FAQs
What are the benefits of massage and bodywork?
Massage therapy and bodywork are proven to relieve chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, help improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and bodywork are also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety and create an overall sense of well-being.
What should I do during the massage or bodywork session?
Prior to the session, feel free to ask the practitioner any questions about the techniques for the upcoming session. During your session, make yourself comfortable. The practitioner will either gently move parts of your body such as your arms and legs in order to access different areas or tell you what is needed throughout the session. Many people just close their eyes and completely relax. Your massage therapist will check in with you about your comfort level, but if you do need something adjusted, such as the temperature or bolster, just speak up and let us know. If you have any questions regarding the session or about the particular technique you are receiving, feel free to ask!
Are there any medical conditions that would make massage or bodywork inadvisable?
Yes. That's why it's imperative that, before you begin your session, the practitioner asks general health questions. It is very important that you inform the practitioner of any health problems you are experiencing or medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor's care, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for massage therapy or bodywork prior to any session. Depending on the condition, approval from your doctor may be required. We are always happy to speak with them - massage therapy and integrative healing are often very beneficial to most underlying medical conditions. If you are unsure that a medical issue will affect your bodywork session, please talk with your primary care provider and with us before you make your appointment to ensure that you will get the maximum benefit from your visit. Some possible contraindications maybe: 1st trimester pregnancy, skin eruptions, circulatory issues, blood clots, certain cancers etc.
Do you offer pregnancy/prenatal massage?
We do offer prenatal massage, beginning in the second trimester of pregnancy, and we will need a doctors note of recommendation to receive massage during your pregnancy. We are happy to speak with your care provider(s) if you have any questions. We use a form-fitting body positioning foam support for moms-to-be so they can lie comfortably face down on the massage table during their sessions. We can also use pillows as bolsters, and we have a special table that can incline when lying on your back.
Please contact us ahead of time prior to booking a prenatal massage.
How will I feel after the massage or bodywork session?
Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity which can last for days. Since toxins are released from your soft tissues during a massage, it is recommended you drink plenty of water following your massage. If it is your first massage ever, or it has been a while since your last session, you may experience some of the detoxing effects the following morning, and/or some muscle soreness. The detoxing his may feel like mild/moderate nasea. It is rare, but a normal response from the body, and should pass in a few hours. These effects are exacerbated by not drinking enough fluids after your session and may be experienced by people who live a more sedentary lifestyle. If you have any underlying medical concerns, please discuss with your doctor if massage is advised for you.
Do you accept insurance?
Beginning mid-late 2024 we will accepting insurance through the VA (Veterans Affairs) re Optum Health Insurance! Please stay tuned for updates. We are very happy the VA has seen the light and is covering this essential care for our veterans! For more information, please contact us.
We are credentialed with Aetna insurance. Please call the number on the back of your insurance card to verify if General Massage Therapy is covered by your Aetna insurance plan. We also offer Super Bills for insurance plans that offer reimbursement for massage therapy.
For those undergoing financial hardship, we do offer a sliding scale. Please contact us for more information.
What will the massage or bodywork feel like?
Your provider will help you thoroughly relax with a unique blend of neuromuscular, swedish, myofascial and/or deep tissue techniques, typically integrated to meet your body's unique needs. A relaxing swedish massage is often a baseline for clients. In a general session, your service may start with broad, flowing strokes that will help calm your nervous system and relax exterior muscle tension. As your body becomes relaxed, pressure will gradually be increased to relax specific areas and relieve areas of muscular tension. Often a light oil is used to allow your muscles to be massaged without causing excessive friction to the skin. The oil also helps hydrate your skin. However, if more myofascial work is required, less oil is used and the practitioner ‘holds’ tension on certain area for a duration of time. You should communicate immediately during any session if you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken. Massage therapy and bodywork are most effective when your body is not resisting.
How will I feel after the massage or bodywork session?
Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity which can last for days. Since toxins are released from your soft tissues during a massage, it is recommended you drink plenty of water following your session. If it is your first massage ever, or if it has been a while since your last session, you may experience some of the detoxing effects the following morning, and/or some muscle soreness. The detoxing may feel like mild/moderate nausea in rare cases (especially in more sedentary lifestyles), but this is a normal side-effect in these cases. It is a normal response from the body, and should pass in a few hours. If negative conditions persist after your session, please contact us and your primary care provider. These effects are exacerbated by not drinking enough fluids after your session. If you have any underlying medical concerns, please discuss with your doctor prior to and after your session.
What Is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping therapy can be traced back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. In a Cupping therapy session, the therapist puts special suction cups on your skin for a few minutes. This suction created from the cups can increase blood and lymphatic circulation to the applied area, relaxes muscle tissue, draws stagnation, pathogenic factors and toxins out of the body, and releases a range of pain causing factors. Cupping therapy is recommended for help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being and as a type of deep-tissue massage.
What Is NIASZIIH Healing?
NIASZIIH healing is an earth-based approach to healing. Pronounced "Nye-ah-Zee-eye" and loosely translated as "Vessel of healing,” It is an opportunity to go beneath the surface of your life and see the events, patterns, and choices you move from, see how these in turn influence your very body, make contact, and discover a new perspective.
During a healing session you typically lie comfortably on a massage table, fully clothed. The practitioner applies touch to various parts of your body, and there is often some dialog throughout the session, similar to somatic therapy. Healing sessions are not a passive experience, but an opportunity for you to engage in your Healing Journey directly.
This integrative medicine is applicable to anyone with non-communicable diseases, including those undergoing treatment (eg. chemotherapy, upcoming surgery, etc). It is a powerful hands-on approach that works with your whole being – the physical, energetic, spiritual, and more – and is recommended for people with cancer, auto-immune disorders, heart disease, and/or any other non-communicable disease. It is the healing approach taught at the school wildernessFusion.
NIASZIIH healing is about being real with what is, and finding the potential for making a different choice. Your entire being has been crying for healing, to be at peace, to feel love, to find joy, and to live with a real sense of purpose in life. Your body craves to be in balance. What do you need so you can create this in your life?
