Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Larson.
Hi Kristy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It’s interesting to reflect on how I arrived at where I am today. When life is unfolding, it often feels like you’re just reacting—making decisions as they’re presented. But looking back, I see a winding road that has led me, with purpose, to the place where my feet are firmly planted now.
I’ve lived with chronic pain for as long as I can remember. At no age do I recall being without discomfort in my body. Through years of searching for relief, I discovered that natural and alternative treatments brought me the greatest results. That realization sparked intense curiosity. In my spare time, I immersed myself in learning about different conditions and holistic therapies, eager to understand how the body heals and also how others were approaching wellness beyond the mainstream.
Eventually, I realized I wanted to help people living with pain, though I didn’t yet know how. I was working long hours in stressful environments, and the idea of going back to school felt impossible. So I tucked that dream away and just kept working hard—until my health made the decision for me.
In my early thirties, I became very ill with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Life as I knew it came to a screeching halt. I couldn’t rely on my body to support me, or even to carry out basic tasks like washing my hair or cleaning my home. Every part of my life needed to change. And while that was terrifying, I felt a powerful motivation to find healing for myself and share what I learned with others.
As soon as I deemed my RA symptoms calm enough, I enrolled in massage therapy school. Honestly, the first massage I ever received was in a student clinic during my search for a local school—it confirmed my knowing that touch needed to be part of my path. In the years leading up to my diagnosis, I had seen many physicians for joint pain. Nine times out of ten, they never physically touched the affected areas. But natural practitioners always did. That simple, meaningful difference confirmed that my work needed to center on healing through touch.
I enrolled at CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu Therapy School in St. Louis Park, which gave me a rich foundation to build from. After graduating, I sought out diverse learning environments—from chiropractic clinics and neighborhood wellness centers to low-cost clinics and high-end spas across Minnesota and Texas. Immersing myself in a wide range of environments allowed me to connect with a diverse spectrum of clients, coworkers, and business owners—each offering valuable insights that helped shape me into the practitioner I am today. Every interaction, every setting, added depth to my understanding and enriched the care I’m able to provide.
I opened Cove Bodywork in Hopkins in February 2025 after first operating a part-time version of it from my home studio, post-COVID. Around the time of the pandemic, I was facing another undiagnosed health crisis. As tragic as COVID was for the world, it offered me a strange sense of relief—slowing life down at a time when maintaining a regular schedule had become increasingly difficult.
In the years following, my ability to work had all but diminished until I was finally diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). With proper treatment, I experienced quick and dramatic improvement—this time, it was pharmaceuticals that brought relief. But the long road to diagnosis was as frustrating and eye-opening as my experience with RA.
The pain of TN was unlike anything I had faced before. It was a completely different experience, but it reignited my desire to support others through their own suffering and expanded my compassion tenfold. Once again, I was reminded how little touch is involved in conventional assessments of pain. That realization only deepened my commitment to work that centers on therapeutic touch. Again, the moment I felt better, I was ready to return to work and help others.
So I opened Cove Bodywork with just a couple months of remission under my belt. Was it a little crazy? Maybe. But no crazier than enrolling in massage school with stiff and swollen fingers and a new RA diagnosis. I’m not driven by certainty—I’m driven by curiosity and compassion.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road—but I’m genuinely grateful for the challenges that were placed in front of me. My greatest struggle has always been my physical health, and yet without those experiences, I have no idea where I’d be or what path I would’ve taken. Pain has shaped, altered, and inspired my life in beautiful ways.
Recently, I’ve committed to owning my story more fully and speaking openly about my health journey—just as I am now. Early in my career as a massage therapist, I hid my conditions from others, afraid that being perceived as weak or ill would discourage people from seeking help from me. But over time, I’ve come to see that my challenges are actually my superpower. They’ve gifted me with deep empathy and an ability to understand pain in a way that only lived experience can teach.
