Massage / Bodywork

I offer massage therapy and bodywork sessions in Boulder, Colorado. Bodywork sessions range from 1/2 hour to 1-1/2 hours. Each massage session is for your comfort and health, and is designed to meet your needs. The peaceful location, soothing lotion, relaxing music, and personal care all contribute to making your massage a pleasant experience.

Some types or examples of sessions

Full Body Relaxation Massage

Bodywork for relaxation is based on the fact that we all need safe, nurturing touch and safe connection. The goal of a session is to provide a relaxing, stress-reducing, pleasurable massage through sensitive touch. Forget your cares and worries as you relax deeply to the sound of gentle music and the soothing touch of massage.
Rehabilitative Therapy

Relief from pain and correction of dysfunction is approached through assessment or evaluation of your condition, and then application of the appropriate treatment. The work focuses on a specific issue rather than being a general full-body massage. The modalities used are normalization of soft tissue techniques or neuromuscular type therapies.

Therapeutic massage/bodywork sessions may also consist of a blend of techniques woven together to specifically meet your needs.

Before and after a massage, you will have complete privacy to undress or dress. You will be covered with a sheet throughout the massage. Only areas being worked on are exposed. Lotion or oil will be used on the skin. Hot or cold packs may be used. I will be responsive to your communication about your well-being and wish to help you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Contraindications for massage

Some people should NOT receive massage. Some conditions where receiving deep massage could be damaging or dangerous include acute health problems, inflammatory conditions, infectious diseases, some skin conditions, varicose veins, tumors or cysts, abnormal sensitivity to touch, bruises, bacterial or viral infections, phlebitis, fever, cardiovascular/circulatory conditions, thrombosis (blood clots), diabetes, or people taking certain kinds of medications like pain killers. At your first session, you will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire which will screen for such conditions.

Some Physical Benefits of Receiving Massage

Relieve stress and aid relaxation
Release sore, tight muscles and joints
Speed injury recovery
Improve circulation of blood and movement of lymph
Reduce muscle spasms
Improve muscle tone
Provide greater joint flexibility and range of motion
Support the body's natural cleansing process
Reduce blood pressure
Increase energy
Promote deeper and easier breathing
Improve posture
Enhance the health and nourishment of skin
Strengthen the immune system
Calm the nervous system
Increase bodily awareness

Some Mental/Emotional Benefits of Receiving Massage

Reduce stress and fatigue
Foster peace of mind
Promote a relaxed state of mental alertness
Facilitate awareness of mind/body connection
Relieve mental stress
Satisfy needs for caring/nurturing touch
Reduce levels of anxiety
Improve ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
Improve sense of well-being

And, massage feels good!

Some Conditions Helped by Massage

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) reports that people with the following conditions have stated that therapeutic massage has lessened or relieved many of their symptoms:

Alzheimer's Disease (anxiety relief)
Arthritis
Asthma
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Chronic and acute pain
Circulatory problems
Gastrointestinal disorders (including spastic colon, colic and constipation)
Headache
Immune function disorders
Insomnia
Myofascial pain
Reduced range of motion
Sports injuries (including pulled or strained muscles and ligaments)
Stress
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction

The AMTA also states that therapeutic massage is often an alternative to drugs and surgery. Massage improves body image in people suffering from eating disorders, improves weight gain of premature infants, and enhances blood pressure and pulse in geriatric patients. (Source: American Massage Therapy Association)

Of course, since each person is different, no claims can be made for the effectiveness of massage (or any health or medical treatment) for always successfully treating any condition. Research studies are currently being undertaken to prove the effectiveness of massage upon many different ailments. My own experience has shown that many other health problems besides those in the list above can be addressed by massage and related bodywork. In my practice, I have seen massage bring improvements to:

Chronic fatigue (CFS) and nervous tension
Chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain
Dysautonomia
Fear, anger, anxiety and other stress-related emotions
Health and well-being maintenance
Hypertension
Nervous system disorders
Painful or tight muscles
Recovery from accidents, injury, surgery
Stress- and tension-related problems
Trauma
Vertigo
Whiplash
Also, massage can help conditions which do not respond to conventional medical approaches

The Benefit of Receiving Regular Massage

Receiving massage and bodywork on a consistent basis (even once every six weeks) is more beneficial than receiving it infrequently. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative. Thus, the more frequently a person receives a massage, the better he or she will feel and the more quickly the body will respond. Receiving regular bodywork also provides a way to learn more about specific body needs and tension patterns to prevent problems before they happen. The increased relaxation typically leads to a feeling of well-being, better mental and physical performance, and increased enjoyment of life.

^ Return to Top