Therapies we offer
Our therapies offer
a break through in chronic pain relief through years of professional
education and practice.
Our massage therapy
is unlike any massage you've ever had. We
work together with a special technique to create muscle balance
and tissue health, relieving and correcting the underlying problems
associated with most chronic pain. Our clients usually begin
to get relief right away and by the third session it’s
clear what the solution to your problem is. Though relief does
not always require continued maintenance, many of our clients
still return to achieve enhanced relaxation as well as physical
and emotional well being.
We have studied many therapies over the years and have integrated into our repetoires what we've found to be most useful from each. We specialize in (Neuro) ReactiveTriads™, a postural corrective muscle balancing technique originated by Ann Watkins, advanced principals based in Neuromuscular ReprogrammingR /Neurokinetic TherapyTM. Other therapies are integrated into any given session as needed. If you are only looking for a particular therapy listed below you may want to contact a practitioner who specializes in it alone; however, our clients have most often found our eclectic blend to be more effective than one specific modality.
List of our therapies:
1. Postural
corrective bodywork definition
2. NeuroMuscular Reprogramming® (NMR)/NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) definition
3. Reactive Triads™ (Neuro) Reactive Triads™ definition
4. Relaxation Massage definition
5. Energy Work definition
6. Lymphatic Drainage definition
7. Conscious Anatomy™/Movement for Body Mind Spirit™ definition
8. Teens and Children definition
9. Deep Relaxation/The Zone definition
10. Somatic Integration with Reactive Triads™ definition
11. Visceral Manipulation definition
12. Classes definition
13. Swedish Massage definition
14. Sports Massage definition
15. Deep Tissue definition
16. Spinal Postural Stabilization definition
17.
Acupressure definition
18.
Shiatsu definition
19.
Polarity definition
Definitions of our therapies:
1.
Postural corrective bodywork
Integrates our original education
with our continuing education and our original work.
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Neuromuscular Reprogramming® (NMR)
(originated by Jocelyn Olivier; aka NKT via David Weinstock - co-founders of the school Alive and Well!, located in Marin County, California)
A muscle balancing technique that involves muscle testing to determine which muscles are working too hard and which muscles are not working hard enough. Muscles need to be able to contract and relax as needed whether they are working isometrically or in complement to one another. With this muscle balancing technique the muscles learn to appropriately activate and deactivate; pain is relieved, posture improves, range of motion increases and the ability to relax is enhanced. This often takes more than one session.
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Reactive Triads™, also known as NeuroReactive Triads™ (originated and developed by Ann Watkins)

(Neuro)Reactive Triads™ Bodywork techniques deal primarily with three systems of the body: the muscle system, the lymphatic system, and the joint system. RTB challenges the functional effciency of a muscle by activating three elements, in a specific sequence, which may involve the lymphatic system, the body’s response to shock, visceral components, and the muscle system. Reactive Triads™ are important in the relief of muscle pain, nerve pain, limited range of motion, and inflammation as well as long lasting postural correction. Reactive Triads™, originated in 2001 (see her DVD, published in 2007, Reactive Triads™ a breakthrough in chronic pain) changes the NMR/ NKT paradigm from pairs to triads and involves more than just the muscle system.
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Massage
Relaxation Massage typically does not include Neuromuscular Reprogramming even though including it can be deeply relaxing. When relaxation is specified we will typically use more Swedish, Pressure point (acupressure, shiatsu), and other more typically familiar forms of massage. If we find a muscle area that is not responding to other more typical modalities we will ask you if you mind if we do some testing. If you specifically do not want the testing to be included we will honor that request. Typically muscles relax more deeply with muscle balancing where other modalities don’t do the trick.
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Work
Energy work may include Acupressure, Shiatsu, Brain Gym, Energy Balancing, work with chakras/Reiki, or organ massage- as done in Lymphatic Drainage, and is typically integrated into the whole massage as needed. Although we may do a full session if requested with one of these modalities, we do not specialize in them and, if that is what you are specifically interested in, you may want to consider going to a practitioner that does. Our clients rarely find a single modality to be more effective than our integrated approach.
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6. Lymphatic
Drainage
This is a technique used to reduce inflammation in the interstitial tissues. The lymphatic system cleanses a third of your blood at a time. It transports molecules too large for the circulatory system to places in the body in need of healing. In the case of toxins it transports to the excretory system. Mostly a light touch technique, because most lymph fluid is located just under the skin, it increases the volume that circulates through the body by about 20x.
Bruno Chikly’s method of lymphatic drainage was originally developed to deal with lymphodema after cancer surgery. Ann Watkins has worked with pre and post cancer patients in relieving lymphodema and uses it for general health in many of her clients as needed. Reactive Triads incorporates lymphatic drainage into its method in order to speed the process of reducing inflammation with the action of the muscles (see
Reactive Triads DVD). This is especially important if you have Fibromyalgia or other chronic inflammation – migraines are often accompanied by chronic, residual inflammation. You will be less sore or no longer sore.
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7. Conscious Anatomy™/Movement for BodyMindSpirit™
Discover a new experience through the language of movement, sound, imagery, breath and bring better health to your body. Sound vibration improves the health of your inner organs, expands your breath, and calms your mind. Increasing your movement repertoire, as per the Kestenberg Movement Profile, expands your life view and protects against dementia/alzheimers. Start early. Make room for more vibrancy. Gain a new perspective, stretch and strengthen your body, re-charge, calm your mind, de-rust, de-stress, re-wire. Graceful body, bright mind. No experience necessary. See our listing in classes for more Conscious Anatomy™ then scroll down to view Movement for Body Mind Spirit™.