This new openness has brought a level of authenticity to my work that may have been missing before—and I have made many new connections since sharing my story. I’m yet to meet a person free of any physical or emotional pain and that gives us all a beautiful way to relate to each other.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I offer integrative massage therapy, which means I blend multiple modalities into a single session. Drawing from trigger point therapy, therapeutic techniques, Swedish massage, Shiatsu, and traditional fire cupping, I’m able to intuitively respond to what your body needs that day. I’m currently continuing my education with a focus on advanced techniques to address head and facial pain—including specialized training in intraoral massage. My specialties are trigger point therapy and deep relaxation—two areas I believe work hand in hand to provide lasting relief.
Throughout my career, I’ve noticed a common trend on massage menus: clients are asked to choose between “deep tissue” or “Swedish” massage, as if they are mutually exclusive. As a therapist, that separation never made sense to me. I can’t imagine working deeply on the body without first warming the tissue, calming the nervous system and building trust. These modalities naturally intertwine—and that’s the philosophy behind my integrative approach.
I’m also passionate about changing misconceptions around pressure in massage. I’ve had countless clients tell me things like, “You can beat me up,” or “I can take a lot of pain,” reflecting a belief that “no pain, no gain” applies to bodywork. That mindset doesn’t align with my practice. Over time, I’ve developed the confidence to say, “That’s not what I do—but I’d love to show you another way.” Almost always, those clients leave feeling both relieved and surprised to discover that massage doesn’t need to be painful to be effective.
What I’m most proud of is the confidence I’ve cultivated over time—because I didn’t always have it. Massage is incredibly personal to give and to recieve. Given how diverse the field is, no two therapists offer exactly the same experience. This can create a tendency toward comparison amongst therapists. It can also create unrealistic expectations from clients. But I’ve arrived at a peaceful place where I’m 100% confident in what I offer and the unique flow I’ve developed. Massage is a creative practice, and it’s deeply rewarding to embrace my own rhythm—one that brings results and feels authentic.
I firmly believe there’s a massage therapist for every client, and a client for every massage therapist. It’s all about finding the right match.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I absolutely love Hopkins! Just a few miles from Minneapolis, it has all the charm of a small town and the warmth of a close-knit community. The residents are incredibly friendly and supportive—it’s not uncommon to strike up a spontaneous conversation with someone on the street or in a local shop. In fact, I’ve learned to leave a little extra time when I’m out and about, because those moments of connection are truly special. While I tend to be quiet in my studio, I am very chatty by nature so this suits me perfectly.
Hopkins’ Mainstreet is a gem—lined with unique shops, delicious eats, artistic flair, and essential services. It’s the kind of place where you can spend an afternoon wandering, discovering, and feeling inspired. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to come explore Mainstreet and experience the heart of Hopkins for themselves. I know you’ll fall in love with it too!
While I don’t have anything I dislike about Hopkins there is one thing I wish were different at the state level when it comes to massage therapy.
In Minnesota, massage therapy isn’t licensed or regulated at the state level. Instead, oversight is handled by individual cities, which means requirements, fees, and practice standards vary wildly from one municipality to the next. This patchwork system creates unnecessary administrative challenges—not just for practitioners, but for city governments as well. More importantly, it opens the door for underqualified providers to offer services that may not reflect the skill, safety, or integrity clients deserve.
That’s one reason I chose to earn my National Board Certification through NCBTMB—to uphold high standards and reassure my clients that they’re receiving safe, professional care. While I’m not eager to take on more fees just to do the work I love, I truly believe state licensure would benefit both practitioners and the public. It would create consistency, elevate the profession, and help protect clients from misleading or subpar services.
I also believe It would address something that drives me absolutely nuts: being required to charge sales tax on massage therapy. Because we’re not licensed at the state level, we don’t have an overseeing board or any lobbyists advocating for our profession or our clients. And while other services in the realm of therapeutic care are exempt, massage therapy remains taxed—placing an unfair burden on both practitioners and the people we serve. I’d love to see Minnesota move toward state licensure and a fair tax policy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://covebodywork.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/covebodywork/profilecard/?igsh=MzV2Z203MHF5MHl3
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570895395280&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Other: https://share.google/AVDOqpmLBVQkVsnN9
