Today we’d like to introduce you to China Facchini.
Hi China, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I graduated high school in 1997 and went straight into the culinary industry, working at a high-end restaurant, The Bee & Thistle Inn in Old Lyme, Connecticut. While I was there, I met a coworker who was attending massage therapy school. Until then, I didn’t even realize massage therapy was a standalone profession you could study directly — I assumed it required a doctorate — and at that point in my life I wasn’t especially interested in more schooling.
She invited me to an open house at CCMT, and something clicked immediately. I felt strongly that I was where I was supposed to be. The admissions team did not initially agree. I wasn’t accepted into the first track of classes I applied for, so I continued working and applied again for the next start date. I was turned down a second time. Whether it was my age or my unrelated work background, I’m not sure — but I persisted and applied a third time. That time I was conditionally accepted, with the requirement that I complete a three-day intensive introductory massage course. That experience confirmed I was on the right path.
In school, I excelled. It felt less like learning something foreign and more like learning the correct terminology for instincts I already had. After graduating, I stayed involved as a volunteer teacher’s assistant and Anatomy & Physiology tutor, which is where my mentorship and teaching path began. Alongside that, I worked in a rehabilitation center for several years and trained in Ashiatsu with DeepFeet Bar Therapy in 2003. By 2005, I left the restaurant industry completely and committed full-time to massage therapy, working with the New England Training Center for DeepFeet Bar Therapy and assisting regularly with classes. I also became an authorized instructor for Healing Stone Massage.
In 2011, I moved to New Jersey and spent time focused on my family before relocating to Myrtle Beach in 2012. There were no DeepFeet-based Ashiatsu studios in the area, so I started my own. That became Ashiatsu Myrtle Beach. I invested in portable Ashiatsu bars, participated in local events, and worked to build awareness of barefoot massage in the community. In 2017, I was invited to pursue instructor training with DeepFeet Bar Therapy, and by early 2019 I was fully authorized. I added Sarga Bodywork training in 2020, began teaching MORE DeepFeet classes, and became a Sarga Bodywork Instructor in 2025.
Today, I am the Founder and Co-Director of the South Carolina Massage Championship, a founding member of the American Competitive Massage Alliance, and the lead creator of the Barefoot Bodywork category in U.S. massage competition. I actively practice and teach both DeepFeet Bar Therapy and Sarga Bodywork, and I continue to focus on advancing barefoot massage through education, competition, and professional mentorship.
Currently, I am the only person in the world that both actively practices & teaches for both DeepFeet Bar Therapy and Sarga Bodywork Offering 6 stand-alone classes in my classroom studio in Myrtle Beach.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
During these years of building my career, I also got married and had three children. My husband works in hotel management, and his career took our family to several different states. Each move meant rebuilding my practice from the ground up — new clients, new networks, new logistics. After each child, I took one to two years off and later returned part-time before scaling back up. Those cycles were challenging but manageable, and each one forced me to reset, adapt, and refine how I worked.
The most significant setback came in May 2022. The building where I was practicing was put up for sale, and the new owner chose not to continue operating a spa. A colleague and I decided to move into a larger studio space so I could maintain a private treatment room and also build out a dedicated classroom for training. I invested four months into renovations, equipment, and supplies, with more than $30,000 put into the build-out. We opened on August 16, 2022, and business was going very well.
On September 1, 2023, just after our one-year anniversary, a fire started in the building. Something ignited and smoldered for hours, producing extreme heat, smoke, and heavy industrial soot that coated the studio in a thick, tar-like residue. When the fire department responded in the early morning hours, the volume of water required to extinguish the fire caused additional damage. Both my studio and the one below it were rendered unusable for months.
Despite the disruption, I continued operating. I relocated temporarily and worked from multiple borrowed and short-term spaces while the investigation proceeded. Ultimately, the cause of the fire could not be definitively determined, and all insurance claims were denied. The financial and operational impact has been long-lasting, and even now the effects are still being worked through. Even so, I have continued moving forward, rebuilding, teaching, and serving my clients and students.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My work centers on a highly intuitive connection to the human body and a touch-based assessment style that allows me to quickly understand what is happening in the tissues. I’m known for delivering consistently therapeutic, deep work without the excessive next-day soreness people often associate with deep tissue massage. My goal is always effective results paired with a sustainable, intelligent approach to pressure and technique.
Education is a major part of my brand. As an instructor, I’m known for being approachable, patient, and adaptable. I tailor my teaching style to the individual student rather than forcing every learner into a rigid model. I encourage critical thinking and customization, giving students permission to adjust techniques to fit their own bodies and biomechanics while still honoring core principles. That flexibility helps therapists build long, healthy careers instead of short, injury-prone ones.
Community building is another defining pillar of my work. I actively promote collaboration over competition and believe there is room for many successful practitioners in this field. I support and mentor other therapists — especially women — and take pride in creating environments where peers encourage one another’s growth. I believe success is not diminished by sharing knowledge; it multiplies.
What sets my practice apart is depth of experience and integration. I have been practicing massage therapy for more than 25 years and barefoot bodywork for over two decades. My sessions are not locked into a single modality. I blend techniques and tools based on what the client needs in that moment, which may include Ashiatsu, Sarga Bodywork, heated CoreStone work, assisted stretching, TOK Sen Hammering methods, or other specialized techniques. I charge for my time and expertise, not by modality, so each session is fully customized.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of being recognized by colleagues and students as a mentor and leader in the profession. That trust and respect mean more to me than titles. I take the responsibility seriously and remain committed to advancing standards, education, and opportunity within barefoot and therapeutic bodywork.
How do you define success?
To me, success isn’t just about awards or money, it’s about impact, integrity, and growth. I measure it by seeing my students and colleagues thrive, knowing I’ve empowered them to reach their potential while staying true to my own standards. Success is building community instead of competition, creating spaces where others can rise alongside me, and leaving a lasting, positive influence in my field.
On a personal level, success is resilience. It’s showing up even when life throws fire: sometimes literally. in my path, continuing to practice, teach, and innovate. It’s doing work I love, helping others transform their bodies and careers, and being recognized not just as an expert, but as a mentor and guide.
Pricing:
- I charge for my time.
- I don’t believe in discounting my work
- I empower others to charge their worth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashiatsumyrtlebeach.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chinabomb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshiatsuMyrtleBeach
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinafacchini/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AshiatsuMyrtleBeach
