Where will my bodywork treatment or massage session take place?
Must I be completely undressed?
Will the practitioner be present when I disrobe?
Will I be covered during the session?
What parts of my body will be treated or massaged?
What will the bodywork or massage feel like?
Are there different kinds of bodywork therapies and massage?
What should I do during the treatment session or massage?
How will I feel after the treatment session?
What are the benefits of bodywork therapies and massage?
Are there any medical conditions that would make bodywork therapies or massage inadvisable?
Where will my bodywork treatment or massage session take place?
My office is located inside of a chiropractic clinic.
Your bodywork session will take place in a warm, comfortable room with soft music. You will sit or lie on a table especially designed for your comfort.
I use an electric lift table. This helps people with mobility restrictions to get on and off the table. It also helps me to have appropriate positioning and body mechanics for the techniques being used. The table also can adjust into various sitting positions for people who need it.
** Please be aware the treatment room is located in a chiropractic office that is a family practice. This means that it can get noisy at times. If this will bother you, let me know and we can try to schedule you when the chiropractic office is closed.**
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Must I be completely undressed?
Visceral & Neural Manipulation requires clients to be wearing loose fitting shorts for men & women and for women a basic bra that is not too tight and has no underwire. These techniques may require a supine (face up), prone (face down), side-lying, or sitting positions. Typically no blankets are used and undergarments are worn to aid in easy movement and change in positions during the treatment as well as access to the areas of the body being treated.
Manual Lymph Drainage may be done as clothed above or undressed. Typically no oil is used as that impedes the ability to do the techniques properly for the best results.
Massage techniques are traditionally done with the client undressed. You may wish to wear underwear and for women, the bra or a tank top. Your comfort is priority, so undress to your level of comfort. However, please be aware that techniques are done best when I can access the skin easily. You will be properly covered and kept decent during the entire session. Only the areas of the body being treated are uncovered.
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Will the practitioner be present when I disrobe?
I will leave the room while you undress and get positioned on the table. We will discuss the session or treatment goals when you arrive; depending on what we do, you may begin laying face down, face up, or sitting.
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Will I be covered during the session?
Visceral & Neural Manipulation and requires clients to be wearing loose fitting shorts for men & women and for women a basic bra that is not too tight and has no underwire. These techniques may require a supine (face up), prone (face down), side-lying, or sitting positions. Typically no blankets are used and undergarments are worn to aid in easy movement and change in positions during the treatment, as well as access to the areas of the body being treated.
Manual Lymph Drainage is also done with no oil; direct skin contact is preferred for best results, however some techniques can be done through loose-fitting, light clothing.
Massage techniques are traditionally done with the client unclothed. You may wish to wear underwear and for women, the bra or a tank top. Your comfort is priority, so undress to your level of comfort. However, please be aware that techniques are done best when I can access the skin easily. You will be properly covered during the entire massage session and only the area being worked on will be exposed.
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What parts of my body will be treated or massaged?
Visceral & Neural Manipulation requires me to listen to your body via the fascial system. This system will lead me to the areas needing treatment including release of deep restrictions. Areas treated could be anywhere in the head, body, or limbs.
Manual Lymph Therapy includes activation of the body's lymphatic system as a whole, with special attention to the primary lymph node groups; then focused work is done to the areas that need it.
The typical full-body massage session will include work on your head, face, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, and back. Some people prefer that only the upper or lower body is worked, or will state specific areas that need the most focus.
* Genitals are not worked on * Areas around the breast tissue may be worked for people after certain surgeries as well as for people with lymphedema. We will discuss this in detail prior to the session if necessary. *
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What will the bodywork or massage feel like?
Visceral & Neural Manipulation treatments are typically gentle on the body. Even when the deeper tissues or organs are being addressed, it may feel firm and there may be some tenderness, but it feels good to the brain. It feels "right." This is because the body knows that the restrictions are there and it has been wanting help; now when help has arrived, the sense is the tissues breathing a sigh of relief.
Manual Lymph Therapy is typically very gentle and light (most of the lymphatic system is very superficial, in the layer of fascia under the skin) and can be very relaxing. At times the tissues or organs worked may feel tender, but usually this tenderness dissipates quickly as the fluid starts moving and the tissues are no longer stretched with congested fluid.
