a few of the benefits of massage
massage gives you a roadmap of the stress areas you choose hold onto in your body. Many times people don't know how much stress they're carrying until they have a massage; then they're able to feel it and usually let go of it. As the massage therapist gently stretches and loosens the muscles and connective tissues or "fascia", stress and muscular tension are released. Once you have an awareness of where stress lodges in your body, you can begin to do something about it. You start to educate yourself and your body, and you reverse a negative cycle, which often leads to dis-ease. Massage, often prescribed for injuries and conditions of pain, works at softening the muscles to move in more deeply to break up adhesions, and scar tissue. This allows muscles to become loose and more elastic, the way they should be. The body then may be freed of spasm and pain, increase its range of motion, and have the ability to avoid injury.

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acupressure
is a form of bodywork based in traditional Chinese meridian theory in which acupuncture points are pressed to stimulate the flow of energy or chi.

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alexander technique
provides a concrete means for overcoming these impeding habits, and for helping people learn better and do things more freely -- from learning to play a musical instrument better to moving with more comfort and ease through your daily life.

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craniosacral therapy
Cranio refers to the cranium which is the bony part of the head. Sacral refers to the bony bottom of the spine called the sacrum. In the 1900s Dr. William Sutherland, an osteopathic physician, discovered cranio movement. In the 1970s Dr. John Upledger, an osteopathic doctor, helped to further Sutherland's discovery as both an evaluative tool and a corrective one. Craniosacral therapy is a light touch manipulation of the head and bottom of the spine to restore optimal cerebrospinal fluid movement. It can be especially useful in treating headaches, eye and ear problems, jaw problems, whiplash, and back pain.

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deep tissue
is also called deep muscle therapy or deep tissue therapy. It is a term used to describe various massage styles that focus on the deeper muscles and connective tissues of the body. The therapist uses movement and pressure to reshape and realign the muscles and connective tissue, breaking old, habitual holding patterns. Rolfing, Trager, Hellerwork and Feldenkrais are all forms of deep tissue massage.

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lomi lomi
is a gentle, soothing, stretching type of massage claimed to be one of the most relaxing of body work styles, using the long continuous, flowing strokes, combined with the very loving touch, relaxes the entire being, assisting in a letting go of old beliefs, patterns and behaviors that cause limitations and which are stored in the cells of our body. Healing, stress reducing, rejuvenating, Lomi Lomi massage therapy has been practiced throughout Pacific for thousands of years. Polole Lomi, "the gentle hand of the mother," Oluea Lomi, "to harmonize body, mind and spirit," and Oluli Lomi, "to ignite the life-force."

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orthopedic massage
addresses chronic pain and sports injury conditions with emphasis on knowing the underlying causes and pathology of each condition. Focus is on the entire body, with emphasis on restoring pain free joint range of motion throughout the body and integrating complete structural balance. Pain is released by combining sequences of functional assessment, myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy, frictioning, muscle energy, stretching, neuromuscular re-education, structural balancing, patient home care, and much more. The combination of these techniques obtains immediate and permanent results in even the most challenging and complicated clients.

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pettrissage
the movements which involve various ways of kneading, rolling and picking up the skin and muscles, is called Petrissage. These movements help in strengthening the structures by stimulating the deep layers of tissue, and also help in increasing the supply of blood to the area. At the same time, it assists improvement of the lymph flow, and relieves congestion by reducing the edema. Petrissage techniques also make muscles more pliable, and are used to relieve soreness and hypertonicity (cramping). Light kneading eases the top muscle layers, while firmer kneading works on the deeper muscles.

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pregnancy massage
is the massage of pregnant women (prenatal) and women after giving birth (postpartum). It address the special needs of pregnant women such as swollen/painful hands and feet, stress on weight bearing joints, preparation of muscles and cardio system for labor & delivery, scar tissue, exhaustion, and emotional changes.
discomforts in the low back, feet, and legs. This form of massage usually consists mainly of Swedish Massage techniques that are modified slightly to take into account the common aches and pains of pregnancy. Positioning of the client is also modified as the pregnancy progresses and the abdomen enlarges.

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raindrop therapy
is a unique massage technique used by the Lakotas Indians. During a session essential oils are dropped along the spine and lightly massaged into the skin where the oils nourish all of the organs, this influencing each major system of the body. Raindrop therapy brings the body into balance, help align the energy centers of the body and release blockages.

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reflexology
is a form of bodywork based on the theory of zone therapy, in which specific spots of the body are pressed to stimulate corresponding areas in other parts of the body. Foot reflexology is the most common form of reflexology. *Click here to view our reflexology chart.

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reiki
is a Japanese word pronounced "ray-kee" and means "Universal Life Energy" or Chi. Reiki is believed to date back to early Tibetan healing practices. Discovered in the 1800's by a Japanese philosopher and Christian seminary educator, Dr. Mikao Usui, Reiki was brought to the United States in the mid-1900s. As an energy healing technique, Reiki involves hands-on touch and visualization applied to the entire body, serving to align chakras and bring healing energy to organs and glands. The practitioner, trained to access and serve as a channel for the life energy, uses a passive touch which some clients experience with a warmth or tingling.

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rolfing
is also called structural integration and was developed by Ida Rolf. Rolfing seeks to reestablish proper vertical alignment in the body by manipulating the myofascial tissue so that the fascia elongates and glides rather than shortens and adheres. The 10-session series can cause deep changes in the body that are physical as well as emotional.

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chair massage
refers to massage given with the recipient seated in an ordinary or special massage chair. Techniques which provide fully-clothed seated massage, bodywork and somatic therapies to clients, generally in a corporate or business setting. Practitioners utilize Shiatsu, Amma, and Swedish techniques.

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shiatsu
is a system for healing and health maintenance that has evolved over thousands of years. Shiatsu derives both from the ancient healing art of acupuncture and from the traditional form of Japanese massage, amma.Shiatsu is a Japanese word: "shi" meaning finger, and "atsu" meaning pressure. But shiatsu is more than acupressure, or reflexology. It is a combination of many different techniques, and modalities, including pressing, hooking, sweeping, shaking, rotating, grasping, vibrating, patting, plucking, lifting, pinching, rolling, brushing, practiced informally since at least 200 B.C. and brought to America in the 1940's by Torujiro Namikoshi. Barefoot shiatsu, used mostly in Shiatsu and Thai massage modalities, which includes walking on the person's back, legs, and feet is also commonly practiced. The belief behind Shiatsu and Acupressure is that the body becomes out of balance due to blocked energy along special points called 'meridians', which are located along invisible channels of energy flow throughout the body. This blocked energy can cause discomfort or disease in the body and can be released with the help of a Shiatsu or Acupressure therapist. In the practice of shiatsu, each person is primarily responsible for his or her own health and well-being, and immunity towards all dis-ease. This contrasts with the Western belief that the allopathic medical practitioner is principally responsible for our health. In Western medicine an awareness of the unique significance of touch, the essential form of communication between two human beings in the fight to subdue pain, has all but disappeared; certainly it has become minimal. Ironically, in all times and all cultures, the importance of touch, has been acknowledged as a primary means to mitigate and release pain. In the hurried rounds of the Western clinical allopathic physician, practicing surgery, prescribing medicine, and checking hospital charts at the end of the day, alas, it has basically vanished.