Frequently Asked Questions
- When should I receive bodywork?
- When should I not receive bodywork?
- What can massage & bodywork help me with?
- How often should I receive bodywork?
- How long should my appointment last?
- How does massage work?
- Which session should I get?
- Why do you call it myofascial release / deep tissue?
- Does myofasical release / deep tissue work hurt?
- What differentiates you from other massage & bodywork therapists?
- Why do you take such a detailed health history?
- What should I wear during the massage?
- What if the session wasn't quite what I wanted or expected?
- Is tipping expected?
- Do you offer discounts?
- What does LMBT mean?
- What does RYT mean?
When should I receive bodywork?
This is where the difference between "want" and "should" needs claification. For most people, we want a massage more often than time or finances permit. When your body actually needs nurturing touch, you will feel it. This is where "should" comes in. You may be tired, anxious, sore, depressed, tense, stressed, in pain. The longer you deny your body the work it is calling for, the harder it will be to undo.When should I not receive bodywork?
If you have any of these conditions, you should not come in for a massage:- fever
- acute illess
- uncontrolled high blood pressure
- blood clots
- infectious/contagious diseases
- vertigo
- phlebitis or lymphangitis
- uncontrolled diabetes
- any other conditions require caution by your massage therapist. Please be thorough when filling out your health history!
What can bodywork help me with?
Just a few of the conditions I am accustomed to treating with massag & bodyworke:- back or neck pain
- chronic tension
- sub acute and chronic injuriesv
- decreased joint mobility
- headaches
- joint pain
- low body awareness
- muscular soreness and pain
- poor circulation
- poor posture
- sleep problems
- anxiety, stress, fatigue
- irritability
How often should I receive bodywork?
| Session Focus | Suggested Frequency | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Pain management | Every 1-2 weeks or more often, decreasing the interval as the source of the pain is addressed | When you're in pain, your muscles tend to over contract, which prolongs the pain you are feeling. Then you develop patterns of movement to mitigate pain which may instead cause pain in another area. Massage helps to break this cycle. |
| Relaxation/Stress Reduction | Every 2-4 weeks, depending on stress level | The direct relaxational effects of massage may only a day or two. However, with the right frequency, your body will remember how it feels to be relaxed and you will begin to trigger this state more often. |
| Improving posture | Once a week with dedicated at home work. | Improving posture is as much about releasing chronic tension patterns as it is relearning how to stand and walk. You wouldn't expect to learn a new skill attending class only once a month with no homework... same theory applies here. |
| Reducing muscle soreness | As needed | Massage helps remove metabolic wastes from the muscle tissue, while lengthening and "irons out" kinks, enabling you to keep your physical activity going strong. |
| General health maintenance | Every 4-6 weeks | Any longer than 6 week intervals is just an occasional treat for you body. |
How long should my appointment last?
I can give a great general full body massage in 60 minutes. However, I prefer to move through the body more slowly and with greater attention to detail... I recommend at least 75 minutes for a full body treatment. I find that my clients get the greatest relaxational benefit from sessions of about 90 minutes. Imagine escaping the world for a full hour and a half!How does massage work?
There are two main effects: reflexive and mechanical. Massage stimulates a chain of events which tells the body to relax. For example, nerves in the skin and muscles send impulses to the brain, and the brain in turn tells the muscles to release. These reflexive effects are known as the relaxation response, or "rest and digest": the heart and breath rate slows, stress hormone production slows, blood pressure goes down. It allows your body necessary time for recuperation a busy life often does not afford.Massage strokes also move blood and lymph, as well as mechanically lengthening, stretching, spreading, separating, and releasing muscle and connective tissue.
Which session should I get?
It all depends on your goals. To see descriptions of available sessions, choose which best applies to you:If you are interested in a session with foot scrubs, hot towels, or raindrop, I will need to know in advance that you would like these services. Besides that, every session is customized based on your needs; you don't need to know what kind of massage you want before you get here.
Why do you call it myofascial release / deep tissue?
Most people have heard of deep tissue massage and it is likely a "layman's" term for myofascial release. Myofascia is the connective tissue which covers all of the muscles and is continuous throughout the body. Constriction in one area can cause pain in another.Does myofascial release or deep tissue work hurt?
It is common during a session to expose an area of pain, a sensation commonly known as "hurts so good." Anything more intense than that is not therapeutic. If the work you are receiving actually *hurts*, you are probably tensing up and thus negating many of the therpeutic effects of the deeper work, and you're certainly not relaxing. Myofascial release / deep tissue work may be uncomfortable at times, but I do not want to work past your pain threshhold. It is imperative that you communicate your experience throughout the session to guarantee the most therapeutic benefits.What differentiates you from other massage & bodywork therapists?
I combine a knowledge of movement and alignment with various massage modalities to offer clients a holistic approach to wellness. My passion is health, wellness and the human body. I am comitted to continued study to improve my understanding and ability to help you, without judgement or an agenda. My goal is to constantly be evolving and growing; I am constantly learning new ways to communicate and meet people as they are, where they are. A path to wellness and healing lead me to become a massage therapist and yoga instructor, my goal is to help others feel as great as possible.Why do you take such a detailed health history?
Many conditions require caution when treating a client, even with Swedish massage. Some are contraindicated entirely. Also, since massage treats the whole person, I like to get a well-rounded picture of what may be contributing to your current condition.What should I wear during the massage?
Whatever you feel comfortable in. Great work can be done right through clothing as is customary in Thai Yoga Massage or Chair Massage. However, a different type of work can be done without a layer cloth between my hands and the muscle tissue. To maintain modesty and comfort, only the part of the body I am working on will be undraped.What if the session wasn't quite what I wanted or expected?
I love hearing feedback from my clients about pressure, pacing, heat, or other particulars. I like to hear this during the session so that treatment can be adjusted on-the-spot, and the client can get the greatest enjoyment out of the experience. If, for whatever reason, you did not make your needs known during the treatment, I very much appreciate hearing afterwards what will improve your next session.Is tipping expected?
Tipping is never expected but always apprecaited.Do you offer discounts?
All current discounts, specials and promotions can be found on the specials page of this site.
Often, when I send an email to client mailing list, I include a special deal to the first few people who respond. Join the mailing list and be on the lookout!
I offer a sliding scale for those who need it. The scale is as follows:- 45 minutes - $40 - $50
- 60 minutes - $55 - $70
- 75 minutes - $60 - $80
- 90 minutes - $70 - $90
Discounts can not be combined or used with special offers.
