Raul Castro Bodywork and Massage

Every touch is meaningful. Raul has such attention to detail. He listened to my concerns and then honed in on those areas. He told me beforehand that he would be spending a designated amount of time on those particular areas and would most likely not have time for the lower body. I was fine with that as I knew I needed deep shoulder neck and face/​scalp attention. But I appreciated him telling me so I knew what to expect and also it gave me the opportunity to change my request.
He talked during the session to give me directions or to give a bit of information on what I could do at home. But it was minimal and helpful. (Unlike this hour massage I had a few years ago, where the primarily mandarin speaking woman talked to me the entire hour in broken english). Raul gave me some exercises to do at home, that I have been doing every day since 2 weeks ago. I can feel my facial cheek muscles strengthening.
He is an expert masseuse. His massage room is clean and peaceful. There was some type of peaceful music playing that was very relaxing. I highly recommend Raul. He is an asset to Alameda. His massage is definitely worth the money.
Thanks, Raul!

Raul is the most intuitive and well rounded massage therapist I’ve ever had the privaledge of getting body work from. He is also kind and gracious and makes the entire experience wonderful. I have many chronic pain issues, and I always feels super balanced and aligned after our sessions. Thanks Raul!

As an older Mom who stays at home caring for a 7 ½ and 2 ½ year old kids, I have a lot of stress and tension in my body. I can easily say that of all the (many!) massage therapists I’ve been to (both pre– and post-​kids), Raul is by FAR the very, very best.
As many others have attested to, Raul knows the body, knows how to «speak» with it, how to «unlock» it, how to have you feeling your very best when you walk out the door (even if it does involve some pain and discomfort along the way as you work with him to minimize those knots and long-​held spots of tension).
Raul is a kind, intelligent, sensitive, knowledgeable, informed man. You will feel comfortable both in his presence, as well as in the beautifully decorated massage room where he practices.
Do yourself a favor and book a massage today!

Words cannot express how deeply grateful for Raul to come into my husband’s and my life. For years he had suffered from severe low back pain and over all hip tightness. Seeing someone you love in pain is never easy to take and with a glowing recommendation we had to try! After just his first visit he left Raul studio feel like a new man! I couldn’t believe it! Ever since that day he has been back for Raul’s expert touch.
I too needed to seek his expertise with a pain in my knee and WOW is all I can say! The next day I took a yoga class and never felt so good… and pain-​free! Lastly, his healing hands and kind heart is like no one I’ve ever known!

Excellent, excellent, excellent. Raul is REALLY good — the best massages I’ve ever had. My body was in bad shape from a lot of stress and a little exercise. After an hour and a half so much of it was unclenched. He really goes deep. I recommend him wholeheartedly, and will go back as soon as I can.

This will be short and sweet, but I had to add my five-​star. I tried Raul out under a promotion, but I’ve returned as finances have allowed. He’s very good, and has a warm presence as well. He easily finds the problem spots, and he deals with them effectively. I like someone who will go deep into the painful areas, and he does that. My most recent visit involved me trying to de-​stress in advance of a major job interview, and he talked me through a lot of my fears about that as he worked on me (he warned me in advance that he doesn’t claim to be a talk therapist but asked if I wanted to talk about it, and it did help), so that was a bonus. He urged me as well to do some of the things that clearly would help me with the stress; he was very attuned to all of that and had picked up on a lot as we talked. Highly recommended.

Raul healed my body in a way I was told was impossible. My health was poor, my heart rate was constantly over 100 bpm, and I had developed a massive blood clot in my upper chest that closed my entire vein. Stress had completely taken over my entire body. After two failed venogram procedures to remove the blood clot, the doctors said it would never go away. Tired of feeling down and out, I finally decided I needed to help myself and I found Raul. I told him about my situation and we proceeded to go to work. I had 8 sessions with Raul, each lasting 1.5 hours over a 5 week period. After each session I started feeling a lot better and I could feel the blood flow returning to my body. What’s interesting is, we really didn’t work on the «blood clot area.» We focused mostly on my legs, although we did cover the entire body. Just a couple weeks after my last session, I had an ultrasound on my vein and I was shocked to learn that the blood clot was gone. I was in utter disbelief.
Raul is more than a message therapist, he is a student of the body and a believer in the natural healing of the body. If you are looking for something deeper in your massage experience, you need to see Raul. He is a very intelligent man that understands the body and I am indebted to him. Thank you Raul and I look forward to see you in our next session.

first time ever having body work, raul is very professional I felt comfortable with him. i signed up for a six session package deal. looking forward to great healing sessions with him.

