What is Massage Therapy?

Massage therapy can be different things.

It can be relaxation, rejuvenation, meditation, wellness, or all of these things.

It can be pain management, stress relief, coping with chronic conditions, or learning to master the conditions of a disorder.

Everyone is different and everyone deserves massage therapy that is fitted to their needs. At Portal to Wellness we take a very broad approach to Massage Therapy to treat the entire body, as well as a broad knowledge of modalities and perspectives on wellness.

Massage Therapy is the use of massage to encourage and facilitate the bodies natural means of recovery. Our bodies need help coping with all that we have to put them though. We all need a chance to relax and give ourselves the self care we need to recover.

Between our responsibilities to our families and our careers it is very difficult to keep up with the effort we need to function. This is why it is so hard to keep up with our hobbies and our personal aspirations, because we are so exhausted from keeping up.

Massage Therapy gives us all a chance to relax and give back to our body which has carried us through so much struggle. Try massage therapy and you will see that it is more than a luxury, it is a necessary component of our wellness to keeping up in our modern world.

“Under the present brutal and primitive conditions on this planet,

every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded.”

- Robert Anton Wilson

Your evaluation

Every massage comes with an evaluation. One of my strengths as a massage therapist is offering an in depth understanding of the movements of your body. While a massage therapist’s scope of practice is limited to the massage they do, we are also a fantastic source of knowledge and understanding about the body. When you are a client of Portal to Wellness, you will see the benefits in your wellness stretch out and affect your entire life.

Every time you receive a massage, there will be a written evaluation so your progress can be tracked over time. Step by step your therapist will help you along the way to wellness.

As a massage therapist, I am always expanding my knowledge and understanding of wellness, if you have an issue that could be helped by massage therapy feel free to reach out on my contact page.

  • Weather you are a regular Massage Client or this is your first time, we will cover all your needs during your intake. When you arrive for your appointment we will fill out a form with some personal information, including a brief medical history and any medications you are taking or any allergies you may have. This should be short and once it is taken care of we can discuss your massage. In addition to the kind of massage you are interested in.

    Your massage can be geared toward a specific issue or just to relax and get an evaluation of your body. One hour is plenty of time for a good massage and every one comes with an evaluation. That evaluation can tell a lot about what kind of modalities might be best for you.

    While I do have a typical routine, if you would be more comfortable making an alteration to that routine I would be happy to do so.

  • There are a few misconceptions about massage therapy and I would like to address them.

    First, many people think that massage therapy is purely an indulgence. Actually, massage therapy is a necessary part of our wellness and self care. It is so hard to keep up with our careers and taking care of our families that things like self care and our personal goals often fall by the wayside. Getting regular massage therapy is an excellent way of making sure your body has the energy to maintain itself and carry you through life.

    Another common belief is that massage therapy can be more effective long term if it is so deep or strong that it is painful.

    This is almost never the case. Massage is almost always best if it is geared towards the tolerance of the client. A good massage therapist knows that the body is doing most of the work, and we are merely facilitating and enhancing its capacity to heal. Providing a relaxing and comfortable setting helps the muscles relax, allowing them to better receive the massage, but also the relaxation allows the sympathetic nervous system to take over. When the sympathetic nervous system takes over and the body enters a phase of healing and rejuvenation. This phase lasts for hours after the massage. I always tell my clients to spend this time resting if possible. Not only because it is good for their body but its good for your wellness to take time for self care, and after a massage is the best time.

    Truly the only time when the body is benefited by massage that is painful if during the later recovery stages of an injury, or chronic pain condition. Sometimes the adhesions left over after a major injury is too much for the body to deal with alone, and the adhesions must be broken up manually. Even in this case, most of the discomfort can be avoided by using tools and though delicate care on the part of your massage therapist.

  • The Scope of Practice is the range of activities a therapist is allowed to perform within their license. The scope of practice of a massage therapist is limited to the work they do with their own hands.

    While massage therapists tend to be a wealth of knowledge in regards to wellness, their license is devoted specifically to the physical work they do. As a therapist I try to offer as much knowledge as possible top benefit my clients but it is ultimately up to them to decide what to do with that information.

    As a licensed health professional, I work within my license and with other heath care professionals as needed. If I ever come across a problem that I cannot handle, or that is outside my scope of practice, I always inform my client and attempt to find them a professional who can help them.

  • First, if you are dealing with pain that you are uncertain about, you should contact a doctor and get medical advice. Massage therapy can help with many pain issues but some require clearance from a doctor. Any massage therapist will tell you if you are uncertain about your health then you should see a doctor.

    Dealing with pain is very important work for a massage therapist, as well as very complex. It is challenging to gauge pain for all healthcare professionals, and difficult to treat. However with time and patience massage therapy can bring about great rejuvenation of the body. Many painful issues are a result of years of the same wear and tear on the body that have compounded on top of each other. The best way to deal with those issues is to receive therapy and let the body deal over time.

    It is not possible to give an assessment without a physical evaluation, and there are often no sure answers in therapy. However I believe massage therapy can be helpful to many people. So, if you are in pain, and you think that regular massage therapy is the way to go, I am offering a free 30 minute massage session.

    Please contact me with the nature of your issue and we can make an appointment. During this time I will do a full intake where we can discuss your issue. Then we will have a 30 minute session, where you will remain dressed, and I will take you through a basic massage where I can address and evaluate your body. Afterwards I can give you an evaluation and we can make a plan for your wellness.