Meet the Owners

Mackenzie Kroger, LMT, Clinical Herbalist | Founder + CEO | she/her

Mackenzie is a Licensed Massage Therapist + Clinical Herbalist practicing in Richmond, VA. She is the founder + CEO of Resolve Bodyworks, and sole proprietor of PainKiller Herbals.

Grounded by Traditional Thai Bodywork studies and a focus on whole-body treatment early in her career, her practice ever-evolves towards addressing the cause of pain rather than chasing symptoms. Currently, she approaches bodywork from the perspective that restrictions within the tissues serve to protect us, and that we must disarm them and gain their trust before we can facilitate any lasting relief for our clients.

At its core, Mackenzie’s bodywork practice involves listening and following the movement of tissues locally to facilitate resolution of cross-body restrictions involving the viscera, fascia, muscles and nerves. Which modalities are used are ultimately up to the individual client and their tissues, but often involve techniques from Visceral Manipulation, Craniosacral Therapy, and Thai Bodywork studies. As informed by her clinical herbalist studies, Mackenzie is also mindful of the functionality of clients' body systems, the impact chronic "fight or flight" can have on the physical body, and each client's realistic capacity for change.

In business ownership, Mackenzie is motivated by the understanding that decentralizing capital gain, prioritizing practitioner empowerment + supporting client autonomy in pain management are essentials to sustainability in practice. A creative builder + designer, she recognizes that intention, creativity and foresight are essential to the successful development of any structure, physical or conceptual. She is currently focused on solidifying efficient operational systems at Resolve, so that collective efforts can be funneled towards creating access to therapeutic bodywork for communities of all income levels in the Richmond area.

“At the risk of sounding like a total freak, I must share with you that fungus has been a primary inspiration for my business exploits since day one. The mycelial network from which fungus grows is ever-expanding, undying, intelligent, mutually supportive and tough. It is interested in the well-being of its neighbors and surroundings, to whom it is vital, and shows that unmatched strength and longevity is not only possible, but guaranteed in truly mutually beneficial relationships.

At Resolve, we mimic these mycelial principles by referring you to external practitioners that can help you more than we can, sharing information so that you don’t need us to take care of yourself, empowering our LMTs to work outside of routines, and intentionally disregarding the concept of “competition” in the massage world. In the coming year, we intend to continue on this path, focusing on growing our network through practitioner connection and community incentives.”

Josey Cole, LMT | Co-Owner, CFO | he/they

Josey has been a practicing Licensed Massage Therapist for ten years in Richmond, VA. He is the co-owner + CFO of Resolve Bodyworks, and historically, Mackenzie's personal panic advisor. Over his decade of practice, Josey has become eclectic in his technique. Jack of all trades, each session is a puzzle to be solved as each individual brings their different needs to the table. In a constant state of evolution, Josey's style has transformed from quick, brisque sports massage techniques, to sloth-like somatic healing. Deeply influenced by Traditional Thai Medicine, his practice has slowed into 'listen and wait', allowing the body to relax and release in its own time without expectation.

As a transgender person in our current society, Josey knows well the impact of constant, low-level stress on both the body and mind. They see massage as not only a way to return to our bodies from the allure of dissociation, but also as a way to foster compassion, joy, and non-judgement with those around them. Jokingly referred to as 'The Patch Adams of Massage', Josey often uses his humor as a way to help everyone feel comfortable and happy.

In business practice, Josey took up finance management out of necessity at first, though it quickly turned into a passion. He has been rediscovering the joys of math after believing for many years he was 'no good with numbers'. In a capitalist society, the drive to hoard money and exploit workers is built into the very foundations of the market. Josey wants to challenge this through the practices of ethical money movement and sustainable wealth distribution. He strives to always think critically about consumption, carbon footprint, and the global impact even the smallest of businesses can have.

"When I first became a massage therapist, I never thought I would be running my own business. It's challenging in ways I could have never anticipated but rewarding in ways I would have never imagined. I'm so proud to be working alongside Mackenzie and Ash, and I couldn't ask for better partners. It's hard to describe the feeling at times. We are attempting to reshape the landscape of capitalist business practices in our image. I hope that Resolve can help be a model for a new kind of world, where sustainability, community care, and mutual aid are valued over gilding our tombs."

Ash Schweitzer, LMT | Co-Owner, Activities Coordinator | she/they

Ash has spent four of her seven years in the practice of massage therapy at Resolve, offering effective bodywork and dependable administrative support all the while.

Passionate about community care, her drive to help others has a much older origin. Before massage therapy, Ash spent three years as a social worker in crisis intervention + case management, during which time she independently facilitated support groups for survivors of domestic violence. She is also a trained peer support specialist, and has worked with many people experiencing addiction, recovery, and associated hardships.

As an owner of Resolve, Ash supports Josey + Mackenzie by managing the organization of events with network partners and establishments. Additionally, they facilitate massage accessibility via management of fundraising for specific community incentives such as free massage events for non-profit workers and activists, low- and no-cost services for members of marginalized communities, sliding scale informative workshops, and more.

Ash’s unique understanding of internal and external manifestations of trauma offers Resolve the informed and compassionate perspective we need to make our dream of offering sustainable community outreach a reality.

“Community care has always been a focus for me, but since moving to Richmond and seeing mutual aid in action through the BLM movement + support offered during the pandemic, I’ve been inspired to use what I have to offer in a way that supports those in my community.”