Maxwell Merila

The person you'll work with every time you visit Merila Massage.

I'm Max, a licensed massage therapist (LMT) and the owner of Merila Massage — a private studio in the Tangletown neighborhood of South Minneapolis offering massage therapy with techniques including deep tissue, sports, lymphatic drainage, and relaxation massage. 

I've spent more than a decade working with bodies of all kinds, from people dealing with stubborn pain and tension to athletes trying to stay active and move better.

Why I Started Merila Massage

I started out working in a range of settings — chiropractic offices, massage clinics, chair massage, and in-home sessions — and along the way I learned that no two bodies, or massages, should be exactly alike. 

That's what eventually led me to open Merila Massage: a private practice where I can slow things down, get to know the people I work with, and focus on what each person actually needs.

New clients get $20 off the first visit with the code ‘FIRST’ — book online.

A Licensed Massage Therapist That Starts by Paying Attention

I don't run the same routine on every client.

I start by figuring out what's bothering you and what might be contributing to it. From there, I adjust the techniques, pressure, and areas we focus on based on how your body responds. Sometimes that means focused deep tissue work. Sometimes it's stretching and mobility work. Sometimes you just need to relax and give your nervous system a chance to settle down. Most sessions are some combination.

My goal is for you to leave feeling better —and to actually make progress toward moving and feeling better outside the massage room, too.

A Decade of Professional Massage Experience

Today, alongside running Merila Massage, I'm also an instructor at the Professional Massage Academy, where I help train future massage therapists in hands-on technique and the realities of working with clients. I keep learning because bodies are complicated, and getting better at this work means never assuming you already know everything.

Training & experience include:

  • Licensed Massage Therapist (L.M.T.)

  • Graduate of the Aveda Institute Minneapolis

  • Three certifications in Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques

  • Certified Lymphedema Therapist (C.L.T.)

  • Deep tissue, sports, and Swedish massage

  • Stretching and mobility-focused techniques

  • More than a decade of hands-on experience

When I'm Not in the Massage Studio

I'm a pretty laid-back person, and outside of work I like to stay active myself. Pickleball has been a recent obsession of mine — and, somewhat less conventionally, I also can juggle fire while riding a unicycle.

Being active gives me some firsthand appreciation for the difference between the good soreness that comes from doing something you love and the kind of tightness or pain that starts getting in the way of it.

You don't need to be an athlete to come see me, though. My clients have different bodies, different lifestyles, and different reasons for booking. What matters is figuring out what your body needs.

Come as you are

If you don't know what type of massage or duration you need, use this form tell me what you're feeling or what you'd like to be able to do. I can follow up and recommend what I think will help you most.