What is Kavana?
Kavana pronounced Ka-Va-Na means Intention in Hebrew.
Why Kavana? Kavana for me represented what the business embodied – Intention. The intention of the client, the intention of the therapist, the intention of the practice. Everyone can give a massage. We all have the gift of touch regardless of our education. And it is therapeutic and potent, and powerful. When clients tell me that they don’t know how to massage, I always say, “That’s not true, of course you can, we all can.
Kavana is the intention by which our actions take place. According to the Rambam, the essence of Kavana is Awareness and Motivation. Wayne Dyer in his book "The Power of Intention" says that intention is not something you do, but rather something that you tap into - a force that exists in the universe.
So when it came to choosing the name of my practice, I asked myself, what differentiates my practice from that of others… and immediately the answer came – INTENTION and EDUCATION.
At Kavana Healing Arts Spa we practice the art of healing intention. We believe that in order to achieve healing, each treatment session must begin with therapeutic intent. To do this we conduct thorough client assessments and direct our heart toward the therapeutic goals of each and every client.
“An intuitive approach based on focused intention, deep breathing and healing touch, backed by sound training and thorough client assessment.”
CEO and Founder
Ady Burgida
"Our goal is not to replace medical care. It is to expand what excellent hands-on care can contribute to it."
LMT, CST, MFR Founder & Clinical Director, Kavana Healing Arts Center
About Our Founder
Ady sees therapeutic touch as both science and artistry — a precise understanding of anatomy paired with a deep respect for the body’s innate capacity to heal.
Her journey began early. At just nine years old, Ady was navigating an undiagnosed medical condition. With persistence, curiosity, and determination far beyond her years, she learned to advocate for her own healing. Meditation, intuitive touch, essential oils, breathwork, nutrition, and rest became her medicine long before they were common language in wellness. That early initiation shaped her philosophy: the body holds extraordinary intelligence — and with the right guidance, it knows how to return to balance.
This belief has guided Ady for more than two decades in clinical practice.
Clinical Training & Expertise
Ady Burgida has spent more than twenty years at the intersection of medical science, therapeutic touch, and human resilience. Her work is guided by a central belief: the human body is designed for healing, and with skilled support, that intelligence can be activated and restored.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and extensive advanced training in evidence-based manual therapies, Ady bridges clinical rigor with intuitive precision. Her approach brings together anatomy, nervous-system science, trauma-informed awareness, and refined therapeutic touch — offering patients a space where their physiology, psychology, and lived experience are all respected in the healing process.
Ady’s foundation blends rigorous medical study with advanced manual training. She earned a Bachelor’s in Biology, then trained as a Licensed Massage Therapist, focusing on evidence-based therapeutic modalities. Her continuing education includes:
- Craniosacral Therapy & SomatoEmotional Release — Upledger Institute
- Myofascial Release Therapy — John Barnes Approach
- Lymphatic Drainage Therapy — Bruno Chikly, MD, DO
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Rehabilitation — Dr. Mariano Rocabado
- Thai Massage & Reflexology — Old Medicine Hospital & Wat Pho, Thailand
- Neuromuscular Therapy, Reiki & Medical Massage Intensives
Through years of practice, Ady developed her own clinical assessment and treatment protocols, particularly in TMJ dysfunction, head and neck pain, and complex pain patterns. Her approach has made her a trusted referral partner for physicians, dentists, oral specialists, and surgeons throughout Houston — including the late Dr. Ronald Auvenshine, a leading expert in TMJ rehabilitation. She is also the go-to therapist for several professional athletes in Houston.
Kavana Healing Arts Center
Founded in 2005, Kavana was created as a place of intention — where advanced therapeutic bodywork meets compassionate care. Ady carefully selects and trains each therapist, building a team committed to medical-massage excellence and a client-centered philosophy.
Kavana means intention — and that intention lives in every treatment.
Ady created Kavana Healing Arts Center in 2005 as a response to a gap she saw in healthcare:
Patients deserve care that honors both the science of the body and the wisdom within it.
Here, medical massage is not a luxury service — it is a therapeutic modality practiced with precision, clarity, and deep respect for human physiology. Each therapist is selected and trained not only for their technical skill, but also their capacity for presence, curiosity, and compassionate intelligence.
Today, Kavana is known for its clinical skill, thoughtful environment, and collaborative partnerships with the healthcare community.
A Global Lens on Healing & Humanity
Born to Eastern European parents in Puerto Rico, raised in Barbados, and educated in Israel before settling in the U.S., Ady brings a rich multicultural perspective to her work. Her early exposure to diverse cultures, languages, and human stories strengthened her sensitivity to how life experiences shape the nervous system, the body, and the healing process.
Her clients describe her touch as intuitive, grounded, and precise — and her presence as warm, insightful, and deeply attuned.
Guiding Philosophy
Ady’s work rests on simple truths:
The body is intelligent
Healing is collaborative
Touch is powerful medicine
Science and intuition can coexist
Every person carries a story worth honoring
She and her team are here not to “fix,” but to facilitate each client’s return to alignment, comfort, and wholeness.
A Practice for the Modern Healing Era
Kavana is built for individuals seeking more than symptom relief. It exists for those ready to participate actively in their healing — guided, supported, and empowered by clinicians who honor the body’s complexity.
Ady’s mission is not simply to treat pain, but to help people reconnect with their capacity to feel whole, capable, and at home in their bodies.
Clinical skill. Nervous-system awareness. Intention.
This is modern therapeutic bodywork — where medicine and mindfulness meet.
Our Partners
Our Team
Meet Our Experts
Meet the dedicated professionals at Kavana Wellness Center who are passionate about providing exceptional care and guiding you towards holistic wellness through our specialized treatments.
Stacey Smith
Grew up in the Houston and surrounding area parts of town. First became self-aware as a teenager when she became a lifelong vegetarian. Multi studied modern dance, film photography, journalism/communications, economics, and business in college. Stacey initially entered the health, massage, and skin care arena by becoming involving in the Spa Industry in 2008. Worked her way up to Spa Advisor and Spa Director for local day spas and and was the Business Manager for Kavana Spa from May of 2012-2022. Stacey is now a full-time Licensed Massage Therapist graduated from Avalon School of Massage in the summer of 2019. "I enjoy working both aspects of the business now and it gives me tremendous appreciation for the business as a whole. My clients come to me for a massage and I work with them to develop a plan that will work for their specific needs." Trained in Swedish, Thai, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Aromatherapy, Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy, as well as completion of Level 1 Nutrition from Monash University. Stacey integrates several modalities including meridian lines, trigger point, general stretching, PNF stretching, energy work, CBD, Myofascial work into sessions with her clients as well. "I want to continue learning techniques and always expanding my knowledge!"
Ta'lia Woodard
Welcome Ta'lia to the Spa! Ta'lia is a LMT and a graduate of the Avalon School of Massage. Ta'lia has been legally blind since the age of 7. But as you know where one sense lacks the other(s) enhance and Ta'lia's touch is remarkable!
