RACCOON TOUCH BODYWORK

Raccoon Touch Bodywork
A calm space to come back to your body in BerlinDeep relaxation and trauma-informed bodywork.Donation-based. LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent & Marginalised Folks First

DEEP Relaxation MASSAGE

After an intense week, or whenever you just need to properly switch off.A 105-minute session combining deep tissue work, pressure-point techniques and passive stretching, with a holistic approach to help you relax and release tension.We begin with a brief check-in, then a full-body massage.Strictly Non-Erotic

Trauma-informed Myofascial Release (MER)

MER is a deep, slow form of fascia-based bodywork.It works gradually through the connective tissue that runs all through the body, combining sustained touch, breath, movement and awareness.It relies on a simple idea: the body holds what we live through. Tension we've carried a long time often has as much an emotional root as a physical one, and left unmet, it can surface as physical pain or discomfort. MER is a way of meeting tension and emotions slowly, with attention, and giving them room to let go.Sessions are deep and quite different from a standard massage. They rely on an active partnership between you and me. Some people come for profound rest. Others to reconnect with a body that's felt distant, numb, or hard to trust. There's no right way to arrive, and no goal you have to reach.I work in a trauma-informed way: you set the pace, nothing happens without your consent, and you're encouraged to pause or speak at any point. Each session is 105 minutes, with a brief check-in, personalised bodywork, and a short closing conversation.Strictly Non-Erotic

Your first session

If you've never done this before, or if trusting a bodyworker doesn't come easily, you're welcome here.What to expect:
* We start with a short, no-pressure conversation about where you are and what you need that day.
* You're always in control: you set the pace, adjust anything, and pause or stop at any point.
* You undress only to your comfort, and you're covered throughout.
* Talking is always fine. So is silence.
* Every session is strictly non-erotic.The room is quiet and sensory-considered. If you have specific access needs, sensory or otherwise, let me know beforehand and we'll set things up so you're comfortable.

_{If you're coming for MER}

MER is a partnership. We stay in constant dialogue throughout, and the session becomes a shared exploration of your body: something we do together, not something done to you.Because we work with tension that's been held a long time, it can be intense, and sometimes painful, at moments. Here too you're the one leading. It's never about enduring pain, and we go only as far as you choose.My approach to trauma is gentle and resource-oriented, drawing on principles from Somatic Experiencing: we build on what helps you feel safe and steady, and never push past that.

All my sessions are donation-based_{here is what it means}

I started Raccoon Touch believing that queer, neurodivergent and marginalised folks deserve access to bodywork, including those of us who can't always (or ever) afford most practitioners' rates.So for as long as it stays financially sustainable for me, sessions are donation-based: you decide what you pay, based on what you can genuinely afford.For those who like a reference point: most clients donate between 50€ and 140€ for a 105-minute session.If you earn comfortably, paying toward the upper end helps me keep offering accessible care to our community.

_{Donation-based and cancellation}

Most bodyworkers use a 24‑hour cancellation policy, but that approach doesn’t fit well with a donation-based system.Still last-minute cancellations do make this model harder to sustain.If you need to cancel, I warmly ask you to do so as early as you can. And if something comes up at the last minute, please consider a small donation if you're able, to help offset the lost time.

THOMAS

(He/They)I'm a certified bodyworker focused on deep, trauma-informed bodywork, and a neurodivergent queer expat in Berlin.My work is about making space, slow, careful and led by you, for people to feel more at home in their bodies.I'm trained in trauma-informed deep bodywork through the Myofascial Energetic Release (MER) modality and certified in relaxation techniques involving deep tissue, pressure-point work and passive stretches.Aside from bodywork, I'm a (retired) academic in Literature & Queer Theory (my work was on the value of queer failure), a somatic enthusiast, certified in space holding, embodied conflict resolution, and, as a trainer, in neurodiversity and inclusion.

Bodywork Training* _{(2025 - Ongoing)} Myofascial Energetic Release at the Integral Body Institute
Module 1 - Self Empowerment: Back, Neck, Pelvis and Breath (50 Guided Learning Hours)
Module 2 - Grounding: Feet, Legs & Hips (50 Guided Learning Hours)
Module 3 - Centering: Core and Pelvis Integration (50 Guided Learning Hours)
Module 4 - Original Face: Face, Cranium, Jaw, Neck, Arms and Vagus nerve (50 Guided Learning Hours)
Module 5 - Inspiration: Opening the Breath, Thorax and Diaphragm (50 Guided Learning Hours)
* ₍₂₀₂₅₎ Joint mobilization in Deep Tissue Massage with Art Riggs at the International School of Deep Tissue Massage Practitioners (40 Guided Learning Hours)
* ₍₂₀₂₄₎ Advanced therapeutic massage (40 Guided Learning Hours)
* ₍₂₀₂₃₎ Level 3 Diploma in Holistic/Swedish Massage (ITEC) (Including Level 3 Anatomy & Physiology) at the London School of Massage (250 Guided Learning Hours)
* _(2022-2024) Soul of Skin Training (7 weekends on 7 different bodywork modalities, involving Deep Tissue, Esalen, Lomi Lomi, Bodyflow, Thai Yoga, etc.) at we are villageOther Relevant Training* _(2024-2025) Level 3 Certificate in Neurodiversity & Inclusion - Train the Trainer - at the Positive Psychology Guild (180 Guided Learning Hours)
* ₍₂₀₂₄₎ Authentic Eros - Somatic Queer training on Relationships & Community - module 1 to 3 at we are village
* ₍₂₀₂₄₎ Understanding Autism at the Open University
* ₍₂₀₂₃₎ Embodied Conflict Resolution - 24h certifying course at The Embody Lab
* ₍₂₀₂₃₎ Attachment Theory Weekend - Drama Lama at Skinship
* ₍₂₀₂₃₎ The Art of Holding Space at The Embody Lab
* ₍₂₀₂₃₎ Core Erotic Theme by Skinship Skinship
* _(2016-2022) PhD in Contemporary Literature and Queer Theory at University College London