Archives: 2009 June

Hands On Healing Bodywork

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage

Jun 27

The following is really a simple overview of some of the benefits pregnancy massage can provide. It is always important to feel safe and comfortable with who is providing your care and touching you during these very special months.

Be picky and if your experience is less than wonderful, ask around and see if any other women have found someone worth seeing. This relationship can be a very significant one. Please go for the best! I still receive messages and calls from past pregnancy clients and updated photos of their gorgeous children!

Benefits can include:

increased relaxation

provide supportive environment

PLEASE NOTE: the abdominal, the low back and the sacral areas are only gently massaged or NOT AT ALL during the FIRST TRIMESTER!

decreased pain and postural dysfunctions
decreased compression syndromes
relieve breast congestion
reduced edema
increased circulation
decreased trigger points, spasms and hypertonicity in affected muscles
balance hyperkyphosis and/or hyperlordosis
enhancing musculoskeletal health
abdominal massage for relaxing and balancing digestion and elimination
joint health
decreased insomnia
decreased leg cramps
stretching and strengthening exercises
hydrotherapy…the use of water (in its various forms) to provide comfort and relief for various conditions
relaxation strategies: diaphragmatic breathing, time for oneself.

Ask LOTS of questions and enjoy your time for self care!

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Advertorial in our own little Driftwood

Jun 26

This article was featured in my community newspaper back in February 2009. I feel it adds a little more to the story of my journey in this healing profession.

Hands On Healing Bodywork is a reinvention of my massage therapy and healing practice in Toronto. I have been practising here on Salt Spring Island since 2004, taking additional training in Ayurveda, CranioSacral and Yoga. I have a variety of experience, working with pregnant clients, clients with cancer, clients with serious injuries, whether sports or job related and clients with emotional needs for support.

Are you feeling stressed? Do you long to pause? Do you want your body and your mind to relax? Is that pain in your neck more aggravating as each day unfolds? Take the time to increase your level of relaxation, be in a supportive environment, decrease pain and muscular/postural dysfunctions, increase your circulation thereby boosting your immune functioning, decrease trigger points, spasms and hypertonicity in your muscles, enhance your overall musculoskeletal health and joint health, decrease insomnia and learn take home relaxation strategies for self healing.

I have always recognised the need for balance and integration in my own life. Through my own personal beliefs and my studies in Meditation, Ayurveda, Yoga and Massage, I help you to experience unity through open hearted presence and consciousness, as well as deep relaxation and healing through massage and body wisdom. This is a deeply profound experience.

My studio space provides you a place to stop time and connect with your own wellness needs. My training gives me a unique combination of western and eastern philosophies that creates a balance between the worlds, a place where you can come and be deeply moved, physically, emotionally and spiritually. This is a partnership, where, together we create an environment of trust, allowing movement toward optimum healing.

Gift certificates are a great idea for Valentines!

Call me today at 250-537-3663 and book your appointment for greater relaxation, balance and well being!

Peace be the journey.

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In Threes

Jun 21

3 things to keep in mind as you move through your day today:

1. keep your chin level with the earth
2. touch your belly all day long
3. breathe!

Number one allows your head to be in alignment with your spine. You will fell much more energised throughout the day especially in the late afternoon lull when most of us reach for some sugar or caffeine to give us that energy. In allowing this alignment of the head with spine, your posture is more naturally passive, taking less energy to hold you upright and allowing more energy to flow along your spine and to your brain.

Number two brings you back into your body through breath. As you touch your belly and I mean that area below your waist around your hips, you can feel any tension that may be blocking your breath and flow of energy. Simply touching this area will tell your brain what is going on and your brain will naturally bring more breath to this belly area. Softening and releasing tension in your belly increases digestive function helping to eliminate waste products more effectively thereby decreasing fatigue from bile build up.

Number three may sound ridiculous because if course we are breathing. Are you aware that you have ben holding your breath just until you finish that email? Oh and just one more reply to this email and you can go and breathe… I’m suggesting you breathe as you write the email. It may take a few moments longer but that particular email with breath may just be the solution your company has been looking for all week long, or the response your sister needed to read to allow herself some peace. Breathe and type, breathe and listen, breathe and speak. Why not?

Simple: breathe, touch and equilibrium with the earth, simple.

Enjoy the peace through release!

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