Cool Amber Massage

From a home clinic in Dennistoun, Glasgow, I offer Swedish and deep tissue massage and myofascial release that is tailored to your needs, relaxing, and therapeutic for tension and pain. My practice is queer and trans-friendly, non-judgemental, and trauma-aware.

Testimonials

  • “River makes me feel super comfortable and pays attention to whatever my body needs each time, tailoring their techniques to my requests. I have been going to River for several years, and every time I leave elated, relaxed and loose. Could not recommend them more!”

  • “Going to Cool Amber Massage is always such a soothing and relaxing experience. River really makes you feel comfortable and creates a lovely environment, I would (and have) recommend to anyone looking for a massage!”

  • “I always feel really taken care of with the consultation before and even when I’ve not been in a long time they remember my history. I hold a lot of tension all over my body and always leave feeling so relaxed and pain-free. It’s a queer friendly space too and it feels really safe and joyful.”

  • “I’ve been going to River for almost 2 years now. Their space is warm and welcoming, and the initial questions are enough to ensure that they can get to work quickly where my body needs it most. Over my many sessions I always leave feeling incredibly relaxed, far less tense and just generally lovely (and a little sleepy!”

  • “I had my first massage almost a year ago and now go back for monthly massages. They are fantastic at making you feel comfortable and safe and providing a space where you can advocate for your body and have some time to relax.”

  • “Welcoming, caring and inclusive. Can’t wait to visit again.”

  • “Had a great experience with Cool Amber Massage. River made me feel very comfortable. I felt super relaxed and the massage helped relieve some tension in my back as I spend a lot of time at desks. Big recommend!”

  • “This was my first time ever having a massage and River made me feel so comfortable, emotionally and physically! They asked about my reason for booking and if there were any areas I wanted to focus on. They tailored the massage to suit those needs and I’ve come away feeling much lighter.”

  • “I feel able to speak openly about what I want from each session and they adapt each massage depending on what my body needs on the day. They check in throughout about pressure or temperature to make sure I’m as comfortable as possible. I come away from my massage feeling revived and a lot less stressed.”

  • “River is such a conscientious, attuned, and soothing massage therapist. Would absolutely recommend for a queer-friendly massage.”

FAQs

  • I’ll ask you during a short consultation on arrival about how you're using your body day-to-day, how you’re feeling, areas of tension and concern and areas you prefer not to be touched. I ask clients to wear pants for massage (if you'd rather keep on other items of clothing too, you can let me know). I’ll check in with you during treatment about pressure, temperature, and how it feels. We can pause anytime.

  • You can tell me about your health conditions when you book, or you can use the contact form below. You can also tell me if you have any other access requirements; for example, if you prefer silence over music or to not have any scents in the room.

  • I qualified in Swedish Massage at the Western School of Massage in 2019. I have since trained in other modalities with the School of Holistic Therapy and KnotStressed in Edinburgh, the Glasgow School of Massage, the Scottish Beauty School and Gateway Workshops.

  • I have a HEPA-13 air purifier running in the room during sessions and can open a window. I take a lateral flow test once a week and don’t work if I have symptoms. I use nasal spray containing Carragelose and mouthwash containing CPC daily. My most recent vaccination was in December 2023. I always have FFP2 or FFP3 masks on hand to wear if you prefer.

  • The 38 bus and Alexandra Parade train station are a 5-10 minute walk away and there is free parking beside the building.

  • My main space is on the third floor with no wheelchair access. I have some limited capacity for home visits for those who can’t do stairs - please email me if you are interested.

  • Sliding scale pricing means that you decide how much you can afford to pay. People with disposable income paying the upper end of scale means that people on a lower income can pay the bottom end of the scale and I still make enough to live on. There is no expectation to pay the same amount every time. Check out these prompts from SQIFF to help decide how much to pay.

  • Yes, I can post you a physical voucher or email a digital one, for the same sliding scale rates as my treatments. Email me to purchase, letting me know the length of appointment you want to gift and the relevant address to send it to.

  • Please contact me via the contact form below. The online booking system requires a deposit payment, so we can schedule something manually. Take a look at the calendar to see what time and day would suit you.

  • Yes, I am fully trained in pregnancy massage, including optional abdominal massage, and charge the same rates for this service. Please let me know when booking if you are pregnant so I can allow extra time for our consultation.

My name is River and I’ve been living in Glasgow on and off since 2012, when I moved from Inverness-shire. I got into massage because I always enjoyed massaging loved ones and had rinsed my capacity for hospitality and office jobs. 

I also felt the need, in my own life and among my peers, for non-judgemental, queer and trauma-aware bodywork as an antidote to a dominant culture of numbness and lack of connection to our body/minds. I wanted to create a practice where trans and gender non-conforming people didn’t have to explain themselves, that was fat-positive, sex worker-friendly, and informed by disabled and sick wisdom.

I work with all types of people and my practice is continually evolving. As well as one-to-one sessions, I offer seated head and shoulder massage at community events. Outside of massage, I write and work on various anarchist-minded political projects.

Contact River

ABOUT ME