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Cupping: What It Is & Why You Should Try It

Cupping: What It Is & Why You Should Try It

Cupping is a traditional Chinese therapy that’s been used for thousands of years, but it gained even more popularity in 2016 when everyone noticed that Michael Phelps had large perfectly round discolorations on his back while competing in the Olympics. Many people before that had never heard, or never been exposed to this type of bodywork.

To learn more, continue reading!

Massage and Depression

Massage and Depression

Depression is an all-too-common struggle for people all over the globe. According to the World Health Organization, it’s estimated that 350 million people suffer from depression. While there are many treatment options, one you may not have thought of is massage therapy. Massage can decrease muscle tension and ease some of the daily physical stress you may put on your body, but it can also go beyond just making you feel good.

What to Expect in a Hot Stone Massage

What to Expect in a Hot Stone Massage

As the temperatures outside get cooler you may find that your body is craving warmth. Why not try out a hot stone massage? If you’ve never had one, and you’re not quite sure what to expect, you've come to the right blog.

How to Make Positive Changes in the New Year (without Feeling like a Failure)

How to Make Positive Changes in the New Year (without Feeling like a Failure)

Every year during the holiday season, we get a serious urge to start working on our New Year’s resolutions. Everyone is deciding what it is they would like to change in the upcoming year in order to better themselves and that involves making new changes. For some this breeds anxiety and sometimes even sets them up for failure when thinking that their resolutions must match those of others. Be careful not to fall into that trap. Make a resolution that speaks to you! Only you know where you’re at in your life, the things you struggle with, and the things you could work on. What means a lot to you may not mean a lot to others. What will be a massive change for you, may be a minor change for others and vice versa.

Relief for PTSD Found in Massage Therapy

Relief for PTSD Found in Massage Therapy

Living with PTSD can quite literally be a nightmare. Luckily, massage therapy and other bodywork modalities like Trauma Touch Therapy (TM) can help. If you or someone you know could use some relief and massage therapy isn’t an avenue you’ve tried yet, please continue reading this blog.

Am I Supposed to Talk During a Massage?

It’s a common question that massage therapists hear all the time; “Can I talk during the massage?” Some clients are worried about talking too much or too little. They want to be friendly but not ruin the whole experience. But what do massage therapists say?

It’s up to you!

If you want to talk, go for it. If you want to be completely silent, go for it. If you want to talk a little, but not the entire time, that’s fine too. What a lot of clients tend to forget, is it’s your time. Whether you’re getting a 15 minute chair massage or a two hour full body massage, how much conversation there is, is completely up to you.

Many clients find it comforting to talk for the first few minutes of a massage, especially their first few sessions as we’re getting to know each other and build the trust that is really important to a great therapeutic relationship. Then as they get more comfortable, the conversations get shorter and shorter, and sometimes go away completely. For some clients, a large part of the relief they get from their massages is the ability to vent and get everything off their chest to someone they can trust, so they spend the entire massage chatting.

What you need to understand, is that as your massage therapist, my job is to facilitate your healing, in whatever way you need me to, within my skillset of course. For some that means silence, for others it means talking, and others are anywhere in between.


IF YOU LOVE TO CHAT…

Go for it, but please be aware, that sometimes you may not get the full benefits of your massage if you’re talking the entire time. What I mean by this, is that calm breathing and a calm state of mind greatly emphasizes the benefits of the massage. So even if you prefer to talk, I may, at times, ask you to take some deep breaths to calm your body so it can better receive the work I’m doing.


IF YOU’RE THE SILENT TYPE….

Please understand that I may occasionally check in about my pressure, certain areas of concern, and things like that. I’ll do my best to keep quiet and not disturb your experience in any way, but I also want to ensure you get the most of your massage; and that means checking that everything I’m doing is what your body needs and you’re comfortable with it. Even though you may like to stay quiet, don’t hesitate to speak up and let me know if anything is uncomfortable. While your tissues and your body language may give clues as to a pain response, I’m still in the dark as to what exactly you’re feeling, so please let me know if I need to lighten my pressure, increase it, move to a different area, or anything else you feel is necessary. This is your massage and I want it to be perfect for you. The only way that can happen is if there is at least a little bit of communication throughout the session; more so if you prefer clinical or therapeutic techniques.

No matter how much or how little you prefer to talk during your massage, it is completely up to you. Please don’t ever feel obligated to talk unless I’m asking you a question, and don’t be afraid to speak up either.

Why is an Intake Form Necessary For Massage?

Why is an Intake Form Necessary For Massage?

For many, the idea of massage as healthcare is still a foreign concept, so often it’s not understood why massage therapists require all clients to fill out a health/intake form. However, this is a very important part of how we assess your needs for the session.

How Does Reflexology Work?

How Does Reflexology Work?

Reflexology is so much than just a foot massage. As well as being super relaxing, a good reflexology session is an effective way to re-balance your body and address certain medical issues naturally and gently.

Four Reasons You Should Take A Break

Four Reasons You Should Take A Break

I know you’re busy. You rush through your days and probably right now have numerous browsers open or are only halfway reading this because you have so much on your mind. That’s life in the world we live in. But did you know that taking a break is far more beneficial than just a few minutes of downtime?

Whether it’s a 10 minute break in the middle of your workday or a full week away, taking breaks has numerous benefits. Here’s 4 of the best…

Why Massage Therapy Can Give Athletes a Competitive Edge

Why Massage Therapy Can Give Athletes a Competitive Edge

You train hard to reach your goals, but injuries can send you back to the couch! Prevent injury and recover faster with regular sports massage therapy. Massage stimulates your body’s own natural healing process, so you can keep challenging yourself and keep winning. Read more about sports massage here!

Think You Need to Stretch Your Back?...Maybe Not!

Think You Need to Stretch Your Back?...Maybe Not!

When your back is hurting, it’s common practice to stretch it. That usually means bending forward at the hips and allowing the low back muscles to stretch a bit. This can also help to stretch out the hamstrings, calves, and with the right arm position, the shoulders and upper back as well. But what if this sort of stretching is actually doing more harm than good?

Seven Easy Self-Care Tips...

Seven Easy Self-Care Tips...

While massage therapy can have benefits that last days or weeks at a time, that doesn’t mean you can neglect your body every day in between appointments. To help the effects of your massage last longer and simply to feel better, you’ll need to practice some self-care. Massage therapy is not a luxury, nor is it selfish to receive. Daily self-care is no different.

How Often Should You Get a Massage?

How Often Should You Get a Massage?

  In this blog post, we discuss sports recovery, pregnancy, chronic health ailments, and basic relaxation/stress relief with regards to how often you should schedule a massage for each!

Common Health Problems: What can Massage do for YOU?

Common Health Problems: What can Massage do for YOU?

A few common ailments people experience and how massage can help!