Hannah & Luis founded Soft Space as a reflection of balance
Hannah and Luis grew up differently in many ways. Luis learned to be active at a young age, and Hannah came into movement later in life. Hannah's wellness beginnings were in yoga, and Luis's were in strength & conditioning, as well as cross-country running. As they grew closer, their approaches to fitness and wellness began to develop, intertwine, and balance one another.
They each came to realize how their perspectives enhanced each other — strength leads to flexibility and flexibility to strength. Just like Aesop's Fable of The Oak and the Reed, there is strength in softness. They’ve dreamed for years of creating a space where they could facilitate people finding deep connections to their own bodies and communities, and they’re thrilled, now, to share that with you.
Meet
Founders
the
Hannah Yzusqui
Co-founder,
Strength Coach,
Operations
Finding my way out of chronic pain and depression gave me a new life. Now I dedicate myself to sharing what I learned with you. A combination of Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and severe scoliosis brought me to a point of debilitating chronic pain by my mid-teens. Following a spinal fusion surgery, I still suffered. By my twenties, years into the depression that is almost inevitable when a body struggles, I slowly began to explore the practice of Yoga because it felt like the most accessible form of movement, something my sedentary body craved. It fundamentally altered the path of my life.
Finding the courage to try strength training is when I was truly transformed. Using the awareness that I’d cultivated in my Yoga practice, I moved with caution as I unlearned how my body had tried to protect itself. Replacing the stiffness (that had developed in place of necessary stability) with strength, and learning how to relieve tension in muscles that at first refused to let go. This initiated a chain reaction by leading me to food choices that nourished me, finding ways to manage my sleep to allow for necessary recovery, and sorting through the feelings that arose as I chased my new direction. Before long, this led me to divert away from my career in Civil Engineering to pursue one in wellness full time. However, the attention to detail and interest in problem-solving and pattern-finding stayed with me.
My work is an aggregate of a wide array of studies and disciplines. I will always continue to learn, from leaders in the field and from those who I work with day-to-day. I empathize with the innumerable facets of the human condition and hold space without judgment. I was certified as a Yoga instructor in 2015 and have been working with people as a personal trainer since 2016.
My practice has expanded to include forms of self-myofascial release/soft tissue work, incorporation of somatic awareness, pain psychology, and nervous system connection. I thrive working with folks who have started with fitness/movement and stopped due to injuries, strange symptoms, or life circumstances, and people who want to find a steady way to keep going and integrate new routines into their lives. From the person who has never set foot into a gym to the former athlete who wants to cultivate a new relationship with their body, I believe all of our stories and needs overlap in shared humanity - body, mind, and heart.
Luis Yzusqui
Co-founder,
Massage Therapist,
Strength Coach
Born in Lima Peru, raised in Miami, building in Boston. I come from a hardworking immigrant family who emigrated to the states in 1996 looking for a better life.
I found fitness in my teens, and I owe so much to the strength rooms I grew up in. It gave me the resiliency and the experience I needed to navigate the world as a young man. To this day, the weight room is a place where I will always feel centered and my truest self.
I grew up as a musician as well. I started playing the trumpet and guitar at the age of 13.
There’s many parallels between music and strength training. Such as being in tune and being in rhythm with one’s self. But most importantly allowing yourself to be vulnerable in order to create great music, I believe that’s a skill that translates into teaching and being able to understand one’s body.
I moved to Boston as soon as I turned 20. During my time here I’ve worked with an array of people ranging from athletes to the general population, to anyone who’s looking to gain an edge both mentally and physically. Within the past decade and a half, I’ve worked and managed at Mike’s Fitness JP where I developed my brand Loustrong. I’ve also worked at XPA Sports Performance training young high school/collegiate athletes, and as a strength coach at RX Strength Training. I became a Licensed Massage Therapist because I find it important to help people keep their bodies healthy and injury-free. I’m also a brown belt in Brazilian jiujitsu, in where I spend my evenings choking out my friends :)
As married partners, we work daily on our practices & understandings of the mind, body, and the world, perpetually striving to bring you the best coaching and new ideas.
We’re delighted to introduce you to our growing team of practitioners, expanding the spectrum of offerings you can receive here at Soft Space.
