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Massage & Bodywork
Bodywork with Christie
Your first session with Christie will be scheduled to review your intake form and briefly talk about your reason for seeking bodywork and your desired outcome. Most often your session will incorporate a “little bit of everything”.
Working in this field for over 24 years and using her experience and intuition, its apparent to Christie that you can’t predict what type of bodywork will be effective at any given moment. More than likely, & unless otherwise discussed, your session will incorporate more than one style of bodywork. Also likely, is the use of essential oils during your appointment. Christie will choose oils that will benefit your healing at the time of the session. With the exception of Raindrop Technique, there is no charge of the use of essential oils.
Swedish Massage is the most commonly offered and best-known type of massage. During Swedish massage, massage therapists use massage oils or lotions to facilitate smooth, gliding strokes called effleurage. Other classic Swedish massage moves include kneading, friction, stretching and (sometimes) tapping. Swedish massage uses firm but gentle pressure to promote relaxation, ease muscle tension and create other health benefits.
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Trigger Point Therapy, sometimes confused with pressure point massage, involves deactivating trigger points that may cause local pain or refer pain and other sensations, such as headaches, in other parts of the body. Manual pressure is applied to these points to relieve myofascial pain.
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Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia (the material that holds everything together). This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is also not uncommon for receivers of Deep Tissue Massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two. Deep tissue work varies greatly. Please note that Christie’s technique is to encourage change to the underlying muscle tissue and is not just about pressure. She’ll give you the exact amount of pressure that will be the most therapeutic for your body. If you’re strictly looking for pressure, she may not be a good fit for you.
Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), AMMA Therapy was brought to the US by Tina Sohn and was exclusively taught at the New Center for Wholistic Health Education and Research, currently the New York College of Health Professions, located in Syosset, NY. In ancient Chinese, the word am-ma means push-pull. It’s teachings date back over 5,000 years ago. AMMA Therapy works on the tendino-muscle energy pathways of the body and it affects all systems of the mindbody complex. It is facilitated over clothing or coverings and does not use oils or lotions. Circular pressure or direct pressure is used to encourage change to the body’s energy meridians.
Myofascial Release
Ever wonder what is going on under your skin? Your entire body is made up of connective tissue. This web-like substance runs from one “part” of your body to the next with virtually no interruption. It’s one really long piece. Between all these fibers is a liquid ground substance which in healthy bodies is fluid and flows without restriction.
But if you’ve got some sort of kink in the web, then it’s going to pull on the surrounding tissues, which in turn will start a chain like reaction and pull at points further away along that web. This is why that neck pain coincidentally seemed to start the same time you fell on your butt. It’s all connected.
If you’ve tried meds, oils, massage, acupuncture, chiro, etc., and you’ve only had TEMPORARY relief then you are a PERFECT candidate for the John F Barnes Approach to Myofascial Release.
Myofascial Release or MFR refers to the manual massage technique for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, integument, and muscles with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and equilibrioception (sense of balance). This subtle technique usually involves applying shear compression or tension in various directions, or by skin rolling, for several minutes at a time allowing the tissue to unwind and relax into its natural state of being at a pace that is comfortable. Some discomfort may be felt but because the body intuitively knows what it needs you will never be hurt by it. All you need to do is feel what your body is saying and let go into it.
No lotions, creams or oils are used in MFR. Please do not apply any of these the day of your appointment as it makes the technique a bit less effective. Make-up should also be removed before your session.
Male clients please bring with you a pair of short gym shorts. Women may bring in gym shorts and a sports bra or a two piece bathing suit.
Christie's MFR Education:
Myofascial Release 1 x2
Myofascial Release 2
Fascial-Pelvis
Unwinding
Pediatric Myofascial
Cervical Thoracic x2