Swedish Massage (Back to Top)

Swedish Massage is a very relaxing and therapeutic style of bodywork. It combines oils or lotion with an array of strokes such as rolling, kneading, and percussion to help the body improve its circulation. The benefits of this type of bodywork are wide-ranging and include relief from aches and pains, decreased stress levels in the body, enhanced mental clarity, improved appearance, and greater flexibility.

Who employs this technique: All. Swedish Massage is usually the foundation for integration of our various approaches.

Deep Tissue Massage (Back to Top)

Deep Tissue Massage is a form of bodywork that aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of tissue in the body. Deep Tissue Massage is a highly effective method for releasing chronic stress areas due to misalignment, repetitive motions, and past lingering injuries. Due to the nature of the deep tissue work, open communication during the session is crucial to make sure you don’t get too uncomfortable. Keep in mind that soreness is pretty common after the treatment, and that plenty of water should be ingested to aid with the flushing and removal of toxins that will have been released from the deep tissue during the session.

Who employs this technique: All, when indicated.

Sports Massage (Back to Top)

Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics. Engaging in sports can be harsh on the body and can lead to injuries in both the short and long term. Sports Massage enhances performance and prolongs a sports career by helping to prevent injury, reduce pains and swelling in the body, relax the mind, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates. Sports Massage is also highly effective in aiding the rapid recovery of an athlete from an injury by encouraging greater kinesthetic awareness and in turn promoting the body’s natural immune function.

Who employs this technique: All.

Trigger Point Therapy (Back to Top)

Trigger Point Therapy is a style of bodywork that focuses on stimulating and releasing “trigger points” in your body. Trigger points are tender areas of tension similar to acupressure points, except they occur in the belly of the muscle tissue rather than along the energy pathways of the body. These ‘knots’ are built up throughout a person’s life due to physical, mental, and/or emotional stress. During a session, focused pressure is applied through a variety of techniques order to release your trigger points. This process can be a bit painful at times, yet the effects are lasting and profoundly transformative. All our Trigger Point Sessions feature a careful and considerate approach to pain and muscular guarding. We specialize in close communication with patients, making sure not to exceed tolerance levels as we carefully coax your body back to full functionality and fluidity of movement.

Who employs this technique: All, when indicated.

Medical Massage (Back to Top)

Medical Massage differs from regular Massage and Bodywork in that the treatment is specifically directed to resolve conditions diagnosed by a medical doctor. I may use a variety of modalities or techniques during the treatment, but I focus the treatment only on the specific areas of the body related to the diagnosis. This enhances the body’s natural self-healing process and reduces the needed recovery time from injury.

Who is trained to perform Medical Massage: All.

Shiatsu Massage (Back to Top)

Shiatsu Massage is a Japanese form of massage. The word Shiatsu comes from two Japanese words - "shi" (finger) and "atsu" (pressure). In addition to the direct stimulation of pressure points along the energy pathways of your body, gentle stretching techniques are applied over a wider area of the body to integrate the point work and encourage the flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Shiatsu is a meditative healing art that honors the body, mind and spirit.

Who employs this Technique: Tom Harvey, L.M.P.

Bio-Energetic Bodywork (Back to Top)

Bio-Energetic Bodywork--also known as "Polarity Balancing" is a subtle yet powerful approach to health and wellness. Rather than approaching imbalances in the body through stimulation and manipulation of muscles and/or myofascia, the Therapist focuses on balancing the magnetic fields which surround, penetrate, and help to regulate bodily function. Bio-Energy plays a big role in a person's development of emotional balance and a sense of wellbeing.

Areas of focus in Energy Anatomy include "chakras" (wheels of light and energy, located at strategic points throughout the body).......regulation and balancing of "chi" or "ki".....(traditional names for the body's magnetic fields), and stress management strategies for improving sensory awareness and connection to the body as a vibrant expression of self.

Bio-Energy sessions include hand balancing of energy fields, as well as personal instruction in Conscious Breathwork, Creative Visualization, Meditation (if desired), and various techniques for grounding and centering oneself during the work day.

Who employs this technique: Daniel Jacob, L.M.P.

For a more detailed description of this powerful approach to Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical Health, you can visit Daniel's other Web Site at www.reconnections.net. There is an expanded section devoted to Bio-Energy. Just click the link right at the top of the Reconnections Index Page.

Assisted Active Isolated Stretch (Back to Top)

Assisted Active Isolated Stretching, or AAIS, is one of the most comprehensive stretching protocols ever developed. It is remarkably effective in restoring pain free movement, range of motion, postural balance, and strength for both acute and chronic soft tissue conditions. Because AAIS is infinitly adjustable in it's application it is an appropriate therapy for individuals of any level of fitness or conditioning.
Some of the characteristics of AAIS are; each stretch is held for only 1 1/2 to 2 seconds so as to avoid initiating the stretch reflex which would tighten the muscle being stretched; stretches are designed to include oblique and longitudinal fibers to treat the whole muscle; AAIS uses contraction of the muscle in opposition to the stretched muscle to cause reciprocal inhibition or relaxation of the stretched muscle; repitition of brief stretches serves to increase range of motion with out injury, to pump fresh blood and lymph fluids into the stretched tissue, and to nueromuscularly reenforce a new movement pattern. Another great advantage of AAIS is that it can be self administered and, once learned, it can be used to maintain health for a lifetime.