Bodywork sessions may include a mixture of the following…

Swedish Massage

I suggest Swedish massage for people carrying stress, anxiety, or emotional tension in their body. Anyone who hasn't slept well in a while, like new parents, students, or late-night shift workers. If you've never received a professional massage, I highly recommend starting with this modality.

Swedish massage has long, flowy strokes that feel nourishing for the nervous system. It improves blood circulation, lymphatic flow and sleep quality. Swedish also creates a safe space for those with sensitivity to touch or have trauma around touch. This modality leaves you feeling restored, cared for and reconnected to your body.

Deep Tissue

Deep tissue massage goes beyond superficial layers and addresses deeper structures in the body. The structures that hold onto chronic tension and compensatory holding patterns. This type of work is for people that sit at a desk all day or stand on their feet for hours.

This therapeutic modality can improve mobility in stiff joints by releasing surrounding tissues, speeds recovery from physical activity or athletic training and improves body awareness. This style of massage uses low to moderate lubrication to maintain contact and control. I may cue your breath throughout the session to help the nervous system relax and allow the deeper layers to release.

Myofascial Release (MFR)

MFR is for people who feel chronically tight no matter how much they stretch. Anyone who is recovering from surgery, injury, or whiplash (motor vehicle accidents). MFR can help people with postural issues from desk work or repetitive movements at their jobs or daily hobbies. Those dealing with headaches/migraines, TMJ pain, or plantar fasciitis.

MFR is performed with little to no lubrication. If lubrication is used, it's usually in a butter form (a blend of shea, mango and beeswax). It provides grip and friction on the skin & connective tissues. This modality is slow and pressure is sustained and held for 90 seconds to several minutes.

Trigger Point Therapy (TPT)

Trigger points are tight, irritable knots in your muscles that hurt right where you press, and often, they refer pain to other areas of the body. TPT can be beneficial for people who get tension headaches or migraines. TPT can also help relieve sciatica pain, jaw pain or rotator cuff tightness.

TPT is performed with direct compression to each trigger point using a thumb, finger, or elbow. This compression is held steadily until the muscle responds and the referral pattern begins to fade.

Stretch Therapy

I suggest stretch therapy for people who feel stiff or limited in their range of motion, athletes preparing for or recovering from activity, or anyone who spends most of their day stuck in one position. It's also a great fit if you want to move more freely in your body but don't have a consistent stretching practice of your own.

Rather than stretching on your own, I guide you through assisted, passive stretches, moving your limbs and joints through ranges of motion that are hard to access by yourself. This helps lengthen tight muscles, support circulation, and build mobility over time. Stretch therapy can be woven into a massage session or focused on more heavily, depending on your goals.

Cupping

Cups are placed on the skin to create a suction that lifts the tissue upward. This negative pressure helps draws in fresh blood flow in the area. Separates the layers of fascia and muscles that have become stuck together and pulls stagnation out of deep tissue layers. Cups can be left stationary or can be glided over the skin with oil for a broader decompressive effect. Temporary circular marks may appear on the skin afterwards; these marks can last a few days up to a week. Cupping can break up adhesions in fascial layers that restrict movement and can reduce the appearance of scar tissue over time with consistent work.

Gua sha

Gua sha is an East Asian technique that uses a smooth-edged tool made out of jade or rose quartz to apply firm and unidirectional strokes across oiled skin. This scraping motion does a great job breaking up fascial adhesions, stimulates circulation and triggers a healing response in the tissue. Gua sha can also produce a temporary redness (sha) to the skin that typically fades away within hours to a few days.

Aromatherapy

I suggest aromatherapy for anyone who wants to deepen the relaxation response of their session, or who's drawn to scent as part of how they find calm. It's a wonderful addition if you're dealing with stress, low mood, or a hard time winding down.

Using therapeutic-grade essential oils chosen based on what you need that day, whether that's grounding, uplifting, or simply soothing, aromatherapy is blended into your massage oil or diffused in the room during your session. It works alongside the bodywork itself to support your nervous system from another angle.