San Fransisco · Since 1983
Healing Through Human Connection
Free, trauma-informed massage therapy for people experiencing homelessness and marginalization in San Francisco — meeting them where they are, every week.
40 Years of Measurable Impact
A Legacy Built on Presence
60,000+
Trauma-informed massage sessions delivered — moments of calm, dignity, and grounding
1,000+
Licensed therapists trained in trauma-informed care — long before the term went mainstream
8
Active partner sites in 2025 across the Tenderloin, Mission, SoMa, and Bayview Neighborhoods
20+ Years
Longest-standing partnership, providing consistent weekly care where it’s needed most
The Science of Care
Why Touch Matters
Safe, attuned touch is foundational to whole-person wellbeing. For people experiencing homelessness and chronic trauma, it fills a profound gap that other interventions cannot reach.
Regulates the Nervous System
Consensual touch activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering cortisol and stress hormones.
Improves Emotional Wellbeing
Consistent sessions reduce anxiety, ease chronic pain, and support recovery and stability.
Restores Human Connection
For isolated individuals, safe touch can be the only affirming human contact they experience in a week.
Addresses an Unmet Need
Massage therapy for people experiencing homelessness remains a rare, underfunded intervention.
Research-backed approach: Trauma-informed bodywork has been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms, improve emotional regulation, and support long-term wellbeing in populations experiencing chronic adversity.
The CTI Model
How Our Care is Delivered
No Barrier Access
We remove every obstacle between a person and care.
Free, clothed 15-minute sessions
No appointment or ID required
Delivered in shelters, clinics, churches, and on the streets
50+ clients served weekly on average
Trauma-Informed Practice
Every interaction is built on safety, consent, and trust.
Client-led consent at every step
Nonjudgmental, culturally responsive care
Practitioners trained in trauma response
Context-informed, on-site training model
Consistent Weekly Presence
Reliability is itself a form of healing.
Licensed massage therapists
Weekly visits at the same sites
Integrated with partner organization services
Long-term relationship-based care
Frequently Asked Questions
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Trauma-informed massage prioritizes safety, choice, and dignity. Our practitioners meet people exactly as they are, using slow, responsive touch, clear communication, and consistent boundaries to create a sense of calm and trust.
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CTI serves unhoused and marginalized populations, trauma survivors, older adults, and people living with chronic pain or isolation. We meet clients where they are—shelters, clinics, drop-in centers, transitional housing, and other community spaces.
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Sessions typically last about 15 minutes. This is enough time for the body to relax and experience relief while remaining accessible for people who may find stillness challenging due to trauma.
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No. All CTI services are free and offered with no barriers to care, ensuring accessibility for the people who need it most.
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CTI is the only organization in San Francisco—and one of very few nationally—providing consistent, free, trauma-informed massage through long-term community partnerships. Our approach emphasizes continuity, trust, advocacy, and practitioner training, not just a one-time session.
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Yes. All CTI practitioners begin as volunteers and receive specialized training in trauma-informed massage, social awareness, and presence. Volunteers provide hands-on care, gain practical experience, and contribute to meaningful relationships with clients and communities.
Client Story
A Routine That Became a Lifeline
Foote has been a familiar face at one of our partner sites for over 20 years. Living with substance use disorder, he found that weekly massage became far more than physical relief — it became a grounding anchor in a life that offered few reliable constants.
For Foote, consistency mattered. And we showed up — every week, for over two decades.
Foote credits this consistent, caring presence with supporting his sobriety from alcohol and methamphetamine. It wasn't a single intervention or a crisis service. It was showing up, week after week, and treating him with dignity.
This is what long-term, trust-based care looks like. And it's why your support matters.
20+ Years Together
Community Partnerships
Showing Up Consistently
We embed trauma-informed care directly within trusted community settings across San Francisco's most underserved neighborhoods — building relationships that last for decades, not months.
Tenderloin
Mission
SoMa
Bayview
2025 Active Partner Sites
Harm Reduction Therapy Center
Tom Waddell Urban Health Clinic
Hospitality House
Mission Neighborhood Resource Center
St. Anthony Foundation
The Gubbio Project
Healing Well
Martin De Porres House
Become a Partner Site
We work alongside shelters, clinics, community centers, and service organizations to integrate compassionate touch into existing care ecosystems.
