*Do you have a lot of stress in your life?
*Do you have a job that requires you to stand or sit for long
periods of time? Or puts you in particular posture or repetitive
movement
(such as
computer work, waitressing, hairstylist, carpentry, massage
therapist, auto mechanic, truck driver, executive, dentist,
etc.)
*Do you ride a
bicycle? A motorcycle?
*Do you
regularly play a musical instrument?
*Do you have an injury that you are recovering from?
*Are you an athlete or weekend warrior? A “couch potato”?
*Are you studying for exams (college OR high school),
*Are you
preparing to go for surgery? Are you nervous about it?
*Do you have
a scar that you would like to make more pliable?
*Are you a Mom? A Dad?
*Are
you a child (or adult), going through major changes, such as
divorce, new school, remarriage, death of a family member or
pet?
*Do you "hold tension" in particular areas of your body?
*Do you have limited movement or decreased flexibility?
*Do you have
difficulty sleeping?
*Do you suffer from TMJ Dysfunction? Sciatica? Plantar
Fasciitis? Chronic Headaches? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Tendonitis?
*Do you have
difficulty concentrating?
*Body image
issues/eating disorder?
*Do you walk
a strong dog that pulls the leash?
*Do you have
family or co-workers that drive you crazy?
*Do you want to feel pampered and nurtured for an hour or two,
totally relax, de-stress and rejuvenate yourself?
Let go of 'problems' for a little while?
*In need of
self-care and doing something "just for you"?
If you have
answered yes to even one of these questions,
you could most
definitely benefit from massage!
Benefits Of Therapeutic Massage
{Who would have thought therapeutic massage has so much to
offer!}
*Enhances
general Health and Wellbeing *RELAXES MUSCLES and improves Joint
Mobility *Improve FLEXIBILITY *Relieves Muscle TENSION and
HEADACHES *Relieves STRESS and ANXIETY *Reduce physical/mental
fatigue *Promotes RESTFUL SLEEP *Improves ENERGY FLOW *Improves
circulation of blood, bringing oxygen and nutrients to every
cell of your body *Stimulates the LYMPHATIC system to flush away
cellular waste products; improving immune function.
*Increases
attentiveness and learning.
*Supports
effective digestion and breathing.
*Diminishes
PMS symptoms.
*Can help in
recovery process for eating disorders (in conjunction with your
health program).
*Increases
Job performance ("On-Site"/ Corporate massage).
*Helps you
become more aware of unconsciously held tension ("found knots I
didn't know I had"...this will help you to take measures to
relieve the tension before it becomes chronic!)
*Helps
POSTURE (due to restriction in muscles, joints, and/or
connective tissue).
*Helps
RELIEVE FLUID RETENTION
*Releases
ENDORPHINS to promote RELAXATION (relaxes muscles and nerves)
Helps secondary pain (such as OVER-COMPENSATION for an injury).
*For
ATHLETES and FITNESS ENTHUSIASTS relieves tired, tight or sore
muscles, and improves flexibility and hastens recovery time.
*Helps
REPETITIVE STRAIN injuries in muscles due to work, hobbies, or
other activities.
*Helps
"reconnect" our mind and body.
*A
WELL-DESERVED TREAT for yourself or as a GIFT for someone
special!
A series of
regular massage would be helpful for problem stress or chronic
pain. It has a cumulative effect of building and maintaining
better overall health,
helping you to feel better and enjoy life more fully.
Ideally, it
is best to schedule relaxation time after your massage, or do
some gentle stretching. It is beneficial to drink at least two
8oz. glasses of water in the hour following your massage. (Avoid
alcohol and caffeine during that time as well).
Indications/Contra-indications
An
"Indication" is a condition in which you would benefit from a
massage. A "Contra-indication" is a condition that would cause a
massage treatment to be unsafe or possibly detrimental to a
person's well-being. A contra-indication may be local (in one
spot) or overall. Below is a comprehensive list of Indications
and Contra-indications. If you have any questions about any
particular conditions, it is always wise to consult your primary
health care provider.
PLEASE NOTE:
On your
first visit you will be filling out a client history/intake
form. It is your responsibility to list any and all conditions
that you may have, and to keep your therapist updated of any
health changes.
It is my
responsibility to decide whether or not massage would be
appropriate for you in these cases, or if we will need a
doctor's permission. It is imperative for your own well-being to
be as accurate as possible when filling out the form. Thank You.
Indications
Pain/Soreness in muscles and joints
Impingement
syndromes. (If a nerve is being entrapped by a muscle, massage
can release the muscle and therefore the nerve. Sciatic problems
are common for this) Stress reduction Headaches Mental and
Physical Fatigue Poor Circulation Repetitive or over use
injuries (certain sports, exercises, job-related tasks and
hobbies can cause this.) Postural Deviations/ Imbalances
Connective Tissue Restrictions. (Tendons/Ligaments/Fascia)
Contra-indications
"Absolute"
contra-indications - cannot receive massage at all.
Uncontrolled
Hypertension (high blood pressure) Intoxication/ drug use.
Acute
infectious disease
Abnormal
Body Temperature.
Eclampsia
(toxemia during pregnancy)
Diabetes
with complications
Local Contra-indications
(massage can be administered, avoiding affected area).
