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Not sure what to expect? No problem! I've answered some common questions here!
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Once you've booked your session, I will email you standard new patient forms, including a health history intake & my policies. These must be completed before your session.
For my safety & yours, please be thorough when listing injuries & surgeries.
Even minor things that happened many years ago are still relevant. The body remembers everything it has gone through & may generate new behavioral patterns, scar tissue, limitations, & other coping mechanisms that can affect your whole body.
In my experience, healing happens in the reverse order injuries were obtained, because one injury affects the next. So it's helpful to know about them all!
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This is a trick question!
One: You're not broken.
Two: It will help to correct structural misalignment, alleviate pain & tension, relieve stress, & remind your body how it is designed to function.
The effects of massage may last 2 days to 2 weeks. However, if your daily habits promote misalignment – spending long hours at the computer without breaks, wearing high heels, carrying a heavy backpack or small child on one hip (switch hips!), sitting on your wallet in your back pocket, using one side more dominantly than the other, etc. – your symptoms may (will likely) return.
Long term changes may require additional steps, such as changing ergonomics, retraining muscle patterns, strength building, &/or chiropractic adjustments.
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Your massage should not be painful, unless it is the “good kind of pain”. There is no benefit to going past a 5/10 on the intensity scale. Deeper is not always more effective, especially if it causes your muscles to tense up.
Each muscle has a different pressure tolerance, & what was OK for your back might be too intense for your legs (this is common!).
However, if the pressure is too light, feel free to keep asking for more until we find the right amount for you.
Soreness following the massage can happen and is often attributed to dehydration, so please take preemptive measures & drink plenty of water before & after your session.
If you do experience soreness the next day, I recommend a hot bath with Epsom salts.
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After the intake process, I will leave the room & you will be given complete privacy to undress to your level of comfort*. You can leave your under garments on if you'd prefer. The priority is that you feel safe. Some people leave their socks on as well.
In order to work on your undraped gluteal muscles and cleft, you will need to initial the section of the intake form asking for your consent. Without this consent, I will only work on top of the sheet.
You will be covered by the sheet and blanket at all times and I will only uncover the area that I am working on. At no point in the session will your chest or groin be exposed.
And don’t worry about whether or not your legs are shaved, you're sweaty, have dry feet, etc. I have worked on several thousand bodies in my career & view them all as equally lovely canvases.
*If you would prefer to stay fully clothed, floor-based Thai & chair massage are also options!
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You are absolutely welcome to cry the entire session. Part of my role is to hold space for you, in whatever state you arrive. What happens in the session, stays in the session.
Crying can often be a natural extension of the healing process as well. Memories and emotions can sometimes get "stuck" in bound up muscle tissue & result in releases that are emotional as well as physical. We can pause the session if you need a moment, or continue if it feels ok to you.
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If you have been severely injured, have pain that is increasing, 0r could have a broken bone or torn ligament, please consider an X-RAY &/or MRI from a doctor or chiropractor before massage.
If you are sick, experiencing fever, cold or flu symptoms, or it feels like your body is fighting a bug, massage is not recommended. When your immune system is compromised, getting a massage may actually cause you to become more sick. (Also, I don't want to get sick!)
Please notify me of any swelling, bumps, rashes, red marks, open wounds, or changes to your skin. I don't work on areas affected by athlete's foot 0r unidentified skin conditions.
If you have been experiencing chronic numbness for an extended time, consider ruling out more serious conditions.
If you have a contagious infection, please reschedule.
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Light exercise like walking, yoga, & swimming are great!
More strenuous activities like weight lifting or sports may undo all of the restructuring progress made in the massage.
It is best to allow 24 hours after a deep tissue massage for your body to repair & for the soft tissues to adjust to the new patterns created by the massage.
