Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with Kiril Conchev at The Whole Body Therapy — sports massage, chronic injury treatment, and therapeutic bodywork on the west side of Los Angeles, near Santa Monica.

What makes The Whole Body Therapy different from a regular massage studio?

This is not a spa. The Whole Body Therapy is a specialized therapeutic practice built around one goal: resolving chronic injuries and optimizing athletic performance. Kiril Conchev brings more than 25 years of European-trained bodywork experience, combining multiple advanced modalities — myofascial release, deep tissue, trigger point therapy, somatic trauma release, cupping, and more — into each individualized treatment plan.

Where a traditional massage studio offers relaxation-focused sessions in a fixed format, every session here begins with a careful assessment. The treatment is then designed specifically around your body, your injury history, and your goals. Many clients come after years of chronic pain that other treatments have failed to resolve.

Where are you located? Do you serve the Santa Monica and West LA area?

Yes. The Whole Body Therapy is located on the west side of Los Angeles, near Santa Monica. Clients come from Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Venice, Mar Vista, Culver City, West Hollywood, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Who are your typical clients?

The majority of clients are athletes or highly active people — runners, cyclists, swimmers, CrossFit athletes, tennis players, surfers, and weekend warriors — who are dealing with a chronic injury or want to maintain peak performance and prevent future injuries.

A significant portion of clients are people who have been living with stubborn chronic pain — frozen shoulder, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, limited range of motion — sometimes for years, and are looking for a more effective solution than what they've tried before. Kiril also works with clients navigating the physical effects of stress and trauma through somatic bodywork.

Treatments & techniques

What is myofascial release, and how does it help with chronic pain?

Fascia is a strong, web-like connective tissue that surrounds and interconnects every muscle, bone, nerve, and organ in the body. When fascia becomes restricted — through injury, repetitive motion, stress, or poor posture — it can exert enormous pressure on underlying structures, contributing to chronic pain, restricted movement, and slow recovery.

Myofascial release is a hands-on technique that applies sustained, gentle pressure to the fascial system to release those restrictions. It is particularly effective for clients who have plateaued with other treatments, because it addresses the connective tissue layer that most conventional therapies don't directly reach. In Kiril's practice, myofascial release typically forms the foundation of each session, used in combination with other modalities.

What is somatic trauma release, and is it different from regular massage?

Yes, it is fundamentally different. Somatic Trauma Release is a therapeutic approach rooted in the work of Dr. Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) and Dr. John Whitman Ray. It is based on the understanding that traumatic experiences — physical accidents, surgeries, emotional events, and chronic stress — become stored in the body's nervous system, creating lasting patterns of tension, pain, and dysfunction even after the original event has passed.

In a somatic session, Kiril works with specific points in the body associated with held trauma, using a gentle, non-forceful technique to help the nervous system release those fixed patterns. Clients often notice a surge of energy, greater ease of movement, and emotional clarity after sessions. This work is especially valuable for people whose chronic pain has a significant stress or emotional component — which, in Kiril's experience, is more common than most people realize.

What conditions do you commonly treat?

Over more than 25 years of practice, Kiril has successfully treated a wide range of conditions, including:

Chronic injuries & pain: frozen shoulder, chronic lower back pain, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff issues, hip flexor tightness, neck and upper back tension, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis or golfer's elbow.

Athletic performance: pre-race and post-race recovery, maintenance bodywork for active training, injury prevention, and improving range of motion and flexibility.

Stress & systemic issues: physical manifestations of chronic stress, trauma stored in the body, limited mobility from old injuries, and nervous system dysregulation.

Do you offer sports massage in Santa Monica for athletes?

Yes — sports massage is one of the core services at The Whole Body Therapy. Sports massage is specifically designed to support athletes in achieving optimal, injury-free performance. Sessions can be tailored to the demands of your specific sport, your training phase, and your current physical condition.

Whether you are preparing for a marathon, recovering from a triathlon, managing a repetitive-use injury from cycling or swimming, or simply trying to train harder without breaking down, a customized sports massage treatment plan can make a significant difference. With 25+ years working with athletes across many sports, Kiril is able to quickly assess your movement patterns and design the most effective plan.

What is cupping, and is it included in sessions?

Cupping is an ancient therapeutic technique — used since at least 1500 BC — that uses suction cups placed on the skin to create decompression in the soft tissue. Unlike most massage techniques that compress tissue, cupping lifts it, creating space between muscle layers and fascia that improves circulation, accelerates removal of metabolic waste products, and promotes faster recovery.

Kiril finds cupping particularly effective at the end of a deep tissue session, helping draw waste products from muscles into the lymphatic system for faster elimination. Cupping is included in all standard body treatment sessions at no extra charge. If you want a standalone cupping session, the cost is $30.

What to expect

What happens in my first session?

Your first session begins with a thorough intake conversation. Kiril will ask about your injury history, current pain patterns, activity level, and what you're hoping to achieve. This assessment guides the entire treatment plan.

From there, the hands-on work begins — using whichever combination of modalities is most appropriate for your situation. First sessions often focus on assessment as much as treatment, identifying the deeper structural and movement patterns that are contributing to your condition. Many clients notice significant improvement after just one or two sessions; others with long-standing chronic conditions work through a multi-session treatment plan.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends significantly on how long the issue has been present and how complex it is. One of the most important principles in Kiril's practice is this: the sooner you seek help after an injury, the faster the recovery. Fresh injuries often resolve in one or two sessions. Chronic conditions — those that have been present for months or years — typically require a planned series of sessions, because the body has had time to develop compensatory patterns, scar tissue, and nervous system adaptations that take time to unwind.

After your first session, Kiril will give you a realistic assessment of what to expect and how many sessions are likely needed to reach your goal.

Can massage therapy really help if I've already tried physical therapy, chiropractic, and other treatments?

Yes — and this is actually one of the most common situations Kiril works with. Many clients arrive after trying multiple treatments without full resolution. There are a few reasons why therapeutic bodywork can succeed where other approaches have fallen short.

First, most conventional treatments address one layer of the body — the structural (chiropractic), the muscular (physical therapy), or the symptomatic (medication). Kiril's approach addresses multiple layers simultaneously: the fascial system, the muscular system, the nervous system, and in somatic work, the stored trauma patterns that can perpetuate pain long after tissue has healed.

Second, injuries left untreated — or treated only partially — create scar tissue and movement compensations that other therapies may not fully address. Myofascial release and deep tissue work in combination can reach and resolve these deeper-rooted patterns effectively.

Pricing & booking

What are your session rates?

Body treatments: $140 / 60 min  |  $200 / 90 min
Somatic Trauma Release: $120 / 60 min
Raindrop Technique: $150 / 60 min
Facial lymphatic drainage: $70 / 30 min
Cupping only: $30 / session (cupping is included in all body treatments)

Discount packages are available for clients who commit to a series of sessions. Contact Kiril directly for details.

How do I book a session?

You can reach Kiril through the contact page on this website. He works by appointment and keeps a limited schedule to ensure full attention to each client. If you're unsure which service is right for you, reaching out with a brief description of your situation is a great place to start — Kiril is happy to recommend the best approach before you book.

Do you accept insurance?

Sessions are currently self-pay. However, many clients are able to use their HSA (Health Savings Account) or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) funds for therapeutic massage services. Check with your plan administrator to confirm eligibility.