The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® can have profound benefits even if your uterus has been removed. In my posts on Arvigo®, I often talk about its benefits in relation to uterine alignment. Does that mean if your uterus has been removed Arvigo® would be a pointless exercise? Absolutely not! Those who are post-hysterectomy can gain much from this abdominal massage. Soften and Realign Scar Tissue Even when necessary, surgery is a trauma to the body affecting th

Working out muscle knots traditionally involves a bit of pain. What what if there were a more effective way to address them that didn’t have you jumping off of the massage table? Trigger point is the technical term for a knot in the muscle. Pretty accurate names for these things, right? “Knot” in that these points can feel like a binding or a tying in the fibers. “Trigger point” because pressing on them triggers pain. How these form and why, is a topic I’ve covered before

As I have mentioned in previous posts, chronic pain - whether of the pelvis or another area of the body - is multidimensional and complex. Learning about your condition, your body, and your available tools to recover is an essential element to navigating that maze and managing your pain. That is why I place such a high emphasis on client education and teaching self care techniques for my massage clients. Health education consists of two parts to be effective. The first par

Getting a massage is a wonderful, relaxing, therapeutic time in our routines! In the midst of our bliss or startling at the sound of our own snores, we can think of “getting a massage” as a completely passive act. But active participation in the experience can rev up results and add another dimension to the work. One of the most (hopefully) obvious and encouraged forms of active participation is telling your therapist when you feel especially tender or painful areas. Even

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April), I am using this post to address a topic that the majority of Massage Therapist tend to avoid. Massage Therapy and its relation to Sexual Health! With the fading but still lingering stigma of illicit services offered by shady massage parlors and the safety issues that creates for licensed therapists as well as unfortunate fact that usually massage is only connected with sex in misconduct news reports or human trafficking case

People are like ogres are like onions. This is something I've started saying often to describe a particular aspect of pain recovery through bodywork. Moving pain. Pain that moves can be scary, frustrating, or make you feel crazy! After all, pain is supposed to be a signal that something is wrong, right? So if it starts to roam around, we can start to imagine that we are jacked up being repair or that multiple malfunctions are occurring at the same time. (Or worst case, we sta

What does it mean to have a strong core? Raise your hand if you think of six-pack abs when someone says the phrase “strong core.” Would it surprise you to learn that you can have a perfectly chiseled stomach and still have a weak core body? Strange, but true! Our core encompasses all of the muscles between and including our respiratory diaphragms and pelvic floors. I have also heard wiser, more experienced people than I suggest “core” includes any muscle that connects to our

Last week we discussed the signs of a happy period. While an ideal world would automatically come with the perfect menses for every woman, in this one we might have to work a little bit for it! Different menstrual dysfunctions have different causes and therefore will have different treatment needs. However, all of these problems can basically be split into one of two categories: structural dysfunction or hormonal imbalance. Though these might seem like unreachable, unchang

Not long ago, a regular client came in complaining of shortness of breath as was as her usual pain. With a history of asthma and sinus issues, this wasn't super unusual. But the symptoms were becoming so pronounced, my client was concerned with the possibility of a hospitalizing asthma attack. Because she remained composed and there were no audible or visual signs of distress, I was unaware of the extent of the situation. (Side note: please, please, please let your therapist

Clients often ask me what it is I am feeling, or feeling for, when I give a massage. What is it that determines where I work and how? Of the many indications of imbalance that I can feel for in the body, here are four general signs that your muscle tissue is healthy. 1) Takes pressure without pain Apply straight pressure to a healthy muscle and nothing really happens. Apply pressure to an imbalance muscle and you’re going to sensation ranging from tingling, numbness to sha