UGNAYAN
A healing practice anchored in body work, community care & ancestral guidance
About Ugnayan (oog-NAH-yan)
Ugnayan is a holistic healing practice that honors individual and communal well-being, rooted in connection and tradition. In addition to manual body therapies, Ugnayan offers ancestral readings, respite services, and sharing circles to support transformative processes.
Desiree Raquepo
Specialized Massage Therapist, End-Of-Life Care Consultant
Massothérapeute-Kinésithérapeute, Conseillère en Soins En Fin de Vie
Desiree Raquepo is a holistic care practitioner with 10+ years of experience in manual body therapies. She studied kinesitherapy integrated massage at l'Institut Kiné-Concept, lymphatic draining at l'École À Fleur de Peau and craniosacral therapy at École Setsuko, providing her a deep understanding of healing through the body. Desiree works with clients experiencing a range of conditions, including pelvic floor imbalances, frozen shoulders, chronic headaches, pinched nerves, and mental health challenges like PTSD, BPD, anxiety, and depression.
In 2022, Desiree expanded her spiritual and healing practices by enrolling at Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing in Bulacan, Philippines. Through her mentors, she learned Hilot Binabaylan healing practices and earned her indigenous name, ᜇᜌᜅ᜔ ᜄᜇ ᜎᜓᜎᜈᜈ᜔ (Dayang Gara Lulanann). This name, given to her by her mentors, deeply connects her to her people and pre-colonial roots. She uses tools such as Kilubansa Medicine, Tawas Sa Papel & SiAdTala oracle messages, to receive guidance and messages from Ancestral spirits. Her practice, Ugnayan—Tagalog for "correlation, relation, and connection"—focuses on fostering self-healing, self-awareness, and spiritual wellness.
She recently completed training in Contemplative End-Of-Life Care (Thanadoula or death doula services) offered by the Institute of Traditional Medicine and is offering free consultations on navigating death, dying, bereavement and caregiver respite. In her spare time, she volunteers at Sainte-Mary's Hospital in oncology and palliative care, and at the Indigenous Health Center of Tiotiah:ke offering free massages over clothing.
"As a massage therapist, we always have to do our inner work in order to work on—and with—other people. It goes hand in hand."
For Desiree, self-healing is grounded in accountability and trust. By facilitating people’s connections to their own capabilities, she fosters both personal empowerment and communal growth.
“The more we invest time in our own healing, the better we’ll be at taking care of each other.”
Offrant un espace pour s'encrer,
se reconnecter & le relâchement
(Français - Traduit par Google)
Ugnayan est une pratique holistique encrée en kinésitherapie, drainage lymphatique, therapie craniosacré, et support en soins palliatifs et en soins de fin-de-vie. Outre les thérapies corporelles manuelles, elle organise des cercles de partage ou des retraites silencieuses pour accompagner des personnes à travers leurs processus de transformation. Elle utilise également des outils du Hilot Binabaylan, tels que la médecine Kilubansa, le Tawas Sa Papel et les messages oraculaires SiAdTala, pour recevoir des conseils et des messages des esprits ancestraux.
« Ugnayan » est un mot tagalog qui signifie « corrélation, relation et connexion ». Desiree Raquepo est une Philippine de deuxième génération avec plus de 10 ans d'expérience en thérapies corporelles manuelles. Présentement, elle offre en bénévolance au Centre de Santé des Autochtones de Tiohtià:ke et elle dédie quelques heures par semaine en assistant les patients en soins Palliatifs à l'hopitale Sainte-Mary's
Desiree intervient auprès des femmes enceintes, des personnes souffrant d'épaules bloquées, de migraines et de maux de tête chroniques, de nerfs pincés (sciatiques, syndrome du canal carpien, etc.), de déséquilibres tensionnels et posturaux, ainsi qu'auprès des personnes souffrant de syndrome de stress post-traumatique, de trouble de la personnalité limite, d'anxiété et de dépression.