Testimonials & Reviews
Welcome to Abel's circle of recovery. This page shares honest testimonials and detailed reviews from clients who have experienced the profound shifts in nervous system regulation and physical relief provided by Abel McGuire's Reflex Symmetry™ bodywork.
Profound Relief: What Abel's Clients Say
"A truly gifted bodyworker! I get massages often and I’ve never met someone with such a unique and effective style. Abel combines traditional massage with other healing methods like acupressure to actually get to the root of the discomfort in your body and solve chronic issues. I can’t wait to see him again!"
2019 Soothe Client
“Abel is a magician. He came up with his own massage method and he really should be teaching it to therapists around the world. I did a 90-minute session with him and I’ve never felt better. My chronic neck, back, and hip pain is gone. I finally slept a full 8 hours. His technique is unorthodox but damn does it work! I’ll be hiring him again and highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for solutions to their body pain.”
— Kimberly L.
“Discovered Abel randomly when looking for a masseuse to help with what felt like sciatic pain a week before a half-marathon. He is so much more than a masseuse – he’s a healer who has an intuitive approach to bringing balance to your body, relieving pain, and he’s great with communicating what and why he’s doing what he does. I left my massage session pain-free and will definitely go back again. Truly unlike any other massage treatment I’ve ever had.”
— Maureen, Berkeley, CA
“Abel made a huge difference for me. I was starting my second trimester of pregnancy and had a ton of back pain. Abel worked magic! He helped my back pain heal and made me relax. I plan on using Abel though out my pregnancy to feel great.”
— Lauren Wiener
“My experience with Abel was amazing, I consider him a true healer! He made me feel comfortable in a beautiful warm place of Grace. I was able to let go of many trapped energies of past traumas. I feel no other massage person has been able to blend so many cultural techniques into one healing process. I look forward to my monthly sessions. Abel is Kind, gentle and wonderful with a perfect touch.”
— David H.
“This was my first time having reflexology, and Abel was incredible! I do a lot of physical work and was experiencing a tremendous amount of lower back pain. Normally, I would practice yoga and use restorative poses to ease my pain, but this time around they didn’t go away easily and I didn’t understand my symptoms. So I asked a friend for a recommendation, and he referred me to Abel. We started off with a consultation and afterward, he really understood where the source of my pain was coming from. It turns out the shoes I wore and my sleeping posture was keeping me imbalanced! Abel really took his time to explain his holistic approach and during the treatment educated me about the deep mind-body connection between my subconscious and conscious body. In the end, I felt so much better after my visit and have been sleeping soundly since! I highly recommend Abel to anyone who needs a great healer, he’s very professional and highly receptive to your needs as a client!”
— Isaac N., San Francisco
“Abel is a caring and intuitive body-worker who, in just one session, relieved a very painful condition in my back. He has a deep understanding of how the body works, and a skillful way of working.”
— Thacher H.
“Abel is more than a masseuse, he is a brilliant, intuitive body-worker! If you have chronic pain or just aches and pains, Abel can help you out. He relaxes and opens your muscles while giving you a massage – effectively balancing your body physically as well as energetically. I have been going to him consistently for several weeks and I could feel the difference in my body after the first time. I highly recommend Abel.”
— Claudia A.
“Abel’s treatment has been the best solution to the chronic back pain that I have experienced as of yet. He told me that it make take two nights of rest for his work to kick in, but I was already experiencing relief after the first night. After the second night, I felt better than I had in months! My back pain has been persistent and often debilitating but Abel’s technique, as well as his knowledge of the body’s natural balance, has given me hope that I can get better. I highly recommend Abel – not only for his treatment but also for the knowledge that he provides.”
— Aaron P.
“Recently I had an appointment with Abel at the Forma Gym spa. This was my first experience with Reflex Symmetry and he came highly recommended. Abel knows what he’s doing, he’s kind and asked the right questions. I don’t know how it works, but IT WORKS! I asked him to help me with body aches and a heavy heart from grief and worry. Over the next few days, after our session, I followed his advice and am so much better at having seen him. He certainly helped me and I look forward to going again. It is a massage and a healing experience, a positive and enjoyable session with a very caring person. And he made me laugh. Thank you!”
— Catherine B.
“I recently started regular massage therapy with Abel, and am truly amazed and appreciative of his healing arts. Abel is an incredibly mindful practitioner, with a unique set of skills and techniques. I have had regular bodywork done for years, but I’ve never had such a thorough “healing” process. The result of Abel’s emphasis on nerves as well as muscles is an energized and relaxed balance. It’s fabulous. I also see great benefit from his use of stones to stimulate nerves and reflexes. His treatments are the first I’ve experienced with this method, and I see significant improvement in my energy already. I highly recommend Abel.”
— Deborah, Oakland, CA
“I’ve had two of the best massages of my life at Onzen, both by master masseur Abel. I found him to be immensely intuitive and skilled. I also appreciated his calm, confident demeanor, which put me at ease immediately and enabled me to relax completely. I’ve had countless massages by practitioners in the U.S. and abroad, and I’ve never encountered anyone more talented than Abel. I recommend him most highly.”
— Sybil W., Berkeley, CA
“I have known Abel for about 10 years but this is the first time in 8 years I got a full massage from him at his studio. The location is great and pretty quiet. Abel created his unique style of bodywork through his 30 plus years of knowledge and experience, his technique, intuition, and understanding of the human physical system making my session to be very effective and healing. I feel many parts of my body that I ignored for a long time are back to life and the energies are flowing again. Thanks, Abel.”
— Pi-Te Jau Hua P., Emeryville, CA
“I am a mathematics major at UC Berkeley, and to manage pre-exam anxiety I usually get a massage per the recommendation of one of my professors. Not only did Abel’s work have a very calming effect, but it also rejuvenated and energized my mind to help me really fly through my final exam! He knows exactly what he is doing. This is no cookie-cutter massage, he has an intuition for the work he does that is rarely found. I ended up with an A+ in the class, thank you Abel!!!!”
— Julia C.
“Abel is one of the most educated people I’ve ever met for personal wellness. I came to him having multiple issues many of which ranged from poor footwear choice and stress issues. He taught me in just a couple of sessions how to listen closely to one’s body and respect the pain in your most important contact to the world, your feet, seriously. I highly recommend his services to anyone who wants to become better connected with their body and better understand how to respect and respond to the pain they are enduring on a daily basis.”
— Charles B., San Diego, CA
What a treat! Abel was skilled at understanding the relationship between patterns of imbalance and pain and where I hold tension and used acupressure and massage to release my tight muscles. Very thorough with the root causes of pain but also extremely relaxing and therapeutic.
Abel had a very unique technique, that was absolutely amazing. The BEST massage I’ve ever had. This is no cookie cutter experience. He is in tune and in sync with your body and tailors his technique to your body’s individual needs. After two pregnancies, this is exactly what my body and mind needed. Thank you Abel!
— Soothe Client 2023
“Abel is a true healer and uses a technique that is fascinating and very effective for releasing tension. I am so grateful to have found him!”
— 2019 Soothe Client
“Never had a massage like his before, amazing. Felt like he tuned in to what I needed and not just a routine massage. I will definitely be booking him again!”
— 2019 Soothe Client