The best way to describe how wonderful Raul’s massages are, is to say he really understands my body’s needs. I’ve been seeing Raul for over a year now to help with post-​partum recovery and he has been absolutely amazing. He listens, he feels, and he connects to give me the best relief I’m looking for. It is not always an easy session as I mostly go for therapeutic work, but the way Raul engages me to help in my recovery marks him as a true healer.
Beyond his excellent technical skills, he is very present with me and takes the time to make sure my issues are addressed. His space is also beautiful and inviting. I feel relief after every visit.
If you want to book an appointment, make sure you know your schedule far enough out, but worth the wait. I highly recommend him for mommy aches and pains or for any chronic pain you might be dealing with. Just like any type of therapy, you need time to work through the pain and Raul will help you get there.

I have been coming to Raul for my chronic back and neck issues for several years. Where other resources I’ve tried have failed, Raul has succeeded. He is exceptionally talented in the realm of body work and his skills are absolutely the best; almost magical! He works with great care and attention. I appreciate his advice on how to stretch and take better care of myself from day to day. I would highly recommend Raul and will continue to eagerly look forward to each one of my future massages.

A true, humble healer.
I have been seeing Raul for more than 3 years. The very first time I met him for a 40 minute massage through my work, he held the space so completely that I was able to release an incredible amount of grief that I’d been holding and he was right there with me, didn’t even skip a beat despite not knowing me from Adam. I continued to see him for several years intermittently until I could no longer see him through my work’s subsidized massage program, so I decided I needed to get a longer, full massage at his studio. The first two hour session I had with him at his studio was so wonderful, it felt like a half hour!
As to his technique, Raul is firm and sensitive, and always learning and applying new techniques. As for the space, Raul’s attention to detail in his studio is wonderful. Everything is conducive to letting go.
I could go on and on, but basically have zero hesitation to recommending Raul to anyone looking for a massage therapist who sees beyond the body and has a sensitivity to the whole energetic system of a person with true humility and service to healing.

I started going to Raul for body work by recommendation from a friend a couple months ago. All I can say is I wish I had known of him a long time ago. His healing ability and extremely vast knowledge of the body’s anatomy is amazing. After years of trying to find the right massage therapist for me (someone who knows the body and what they are doing), I have finally found him. I can’t say that some of the massage is not uncomfortable, but if you trust in him and his ability to heal and work through your bodies issues you will feel better. He is extremely professional and dedicated to helping you get the relief you need whether it’s injuries, long time wear and tear, or you just want blood to flow through your body freely again. It’s an intense (in a good way) experience and your body will feel great after you receive massage from Raul.

Raul is amazing. I’d never before had a massage that felt so healing and long lasting. He never fails to find the knots and balls and then he slowly and expertly works them out. Every time I see him I leave feeling simultaneously buoyant and calm and I sleep better at night after his treatment. On top of all that he is a lovely human being and a pleasure to talk to.
If you are looking for real, therapeutic and effective bodywork, Raul is the man.

This man is a true Healer. I was experiencing increasing pain in my leg and at the point where I could barely walk, I searched and found Raul Castro. He understood the muscles and after an hour of his bodywork on me, I walked out of his studio pain free and a month later, I am still without the pain!
I cannot give him enough praise!

If you are in pain, stiff, sore, out of alignment, make your way over to Raul’s studio in back of the Alameda Yoga station.
This man is brilliant. I have seen many body workers over the decades I’ve been on the planet, and Raul is the most amazing I have found. I have been working with him now for over four years. When he took sabbatical last year I saw another provider. It was a joyous return when he arrived back in the bay area.
Raul hones in immediately on areas that scream for relief. He provides deep tissue work if that is what is desired/​required. He finds areas where the knots, kinks hide and then kneads them away with an elbow or hands.
He cares about his clients and this creates a bond of trust. Constructive work requires effort from both parties.
Raul will travel to you if required. He operates one day a week in San Rafael (Mon 10am-​7pm) but calls Alameda home.
We’re very fortunate that this man is close by. You’re worth it-​give Raul a try. I’d bet my last dollar you won’t be disappointed.

