Session Info

Pre-Massage

Enjoy a warm bath or shower before your session.
Avoid consuming heavy meals, stimulants, or alcohol.
Be sure to hydrate the day of your session.
Organize your bodywork day with a self-care focus in mind. Try scheduling sessions on days in which you have the option to have personal time post-treatment.
Have your phone(s) silenced or in Do Not Disturb mode. If you are anticipating an emergency and you want to keep our appointment, please give me advanced notice of your need to take/make a call and have your mobile phone close enough to the massage table so that I may swiftly hand it to you. Parents, please have another caregiver responsible for your child and have baby monitors in that adult’s charge.
Please do not worry about shaving; it is not necessary for your massage.
Use the bathroom before we begin.

Before your bodywork session, I like to conduct intake and learn what you want us to focus on. Share with me the specific results that you are intending to receive. We will review the session plan and then I will exit the room so that you may undress to your comfort level and get on the massage table between the sheets. You will be securely draped by the top sheet during the entire session. It is perfectly fine to keep your undergarments on; though, I recommend removing bras because they impede long, continuous strokes down the length of the back. Your comfort is of the upmost importance to me. If you would prefer that I avoid conventionally massaged regions of the body, including the face, please let me know at anytime.

Space Requirements:
For the massage table and for myself to move around it, I ask clients to make sure that sessions take place in an area that is at least 5 feet by 9 feet. I have worked in living rooms, bedrooms, offices and on private decks. Please have the area cleared before I arrive; for example, please move aside coffee tables. If you need a hand doing so because you are physically compromised, I’m happy to help. Set-up takes me approximately 10 minutes.

Be informed of the benefits of bodywork by clicking on the links below:
• “Stress Management – A soothing massage can help you unwind, but that’s not all. Explore the possible benefits of massage and what to expect.” by Mayo Clinic Staff
• “The Benefits of Massage” Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals Learn resource
• “Massage Therapy for Health Purposes: What You Need to Know” National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Massage Treatment

My bodywork incorporates traditional Swedish elements, as you will be disrobed and draped with a sheet at all times. I apply minimal lotion/cream/oil to enable smooth strokes. Skin-to-skin contact is favored and I utilize my arms – elbows to fingers. I do not walk on my clients, nor do I climb upon the massage table. The massage table is your territory to fully sink into and stretch out on. I encourage you to be aware of where the edges of the table are and to center yourself while laying on your back or on your belly. I will coach you and prop your legs and arms with pillows if laying on your side. Finding the right position is part of getting started.

Once you are comfortable, I begin sessions with guided breathing and meditative exercises. My intention is to expedite the transition from a more mentally alert state to a slower, patient, embodied way of being. I invite you to have an attitude of inquiry as you focus your awareness on your body. Notice where you might be experiencing tension. What are the qualities – does it have a temperature or a color that you imagine? Are there areas of your body which feel unincorporated or are lacking engaged awareness? If your breathing is shallow, I may ask you to fully inhale and exhale in tandem with my strokes or held pressure.

You are in control of my pressure at all times. “Different strokes for different folks” is an adage that rings true. What kind of therapeutic touch does your body and mind respond to well? Firm and broad pressure? Detailed point work? Gentle effleurage?

Clients new to massage are in good hands, as I have years worth of experience with a wide variety of personal preferences. It is satisfying to discover the qualities that work best for you. This acquired information will become part of your self-knowledge database to enhance other areas of your life.

Your session is your opportunity to let go of to-do lists, then return to your day after our time together with a renewed sense of self.

Post-Session Care

Sip a glass of water. Try closing your eyes as you swallow and feel your body taking it in.
Come back to your breath. At any time, you can practice relaxing habitually tightened muscles and utilize simple breathing and awareness techniques that you have learned during your session.
Maintain your deepened body awareness and calmed mental state by gently observing any changes that have taken place. Carry your body-focused perspective with you and expand it throughout the coming days and weeks: Consider the ergonomics of your workspace and acknowledge any unconscious tendencies. Contemplate how you could properly lift objects and how you could hold them without causing strain. Let this be a game that will only yield a sense of fun and accomplishment.
As a holistic health educator, I might give you life-enriching homework to try between appointments. From stretching shortened muscles to taking a pleasant stroll in nature, these experiences are intended for your recovery and enjoyment.
When appropriate, some clients in acute physical discomfort take Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or digestive enzymes like bromelain between meals (500 to 1000 mg; 3x/day). For more information on the benefits of enzymes, I recommend The Chemistry of Success: Six Secrets of Peak Performance by Susan M. Lark, M.D. and James A. Richards, M.B.A.

Pre- & Perinatal Clients

Welcome to motherhood! As you and your baby grow and transform, I am here for you as a member of your support team. Devotedly, I offer expert therapeutic bodywork, prenatal education and self-care recommendations intended to enrich your memorable childbearing experience.

Worldwide, massage treatments during pregnancy and following birth provide women emotional comfort and relief from many physical discomforts thereby promoting a healthier, more enjoyable pregnancy. My prenatal sessions will grant you greater body awareness, preparing you for an engaged labor or Cesarian birth and recovery. Postnatal massage treatments are designed to facilitate your rehabilitation process, allowing you to be more physically able and emotionally present for yourself and your family.

In order to work safely and effectively, I will provide you with a written intake form and ask you questions before we begin your session. In the event that your prenatal healthcare provider considers this to be a high-risk pregnancy or if you are in your first trimester, I request that you read and sign an informative acknowledgement form. Before every session, I will check-in with you about how you and your baby are developing, and how you are adjusting to the physical metamorphosis. Massage therapy is a valuable part of your prenatal care program. The education and support that I extend is tailored to help you better understand the changes taking place in your body, the importance of reducing stress, and how good it feels to feel cared for, held, and deeply in tune with your body.

Preparation:

Please have 4 of your favorite pillows with pillowcases ready for use during your session.
For mothers with children, I encourage arranging with your sitter to take your kids on an outing to play outside of audial range. Your responsive instincts to care for your little ones are honored, and so is your need to relax to receive my undivided attention and therapeutic touch.

To get the most from your sessions, it is helpful to keep in mind the numerous benefits of prenatal massage.
For more information on the merits of prenatal bodywork, please explore the following links:

Oncology Clients

I warmly welcome you to my practice. A major part of my massage work is to help every client feel safe in their body. With diagnosis and chosen medical treatment(s) of cancer, often comes the express need to be comfortable in one’s body again. Massage therapy for people living with cancer aids the mind-body connection by applying our awareness while receiving my nurturing care.

For clients in remission, it is helpful for me to be informed of any areas of your body that may carry trauma for you and how you would like for me to approach those regions.

I work within your comfort zone. Exploring your personal response to therapeutic touch is your empowered choice. I am here for you as an aid, offering my sincere presence in every moment.

For clients with active cancer, I will provide you with an intake form. It is important to me that you have your doctor’s confirmation that massage therapy is advised. Together, you and I will formulate a session plan after discussing contraindicated areas and appropriate pressure based on the metastatic condition and immune responsiveness of your body at the time of your appointment. Clients undergoing chemotherapy treatment may need to inquire from their doctor’s assessment of blood panels that white blood cell counts are at an acceptable level to receive calming massage with gloved hands. I use nourishing, hypoallergenic oil or cream after conducting a small patch test on your skin.

The intention of my bodywork is to facilitate the reduction of stress hormones, which are known to impact the body’s ability to heal. After sessions, clients often share that they feel palpable relief from nausea, an improved relationship with their body, and a decrease in the felt intensity of pain.