Just Breathe Manual Therapy

02/12/2024

Hey folks - last call to join me for a getaway to Costa Rica! This trip is going to be a fun one, and a welcome break from the cold, grey winter we've had in the Northeast.

If you're in for yoga, massage, and a general good time in the tropics, check out all the retreat details here: https://www.healthgothyoga.com/costaricaearly

I'm already here. Come join me! 😀

02/07/2024

You've probably heard that the best way to learn something is to try and teach it. Over the past few years of teaching massage techniques and approaches, I've experienced firsthand how true that sentiment is.

The biggest lesson in teaching so far?

How often what I'm experiencing as a teacher mirrors the lesson I need to share with students.

I wrote about a recent weekend where I was given a blank slate to teach whatever I wanted to a new group of students.

Instead of feeling open-minded and excited, I watched myself fill up with self-doubt and perfection paralysis.

When I realized what I was going through, I took a step back, trusted my experience, and opened the class with honesty.

I could never have imagined that it led to such a profound and helpful experience for those students.

I'm looking forward to more teaching opportunities this year, and I'm already buzzing with insights from classes so far.

Find the most recent blog here: https://justbreathemanualtherapy.com/holding-on-loosely-lessons-from-teaching/

01/24/2024

It feels good to be excited about something. Those moments — when I'm bright-eyed, curious, thoughtful, and engaged — are when I feel the most like myself and who I aspire to be. It’s in this spirit that I’ve brought my newsletter back.

Writing newsletters used to be a regular feature of my practice. I used it to reflect on what’s happening at JBMT, to express the Big Ideas that underlie the work that I do, and as an important tool to connect with clients and peers (and to build my practice).

Over the past year, I’ve let go of some practices that I’d developed in the early days of the pandemic. The rebirth of my newsletter is an effort to carry forward the habits and interests that made my life better.

The newsletter will go out about once a month and will include reflections on my professional development, work with clients in my office, time spent teaching at The Massage School, and my pottery and jiu-jitsu practices as well.

If you're interested in receiving the newsletter, head over to the bio link to sign up and read the most recent issue.

Cool stuff is here and cool stuff is on the horizon. My ask of you is to join me on the journey.

~ Jeff

01/16/2024

Anybody want to take a break from winter with me? I'm heading to Costa Rica for a five-day, six-night yoga & wellness retreat, and there are still a few spots available for folks to join.

What I love about this trip:

💥 It's got all the classic yoga retreat things (daily yoga, opportunities to get bodywork from me, beautiful setting, etc.)
💥 There's ample opportunity to let loose, have some fun, and make new friends
💥 All the yoga sessions are set to playlists that include alternative, punk, emo, and metal. And also, there will be quieter moments to take in the sounds of the jungle.
💥 The retreat is led by three badass women who happen to be amazing yoga teachers.
💥 The retreat center also offers BJJ & Muay Thai classes!

I'm pretty excited to be a guest bodyworker on the trip. Check out the retreat details here: https://www.healthgothyoga.com/costaricaearly

01/09/2024

I'm proud to share that I've been published in Massage & Bodywork Magazine! Working with Til Luchau to co-write this article was an incredible learning experience, and I'm excited to explore more writing opportunities this year. ⁠
⁠
Two big takeaways from the article:⁠
⁠
➡️ Someone's experience on the massage table probably has more to do with their brain's predictive powers than what is actually happening in the session.⁠
⁠
➡️ If you're a bodyworker, you can bring relief and a sense of hope in your clients by reorienting their brain's predictive processes.⁠
⁠
Bodywork is so much more than simply manipulating the tissues. It's about acknowledging a client as a complete human being and building a culture of client empowerment.

07/06/2023

How (and why) Bodywork Works -

It’s been a while since I shared what I’ve been up to here at JBMT. While I’ve been outwardly silent, there’s been a lot going on behind the scenes and I’m finally ready to start sharing.

09/14/2022

JBMT is celebrating two years! ⚡⚡⚡ -

As we’ve turned toward the end of summer I’m taking a few moments to reflect on what’s now been two years since launching Just Breathe Manual Therapy.