Long overdue review. I go running to Raul whenever I am immense pain and nothing helps. By the end of a session I am so relaxed and renewed that I feel woozy! (a good woozy)
Raul operates in his private studio which is located behind the Yoga station. I also want to emphasize that he is behind a karate studio and they can get very loud. I intitially thought this would be a problem but turned out he is so good at what he does that its not even something you’ll focus on. This is coming from someone who can hear a fly from a mile away.
Go to him, you wont regret it!

I’m a massage junkie. I don’t have the cash to go often, but when I do, I like it to be wonderful. I’ve had some great massages, but I’ve never met someone like Raul. I had a massage from him last year right before he left town on a big trip, and I was broken-​hearted. He’s back, and I’m so glad.
He does intuitive bodywork. Before you roll your eyes at that hippie-​dippie shit, let me tell you this: Before we started today, when we were still chatting, he asked me how my back was. I said fine, because at that moment it felt A-​okay. His face changed a little, and a few minutes later, I admitted that my lower back has been bugging me lately. He looked relieved. «That’s what I thought,» he said.
When Raul works on you, it’s as if he waves his hand over you and listens to some silent frequency, and then he zeroes in on the places where you’re holding tension. It’s impossible to overstate how good he is at this. Then he leans in and pushes the tension out of you, talking you through it. I’m not a gal who likes a lot of chit-​chat during a massage, but you know what? Raul is amazing. Within the first fifteen minutes of my session today, we’d figured out something that’s been tripping me up emotionally for about a month. He’s a combination masseuse-​therapist, I swear to God.
Another wonderful thing is that during a 90-​minute massage, you are IN YOUR BODY for 90 minutes. You know how your mind wanders to your parking meter during savana in yoga? Or how you think about whether you’ll get tuna or chicken at lunch as the masseuse works on your quads? There;s no time for that with Raul — with his guidance, you are working with your body as much as he is.
I can’t recommend him highly enough. I just hope you don’t take my time slot with him.

Called and got his voicemail that said he was not taking appts for the month of April 2012. I left a message asking for an appt., anytime, in May. A week and a half later and still no response. He must have enough customers where he doesn’t need any new ones.

Anyone who can make me be still for an hour and a half deserves some sort of award.
I felt very safe in Raul’s hands. He’s very intuitive, but also checked in with me throughout the massage in a very unobtrusive way.
After the massage, I felt rested and full of energy, which carried through for the next week. Amazing.
He was also able to tackle a very tough spot that’s been bothering me for quite some time.
I highly recommend Raul, and, unless I move far, far away, he’ll be my go-​to guy for years to come!

Let me just begin by saying that I am not the kind of lady who would generally seek out a male to get a massage from. Nothing against the less-​then-​fairer sex, it’s just that the idea of laying near naked on a table with a guy who’s not my BF touching me is generally the opposite of what I consider relaxing.
With that being said, however, I felt the need to share with you, dear reader, of my trans-​formative experience with one Raul Castro.
Upon my first visit (a house call to my Hayes Valley home), I was nervous. I went out on a limb to express my reservations and was met with empathetic understanding (What? You’re not insulted that I am stereotyping your gender? Not at all). Fast forward two hours, I couldn’t even see through my bliss to find my skepticals, er, spectacles.
Putting words to the pleasure of this massage is like trying to describe the liberating sensation one feels when stopping in Coalinga on I-​5 (think about it, what would be the ONLY reason you might stop in Coalinga?). Nourishment in an otherwise barren wasteland, relief when you needed it most, a breath of fresh air, a pause from the literal fast track of life.
I didn’t even realize how fast I had been driving until I slowed down enough to book another session. Six massages later, I haven’t reached the finish line and frankly I don’t want to.
Raul has strong hands, intense intuitive ability and a professionalism that has long since put any doubt to rest (stop – okay I’ll stop). He has completely transformed my idea of «the male massage therapist» (not that I’ll be trying someone else anytime soon).
His prices are fair and he will go out of his way to accommodate your schedule. I feel comfortable communicating with him (none of that laying face hoping they «figure it out»…though I think I’ve maybe spoken two words since we’ve been working together: «Can you do that thing to neck? Yeah. Perfect.)
In the days following my massage, I feel light and free. Yoga is easier, dancing is sweeter, birdies sing. No really.
Take it from me, a fairly foxy 25 year old gal with a FULL and busy life, Raul’s abilities and trustworthiness will far eclipse your expectations of what a massage should be. Making time to see him regularly has made a huge difference in my life. I wouldn’t take my body anywhere else.