What Can I expect in A session? What Should I wear?
Clients are always in control of their comfort in sessions. After we conduct an intake (this is where we discuss what you’d like addressed, and any medical history), I’ll leave the room. During this time, I will be washing up and following universal precautionary protocol, while clients have some time to get comfortable. During this time, use the restroom, change/undress, and settle-in before the session begins. When the session is complete, I will leave the room again to allow you time to dress, stretch, etc. We will meet briefly again before you go to discuss a treatment plan, schedule further appointments, and to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
Massage on the table is generally unclothed, based on the comfort level of the client. Table work includes more lotions and creams, so the more exposed skin, the more surface area I am able to cover. It is important to note that the client’s dignity and modesty is ALWAYS preserved, and draping of sheets and blankets will always cover any areas not currently being worked on. Clients are always kept warm and comfortable during sessions.
Massage on a floor mat is usually fully clothed because it often includes deep stretches and lots of assisted movement. Floor-work provides opportunities for deeply therapeutic joint and mobility work, so It is best to bring or wear stretchy, non-confining clothing. Nothing too tight- think pajamas/activewear.
How can I make the most of treatments?
I assess posture and tissue throughout a treatment, and make recommendations for follow-up actions after a session based on the individual needs and abilities of each client. Often, these will include stretches, balance/stabilization exercises, water recommendations, with attention to meditation and mindfulness. Taking these “homework assignments” and applying them to your lifestyle will help treatments to last, making future sessions even more productive. As we work to get down to the root of issues, I give these recommendations in order to empower each client to take an active role in their own healing. Healing includes lifestyle adjustments, and clients must be willing to make conscious changes in their lives in order to see their best results.
HOW MUCH PRESSURE WILL I RECEIVE? HOW DEEP WILL THE WORK BE?
Pressure is based on the requests of the client, the needs of the tissue, and the condition, age, and state of the client in general. Based on the area and symptoms being treated, pressure is dynamic throughout a session; ranging from deep, firm and direct, to gentle, subtle, and more superficial soft tissue manipulation. All of these may be varied at the request of the client during the session. I stay within my scope of practice as a bodyworker, If anything causes discomfort or becomes to overwhelming for the client; or if there is an area you’d like me to stay on and work further, I encourage clients to speak up. Clients are always in control of their comfort during sessions. I will adjust treatment style for the safety and comfort of the individual, based on presenting conditions.
What will I feel like after a treatment? What can I expect?
It is important to note this type of work generally brings up deep psycho-emotional release for many individuals, as well as some therapeutic pain as the physical and energetic structures of the body adjust to the treatment. You may feel a bit “raw” emotionally after sessions; particularly within the 12-48 hrs following treatments. This period of time is the integration period where your body and nervous system will be recalibrating.
During the integration period, the nervous system will be activating muscular regions which have not been active, and deactivating muscular regions which have been doing too much work. This combination of neurological activation and deactivation can sometimes present as burning, sharpness, waves of temperature, emotions rising, and deep sensations in the body which may feel like deep bruising. Imagine turning on the water in a house which has been sitting vacant for 30 years. The water may flow in spurts and the pipes may shudder as they clear and flush. This is similar to what you may feel in your body as you integrate the work. I will adjust how deep we go based on your preference and willingness. Your comfort during sessions is priority. Communicate your intentions prior to treatment, your comfort during the session, and your integration experience in order to find a balance of depth to direct our work together. Drink plenty of water. I also recommend at least 15 minutes on the earth barefoot or in socks following sessions in order to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow. Here is a link to an interesting documentary on the science of this.
Is Energy Work involved in sessions? Do you do Reiki?
Yes, energy work is involved in every session. I work directly with the 12 meridians of the body, (click these links for more information) Chinese 5 Element Theory, all associated physical and psycho-emotional correspondences; incorporating all systems through dynamic energetic integration. I do not specifically practice Reiki- I feel energy very palpably. It feels like toothpaste in a tube to me. I work with the movement of energy along our energetic pathways- the meridians (our powerlines), utilizing the same mapping system as acupuncturists. These energetic pathways are the way the physical body feels emotions, and the way our nervous system directs the flow of chemicals in our bodies. I assist clients who are interested in deepening their understanding of these channels in their own body, and point you in the right direction if you’d like to learn more about the impact of psycho-emotional components.
