You already know that massage therapy is as vital to a healthy mind and body as is exercise and diet. All too often, people who have demanding lives turn to temporary solutions that do not necessarily promote healing or wellness. Discover the benefits of body work. It’s an opportunity to exhale deeply, to relax completely and to nurture a healthier lifestyle.Choosing a massage therapist is a very important decision. My clients have told me that they call me exclusively for a number of reasons. Exceptionally relaxing bodywork is paramount. In addition, I am able to develop a customized program that deals with your health and lifestyle concerns. I am trained in many modalities from Swedish, Shiatsu and deeep tissue. Importantly, I try to be as flexible as possible and schedule your session at a time and location that is best for your busy life. While periodic massage enhances your well being, the real benefit of massage comes from multiple therapy sessions. I offer great discounts for repeat customers, whether you come every week or every other. My goal is to provide lasting support for all my clients, and I'm sure you'll be happy with my work. Swedish massage
Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (light touch), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (compression), and vibration. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee over a period of eight weeks. The development of Swedish massage is credited to Per Henrik Ling though the Dutch practitioner Johan Georg Mezger adopted the French names to denote the basic strokes. Shiatsu
The word shiatsu means "finger pressure" and is sometimes described as a finger pressure massage. Like acupuncture, shiatsu is based on the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine, where illness is thought to result from imbalances in the natural flow of energy, or qi (pronounced "chee") through the body. Shiatsu uses finger and palm pressure to energetic pathways, called meridians to improve the flow of qi. A scientific explanation is that shiatsu calms an overactive sympathetic nervous system, which improves circulation, relieves stiff muscles and alleviates stress. Deep Tissue Massage/Myofascial Release
Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronically tense and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders. Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain. Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down these adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. Sports Massage
A sports massage therapy session is usually more intense than a general full-body relaxation massage. In most cases, the therapist will focus on the particular muscles most stressed by your activity, the legs of a runner for instance. After a strenuous workout, your muscles are fatigued, stiff and sore. Sports massage helps to stretch the shortened muscles. It increases circulation to the tissues, thereby removing metabolic waste products and bringing in needed oxygen and other nutrients to renourish and repair the sore muscles. You can resume normal functioning much sooner. And if you are recovering faster, that means that you can do more quality workouts per given period of time. By receiving massage, you are facilitating the rebuilding phase of conditioning. Trigger point massage
Combined positioning and specific finger or thumb pressure into trigger/tender points in muscle and connective tissue, to reduce the hypersensitivity, muscle spasms and referred pain patterns that characterize the point. Left untreated, such trigger/tender points often lead to restricted and painful movement of entire body regions. Compression massage
Rhythmic compression into muscles used to create a deep hyperemia and softening effect in the tissues. It is generally used as a warm-up for deeper, more specific massage work. Cross-fiber massage
Friction techniques applied in a general manner to create a stretching and broadening effect in large muscle groups; or on site-specific muscle and connective tissue, deep transverse friction applied to reduce adhesions and to help create strong, flexible repair during the healing process.
