About Erika Cocco

I'm Erika Cocco, the massage therapist behind Body In Hand Massage & Bodywork in Murrieta. Bodywork found me through sport. I've been an athlete since I was five years old and later competed as an amateur bodybuilder. Training taught me that a body can feel different from one day to the next. It also taught me to start with what you notice today instead of assuming that one sore spot tells the whole story. I'm a sole practitioner — it's just me here, no other therapists on staff. When you book Body In Hand, you book with me. I answer your questions before you book, greet you when you arrive, listen to what you need, and do the massage myself. I've noticed that people are often more at ease when they know who will be in the room and do not have to repeat themselves to someone new.

CAMTC is the California Massage Therapy Council, the nonprofit that issues the state-recognized certification I hold. My certificate number is #8438. California does not issue a state-agency massage license. CAMTC certification and a local business license are the accurate credentials to look for. You can enter my number, name, or city in the CAMTC Record Search and check it yourself. CAMTC's certification requirements include at least 500 hours at approved schools, in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, health and hygiene, contraindications, business, and ethics. Applicants also submit fingerprints for a background check. Live Scan is the fingerprint-based criminal-history check used in that process. Those are the concrete requirements behind the word “certified.” ABMP Certified refers to membership with Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. My membership includes professional liability insurance and access to continuing education and practice resources. ABMP explains its membership protections for practitioners and clients. Body In Hand also carries Murrieta business license BL# 26048. I list the numbers plainly because you should be able to check them.

Therapeutic massage is the heart of what I do, and no two sessions need to look the same. I do not follow one fixed sequence of moves. In my experience, most people do not need a perfect modality name when they book. They need a place to start. We begin with what you notice that day, the kind of touch you want, and whether you want quiet full-body work or focused attention in a few areas. I may use broad strokes, sustained pressure, gentle movement, stretching, or heat when the service calls for it. You do not have to choose perfectly. That's my job. For example, someone will answer 'where does it hurt' with one word. Then, almost as an aside on the way to the table, they mention they haven't slept properly in two weeks. That second thing is usually the more useful piece of information.

I've noticed that many clients arrive with a broad goal and one detail they do not want overlooked. Someone may want a calm, unhurried session after a demanding week and also mention a stubborn shoulder. I can keep the work broad, with some Swedish massage pacing, and spend focused time around that shoulder without making the whole hour intense. Another person may prefer a deep tissue massage centered on a few overworked areas. Both can be customized. Neither asks you to endure pressure you do not want. My background in sport shapes how I pay attention to movement and training demands. It does not make massage a medical procedure. I'm a massage therapist, not a doctor. I do not diagnose conditions, promise outcomes, or ask you to push through sharp pain. If something is outside my scope, I will say so.

A plan is a starting point, not a contract you have to tolerate. The question I get most often is whether it is okay to ask for less pressure. It is. If pressure that felt right at the beginning becomes too much, say so and I will adjust. If an area feels more sensitive than expected, we can move on. I pay attention to how your breathing and muscles respond, but I do not expect you to communicate through body language alone. A plain “lighter,” “skip that,” or “more time here” is enough. You stay in charge from the first conversation through the end of the appointment.

Gentle and settling

Choose this emphasis when you want a quieter pace, lighter-to-moderate pressure, and full-body attention. A first massage can start here. Gentle doesn't mean careless or generic — it just means the pace and pressure match what you asked for.

Focused and specific

Choose this when you want more time around a knot or a small group of tense areas. Trigger point massage uses deliberate pressure instead of making the whole session more intense. I check in, and you can ask for less pressure at any time.

Training-aware

Choose this emphasis when recent workouts, an event, or repetitive activity are part of the conversation. Sports massage can include compression, stretching, and area-specific work. I've learned from training that the details matter: tell me what you did, what is coming next, and how you want to feel leaving the room. I will shape the session within massage therapy's scope.

Warm and unhurried

Choose this when warmth and a slower 90-minute rhythm are central to the experience. My hot stone massage uses heated basalt and cool marble as part of the session, not as a quick add-on. I check heat and pressure with you. The current 90-minute rate is $160.

Arrive a few minutes early so we don't have to rush. We will have a short conversation about relevant health history, the areas you want addressed, pressure preferences, and anything you want me to avoid. A few plain words are enough. You can talk during the massage or stay quiet, change your mind about pressure, and ask what I am doing. Clear communication is welcome here; it is not an interruption. Draping is the sheet-and-towel technique that keeps you covered while only the area being worked on is exposed. Undress only to your own comfort level. You will have privacy to get ready, and professional draping stays in place throughout the session. The American Massage Therapy Association's first-session guidance gives the same expectation: you decide what to remove, and a sheet or towel covers you.

The room is professional, and your boundaries are not up for negotiation. If you prefer a female therapist, there is no scheduling uncertainty: I am female, I work solo, and I am the therapist for every appointment. Sessions are by appointment at my fixed studio. I do not offer walk-ins, mobile massage, on-site work, or chair massage.

Body In Hand is inside the Oak Grove Professional Building, a medical and wellness center at 25109 Jefferson Ave Ste 120, Murrieta, CA 92562. The building has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking, restroom, and seating. Every appointment happens in this office. I see clients Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Wednesday and Friday are closed. If you are coming from outside Murrieta, the areas served page gives practical location details. I don't travel to clients. And if a session needs to be shorter, quieter, or to skip an area entirely, that's a normal request here, not a difficult one.

Sessions start from $85, and current rates and appointment times are on Square. If you know what you want, choose it. If you are unsure, look through the full massage and bodywork menu or tell me what you are hoping for. You do not need the perfect modality name before you make an appointment. You can book online through Square or call me at (951) 440-6161. If you want to ask a question first, use my contact page. You will know who is in the room and what to expect before the session starts.

I learned more in the first year of practice than in any classroom, mostly about listening. The detail that matters usually isn't the first thing someone says. I noticed, for example, that people describe their bodies apologetically, as though tension were a personal failing, and part of my job is to take that apology out of the room.

One thing worth saying plainly. For most healthy adults massage is comfortable, low-risk care, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health puts the risk of harmful effects as low (NCCIH, 2024). That same source is honest that the evidence for pain relief is mixed rather than settled, and I would rather repeat that than promise more than an hour can deliver. That is the short story about me — you now know who you're booking with, and the contact page has the map, current hours, and a short inquiry form if you'd like to ask anything first.

At a glance

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Wednesday and Friday: closed
• Sessions from $85; the traditional 90-minute hot stone session is $160
• In-office only, by appointment, at 25109 Jefferson Ave Ste 120, Murrieta