying the root causes of the body’s pain points and employing various massage techniques for the sole purpose of healing.
I wanted to get a massage because I had been working long hours on my desk and this had taken a toll on my health. I had lower back pain from sitting too much. My left knee swelled and became sore to the point that I’d limp after every high-​impact exercise. I came to Julian’s thinking that I would get a deep tissue or gentle massage; I didn’t get what I thought I wanted, but at the end of the session, I got exactly what I needed. I was surprised to discover that my left knee pain had subsided soon after he worked on my quads and abdomen. I even walked back home without a limp! His methods are not the typical techniques one would get at a spa, but they sure are effective!
His business is convenienty located across from the Convention Center and within 1 block of the Mt Vernon Square Metro. It is on the fourth floor, and he shares the space with a pilates/​exercise business. While the atmosphere did remind me more of a cramped gym, I was fine with this aesthetic as I had my eyes closed most of the time during the massage anyway.
I look forward to getting more massages from him in the future.

After two weeks in DC doing archival research at a library desk, my neck, upper back and arms turned me into a stiff walking ball of knots. My body was just in such a miserable state that I didn’t think I could go another day of pain and discomfort.
Julian is an angel! Although he squeezed me into his busy schedule, I never felt rushed at all. He was incredibly attentive to my problem areas and immediately knew what to do. He’s got the know how and the right touch to iron out those stubborn muscles. He is a calm and genuine spirit which suits his healing therapy. I had a one hour deep tissue massage – definitely not for the faint of heart – but man did it do the trick! I have never felt such strength and gentleness at the same time!
To newcomers, don’t be put off by the building exterior! Like many old buildings here in DC, the exterior is only a façade. As a single female here on travel, I had reason to be cautious, but once you enter the space, it is very professionally appointed. You’ll be in trustworthy hands :)

I went to Julian because some cosmetic surgery I had recently had (don’t judge!) left me with a bad case of lymphatic buildup. My surgeon recommended therapeutic massage beginning a week after surgery. I’m not from this area so I went to my most trusted new best friend ( Unilocal) for a recommendation.
To say I was in need of a good massage is an understatement. Lymphatic buildup after the type of surgery I had can leave you with rock-​hard bands of what feels like seatbelt webbing under your skin. If those areas aren’t worked and broken up they can become scar tissue and permanent. (Not the fault of my surgeon, btw, my body is just apparently one of those «lucky» few to whom this happens). It is also extremely painful and severely limits your range of motion.
I booked my first appointment and was so amazed and pleased that I booked a whole series of two-​hour appointments immediately thereafter.
Julian knows exactly what he’s doing. His knowledge of physiology and kinesiology becomes obvious immediately. The type of massage I needed is NOT your «fluffy bunny spa massage.» It’s very deep tissue, very specific and it takes a skilled practitioner to get it just right.
Don’t get me wrong, I am pretty sure that Julian would be able to pull off some wonderful «fluffy bunny spa massage,» in fact, I look forward to testing his skills on that some day soon.
As a person, I have come to adore Julian. He is gentle and kind, very smart, caring and an excellent listener. I am so thankful to him and to Unilocal for helping me find him!

Julian is a real healer. He has a healing touch, yes, but more importantly he has a healing presence. He is strong, grounded, and generous, and you can feel that he really CARES about you and your experience.
I was a bit of a hot mess on the table — I had come in for help releasing all the tension in my upper back and shoulders, which I knew was emotional. I cried A LOT, and Julian just radiated compassion. He was great when I wanted to talk about it, and easily fell into silence when it was clear that I didn’t.
*Highly* recommended.

Julian Turner is an incredible find, and I would give him the highest ratings possible in every way. I am only in my 20s but I spent my entire life through college as a dancer, I work out 5 – 6 days per week, and I have a lot of stress/​anxiety problems. Julian has been a miracle worker for all of these things.
As an extremely anxious and (oddly) private person, I was really nervous about going in for a real massage. But Julian immediately did away with my concerns. He was warm, welcoming, and soothing from the moment I entered the room; gave me plenty of space to prepare myself; and was very sensitive to my temperament and to how new I was to the experience. Previously, I had only ever received fully-​clothed massages that only focused on the upper back or were done as practice for a class. So this was something completely different.
Julian is very good at listening to his clients. He really gets to know you, both in what you want from him in order to physically feel better and in who you are as a person. During my hours with him, there have been periods of really nice conversation and periods of intense calm and silence. Julian always seems prepared to go with whatever you need at that moment.
Julian’s approach is extremely physical, and is by no means soft or delicate, but his is really, in my opinion, a better approach for people with injuries and problems with pain. He has a remarkable way of pinpointing the source of your pain and relieving it in minutes. He also works your full body, not just the most popular points, and takes your lead as to what you feel needs the most work that particular day. And if that’s not enough, he then helps work with you on tactics to help prevent that pain from resurfacing in the future or to find ways to manage it as best as possible.
I can’t say enough good things about Julian. He is worth every penny, and that said he also asks for an extremely reasonable price. If you want a truly lasting and relieving massage, go to Julian. He is the top of the line in every way.