Once Bridget Herring discovered her passion for healing bodywork, there was no going back. She and her husband, Chris, have trained extensively in various massage techniques, and their studies have taken them around the world and back to Birmingham, where they co-founded The Ōha.
Nestled in Forest Park off Clairmont Avenue, The Ōha is a bodywork center focused on holistic well-being through services like massage, yoga, meditation, and traditional Hawaiian healing. Get to know Bridget Herring of The Ōha!
First, tell us about you! Are you from Birmingham originally?
I came to Birmingham with my husband, Chris, and three children in 2012 after losing my Montevallo home in a fire. At the time, Chris worked downtown at AT&T. After the fire, moving closer to his work simplified life.
I did not expect to like living in the city but very quickly fell in love with the big, small-town feel of our Forest Park/Crestwood community. The diversity, entertainment, and educational opportunities made Birmingham a fun place to live for all of us.
How did you find your way to the work you do?
When AT&T closed its downtown branch in 2017, Chris and I made some big changes career-wise. We both went to the Birmingham School of Massage and were licensed in therapeutic massage and Neuromuscular therapy.
Learning about bodywork and doing the practices changed our personal health and lives. We began to see our chronic health problems improve. In our work with clients, we witnessed improvements in everything from mood to muscle strain with therapeutic care.
We became passionate about the benefits of therapeutic touch, movement practices, and a caring presence. After the Birmingham School of Massage, we studied craniosacral therapy at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Living on campus as part of a work-study program, we had the opportunity to interact and learn from bodyworkers around the world while participating in breathwork, Gestalt, and Feldenkrais groups.
After Esalen and over the next five years, we studied with traditional bodyworkers and wisdom teachers in Belize, Tulum, and Maui. I also completed my 500-hour yoga teacher certification and certifications in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) hypnosis and as an aerialist and AcroYoga teacher in addition to my Reiki Master teacher training.
Tell us how The Ōha came to be.
At the end of our extensive studies in Maui with the Native Hawaiian teacher Kumu Jeana Iwalani Naluai, we decided on the name The Ōha to honor the lineage and aloha practices passed to us. Hawaiian bodywork practices are simple but deeply effective. “Ōha” means enlightenment, joy, and friendly sharing. At the Ōha, my goal, and I believe my accomplishment, is a welcoming space to explore the mind-body connection.
Can you explain the bodywork, goals, and various modalities you practice?
Bodywork refers to therapeutic practices involving manual manipulation of the breath and the energetic and physical body. In a private session, we may do massage, assisted stretching, body walking, fire cupping, reflexology, heated infrared sauna, aromatherapy, deep tissue buccal and facial massage, scrubs, kava or cleansing teas, light therapy, breathwork, sound baths, Reiki energy work, Yoga asanas or yoni steams. The combination of modalities creates a one-of-a-kind spa ritual.
The Ōha also offers weekly aerial yoga, vinyasa and primal flow, yin, and restorative yoga classes in addition to fun classes like AcroYoga, Buti Movement, fan dancing, partner yoga classes, book club, moon circles, and craft nights. A central component of our Hawaiian practice is community, so The Ōha’s classes are created with a format of inclusion and safety.
What is the most important aspect of your work?
The connection and human interaction. In this fast-paced, tech-heavy world, the most important aspect of life is the connections we experience with ourselves and others. When we feel seen and heard, we begin to process the information the body has for us. Learning how to slow down and listen can bring big shifts in the quality of life we experience and the patterns we practice.
What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
Being a small niche business, I get the luxury of personalized client care. Many of my clients have been with me for years, and I’m happy with the reputation and results of the work and care I have earned. When my clients feel better and have better health and less addiction, pain, or injury, they are better neighbors, wives, students, and happier humans. Seeing my clients find relief, regain movement, and reconnect with themselves brings profound fulfillment. It’s rewarding to do work that enriches our world.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I paint, garden, roller skate, and acro in the park. Whenever I can get away for a few days, you’ll likely find me at the beach — if I can surf or boogie board, even better! Every Monday is hiking day. The time in nature is a necessary self-care practice to balance out the week I spend in the studio.
Who or what is inspiring you right now?
I’m constantly inspired by learning new things and having new adventures. Right now, I’m working on my birth doula and personal trainer certifications. This past year, I took a trapeze class and have done so many unexpected and wildly rewarding skills in acro. The human body’s capacity to relearn and rewire is truly amazing.
What is your best piece of advice?
The effects of our habits (good and bad) show up in our bodies and lives. So, make good habits, think good thoughts, and love people, including yourself. Aloha your body, your family, and life everyday.
Name three things you can’t live without.
At my age, I know life goes on, and I can live without nearly anything, but I do find a deeper sweetness when I have a weekly massage, spend time in nature, and savor the deep satisfaction that comes from doing good work that I enjoy while improving people’s lives and making the Magic City a little more magical.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
Last delicious local meal: Shu Shop
Favorite place to vacation: TopSail Preserve near Destin
Your go-to gift to give: A massage, of course!
Book(s) on your bedside table: When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate and Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Birmingham women are doing inspiring work. Meet more of them over at our FACES archives!