Massage is typically very relaxing. At times the muscles/tissues may feel tender or even a bit painful as bunched up or knotted muscle fibers are worked. Typically lighter pressure is used until your nervous system calms and your muscles get warmed up and relaxed, then pressure will gradually be increased to get to the deeper muscles and address areas of increased muscle tension. Usually a light oil (I use jojoba which is hypoallergenic) is used to allow your muscles to be massaged without causing excessive friction to the skin. The oil also hydrates your skin.
** I do not do deep, aggressive massage (what many people incorrectly call "deep tissue"). ** I do not "find 'em & grind 'em."
If this is what you are looking for then please call someone else.
Deep, aggressive massage is damaging to both your body and mine.
True "deep tissue" is a combination of techniques done on a small area of the body. The tissues are gently worked from superficial to deep, like peeling back the layers of an onion to get to the core of the tension or trigger point.
If at any time during your session you feel discomfort or pain, please speak up immediately. A little tenderness, discomfort or mild pain is to be expected at times, but it should never be enough that you are very uncomfortable or that you find yourself grimacing or bracing and resisting the techniques. Bodywork therapies are most effective when your body and mind are not resisting.
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Are there different kinds of bodywork therapies and massage?
There are numerous modalities of bodywork therapies and types of massage. Massage includes a variety of different techniques that may be utilized depending on the goals of the session.
I am trained in: Visceral & Neural Manipulation, Manual Lymph Drainage Therapy, MyoFascial Release, some Advanced Brain Work, Trigger Point Therapy, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, Swedish/Relaxation Massage, Deep Tissue techniques, Pregnancy Massage, Pre- & Post-Natal Massage, Therapeutic Touch Therapy, as well as adaptations & specific techniques for infants & young children, elderly, and people with complicated health conditions.
During your intitial intake session as well as before the start of each treatment session we will discuss the treatment goals and your desired outcome, then we discuss the therapies or techniques are most appropriate to help your body toward those goals.
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What should I do during the treatment session or massage?
Prior to the session, please ask me any questions about the treatment or techniques that will be used.
During the session, try to relax and make yourself comfortable.
Conversation is welcomed, however at times I need silence in order to focus on the body & what it is communicating. If I need you to reposition or move slightly, I will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm or changing positions).
During the session, please speak up if anything being done is uncomfortable or painful.
I am trained to feel the tissues and I can often tell if an area may be more tender, but everyone is different. If you don't speak up, I don't know how you are feeling. I want you to be comfortable and I don't want to cause pain or discomfort.
During Relaxation Massage, many people just close their eyes and completely relax, communicating if or when they need more or less pressure, another blanket, or anything else relevant to the session.
Visceral / Neural / Brain / Fascia work typically require some changing of position during the techniques / treatment, and require you to mentally engage in the process and also to provide feedback during and after the techniques.
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How will I feel after the treatment session?
Most people feel great after the session. They report feeling very relaxed, light, open, feeling better blood flow & better breathing. People may feel tired afterwards, or energized. Each body responds differently. Depending on the techniques done, sometimes people feel a bit lightheaded for a moment when the treatment ends and they sit up on the table. Typically this feeling passes very quickly. Just take your time getting up to allow your body to begin processing the changes and get balanced.
In the days after a treatment session or massage, it varies how people feel. Some people feel a bit run down and tired for a day or two. Some may feel great and energized.
With Manual Therapies, benefits are often felt immediately, and continue to improve over time.
Jean-Pierre, in his clinical research, has found that when restrictions deep in the body are released (those around organs, blood vessels, nerves, internal ligaments, etc) the body continues to shift and change for up to 5 weeks! During this time of shifting, you may feel any number of sensations that may or may not be related to the treatment. Please pay attention to your body, make notes to provide feedback, and contact me with any questions or concerns along the way.
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What are the benefits of bodywork therapies and massage?
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Are there any medical conditions that would make bodywork therapies or massage inadvisable?
Yes. That's why it's imperative that, before you begin your session, you complete the paperwork as accuratly as possible. I may also ask you additional questions about your health or condition, or to clarify something on your intake paperwork. It is very important that you inform me of any health problems, implants (metal, mesh, cadaver, etc.), other treatments or therapies you are currently receiving, and medications you are taking.
If you are under a doctor's care for a serious condition, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for the bodywork treatment or massage prior to any session. Depending on the condition, approval from your doctor may be required.
Doctors may not know or fully understand the type of work that I do. In order to keep you safe and give you the best results, I am happy to communicate with your provider about these therapies -- how they are done and how they affect the body.
