Our Practitioners

---

Rachel (Florez) Attard LMT. Her career in massage started in 1995 at Irene's Myomassology Institute in Southfield, Michigan. It was there where she learned the foundations of Massage Therapy and bodywork that shaped her career path.

Over the last two decades, she has practiced in various settings, including West MI Myotherapy, the Artistry Beauty Institute, Local Massage Therapist for Musical Touring Acts and Performers, and Reflexology Research Intervener MSU College of Nursing. For the last 15 years, her primary focus has been her role as a Massage Therapist, Team Leader, and Integrated Health Partner at the Wege Institute for Mind, Body, and Spirit at Saint Mary's Healthcare.

Her areas of expertise include but are not limited to:
Thai Massage for Rehabilitation

Fibromyalgia massage

Reflexology 

Tuina

Herbal Hydrotherapy

Because Rachel loves sharing her gifts and wanted to reach out to more people beyond her patients at her clinical practice, she founded Medical Mile Massage and Yoga Therapy Center, LLC in 2017 with her long-time friend and colleague, Gaiane Cherpes. She is the co-owner and managing partner of Medical Mile Massage & Wellness.

Gaiane Cherpes, LMT, RN, is a licensed massage therapist with over 20 years of experience. She first attended school in Russia for massage therapy after years of caring for post-stroke patients. When she moved to Grand Rapids, she continued her education and practice at Saint Mary's Hospital's Wege Institute for Mind Body & Spirit, offering inpatient and outpatient services. Throughout her time, there she has not only become a registered nurse, but she has also become well-versed in Lomi Lomi, the Graston technique, deep tissue massage, and post-operative lymphatic drainage massage. Because of her extensive knowledge and qualifications, Gaiane creates a welcoming and relaxing environment for geriatric and cancer patients by concentrating on their pain and aiding in its ease. She is also a trained infant massage instructor. 

As the co-owner of Medical Mile Massage, she has manifested a long-time vision to create a practice where she and her team give all clients a mindful and genuine experience to promote healing for mind, body, and spirit.

Craig Hochen is a board-certified acupuncturist, a member of several acupuncture associations, and formerly sat on the state board of Acupuncture for Michigan. He attended the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the International Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, South West Acupuncture College and studied at The China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing. Craig is a lead investigator for cancer research with Acupuncture for the Southwest Oncology Group and M.D. Anderson University.

Craig worked at the Wege Mind, Body, and Spirit Center at Saint Mary's in Grand Rapids, Michigan  from 2005 to 2020.

He has come to specialize in:

 Pain Management

Stress

Anxiety

Depression

ADHD

Migraines

Other neurological Disorders

Reproductive  Disorders

Craig believes that as Western medicine is complemented more and more with traditional, holistic practices, the quality of care will be better for the patient.

Katie Brown, LMT, has three years of working as a Licensed Massage Therapist in the State of Michigan. Her training included both deep tissue and relaxation massage with a focus on holistic bodywork and total wellbeing. This approach comprises assessing daily activities, nutrition, stress level, and posture. Each hour on the massage table is to relax, heal through an injury, or undo chronic pain patterns. Katie believes it is crucial to work in partnership with her clients to assess what modalities are needed to facilitate optimal wellness.

Jhaden attended Douglas J Aveda Institute in East Lansing, MI completing their Esthetician program in 2003. While attending Spring Renewal’s massage therapy program (2004), she worked as a licensed esthetician in Saugatuck and Grand Rapids. In 2013 her journey led away from touch therapies into working primarily with animals. Then in 2019, Jhaden was introduced to Access Consciousness, becoming smitten with their Energetic Facelift. After completing the required training, it was time to come full circle and re-enter the world of touch. Now she is happy to offer Access Consciousness Bars and Facelift to the Medical Mile community.

Zoe Saye is our 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher in Yoga Therapy and trained Reiki III Practitioner with a B.S. in Psychology from Grand Valley State University. Through specialized training, formal education, and personal experience over the last ten years, her passion and focus are working with pain management, behavioral health, and healing through trauma-informed therapeutic yoga, meditation, and energy work.

Katy York has over 25 years of experience in the field of massage therapy and wellness. In addition to being a state-licensed MT, Katy also has a degree in Music Therapy from WMU. Working from a base of Swedish technique, she specializes in Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, and plenty of deep stretching techniques. Every session addresses your specific needs, whether you are on a fitness journey, have a medical condition, or need stress relief and management.