Massage therapy . . .

… has been valued in the East for centuries and is now recognized and respected in the West as a viable tool for healing. It is a powerful yet soothing approach to managing stress and pain that can also profoundly improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Much of the pain we commonly experience originates in the soft tissues: muscles, tendons, fascia and ligaments. Tension can trigger pain in an isolated area (such as the neck, shoulder or lower back) and, if not released, can begin to affect other areas of the body.

In addition, the cumulative effects of mental, emotional and physical stress can take a serious toll on the body. Digestive issues, headaches, insomnia and other sleep problems, depression, fuzzy thinking, short temper, sluggish circulation and a weakened immune system all can result from stress, which has been strongly linked to disease.

A professional massage therapy session can reduce or eliminate the effects of stress. Massage therapy recipients report a variety of benefits beyond simply “feeling relaxed”: profound pain relief, greater flexibility, mental clarity, emotional well-being, inner calm, improvement in overall health and resolution of related medical conditions are just a few of the many outcomes.

Informed medical professionals (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) refer their patients for professional massage therapy to address conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or plantar fasciitis, prior to trying more invasive treatments like cortisone injections or surgery.

For me, massage therapy is not about working on the person. It’s about working with the person – the whole person. Yes, there are the various technical approaches and the physical touch used to release tension, but this work is about relationship and connection – with the person, with their body, and with the trapped energy that is interfering with their well-being. It’s about working respectfully with the tissue and allowing it to release.

This work is also about attuning to higher levels of energy – energy that is capable of transforming every facet of our being, and conveying that energy through touch.

- Leslie Connell