Meet
Team
the
Acupuncturist
Joanna Rosene-Mirvis, L.Ac
Hi there! I’m Joanna, a licensed five element acupuncturist and East Asian herbalist, and founder of Milkweed Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine. Through one-on-one inquiry and gentle needling, my individualized treatments seek to address the root causes of illness and discomfort, uncover new ease within our bodies, and connect us more deeply with ourselves. I practice with compassion, non-judgmental presence, and a commitment to constant learning. I am thrilled to bring my offerings to the Soft Space community.
I first received acupuncture 20 years ago – and was immediately captivated by its precision, simplicity, and effectiveness. Around that time, I also began practicing yoga, meditation, and breath work, and reading about nutrition, health, inner development, wisdom traditions, and their areas of intersection. I’ve always been fascinated by the ways we care for ourselves, others, and the earth, and the ways we make meaning.
I initially pursued a career in environmental policy and community development, but soon realized – or rather, gathered the courage to admit to myself – that I most wanted to help individuals transform their lives from the inside out, one-on-one. In my early 20s I also began experiencing chronic pain from Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, along with its host of related physical and emotional impacts. This experience continues to inspire and inform my work with a deeper appreciation of illness, healing, and finding wholeness and liberation within no matter the circumstances.
As a five element acupuncturist, my approach is thorough and grounded in compassion, connection, love, and the classical roots of East Asian medicine. In the treatment room, each unique lived experience is honored. Similar to Soft Space, my mission is to empower each person to meet life from a place of radical wellness, cultivate vitality and resilience, embody their authentic self, and manifest their potential.
Born and raised in Watertown, MA, I am delighted and grateful to serve my home community of Greater Boston. I hold a Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Earth Systems from Stanford University, and a Masters of Acupuncture and a Diploma in Chinese Herbal Medicine from the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture in Gainesville, FL. Outside the treatment room, I love to cook, talk and laugh with family and friends, spend as much time outdoors as I can, open-water swim in Walden Pond seasonally, and make nature-inspired art.
Lea Thompson
Strength Coach
Throughout my life, I have found solace in two things: art and movement. These passions have served as starting points for meaningful conversations and have led me to the vibrant community I cherish today. My goal is to create spaces where others can explore these outlets and forge their own connections.
My love for movement has always been a constant, but my true journey into the fitness and wellness world began in college. As I studied printmaking and psychology, I sought various ways to express myself and hoped to help those around me. During this time, I struggled with immense anxiety, which often overwhelmed me. Yet, I discovered that the mindfulness of stillness and the strength found in movement offered me a path to clarity amidst the fog.
After college, I immersed myself in fitness classes, particularly cycling, as a means to release tension. This passion deepened when I pursued my certification as a cycle instructor. It was in those moments of witnessing participants transform—entering with one energy and leaving with another—that I found immense joy and purpose. This inspired me to continue my education in the field, culminating in my NASM certification in May 2023.
Since then, I have had the privilege of working alongside talented trainers and began seeing clients in October 2023. I particularly enjoy helping individuals with knee issues, back problems, and those with a history of spinal surgery. Additionally, I am dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment for queer individuals seeking comfort in their bodies—a space where they can feel at ease while pursuing their fitness goals.
Regardless of what your goal may be, I am determined to support you on your journey to find strength and wellness, creating a program that is tailored to your unique needs. Through movement and art, I aspire to build a community where everyone can find strength, healing and connection.
Client Liaison
Megan MacLean
Megan is a restaurant industry veteran and consultant, and has been training here with us for the past 3 years! She runs @mfmhospitality, a consulting agency specializing in hospitality focused projects and private events. She lives in JP with her senior dog Rosie and loves swimming, sunshine, and lifting weights.
Her role here consists of managing communications - she’ll be your go to for questions, new member onboarding, and lots of the behind the scenes stuff that helps this ship run. We are incredibly grateful for her help here and there’s no one we’d trust more to take up these reins.
Sauna Attendant
Carmen Torrado Gonzalez
Carmen is a full-time student at North Bennet Street School, where she studies bookbinding and books and paper conservation.
She loves to cook, bake, practice yoga, and is teaching herself embroidery.
Carmen recently moved to Somerville, and we are delighted to have her and her care and attention to detail here on the team!
Sauna Attendant
Ash Tammaro
Ash loves to make multimedia art, including all kinds collage and jewelry making, as well as dancing and stretching. She’s into thrifting and clothing swaps and plants parenting.
Making people laugh is one of her specialties, and she is always practicing embracing the whimsy of her inner child.
We are grateful to have her sparkling presence here at the studio!