I believe in incorporating various techniques to get the body to it's natural healing mechanisms, that the mind/body connection is related to pain and injuries, and regular massage can provide stress management, health maintainance, and provide support for any neccessary therapeutic changes. I practice what I preach and receive regular massage myself. My massage routine helps me to relieve stress, enlongate my shorten muscles, strengthen my weak muscles and facilitates a stronger mind-body connection. That strong mind-body connection enables me to be more aware of signals my body sends me so I can be utilize that information and continue to make any necessary adjusts for optimal health. Many people come in for massage for pain relief. Massage is a great resource for pain; however it is important to understand pain. Pain is information which can be very useful. I recommend when setting up an appointment with me, to not take any pain killers whether they are over the counter or prescription. The reason is 2 fold, as we need to understand the pain as it is completely to get all the clues to the root of the pain and also during a session, we need your body to not block pain signals if the techniques or pressure maybe causing you pain, as again this will help us tailor the massage to the right pressure, techniques and also discover where your body requires healing. Often we don't know we have a shorted muscle or a muscle without enough oxygen which both can cause pain. Many clients will gain a better mind-body connection and feel more subtle pains. Feeling pain more at first my seem counterproductive to getting massage. However I assure you that knowing your pain points, will help improve your overall health and wellness. For instance massage will help you sleep better, exercise better, work better, and improve your mental health. Massage also help regulate your blood sugar, your breathing, your digestion and other body systems to more optimal function. I have 12 years of massage therapy experience specializing in Clinical Massage, Sports Massage, and I'm Certified in Prenatal Massage. I taught massage for a couple years which enriched my practice greatly as I utilize many different modalities, techniques and incorporate Eastern philosophies with Western/Swedish massage. In addition to teaching all courses required for a massage program, I had the pleasure to oversee the massage department at the school, train and supervise my massage instructors, and run the student massage clinic.