Frequently Asked Questions

Yes there are contraindications like a fever, contagious disease, or a cardiovascular condition. Massage can be adapted for most medical problems, and in fact help with healing. Inform your therapist of any health problems or medications which you are taking. If you are under a doctor's care, consult with him/her prior to receiving a massage. You should fill out a client intake form before your first session. Include any health concerns and discuss them with your therapist. If something changes between subsequent visits, let your therapist know. ​

If the injury is soft-tissue related, with a skilled massage therapist, you can receive treatment immediately. The massage will be brief and light touch, mostly manual lymph drainage to reduce swelling and myaofascial release to diminish scar tissue. 

From personal experience and from observing my clients, the sooner you receive a massage, the quicker and better the healing. Often just a few minutes of treatment can yield relief. 

No, not necessarily. Many massages can be performed with clothing on, but some techniques are more effective if the massage therapist can work directly on the skin, which is easier if the client is undressed. You should undress to your comfort level. If that means keeping some of your clothing on, the therapist will work around it. But if you undress, know that you will always be properly covered during the entire massage session.

You will be properly draped at all times to keep you covered, warm, and comfortable. Only the part of your body being worked on will be exposed. 

In a warm, comfortable, and quiet room in my home.

Be comfortable. If you are receiving a therapeutic massage, communicate a lot with your therapist. If you are receiving a relaxing massage, the therapist will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax, communicating if/when they need more or less pressure, another blanket, or anything else relevant to the session. 

It depends on your needs and comfort level. If your visit is for therapeutic purposes, your massage may be focused on only the area needing attention. If your visit is for a full-body session, the therapist will include work on your back, arms, hands, legs, feet, abdomen, shoulders, neck, and head. If there is a part of the body you do not want massaged, let the therapist know. Your private areas will never be touched.

It depends on the reason you are receiving a massage. Some massages are very light-touch and others are deeper. When people think of a massage, they often think of a relaxing Swedish massage. In a general Swedish massage, your session 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. If you are receiving a different type of massage, ask your therapist what to expect. You should communicate immediately if you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken.

Yes! There are hundreds of different types of massages. Refer to the "Modalities" page to better understand the types of massages in which I am trained. You can request a specific massage, but usually I will blend the different types of massages to fit your needs and comfort level.

It depends on the type of massage you are receiving and on your needs. In fact, with some types of massage no oil or lotion is required. I make my own lotion with the highest quality ingredients. Lotion or oil is used to allow the therapist to glide over your skin without friction. It also helps to hydrate your skin

Some people are ticklish to touch, but I will work with you to lessen the sensation and probably even avoid it. I utilize several techniques that have been successful in helping others to relax.

No, it should not. If you are receiving a therapeutic massage, there may be some discomfort, but if you are ever in pain, communicate that with the therapist. If your muscles are tightening up because of pain, it lessens the effect of the massage. If the therapist is working deeply, she should ease into the muscle and not force her way in.

Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. Occasionally your muscles may be a little sore for a few days afterwards, especially if your body has greater range of motion and muscles are being used in new ways. It should be the "good" kind of sore muscle from being used! After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity which can last for days. Most people report that they sleep better after receiving a massage. 

Drink water. If you were given stretches by your therapist, physical therapist, or doctor, continue to do them. That will help reinforce the benefits of your massage. You can prolong the benefits by doing self-massage with a foam roller. Just don't bruise or hurt yourself!

I hope so! But I don't know. Massage helps some problems immediately. Other problems require several visits with incremental improvement each time. Each person's body responds differently, so even if you have the same problem as someone else, I cannot say if you will respond in the same way. If nothing else, you should be relaxed, and it is in the relaxed parasympathetic mode which your body can heal itself.

This depends on YOU - your needs, your time, your finances. Discuss with your therapist what they suggest, but know that YOU decide how frequently to receive a massage. I never know how a body will respond to a therapeutic massage, so I leave the decision of when to return up to the patient. Pay attention to your body and how it responds to massage.