About Annalisa Derryberry, LMT

I graduated from the Florida School of Massage in Gainesville in 2004. I’ve had the chance to work with a variety of ages and physical conditions over the years–in a chiropractor’s office, a fitness spa, and over 15 years in private practice in Gainesville & Jacksonville.

I’ve found that people today are too stressed, too sedentary, and too stuck in old patterns of body and mind—myself included! If we can move and breathe more easily and more fully, we can begin to feel less stressed and more pain-free. I want to help people feel that freedom and move/breathe/live the best way we can.

How did I get into massage? I’d say it’s a tie between my mom and the Beatles.

Mom

My mom had multiple sclerosis for more than 50 years, and she did the best she could to stay physically active, through swimming and working out, because she knew that she felt worse if she didn’t. She also tried a lot of other things like massage, chiropractic, and craniosacral therapy, and found she got a lot of benefit. Growing up with her taught me a lot about caring, patience, and having a good sense of humor in the face of adversity.

The Beatles

When I was about 15, I discovered The Beatles, and got REALLY into them. I listened to everything I could, and got every book I could about the band and my favorites, John and George, which got me started doing yoga, and reading about home remedies and alternative medicine. In college, I joined a yoga class, and a fellow classmate told me about the awesome massage school there in Gainesville. I tucked this away in my mind, and 4 or 5 years later, it was time to give massage school a try.

Boy, was it the right decision!

I found myself working with (and on) people with growing confidence, listening to their words and their bodies, and everything finally clicked. Plus, my own body felt a lot better with all the massage I received. A few years after graduating, I began learning Thai massage, which blends yoga and massage—the best of both worlds–and eventually became certified.

I opened my massage therapy office in Jacksonville, FL in 2013. More recently, I have completed a certification in Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology from the Academy of Ancient Reflexology (2017), and become a yoga teacher with 200hr training at Discovery Yoga Center (2019) and 300hr training through Heart & Bones Yoga (2021.)

Other fun facts: I have an English degree from the University of Florida. After having lived in Tampa and Gainesville for significant portions of my life, I've been in Jacksonville since 2011, where I live with my husband and our three cats. In my off time, you can find me enjoying books, classic rock music, crossword puzzles, and nature.