Inflammation
Varicose
veins (can massage above the area, and/or use extremely light
over the area.) Phlebitis, Thromophlebitis, Embolus, Hematoma,
and bruising Skin Disorders (especially infectious skin
disorders) Hernia, Edema (of unknown causes. check with your
physician) Aneurysm, Acute injury/fracture
Cautions
The
following conditions are possible to receive a massage, however
you are encouraged to get approval from your primary health care
provider.
High Blood Pressure
Cancer
- [Massage can help with T-cell count, however, it is not
recommended to receive massage during chemotherapy treatments.
Another option is to look into "Energy Work" such as Reiki.]
Auto Immune
Disorders
Severe Heart
Conditions
Certain
medications
Osteoporosis
(lighter touch is recommended).
Scoliosis
(massage can be very beneficial, moderate pressure is used.)
Pregnancy - With healthy pregnancy, massage is beneficial, and
helps to instill wellbeing in mother and child. If it is a
difficult or high-risk pregnancy, a physician's permission is
required.
Massage is
often very beneficial for those who are critically ill. It
instills a sense of comfort and relaxation. It can ease physical
and emotional discomfort, improve mobility. A lighter touch is
generally used.
Benefits
Of Sports Massage:
- Relaxes muscles and improves joint stability
- Relieves muscle tension and headaches
- Reduces physical and mental fatigue
- Improves flexibility
- Flushes away cellular/metabolic waste (lactic acid) and
replaces it with oxygenated blood
- Promotes healing and hastens recovery from workouts and
injuries
- Reduces muscle spasms
- Helps posture by easing restriction in muscles, joints and/or
connective tissue
- Releases adhesions (scar tissue) in the muscles for improved
range of motion
- Reduces chance of injury
- Helps "repetitive stress" injuries in muscles
- Relieves fluid retention
- Releases endorphins to promote relaxation
- Helps secondary pain (over-compensation in injury)
- Helps re-connect mind and body
- Improves immune function
- Enhances general health and well-being
Benefits of On-site Massage
Employee Retention and
Decreased HealthCare costs
Decrease Workplace
Stress/Increase Morale
*Increase Job Satisfaction
*Improves Employee and Customer Relations
Relieve Stress
(Especially during hectic periods)
*Decrease both anxiety and hostility
*Improves Workplace for Everyone
Improve Productivity
*Relaxing and Invigorating at the same time
*Improves Creative Thinking/Concentration
*Relieves Fatigue
*Helps Eliminate Absenteeism
Improve Health
*Reduce Blood Pressure
*Relieve Arthritis
*Improve Joint and Muscle Aches
(Especially from “Computer Posture”)
*Helps with pain and numbness associated with excessive
mouse and keyboard use (Or other Repetitive Strain issues)
*Improves Immune System
Massage encourages people to take better care of themselves,
creating a ripple effect towards Better Health, and Increased
Productivity.
You have a choice of Massage Chair or Massage Table.
I recommend a private room if available.
Additionally please consider my Posture & Flexibility
Therapeutic Stretching Workshop designed to help individuals
with repetitive movements/postures to relieve chronic muscle
tension.
Benefits of Pregnancy/Maternity Massage
- Deep Relaxation
- Assists Lymphatic System
- Reduces Muscle Strain
- Increase Flexibility
- Decreased Melanin
- Stress Reduction
- Reduces Varicosities
- Reduces Stretch Marks
- Decreases Edema
- Balances Glandular System
- Increased Nutrient Absorption
- Increased Immune Functioning
- Assists Circulatory System
- Relives Spasms & Cramps
- Provides Emotional Support
Benefits of Foot Massage with Reflexology
In a general sense, you can receive full body relaxation simply
by having a good foot massage. We carry a lot of tension in our
feet, and they put up with a lot of abuse by us throughout the
day. There are also “reflex zones” in our feet that correspond
with various organs and other parts of the body, so these areas
may be affected positively by massaging the feet and using
pressure point work along these zones. This is also a nice way
to introduce someone to massage who may feel uncomfortable being
undressed for a massage~ due to the nature of this service, the
client is fully dressed with their feet propped up on a pillow.
This is also useful if certain areas that need to be addressed
aren’t able to be touched directly, such as a broken bone, skin
rash, etc. Very relaxing and balancing.
Benefits of Posture & Flexibility
Oh boy, don’t get me started! To be brief, our posture is
affected by our daily movements and simply how we carry
ourselves when we sit, stand and walk. Our posture will also
affect our mood, and our digestion—positively or negatively.
Poor posture puts a lot of strain on our muscles, compresses our
organs, and makes our energy level feel low. It will also affect
our flexibility. Ironically, our flexibility level will also
affect our posture. I began my Posture & Flexibility program to
help each person to continue the positive effects of their
massage in between sessions. Even if I massage someone weekly,
if they go back to their habitual patterns of poor posture and
not stretching, they will only feel good for their massage hour,
or perhaps that whole day. I would like to see them feel good
much longer than that, and to help them feel empowered to be
able to do something positive for their bodies on their own, and
making it “time effective—simple things to do throughout a busy
day, or a basic routine to implement all in one
session. I can do this as a one on one
session, or as a workshop. (See “what’s new” for dates and
locations, or let me know if you would like to offer it at your
facility or workplace!). You will reduce aches and pains,
relieve chronic headaches, reduce possibilities of injury,
relieve stress, improve digestion, improve your mood (the
biggest influence on our endocrine system/hormones is our
nervous system, the biggest influence on our nervous system
is…our posture!). You will also have better range of motion and
feel a freer sense of movement. You will also walk taller and
appear more confident.