​Swedish body work is a relaxing form that incorporates soothing strokes with the use of oil or lotion. The client lays supine (face upwards) or prone (face downwards) on a massage table. During the session, the clients privacy is well respected with proper draping techniques with the use of table sheets. There are five basic strokes used throughout a Swedish body work session: effleurage (long, gliding strokes), petrissage (kneading the muscles), friction (circular rubbing motions), tapotement (fast tapping) and vibration (shaking certain muscles). This form of body work is beneficial for many illnesses and helps with detoxifying the body, migraine relief, stress reduction, release of anxiety, mental clarity, high cholesterol, poor circulation, and body aches. It is also recommended to those that are opposed to or not interested in deep tissue. 

Shiatsu is a form of Japanese bodywork based on concepts in traditional Chinese medicine such as the use of qi meridians. This form of body work is done on a specific shiatsu mat on the floor. Pressure is then applied on a meridian pathway depending on what organ of the body we are trying to put more focus to. A qigong assessment can be applied to better have an idea of what approach to take for this treatment. Shiatsu is a wonderful way to harmonize the body, mind & spirit and to encourage the flow of qi (energy) through the organ meridians. 

Deep tissue body work focuses on relieving tension that is deeper in the tissues of the body. Unlike other bodywork techniques that focus on relaxation, deep tissue helps with muscle pain, chronic aches, muscle stiffness, and injury rehabilitation. It is important for the client to have open communication with the practitioner during this type of treatment so that the pressure is tolerable and manageable throughout the session. Be mindful that if you choose to have deep tissue work, soreness is quite common after treatment and drinking plenty of water will help aid with flushing and removal of toxins in your body. 

Chair body work is a convenient way to have body work done at either your home or office. For this particular treatment, the session is done at your specified location, whether it be at your home or work office. This type of treatment is often used as a stress management technique to reduce tension headaches and also helps with relieving muscle pain. It is also usually a lot quicker than other body work sessions as there’s no special preparation or change of clothes required. You can enjoy the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of this type of body work without having to leave your home or office.

Lymph, also called lymphatic fluid, is a collection of the extra fluid that drains from cells and tissues. Lymphatic drainage therapy is a type of body work to encourage the natural drainage of the lymph especially areas that are swollen. The lymph fluid then carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. With gentle and rhythmic pressure, lymph function and circulation throughout the body is activated. The immune system is also enhanced by the passage of lymph into the lymph nodes, making it easier for fluid movement to and from the cells. This therapy aids in detoxification process by ridding the system of toxins, pathogens, environmental pollutants, food preservatives, drugs, etc. Lastly it improves stress levels and sleep patterns through deep relaxation. 

Sports Body Work is intended to speed up the athlete’s /participant’s recovery process, resolve potential cramps, and identify any injuries that may have been sustained during the event. Sessions are typically 15-45 minutes length, and often use a variety to techniques, including Swedish massage, petrissage (kneading), compression, rocking, jostling, and passive range of motion stretching. A session can extend further than 30 minutes if requested, although 15-30 minutes is plenty of time to feel loosened up and ready to go! 

Myofascial release is a type of hands on healthcare treatment that focuses on the soft tissue such as fascia to elongate and return to its normal state. Fascia is a “3-Dimensional Web” of connective tissue that surrounds and supports everything in the body. It binds the muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves together. However, poor posture, repetitive movements, injuries, illness, and stress can cause fascia to form adhesions and tight bonds that form between the different tissues in the body. Myofascial release allows these tight bonds to be loosened resulting in pain reduction and increased blood flow. Its intention is to decrease pain from fascial pressure, increase range of motion, decrease spasms, decrease symptoms of fibromyalgia & neurological dysfunction, and improve postural alignment. To do this a couple of techniques are applied to stretch the fascia at the superficial layer, intermediate layer and deep layer into the muscle tissues depending on what area needs focus on. 

Hot Stones body work can be a wonderfully relaxing and amazingly therapeutic modality. It does take a bit of extra time, both before and after the session to prepare the stones and to wash them afterwards, which is why many therapists charge a bit more for this treatment. Hot stones does not follow a certain protocol and it is fun to be creative with the flow of the stones as they glide against the skin. Typically it is nice to combine another treatment method for no extra charge like deep tissue or swedish to have a full experience. Benefits of hot stones include: warming the body and spirit, increasing blood and lymph flow, creates a profound sense of deep relaxation and letting go, opens up the tissue for deeper work with less discomfort, decreases excess yang energy, increases or strengthens yin energy.

Trigger point therapy focuses on releasing, or stimulating trigger points from a muscle belly. A trigger point is a tender spot that is considered to be a "knot" and can be found in the center  or "belly" of a muscle. They are released with steady compression and firm pressure. For this treatment it is asked that the client participates with breath work to bring stimulation to the area and awareness to the body to keep the area released. The client may feel pain or twitching in a local or distal area as pressure is applied to the trigger point. To note, the pain is indication that the trigger point is being released and that the body is transitioning back to its optimal state.

Specific injury treatment is specialized treatment to a specific area of the body. In most cases these areas of the body are going through a recovery stage. Any injury that is going through a recent "healing stage" should not undergo this treatment. This treatment is designed to break down scar tissue to help realign tissue and loosen chronic tenderness due to past muscle injuries. Techniques involved with this treatment  can be deep tissue in a specified location, use of hot and cold therapy, stretching techniques, myofascial release, trigger point therapy and cross fiber (friction) work in a localized area. The goal of this treatment is to get the muscles to work at their most optimal function without any pain, feeling comfortable and relaxed.

Reflexology is a noninvasive technique in which mild to moderate pressure is applied to reflex points on the feet, hands and sometimes ears. These reflex points are a mirror image of the body reflected onto the feet and correspond to glands, organs and parts of the body. Stimulating the appropriate region is intended to eliminate energy blockages thought to produce pain or disease in the related areas. Benefits of reflexology include: breaking up toxins that are later eliminated from the body, removes congestion and blockages from the energy pathways allowing for better flow of energy throughout the system, improves blood circulation and lymph flow, alleviates pain by releasing endorphins & interrupting the “pain cycle”, reduces stress and tension, and restores the flow of vital life energy helping to create overall balance, health and harmony of the whole being.

Similar to trigger point therapy, strain and counter strain relieves pain in tender points and the surrounding tissues by passively putting the affected area into its position of greatest comfort. This is accompanied by markedly shortening the muscle that contains the malfunctioning muscle spindle by applying mild pressure to the most heightened point of pain. In other words the strain is relieved by the counterstrain. For this treatment, good client/therapist communication is paramount. It is asked that the client remain patient as the tender area must be compressed and held for 90 seconds. To note, the pain is an indication that the trigger point is being released and that the body is transitioning back to its optimal state. If you follow the guidelines from the therapist it will assist in long term relief as opposed to temporary relief.