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and Children
When working with
teens and children, the sessions are usually shorter and the
kids wear a bathing suit or
shorts and an undershirt
or something similar. It tends to take fewer sessions because
even if the problem is systemic it is not deeply ingrained.
This does not necessarily apply if there are mitigating problems,
like CP or MS or other such problems, although Neuromuscular
Reprogramming can be correctional for scoliosis and is very
helpful
in the cases of Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis. Parents
may stay in the room.
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Relaxation / The Zone
Deep Relaxation / The Zone
We have often had people fall asleep on the table or enter into the realm of the Zone – entering a place of deep relaxation but being cognizant at the same time- like a daytime dream state; it is a place of deep integration yet there remains the ability to follow directions as needed with the muscle balancing work that we do. This is an amazing place to be in and is exceptionally healing.
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Somatic Integration in our bodywork is based on the assumption that our muscles carry past memories or beliefs about ourselves. When deep-seated muscle tension is released, muscle memories or beliefs about ourselves can surface in association with the chronic pain or tension we are working to resolve. For complete healing to occur, rather than entertain story or judgement associated with it, what seems to work best is to feel into the tension and let it dissolve, integrate and, if pertinent, choose to maintain or change whatever belief we've been carrying. Through pain relief and postural correction, what we've sequestered in our muscles from old traumas may surface, but resolve with corrective techniques which integrate into new awareness, new understandings and a more comfortable in-your-body experience. Occasionally, a "healing crisis" might occur: a flooding of old issues and associated physical pain for a limited time as your body integrates the plethora of new information and insights. It might be important to be aware of your balance if your body needs more time than the session to get used to the new muscle patterns being introduced and to integrate the somatic information.. (see Reactive Triads).
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11.
Visceral Manipulation
Visceral Manipulation is a very gentle technique developed by Jacques Pierre Barrel. We listen to the tissues, the internal organs, as well as other body structures so they can track more properly and freely. Our bodies are meant to move and accommodate from the inside out. When tissues get sticky due to illness, accidents, injury the tissues can stop sliding over one another the way that they are meant to and the internal organs become limited in their intended movement. We hold the tissue in the direction of ease or intention so that the body can make an appropriate shift and free up tissue to move as it was meant to. Great for your health and well being and helpful for many maladies. Combined as needed with Reactive Triads™ bodywork.
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12. Classes. Check back for new class offerings this Fall
See our classes page here.
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13. Swedish
Massage
One of the most common forms of massage, Swedish relaxes the muscles and eases aches and pains. It is always integrated into our form bodywork which specializes in postural correction and pain relief.
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14. Sports
Massage
Developed specifically to treat the athlete, sports massage techniques are utilized at all stages of an event: pre-event to bring health and wellness to the tissues; post- event to enhance recovery; during training to maintain the muscles and enable peak performance and, at any appropriate point, to expedite rehabilitation after injury. Our practitioners may utilize sports massage techniques to facilitate results during a session.
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15. Deep
Tissue
A technique that works slowly and deeply through the layers of muscle and fascia, it lengthens tight or shortened muscles, stretches scar tissue and releases adhesions that have resulted from trauma, injury, operations, or repetitive strain. This work helps to improve posture, range of motion, function, and strength and is typically integrated into our sessions.
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16. Spinal
Postural Stabilization
We may give you exercises that increase strength, mobility, endurance, coordination, and balance. As the stabilization of your back increases, movement without pain is supported and your pain is much more likely to “just go away”.
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17. Acupressure
Granddaughter to Shiatsu, Acu means finger. In Acupressure two points are held until they begin to pulse consistently and strongly together. This tunes up your energy body system and relieves pain and discomfort. Unlike Shiatsu, it doesn’t necessarily follow a meridian. In fact, it tends to cross meridians, characterized by “strange flows”. Can be very effective in relieving chronic problems involving an energy component. May be incorporated into a session. We do not specialize in this and encourage you to seek elsewhere if this is what you are specifically interested in.
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18.
Shiatsu
Another way to say finger pressure, Shiatsu has a long history in the Orient. Using various digits, the practitioner follows the the body’s meridians (the physical lines of the energetic body) using thumbs frequently or fingers as needed. Like Acupressure it tunes up the energy system and can be used at various depths to the muscle to create a strong pressure, a medium pressure, or a light pressure depending on what your body calls for. Older people especially find it to be very grounding and centering when other bodywork leaves them feeling disoriented. May be incorporated into a session and occasionally may comprise the bulk of a session but it is not what we specialize in and we therefore encourage you to seek elsewhere if this is what you are specifically interested in.
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19.
Polarity
Polarity is also an energy work that uses finger pressure. Essentially, it locates two correspondingly sore points on the body and uses alternate circular motion to relieve the knots and muscle discomfort. This is the part of polarity we tend to incorporate into our sessions. It is a much more extensive practice than just that but it is not something we specialize in. We encourage you to look elsewhere if that is what you are specifically interested in.
19.
Conscious Anatomy™
Foudation courses: learn anatomy through movement with somatic awareness and energetic attunement. Advanced courses in (Neuro)ReactiveTriads Bodywork. See our listing in classes for more information.
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