​Soothe & Heal

PHILOSOPHY

Massage Therapy is bodywork designed to help one achieve  and maintain a state of well-being. It benefits healthy individuals as well as chronically ill or injured. Deeper forms of massage are intended to release adhesions in the fascia, the structure of connective tissue, that surrounds muscles, blood vessels, ligaments nerves and other soft tissues. Lighter, more superficial forms of massage may act as a “counter-stimulant” that interrupt pain perception. Massage increases circulation, allows the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into the tissues and vital organs, helps stimulate the lymph system and releases  endorphins, which act as the body's natural painkillers. Massage also provides passive yoga and exercises to strengthen atrophied muscles to improve range of motion. 

Chair massage is a variation performed with the client in a specially designed massage chair, fully clothed.  Chair massage usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes and is commonly used in the workplace for stress relief breaks or at health fairs for brief demonstrations of massage.

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The Science

There is a considerable body of literature regarding the clinical effectiveness of massage therapy, e.g. under PubMed, a free library of life science journals. The best evidence is for the use of massage therapy as an adjunct to conventional procedures and for relieving pain, anxiety and psychological effects associated with chronic disease and invasive medical procedures.