Training
I am trained in multiple massage modalities. I bring all of the
training to the session.
• Swedish-Esalen Massage
• Nuad Borarn/Thai-Yoga Massage
• Acupressure
• Neuromuscular Re-Education Therapy
• Reiki
• Lymphatic Drainage Massage (LDP)
Each client’s body has different issues. Each session will be a blend of the appropriate skill set.
Swedish-Esalen Massage
Swedish-Esalen massage manipulates the muscles and connective tissues of the body to loosen muscles, increase circulation, aid detoxification, improve skin tone, expand movement for relaxation, and facilitate restful sleep.
I received my training in the Swedish-Esalen tradition at Cumberland Institute for Wellness Education in Brentwood, Tennessee. You can find more information from the Esalen website.
Nuad Borarn “Song of Bodywork”
Thai Massage / Assisted Yoga
Nuad Borarn/Thai Massage is a Buddhist physiotherapy developed over 2,500 years ago by the personal physician to the Buddha himself. The purpose of this massage is to stimulate and enhance the flow of life-energy by pressing, holding, and stretching energy lines present in the body, leaving the recipient energized and fluid.
In the United States, this therapy is know as Thai-Assisted-Yoga Massage. Practiced all over Thailand and the world, Thai Massage is the third part of the greater practice of traditional Thai medicine, and includes bodywork, massage or yoga therapy, and exercise. Its scope and techniques are diverse, varying among therapists and locations of practice: school, hospital, wat (temple), and clinic.
Traditionally performed on a mat on the floor with the recipient fully dressed in comfortable clothing, metta (loving kindness) is transmitted to the body by stretching and applying pressure to the recipient’s palms, thumbs, elbows, knees, and feet. To relieve energy blocks and bring awareness to the body, the therapist kneads and compresses the recipient’s muscles while working the body with seamless flow into a series of yoga-like postures.
I studied with Michael Buck of the Vedic Conservatory.
Acupressure
Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago. It employs the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin, stimulating the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote circulation of both the blood and the body’s life force energy to aid healing.
Acupuncture and acupressure should not be confused: Both use the same points and meridians on the body, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure by the therapist’s fingers.
Neuromuscular Re-Education
Neuromuscular Re-Education is a hands-on technique that evaluates and treats soft tissue injuries that occur via trauma, repetitive motion, or chronic postural fatigue.
When an area of the body is injured—whether it contains muscle, connective tissue, fascia, tendon, or some combination of these elements—the body responds to the successive inflammation of the affected tissue the only way it knows: through hyperplasia (enlargement) of that tissue. This is followed by the development of an adhesion: a fibrous and less elastic second-grade, poorly vascularized scar tissue.
Neuromuscular Re-Education locates the adhesion and scarred area, then takes the muscle through a functional range of motion, all the while using manual deep pressure to break up the adhesion and restore full range of motion. This allows the body to regain its normal movement pattern, thus decreasing pain and improving function.
I learned Neuromuscular Therapy from Earle Timberlake of Timberlake Massage Therapies.
Reiki
Reiki is a simple, natural method of spiritual healing and self-improvement. Using the bio-electric energy we all create, I balance and amplify this energy in you. Reiki has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady, and it always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.
The Reiki Principles espoused by Usui Mikao
For all that you could ever want to know about Reiki, visit The International Center for Reiki Training.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
A lymphatic drainage massage—sometimes called manual lymphatic drainage (MLD)—is a gentle massage that stimulates the body’s lymphatic system, allowing it to circulate fluids with ease. It also increases the body’s metabolism and boosts the immune system. The lymphatic system can become blocked, causing fluids and toxins to accumulate, which makes us more susceptible to colds and other viruses. This bodywork is also helpful when allergy and sinus problems fill the cranium.