As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, the city’s wellness community has rallied to support victims and firefighters. From free massages for first responders to meditation sessions, practitioners are providing solace during a time of widespread devastation.
Zuma Beach is now an Incident Command Center for the Los Angeles Fire Department. There, a corner of the lot has transformed into a serene massage station. Organized by the nonprofit Do Good Bus, 13 massage therapists and a chiropractor offer free pain relief to firefighters returning from grueling shifts.
“Our most critical need is helping first responders. That’s what we’re focused on right now,” explains Do Good Bus board member Erika Swartley. “These [firefighters], they’re moving trees, they’re on their feet for really long periods of time. This allows them to renew.”
Therapists Provide Emotional Support
The emotional toll of the wildfires has mobilized grief therapists across the city. Santa Monica-based therapist Claire Bidwell Smith launched Elegy, an online hub for grief resources. The platform includes articles, book recommendations, and a steadily growing list of therapists donating their services. Bidwell Smith has also started a weekly virtual grief support group for displaced residents and those who have lost homes.
“There are so many aspects coming from this disaster—it feels very similar to COVID times,” she says. “But grief is a really big one that needs to be acknowledged and supported.”
West Hollywood therapist Dana Nassau offers free Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) sessions for fire-related trauma. She explains the program’s value: “It’s a form of trauma therapy that can have a large effect in a relatively short period of time. It essentially shifts how we relate to traumatic experiences.”
A public Google sheet circulating in L.A. lists more than 900 therapists who have offered free services to help residents process their fire-related trauma.
Yoga and Meditation for Healing
Empowered Yoga Studio in West Adams provides free yoga classes to anyone impacted by the fires. Co-owner Rachel Hirsch explains, “It’s not just the people who are displaced—everyone is impacted. Whole ZIP codes are gone now, and that is traumatic for those people, but it also impacts the city broadly. It’s important to show up for one another, hold space for each other, as we flow through these emotions.”
The studio also hosts donation-based classes to support the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and offers “pay-it-forward packages” purchased by supporters from as far away as Austria and the U.K. “It’s incredible, the outpouring. People care,” Hirsch confirms.
Sweet Antelope is another West Adams organization. They will host a free “Dance Your Ass Off” event for displaced residents. Organizer Kristina Robbins shares, “I truly believe there is no greater source of wellness than a feeling of belonging.”
At Zula Den wellness center, free sessions include reiki, acupuncture, and sound baths. Zula’s creative director, Bar Asolin, explains the impact of these practices: “Sound baths are a form of meditation and allow anyone going through stress a way to deeply unwind. Reiki and breathwork—it helps people process emotions too.”
In Santa Monica, artist Jess Mack leads nature-focused meditations at Merrihew’s Sunset Gardens. “People are feeling really ungrounded—it’s a time of great uncertainty—and this is very regulating,” Mack says. “You use your body and breath as an instrument for healing.”
Small Acts, Big Impact
Small gestures are also making a difference. Laurel Canyon mobile manicurist Vanessa McCullough offers free manicures and pedicures to evacuees. She explains her motivation: “It’s extremely important to continue to provide yourself with self-care, especially in stressful situations that are out of our control.”
In a symbolic effort, the pro-democracy group 14th Now organized a healing snow ceremony. Members gathered snow in Washington, D.C., and shipped it to L.A. There, it will be melted and poured near the Hollywood sign in what organizer Dael Wilcox calls a “symbol of water to quench and heal the ground.”
A Community United
Through massages, therapy, yoga, and countless small gestures, Los Angeles’ wellness community is showing the power of collective care. Their selfless efforts provide relief—and hope—to a city facing enormous challenges.
