Debra Lustberg, Karuna Shala's Co-Owner & Director of Massage Therapy, is a caring and nurturing person with an adventurous spirit.  She has a deep connection with nature and a passion for travel. Her travels have led her across the US, South East Asia, India, Central America, New Zealand and Australia.  Each of these adventures has influenced Debra’s life

and practice in a unique and significant way.    

Debra began exploring the healing arts and practicing yoga in 1997. She was driven by the desire to learn holistic healing methods as an alternative to traditional Western medicine. Since then, her studies in Eastern and Western Massage & Bodywork techniques, Reiki, Yoga & Meditation have shaped Debra’s understanding of the deep connection between the mind and body.   Debra believes that massage and bodywork has the ability to help everyone - physically, mentally and emotionally.   She enjoys taking time to understand

her clients in order to address their specific needs. Whether enabling a client to breathe easier and relax, feel nurtured through touch, or recover from surgery

or other injuries, Debra practices massage as a

healing modality that helps to enhance her client’s body-awareness and help to teach the body to heal itself.  

Debra is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Reiki Master.  She received her massage training at The Healing Hands Institute in Westwood, NJ and her Advanced Thai Massage Certification at The Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai, Thailand.  In addition, Debra has studied yoga while in Rishikesh, India and will be receiving her Ayurvedic Bodyworker’s Certification at Kripalu in July 2009.

Caitlin O’Neill is an artist and a free spirit whose path has led her towards the healing arts.  Caitlin has studied Fine Arts and Eastern Philosophy , and at age 23, Caitlin began studying Massage Therapy and Reiki, and now looks forward to continuing her studies in holistic healing.

Caitlin feels that bodywork is the ultimate way to combine her passions; she utilizes her spirituality, intuition, creativity, and extensive knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology to customize every treatment.  Caitlin is constantly learning from each client and new experience, making every day truly exciting.

Caitlin has received her 600 Hour New Jersey Massage Therapy Certification, Reiki Level 1 Certification, and is a member of the Associated Massage and Bodywork Professionals.  In 2008, Caitlin also received her Neuromuscular Massage and Trigger Point Therapy Certification, which focuses on sports massage, pain relief, and injury recovery.

Caitlin feels that massage and bodywork are an essential part of health maintenance, allowing us to become more aware of ourselves, furthering our mind-body connection.  When our energy is flowing freely, and our bodies remember how to heal themselves, we function at our highest level and live a balanced life.  Massage and reiki have profoundly changed Caitlin’s life in the most positive way, and she hopes to share  this positive energy with everyone she meets!

Maria-Elena Conte, CMT is a nurturing person at heart that has always had a deep connection to the healing arts. She first studied massage therapy at the Therapeutic Massage and Training Center where she became certified in Swedish, Deep Tissue and Reflexology. Throughout the years she has worked in various spas and clinics where she has honed her massage skills.  Working in a more holistic setting however, is where she feels right at home.

Maria-Elena practices mindful deep tissue work, which relieves chronic pain due to injury or overuse.  She specializes in trigger point therapy which she often incorporates into her massages.  She is a natural born healer and gives a truly relaxing and spiritual massage.

On weekends Maria-Elena can be found rocking babies as a volunteer at Hudson Cradle, a group home in Jersey City providing care to homeless infants with special health and developmental needs. She says, “It is my hope that my healing energy grows from my connection to the Earth and from every person I touch.” For Maria-Elena, it’s all part of the same big tapestry of healing.

Natalie Ullmann began her journey into healing many years ago during her graduate work in psychology.  Disillusioned with results she saw in herself and others from talk therapy she delved into exploration of the mind-body connection.  Her journey has included deep exploration of the many dimensions of yoga, extensive training in Shiatsu, Shin Tai, additional studies in ayurveda, thai massage, healing with whole foods and the use of voice and mantra as a means of emotional healing.