What to Expect
For your first visit, we’ll review your health history as well as your goals for the session - such as stress relief, pain relief, and/or relaxation. Any chronic or past conditions, overuse injuries, and as warranted posture, gait, sleep positions and workplace and accident injuries will be discussed. During the massage, you are comfortably covered with a sheet and blanket. Only the body part being treated will be uncovered. Bolsters & folded towels may be used under the shoulders, ankles, knees and other areas to enhance relaxation. A table warmer is also available.
After the massage, I often make recommendations for self-treatments to maintain progress between sessions in areas or for muscles with pain, tightness, tingling, numbness or dysfunction e.g. limited range of motion.. For example, if a client has recurring pain in a specific muscle, I’ll show where to apply trigger point pressure and also demonstrate clinical stretches & strengthening exercises for pain reduction.
Note: Please know that whatever type of Massage you pick, I’ll work on what is needed.
Therapeutic Massage: My style of Therapeutic Massage is typically a composite of what is needed among modalities like Neuromuscular Therapy, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Cupping, Focused Pain Relief, Relaxation, ScarWork and TMJD Intra-oral Therapy. The benefits are many and include relaxation, pain relief, stress-relief, improved immunity, mood enhancement, improved sleep and increased range of motion.
Focused Pain Relief Massage: This work focuses on areas needing chronic or acute pain relief and it’s cousins: limited range of motion, tightness, numbness. I work within your comfort level for pain and draw from these modalities: Neuromuscular Therapy, Assessment, Traction, Sacral Base Leveling, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release, Scarwork, Cupping and TMJD Intra-oral Therapy. You will usually get homework which often includes targeted stretches and strengthening exercises, directions on where, how and with what to apply pressure on trigger points and hypertonic muscles.
ScarWork: I was drawn to training in Scarwork at the Dempsey Cancer Center if Lewiston, Maine, since I’d had training in Oncology Massage. Ida Rolf, who developed Rolfing Structural Integration which eliminates restrictions in the body with various causes, asked a colleague to develop a technique that would do this with scars. Scars can causes restrictions in the body’s network of connective tissue (fascia, muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.). Scarwork can lessen or eliminate these restrictions, increase range of motion and relieve pain. Scars are caused by surgeries including arthroscopic, biopsies, joint replacements, open heart, mastectomies, as well as from burns, ports and PICC lines. The work is light and employs many techniques. Surprisingly, the light work is what softens the hardened fascia that is scar tissue. When it is sufficiently softened, it is reintegrated into the fascial web. A scar is never too old for this treatment. I once treated a client with a 60 year old scar from a Craniotomy. He felt less tightness in his skull.
Deep Tissue Massage is a modality which relieves tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. These deep layers can often be accessed without much discomfort through myofascial release, trigger point therapy and other modalities. Trigger point release involves a "hurts so good" sensation, which can be intense when pressure is first applied to the knot or taut band, but then begins to fade and either eliminate the pain or lesson it significantly. Deep Tissue Massage is a highly effective method for releasing tension caused by chronic stress, misalignment, repetitive motions, and past injuries. It also increases range of motion in the joints.
The Relaxation and mood-lifting components of massage are also important. Deep relaxation feels wonderful! I find that clients also get these benefits even with deep work for pain relief. Also, when muscles are relaxed and released, they are less likely to press on nerves and pain is reduced or eliminated. Blood and lymph vessels are also released for better circulation and immune function. With the "pressure off", the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual body is free to operate in happy harmony.
Modalities Used: I have training and experience in Neuromuscular Therapy, Focused Pain Relief, Workplace and Accident Injuries, Deep Tissue Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Cupping, Myofascial Release Therapy, Oncology Massage, Scar Work and TMJD Intra-Oral Therapy. I also use Acupressure, which uses the same points as Acupuncture but without needles. See descriptions for these on the Services & Rates page.
Covid-19 Safety Precautions
Note: Please bring your vaccination card(s) to your appointment. At this time, I’m seeing only clients who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
- I stay up to date with vaccinations including for Covid-19.
- I have a large office with a cathedral ceiling and two windows, at 20 Independence Drive, Suite 3A, Freeport, Maine 04032
- Parking is in front or behind the building. Use the entrance to the right near the Principal sign. Come up to the 3rd floor at the time of your appointment. A stair chair lift is available to the second level and there are handrails to the third, if needed.
Health considerations:
Please call or reschedule your appointment if:
-You don’t feel well, have or have recently had respiratory or flu symptoms including sore throat, nasal congestion, new cough, have had a fever in the last 24 hours of 100F or above, chills, headache with another symptom, notable fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, low oxygen levels or vomiting or diarrhea.
- You’ve been in contact with anyone in the last 14 days who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or has coronavirus-type symptoms.
Safety precautions:
- Because of the close proximity of my work and because Covid is still active, I’ll wear a well-fitting KN95mask when you are supine/face up on the table, and will offer you blue surgical mask. No mask is required when prone/face down.
- An air purifier will be running before, during and after each client, and appropriate surfaces are sanitized.
Scheduling & Payments:
You can schedule, reschedule and cancel your appointments on Schedulicity.com or text, email or call me to do it for you. Payments can be made by check, cash, Venmo or with credit cards including HSA cards. Professional receipts are available for submittal for insurance claims.
Arriving for your Appointment
- Come up to my office on the 3rd floor at the time of your appointment.
- Please use the hand sanitizer just outside the office and remove your shoes if dirty before coming in.
Thank you for coming in and know that I appreciate you!