What should I expect when bringing my child for a session?
Parents/Guardians are always welcome and should remain present for sessions with minors. Anyone under the age of 18 is considered a minor, and consent for treatment from both the parent/guardian and the minor client must be received. An intake will be conducted, which includes assessment of the presenting concerns, injuries/medical history, posture, and pain/discomfort levels. We will discuss treatment goals together and the session will be outlined prior to performing massage & bodywork. Your child’s comfort, consent, and modesty is paramount and will always be prioritized. They are in control and are always welcome and encouraged to speak up.
What should my child wear?
Depending on the age of the minor, and their personal comfort levels, youth massage is usually conducted in a t-shirt or tank top and shorts. Some minors may be comfortable in underwear, and it is important to note that they will ALWAYS be covered, except for the area being worked on. This decision rests entirely with you and your child. Their dignity is always preserved, their comfort is a priority, and you will always be present to observe this.
What are the benefits of Massage Therapy?
Massage therapists are licensed health professionals who apply a variety of scientifically developed massage techniques to the soft tissue of the body to improve muscle tone and circulation. Massage therapists work to enhance well-being, reduce the physical and mental effects of stress and tension, prevent disease, and restore health. Massage therapists may provide services that lead to improved health and muscle function, but they do not diagnose medical diseases or disorders. They evaluate patients/clients in terms of health and disease in order to know what massage technique should be used and when to make referrals to other health care practitioners. (Source: NY State Office of the Professions)
CLICK HERE to see AMTA’s “25 Benefits of Massage Therapy”
(Source: AMTA) The therapeutic benefits of massage continue to be researched and studied. Recent research has shown the effectiveness of massage for the following conditions:
Cancer-related fatigue
Low back pain
Osteoarthritis
Reducing post-operative pain
Boosting the body’s immune system functioning
Decreasing the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome
Lowering blood pressure
Reducing headache frequency
Easing alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Decreasing pain in cancer patients
Fibromyalgia
Scroll to the bottom for more information on the benefits of massage therapy.
What is “Energy Work,” and how does it work?
Picture the body as a dollhouse. The structure of the house (equivalent to our skeletal system), would then be full of rooms and hallways (muscles, blood vessels, etc); and this dollhouse is awesome- it’s wired with electricity (that’s our nervous system). Depending on lots of variables, areas of the house might be brightly lit and clean, while we might also come across some dark spaces, disused rooms, and dusty hallways. It depends how you use your house, how often you’re home, etc. that determines the condition of the home. In our culture, we tend to “leave home” pretty often, or maybe we spend a lot of time in just few rooms, neglecting the others (overuse injuries). As a result, lights burn out in some rooms, areas get messy, and some spaces start to fall victim to age and time. When we stop noticing (or when we are unable to pay attention for one reason or another), as a physiological response by our nervous system (and fascial system), our sense diminishes and we stop feeling the more detailed aspects of our bodies. The things is, because we can’t feel it, we don’t even notice the silent, slow “powering down” of the body.
We are electro-magnetic, energetic beings. On a cellular level, our bodies function based on electrical charges being signaled through various body systems, and then crossing membranes. Our neurological system is our electricity. Our endocrine system helps by telling the electricity where to go and how much we need. Basically, our muscular system is powered by both of these systems. Together with our lymphatic system (defense and immunity), integumentary system (skin), circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems (all 3 of these help to create and spread energy), and our vestibular system (sense of space and balance); our bodies use electricity and chemicals to communicate, coordinate, and maintain “homeostasis,” or balance of energy in the body in order to maintain the conditions of life itself.
Energy work is performed when the therapist “tunes in” to the flow of energy in the body. For thousands of years, Eastern cultures have studied and developed methods to connect with and directly interact with this energetic flow. They have developed a type of “map” of this flow of energy through the Meridian systems of the body, which actually match up to the flow of chemical and electrical signals in the body as they travel through the nervous system to the muscles. The circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems match up as well. One might think of the meridians as the energetic “power lines of the body” as a whole, encompassing all of the systems, linking them and allowing them to work together; while the “pressure points” along these meridians could be considered the transformers.
