Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy is an investment in your personal self–care, self–awareness, overall wellness, injury, or illness rehabilitation, and even injury prevention. Work with Michelle to get out of pain, mitigate your future pain, and optimize your overall mobility and wellness.
Want a relaxing massage?
While Michelle’s work definitely won’t be the kind of session that allows you to take a nap, even when it “hurts so good”, the nervous system will respond with a greater sense of calm and relaxation overall.
Not Your
Average
Massage
Sessions with Michelle are more of an interactive experience – intense in sensation and more suited to a long term plan of recovery than a one off tension tamer, though you can definitely get that too.
During a session, continuous collaboration will help determine the level of pressure both internal (you using your breath or movement) and external (Michelle’s movement, use of silicone pods, or straps, body brushing, passive movement, etc.) will help your tissues feel safe enough to take a break from the tension of protection they are often in.
Full Body Wellness
Ease in your body
Flexibility
Mobility
Self Care
Bring Greater
Self Awareness
Athletic Recovery
For Pros
Crossfitters
Weekend Warriors
Once Upon A Time Athletes
Reduce Pain
Chronic Pain
Injury + Illness Rehabilitation
Heal Yourself
Tame Tension
A Safer Massage
For Greater Covid -19 Infection Protection:
- Sessions with Michelle are being done outdoors to allow greater airflow
- Sessions are done masked
- Additional disinfection and sanitization measures are in place
- Temperature checks are required
- Open appointments are limited to allow additional cleaning time between sessions
- At this time, available information indicates that massage in an outdoor setting is safer than in an enclosed space
If you are used to getting regular massage and don’t feel safe in the usual environment, this is a safer option!
“It was like an exorcism for my tissues!”
Michelle’s Unique Approach
Michelle started aspects of Massage Training in 2013 with an introduction to Thai Massage and Lee Alpert’s approach to pain management without drugs in her foundational Integrative Yoga Therapy Training.
She also studied self-myofascial release, ayurvedic bodywork, and extensive anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology at that point and was introduced to muscle testing, range of motion optimization and corrective exercises over the following year. She continued to study in this area while integrating teaching the techniques into her practice by showing clients how to do much of the tissue manipulation for themselves as she was not a massage therapist and didn’t have a license to touch therapeutically.
In 2015 she began working for and with Jeni Spring, one of the leading massage therapy educators in the US. By 2016, she was certified in Anatomy Trains for Movement professionals giving her a deeper understanding of the fascial system.
In 2018, Michelle began to study Neuro Kinetic Therapy and was certified as a Level 1 Therapist. As so much in Levels 2 and 3 are similar to those things she has already studied, she is unsure if she will continue to study this approach to certification. She began studying the work of Functional Patterns, Z Health Performance Solutions, and Stop Chasing Pain because they were taking out of the box whole systems approaches to pain and movement. Continuing to study with Maria Shamas, Dr. Steven Swidler (Crainial Osteopath and Holistic Dentist), and Jill Miller of Yoga Tune Up, while working with primarily Military and Veteran Populations allowed Michelle to deepen her understanding of practical applications of the interactions of fluid body dynamics with neurologic and psycho-emotional factors in a lot of bodies.
In 2019, Michelle decided to train to get a massage license so she could assist those she worked with that had neurologic conditions that limited their ability to do the tissue manipulation for themselves. She feels strongly that the lymphatic system (and visceral manipulation), fascial system, breath, neurologic components, and psycho-emotional/spiritual health, combined with good digestive health are supremely important to one’s ability to be in optimal overall health and wellness. She gained a greater understanding of lymphatics and visceral work through Dr. Perry Nickelston of Stop Chasing Pain with whom she continues to study.
All The Tools…
Extensive knowledge and understanding of the interplay of the “systems” and “structures” of the body, including the often misunderstood hydrodynamics of the fascial and lymphatic systems, and the awareness that massage doesn’t actually restructure the tissues through force, but by using a variety of neurologic inputs in specific ways and sequences to allow the brain to decide that the body is safe enough for those tissues to move differently, allow Michelle to provide you a unique experience on your path to wellbeing.
This involves, but is not limited to such techniques as deep tissue massage, myofascial “release” (including use of additional tools – Rock Pods cupping system, Rock Floss, and Kinesio-taping – when indicated), lymphatic work (Stop Chasing Pain Lymphatic Mojo, Ayurvedic Garshana or dry brushing), breathwork, barefoot shiatsu, range of motion movement, active and passive stretching, Thai massage, and sport-stretch, and can almost always be done at least partially clothed. As an add-on or combination session, Michelle can also provide you with take-home practices to accelerate your own healing and wellness process.
