Relief & Relaxation

What is a Relief and Relaxation Massage?
Whether it's an aching body or a stressed-out mind, Relief and Relaxation Massage is the perfect option to get you back to feeling more like yourself again. These session are all about working with you to help you reclaim comfort and ease in your body. Amy uses a variety of techniques to customize these massage sessions based on your needs and goals.

Some common areas of physical pain that massage helps with include: back & neck, shoulder & arm, leg & foot, abdomen. Massage can also help with chronic headaches. Amy can design a session that helps to treat your specific areas of concern so you can walk out of the session feeling better than when you walked in.

Massage can be a balm for managing stress. It's no secret that the mental & emotional stress that we face on a daily seeps into our bodies. Relief & Relaxation sessions can help you mentally and physically decompress, regaining softness in your body and leave you feeling refreshed and rebalanced.

Should I book a 60-min or 90-min session?
Any amount of time you can squeeze in for a massage can benefit your body & mind. That said, longer sessions can often provide more comprehensive and longer lasting results. 90-min sessions are best for creating a deeper state of relaxation and more openness in the body. Amy advises clients that if there are one or two areas that are causing you a lot of pain or discomfort, we can usually focus-in and address that in a 60-min session. If you have a couple of areas of concern AND also want overall full bod work, 90-min. sessions are recommended.

Amy's focus is to help you feel more like the best version of yourself. Doing the things that you love to do, reclaiming and maintaining the life that you want to lead.
What Happens During a Massage Session?
The first step is a conversation. During the intake portion of the session, Amy spends time talking one-on-one with her clients to understand how they are currently feeling in their body. Most importantly, Amy always ask, "How do you want to feel when you walk out the door 60- or 90-minutes later?" Your answer to that question will guide Amy's massage therapy work during your session.

Most massage sessions start out with slow, gentle work of myofascial release. This allows for the body and mind to begin to relax and muscle tension to ease in a more effective, longer lasting manner. Sessions then often segue into rhythmic, relaxing Swedish massage. From there, Amy utilizes a variety of techniques based on how the client's body responds to the work.
​Massage Techinques
Over the years, Amy has trained in a variety of techniques (also known as modalities). These techniques vary from Eastern methodologies to traditional Western techniques like Swedish massage and neuromuscular therapy. Each modality uses different approaches, but Amy integrates all these approaches to best serve the individual needs that each client brings to the table. 

  • ​Swedish Massage - A great option for relaxation massage. The rhythmic motions and long, gliding strokes help improve blood flow. Kneading and circular motion with moderate to deep pressure and gentle stretching help reduce muscle tension.
  • Myofascial Release - This slow paced, gentle work utilizes very slow compressions to help release the connective tissue (fascia). Often holding an area with gentle pressure for two minutes at a time, this approach allows the body to release deeply-held tension in a way that may provide longer-lasting results. No oils or lotions are used in this work.
  • CranioSacral Therapy - Craniosacral therapy (CST) uses gentle touch manipulation of your head, neck, and the bottom of your spine. Your neck, back, and hips will feel looser and freer.
  • Prenatal & Postpartum Massage - Designed to help the expectant mother relax and find comfort in her ever-changing body, prenatal massage include special positioning with a mix of integrated massage therapy treatments. Learn more about Prenatal Massage Therapy and Postpartum Massage for after baby arrives.
  • Thai Massage Stretches - Thai Massage techniques provide relaxation and balance in the body's various systems. These stretches open and loosen the body to help your muscles feel free and less compressed. 
  • Acupressure for Massage - Acupressure focuses on relieving disruptions in the meridians, thus allowing energy to flow properly along the meridian channels (or rivers as some people call them) to restore proper function to the body. Often the massage therapist will hold one point for several minutes while massaging a corresponding point in another area of the body. Acupressure is a gentle method that is especially helpful for relieving muscular pain, headaches and backaches.
  • Neuromuscular Therapy - The premise of Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT) is that in muscles that have suffered some type of trauma, there may be small granules of that muscle fiber that have never recovered. The fibers around that injured muscle granule then go into a "guarding" mode to keep the area "safe." These guarded areas are called a trigger point. By applying pinpoint pressure, the guarded fibers around that granule are enabled to release, restoring proper mobility to that area of the muscle. Trigger points can affect localized areas or may refer pain to another part of the body