Hello! I'm so happy that you found your way here, and I'm curious: what led you to read these words?

How are you feeling in your body today? Do you feel estranged from your physical self? Are you living with an old injury or chronic pain? Are you trying to support a more communicative mind-body relationship? Or do you simply have a lot on your plate right now and could really use some physical support?

Oh my, that’s a lot of questions, and I haven’t even introduced myself. My name is Woozy Wootters (they/them). I am a licensed massage therapist and an insured member of the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP), as well as a part of the Sanctuary collective of bodyworkers, yoga instructors, and other healing arts practitioners.

I am aware that there are a lot of massage therapists around here. If you live in the Pioneer Valley, you may know one personally, and if you live in Northampton, you probably tripped over one on your way to work.

That said, massage therapists are not a monolith. We all have different philosophies, styles, specialties, personalities, etc., and it can take time to find one that works for you.

In the interest of streamlining your search, I want to plainly lay out the four core beliefs that define my practice, so that you can get a better sense of whether or not working with me will be beneficial for you.

1. The best expert on your body is you. I obviously love that my clients trust in my abilities and knowledge, but at the end of the day, my expertise is never going to be more valuable than their lived experience. I personally know how frustrating it is to go in for a massage, and identify an area that needs attention, only for that area to be completely ignored because the “real problem” is somewhere else. This is also why…

2. Open communication is vital for an effective massage. If you’re not being listened to, then you’re not getting good treatment, in any context. For this reason, I always leave a good amount of time for intake before the session clock actually starts.

Even when familiar clients come in, I naturally want to get a sense of their physical state, but getting caught up on their emotional state since our last session is just as important. Life can be a lot, and all of it affects our physical wellbeing. A good massage session should allow you the opportunity to process and unload whatever you’re holding on to. While I may not be directly challenging in the way that a good psychotherapist would be, I am always here to listen and respond - before, during, and after the massage.

I also believe that listening to yourself is just as important, if not more so. Through massage, I want to provide a space where you can check in with yourself and find your own answers for what your body needs at this moment in time. I also want to provide a space where people feel comfortable advocating for themselves and what they want - we could all use a little more of that!

3. Pain during a massage does not equal effectiveness. I know that this is a hard sell. Don’t get me wrong - when I get a massage, I like receiving deep and firm pressure, and I’m happy to go deep when I work. That said, there is a notion in our culture that “real” improvement is supposed to hurt, and I have seen no evidence of this being true. To me, this belief reveals the antagonistic relationship that many of us develop when living with chronic pain.

When you feel bullied by your own body, it's natural to feel like you should be fighting back. As someone who's been living with chronic pain for over a decade, I understand that feeling very well. However, at the end of the day, when we have this mindset, we are fighting ourselves, and hurting ourselves. Finding peace can be as difficult as it is necessary.

4. Massage therapy should not be a luxury. Many of us live in a world of high stress and reduced human contact, where we are encouraged – if not required – to ignore the needs of our bodies to get through the day. In this context, massage is not a luxury, but rather basic maintenance. I keep my prices relatively low for this reason, and I also have sliding scale options for those who want to make use of it:

30 min $40 - $50
45 min $50 - $65
60 min $60 - $80
75 min $70 - $95
90 min $80 - $110

Finally, as a bonus tenet, here’s the free space on the massage therapist bingo card, the belief that you should expect from any massage therapist:

EVERYBODY DESERVES RESPECT. You are unique, and you are beautiful, and I hope that every day you look at yourself in the mirror and say "I love and accept you, exactly as you are."

When I first started getting massage therapy, it was a life-changing experience for me, and I hope to share that experience with you soon, because you are worth it.

Until then, take care!

- Woozy

Living Gift Massage Therapy

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