The Tufts Office of Public Safety has advised members of the Tufts community to avoid Soarbody Therapeutics, a sports massage therapy business in Somerville, due to inappropriate behavior by its owner, Sam Peck.
In addition to the advisory, the university barred Peck from campus, issued a cease-and-desist letter prohibiting his business from soliciting the Tufts community and referred the matter to law enforcement. The Office of Equal Opportunity has partnered with Cozen O’Connor, a Philadelphia-based law firm, to investigate Soarbody’s conduct.
“Based on the information that we have gathered thus far, we strongly advise that Tufts community members consider an alternative to Soarbody Therapeutics as their provider,” an email from the Office of Public Safety to the Arts, Sciences & Engineering community reads.
Soarbody Therapeutics, one of the massage therapists located at 1236 Broadway in Teele Square, is a “sports performance based practice, dedicated to helping sports athletes in training overcome chronic pain and weaknesses, prevent future injuries, and develop their potential to excel at their sports,” according to its website. Peck is listed as the sole proprietor and is certified as both a strength and conditioning specialist and a licensed massage therapist. Several positive reviews on Google Maps and Yelp suggest that Peck has directly treated Tufts athletes.
“While many individuals describe the practice positively, some have raised concerns about their experiences with Soarbody, including reports of inappropriate comments, conduct, and practices,” the email, attributed to Yolanda Smith, associate vice president of Public Safety and Chief of Police, and Jill Zellmer, coordinator of the OEO, wrote.
A 2021 Yelp review accuses Peck of pressuring a female patient to remove clothing. “He was not sensitive to how uncomfortable he was making her feel,” the reviewer wrote.
This is a developing story.
