Meet our Therapists
LMT, Founder | Offering Tier 2 ServicesAlissa Effland
With over 20 years of experience providing bodywork, Alissa is a lifelong learner who has traveled the globe to refine her craft.
Empowering Healing Through Intentional Touch & Movement Alissa’s journey as a manual therapist began in 1997, born out of a personal transformation. After years of struggling with chronic IBD, she experienced healing through Thai Yoga Bodywork. This firsthand encounter with the power of intentional, caring touch changed everything. Alissa wanted to help others achieve that same sense of relief.
A Foundation in Ancient Wisdom After learning the foundations of Thai Yoga Bodywork in Los Angeles, Alissa traveled to Thailand in 2005, where she studied under a lineage of Thai masters. This sparked a deep interest in the body’s meridian system, leading her to the East-West Healing Arts Institute. There, she completed a program in Acupressure and TuiNa (Chinese Medical Massage), gaining a foundational understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the movement of energy within the body.
Healing from the Inside Out Alissa’s therapeutic interests expanded as she sought solutions for her own scoliosis-related pain and sports injuries. Alissa had profound healing from 2 therapies that led her to two pillars of her current practice:
CranioSacral Therapy: Alissa dedicated years to completing the Upledger CranioSacral Therapy core curriculum, service hours, and a mentorship program to understand how this therapy calms the nervous system and works with the fascial system to create deep, systemic healing.
Myofascial Release: Expanding her ability to work directly with the fascial system, Alissa completed foundational and specialty training for cervical, thoracic and pelvic myofascial release in the John F. Barnes method.
Sustainability Through Movement For herself, Alissa noticed that bodywork was most effective when paired with mindful maintenance, specifically yoga. So Alissa trained as a Yoga Instructor to offer her clients this guidance in the form of personalized yoga routines that empower them to maintain their alignment and reset their nervous systems between sessions.
A Collaborative Approach to Wellness Alissa’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that the body is an interconnected system. Whether you are seeking relief from chronic pain or looking to improve your athletic mobility, she integrates her diverse toolkit—CranioSacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Acupressure, Thai Bodywork and Yoga Therapy—to meet your specific needs.
Alissa is thrilled to collaborate with the doctors at Monarch, combining therapeutic bodywork with chiropractic care to help clients achieve their highest level of function.
Beyond the Table When she isn’t in the treatment room, Alissa stays active through yoga, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and skiing. She loves spending time in nature with her husband and their twins.
LMT | Offering Tier 1 ServicesHeather Lesko
Heather Lesko came to massage therapy through a career transition driven by a desire to focus on holistic wellness and the healing power of therapeutic touch. As a Licensed Massage Therapist serving the Milwaukee and Waukesha area, she offers sessions rooted in Swedish and deep tissue techniques, creating a calm, grounded experience that allows the body to release tension with ease.
With a genuine passion for learning, Heather is actively exploring bodywork and energy healing modalities, guided by a growing interest in how therapeutic touch can support overall well-being. She is committed to creating a space where clients feel relaxed, supported, and at ease.