Continuing to think along the lines of the body as a “whole,” or complete unit with integrated systems contained within; the fascial system, a fluid connective tissue, is deeply connected to the meridian system as well. It has also been called the “tissue of consciousness,” with links to our emotions, memory, and the container for everything within our body. It fills all of the spaces between our cells, and it is what all of the elements of our body rest within. It’s methods of communication are faster than our nervous system, demonstrating it’s role as a system of integration of the body as a whole. Physically and purposefully working with this system brings awareness to it, which allows for deeply effective energetic work. It allows opportunities for the client to connect with their physical body, leading to further development of awareness and sensitivity to areas which have been “turned off.”
Energy can be seen visually with a trained and skilled eye in the way the body is held, or the posture.
Energy can be felt in areas of heat and cold, firm/dense or soft/loose - direct and physically palpable responses of the body to how much or how little energy is getting through to an area.
Energy can be felt through vibrations- all energy has a frequency, or a buzz. If one listens closely, it can be heard and felt- like standing next to a speaker when it’s turned on. For me as an energy worker, it feels as if I “turn up my volume,” or open the valve on a faucet.
Energy is a strange concept in isolation, but when combined with a deeper understanding of the body’s systems; and how the body’s systems work together to allow the body to function as a whole, “Energy Work” becomes less conceptual and much more physically evident and accessible.
FURTHER information on Benefits of Massage Therapy
Low Back Pain
Chronic low back pain sufferers find enduring results from massage therapy, according to a study conducted by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Center for Health Studies. The researchers plan to determine the specific components of massage therapy that contribute to its effectiveness.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine supported the idea that massage therapy produces better results for low back pain than other therapies, including acupuncture and spinal modification.
Breast Cancer
Massage promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety in patients with varying kinds of cancer, and has proven especially effective breast cancer survivors. Research shows therapeutic massage is an effective complement to traditional medical care for women undergoing lumpectomy, mastectomy or breast reconstruction. Pre-surgery, massage relaxes muscle tissue and increases the flow of lymph. Post surgery, women who apply specialized lymph drainage techniques from a well-trained massage therapist to their treatment may experience less pain and swelling.
In a study performed by the University of Miami School of Medicine, breast cancer patients who were massaged three times a week reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and anger. Benefits of massage after breast cancer treatment also include boosting the immune system and helping women reconnect with their bodies.
Other Kinds of Cancer
Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center asked cancer patients about the severity of their symptoms before and after receiving massage therapy, and patients reported reduced levels of anxiety, pain, fatigue, depression and nausea.
Heart Bypass Surgery
In-patient massage treatment performed after heart bypass surgery helps reduce pain and muscle spasms, confirmed by a pilot study conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Because of its effectiveness, 60 percent of the massage group in this study expressed a willingness to pay for massage therapy out-of-pocket.
Anxiety
A review of more than a dozen studies concluded that massage therapy helps relieve depression and anxiety by affecting the body’s biochemistry. Researchers at the University of Miami School of Medicine reviewed studies that measured the stress hormone cortisol in participants before and immediately after massage and found that the therapy lowered levels by up to 53 percent. Massage also increased serotonin and dopamine, which are both neurotransmitters that help reduce depression.
Migraines
In a 2006 study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality than the control group. A 1998 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms in adults with migraines.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
A 2004 study by the University of Miami School of Medicine explored the effects of massage therapy on carpel tunnel syndrome. The study concluded that carpal tunnel patients receiving massage experienced less pain, reduced symptoms and better grip strength than patients that did not receive massage.
Hypertension
Research has shown that hypertensive patients who received three 10-minute back massages a week had a reduction in blood pressure, compared to patients who tried to increase relaxation without massage.
Other Conditions
Research indicates that massage can help boost immune system strength by increasing the activity level of the body’s natural "killer T cells,” which fight off tumors and viruses.
Massage therapy benefits that are applicable to sufferers of any kind of pain include the stimulation of endorphin production in the brain and the encouragement of patient confidence in improving their condition. (Source: https://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/health_conditions.html
