I don’t want to plant the seed in my client’s mind that the pain will get worse before it gets better, after a massage. Most of the time, this isn’t the case, especially when people have been receiving bodywork for a while. Yet I often mention to new clients to allow their therapy 2–3 days to 'land.' This applies to any type of bodywork, whether it be chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, etc. It is not [...]
Pain in the neck, head, or jaw can be nerve-wracking, making simple activities challenging. Activities like chewing, talking, turning your head, sleeping, concentrating, listening, being vertical without pain, or going out in daylight without sunglasses. I've met so many people who have confessed to me that they aren't fond of the idea of taking pain meds every day because of the side effects of long-term use. Not feeling certain that a night guard while sleeping is [...]
There is no denying that we are bombarded with a plentitude of poor influences on our health every day. Go to almost any store, restaurant, or entertainment establishment, and you are left with hardly any choice but to offend your body. Yet, if you don’t want to take your health for granted, then finding ways to counterbalance the impact of living life on planet Earth is required. Here is an incomplete list of things we [...]
We are blessed with one body for our entire lifetime. Only ONE. That’s it! Our body is a blessing, to say the least. And, if you think about it, in a physical sense, our bodies are one of the most loyal and dutiful companions we will ever have.By divine design, the human body is built to be simultaneously sensitive and resilient, and capable of incredible healing abilities. We need a sturdy healthy vehicle to do our [...]
When I first started massage school, I initially thought I’d be entering the spa industry. However, before I finished my training, I discovered a therapeutic bent in my style. During my advanced training, I had to complete case studies in my practical work, observing and documenting the effects of consecutive bodywork sessions. This provided context for how massage works as a therapy. After starting my private practice, I declared that I would never work in [...]
It's not that I have an aversion to the first session with a new client...It is just that I am barely getting to know a person and their body. Tuning in to their nervous systems for the first time, only beginning to assess the situation. I do enjoy getting to know new people. It's just that, of all the bodywork we will do together, it's my least favorite. I'll explain... During the first session, we [...]
When people are looking to get a massage from a therapist they have never been to before, they often default to the closest, cheapest, or most convenient. In some instances, that's your only option. I mean, a little bit of massage is better than none. Right? I imagine this is likely to happen, especially when the person has never had a professional massage before. When they don't know the difference between a mediocre massage [...]
Whether your goal for receiving bodywork is to reduce stress, release tension, alleviate pain, restore balance, or you are rehabilitating an injury - - there is so much you can do to MAXIMIZE your experience. Here are 8 TIPS to LEVEL UP YOUR BODYWORK (massage, acupuncture, chiro, yoga, or other body-centered therapies). 1. Staying well hydrated. Benefits of hydration while participating in bodywork include: Tension melts more readily, with less resistance Minimized tenderness, making [...]
What is the best setting to get a massage? Once you have determined what kind of massage you need (relaxing or therapeutic) the next step is to consider what sort of environment should work well in your particular case. Are you looking for one session or many? Are you just passing through, on vacation? Are you a local in need of regular bodywork to recover from an injury? Is there something that you need [...]
Every now and then, a new client will come in and request a really deep massage for their session. Some of them tell me, I can't go hard enough. Let me preface that manual therapists work with a wide spectrum of pain thresholds. Some clients can only handle a very light, gentle touch. While others are on the other extreme - with a much higher tolerance for pain, often accompanied by a strong desire for a [...]
