Thom Mooney, Licensed Massage Therapist
LICENSING # MA61676615
My name is Thomas Mooney, and I go by Thom (pronounced Tom). I am an East Coast Native hailing from Alexandria, Virginia. My early athletic focus consisted of baseball, skateboarding, rock climbing, and a couple of years wrestling in high school. In February of 2001 I joined the Navy and set-off for Bootcamp, followed by Aviation Electronics A-school in Pensacola, Florida. Attached to VAW-116 out of Point Mugu, California, I completed work-ups and a WestPac cruise aboard the USS Constellation. I transferred to duty on the USS John C. Stennis in 2004 as the ship was changing homeport from San Diego, California to Bremerton, Washington. A couple of shipmates convinced me to try snowboarding at Mount Baker Ski Area early in 2005. I knew then that I had to shift gears away from the military industrial complex, pursue higher education at Western Washington University, and head back into the mountains.
What do you do at Prime? I am a licensed massage therapist.
When and how did you get into it? On opening day in early December of Baker’s 2018-19 season I wrecked on the hardpack. I caught an edge at high-speed driving my body shoulder first to the ground, resulting in a serious fracture just distal to the head of the humerus. I chose to avoid intrusive surgery and let my body do its thing. During the recovery process I met with a Physical Therapist who introduced me to Myofascial Release. In those sessions I was able to focus my attention inward and not only channel the necessary energy to heal, I was also able to address the psychosomatic roots to the accident and ways I had been self-sabotaging for far too long. The doctors I had met with initially told me I would not be able to climb for at least a year, however, I was climbing telecom towers and working aloft seven months later. That therapeutic experience showed me how resilient the human body can be and I began looking into avenues for educating myself in the healing arts.
What's your approach/philosophy? Why does it work? Know thyself. It has been my experience that going inward is the most effective way of achieving outward success. When the mind, body, and spirit are in alignment life has a way of flowing simply. It starts with breath. From a place of stillness we have the innate ability to understand and connect with more than the mind can comprehend. As a therapist, I can manipulate structures and identify areas clients would benefit from bringing their attention to, yet the healing is done on the inside.
Why do you like being part of Prime? What makes Prime unique or different? I find the Prime collaborative approach to meeting the needs of clients to be incredibly attractive and ideal. The ability to assess, address, and refer clients to other practitioners specializing in a variety of modalities and tools under one roof is incredible. A one-stop shop for progression, prevention, and recovery!
What else do you like to do outside of work? Do you have any interests/hobbies/family? I have been playing a lot of disc golf when the needs of a newborn allow. My partner and I are proud new parents and enjoying every minute of our little girl’s development. I also enjoy riding my motorcycle for throttle therapy and entering into a flow state in the cockpit.
Do you have any testimonials you can share from your clients?
“Thom does an incredible job comprehending and addressing underlying issues that cause pain and discomfort. His holistic approach to both massage and overall health is refreshing and greatly appreciated. Over the course of a few sessions, he helped me resolve severe neck and upper back pain and tension that I had been dealing with for a long time. Highly recommended.”
-Terence K.