Massage Therapy
What is Massage?
Massage therapy is defined as the scientific and systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the human body. So what does that actually mean? Simply put, massage therapy is a series of techniques that are designed to create a balance in your body, focusing largely on muscles and connective tissues.
Your body already knows how to heal itself; massage helps to promote the right environment for your body to do just that.
What Can Massage Do for You?
The potential benefits of massage are numerous. Some of the many effects of bodywork include:
- Relaxation and stress relief
- Improved posture and gait
- Relief from pain, soreness, and muscle tension
- Alleviation of certain types of headaches
- Improved circulation
- More efficient healing from many injuries
- Enhanced athletic performance
- Quicker recovery from exercise and strenuous activity
What Do I Do?
I’m often asked what types of massage I do. In reality, I combine multiple modalities into each massage to create a session that is most likely to help meet your goals. When booking, you can choose between two main categories of bodywork that I offer.
“Integrated Massage” is performed on a massage table. You typically undress to your comfort level, and you are covered with a sheet and/or blanket. Only the areas being worked on are uncovered. This category of massage utilizes oil on the skin to perform Swedish, deep tissue, and other western modalities.
“Thai Massage” is performed on a cushioned floor mat. You remain clothed during the session, wearing comfortable clothing that can move/stretch. This category of massage involves many different traditional eastern techniques, including movement/stretching and compressions to create balance within the body.
In either case, rather than worrying too much about specific modalities/techniques, I prefer for you to think about what you would like to accomplish (for example: both integrated massage and Thai massage can be either relaxing or deep and clinical in nature). We can then discuss what form(s) of massage might be most beneficial for you. Here are some of the modalities/techniques that I practice:
- Thai Massage
- Sports/Athletic Massage (including pre-/post-event)
- Orthopedic Massage
- Deep Tissue Massage
- Reiki
- Neuromuscular Therapy
- Swedish Massage
- Oncology Massage
- Prenatal Massage
- Myofascial Release
- Lymphatic Drainage
- Reflexology