Sanctuary Massage
Massage Dictionary
Over the years, so many of my Clients have asked, "What is Deep Tissue?" and "Why is aromatherapy good for me?" and "Whats the difference between Deep Tissue and Sports Massage?" Your questions and concerns are legitimate, my answers need to provide you with a brief education about what you ask for, what you feel you need and what our sessions are really all about.
Just as we are all unique so too is each massage session - even when seeing you multiple times! That's why each time you come to me, I will always ask you, "Any thing new today? Any new issues with your body since last time?" I rely on you to bring me into Your Now Time.
So let's start with the basics; definitions of the different modalities (types of massage and bodywork) you will discover at Sanctuary Massage.
Definitions Massage & Bodywork
1. Massage: Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of manual techniques that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, and/or causing movement of or to the body.
Wow! Ok so what does that mean? " ... hands-on treatment which consists of mechanical manipulation of the soft tissues in the body such as muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue. Properly administered this may help hasten healing, increase metabolism, increase the activity of the circulatory system and the lymphatic system. It can also serve to relax and refresh muscles, relieve pain and help maintain healthy skin. Massage therapy has the additional benefit of serving to calm the nervous system, promoting a sense of relaxation and renewed energy, and assisting in reducing tension and relieving fatigue."
Got it!
2. Bodywork: a general term for therapeutic methods that center on the body for the promotion of physical health and emotional and spiritual well-being, including massage various systems of touch and manipulation, relaxation techniques, and practices designed to affect the body's energy flow.
Got that too!
3. Swedish Massage: a very relaxing and therapeutic style of bodywork. It combines aromatherapy oils or aroma body butters with an array of strokes designed to relax muscles by applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, to increase oxygen flow in the blood, release cellular debris from muscles, flushing tissues of lactic acid and other metabolic wastes. It increases circulation, stretches muscles keeping them supple. It also stimulates the skin and soothes the nerves themselves.
4. Therapeutic Massage: The best of both Swedish and Deep Tissue when one doesn't need Deep Tissue all over, but requires more than Swedish in specific areas. Therapeutic combines the relaxation and peace of Swedish with the tension releasing and healing benefits of Deep Tissue. Therapeutic relieves stress. anxiety, reduces pain and swelling from injury, minimizes or eliminates knots and chronic patterns of tension, stimulates inactive, weak muscles and allows a faster and more complete recovery from injury. Thru Swedish, the body opens and the deeper levels of muscles and tissues are revealed. The hard to get rid of, difficult to address knots and tension areas are focused on and soothed thru Deep Tissue.
5. Deep Tissue: Misunderstood by many, Deep Tissue is extremely beneficial and healing if done properly, with patience and consistency. Deep Tissue focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue, releasing chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and very deep pressure. It takes time for the body to relax, warm up so that access WITHOUT PAIN is allowed. Deep Tissue helps break up and eliminate scar tissue from injuries and surgeries.
6. Sports Massage: One of the most misunderstood modalities even by Athletes. Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics, including work-outs at the gym, home or other venue. Engaging in sports is harsh on the body and can often lead to injuries for 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.
There are two main types of Sports Massage; Pre-Event and Post-Event and both involve Stretching
Pre-Event is optimally done within 30 minutes to an hour of your event; for example, your daily work-out, marathon, biking, hike etc. It is a fast paced, invigorating massage used to stimulate muscles thru friction, pumping, kneading and stretching. It increases circulation, respiration, and nerve reaction. Can be done thru clothing, or not.
Passive Stretching is ONLY done to your current end-range-of-motion.
Post-Event is optimally done within 30 minutes of event conclusion or at least within 24 hours. This massage will decrease lactic acid storage, metabolic waste, detox all your muscles and tissue so that soreness and down time is minimized or altogether eliminated. Deep Tissue or Therapeutic Massage is highly encouraged with Aromatherapy AND multiple forms of Stretching.
Post-Event Stretching incorporates Passive and Passive Resistive
7. Aromatherapy: A form of massage based on the use of very concentrated "essential" oils from flowers and leaves of plants, mixed with a unscented "carrier oil" or body butter for application upon the skin. Essential oils have been found to provide physiological, emotional and physical benefits.
At Sanctuary Massage a list of oils and body butters and their associated properties are available for your review and selection.
8. River Stone Massage: A unique sacred connection with Mother Earth using pleasurably heated Basalt stones on the body for ultimate relaxation. This creates incredible sensations of comfort and warmth, increasing circulation, easing stress, pain, tension, insomnia and depression. River Stone Massage delivers a profound experience, taking you into deep states of relaxation, releasing stress and anxiety, detoxifying your body and balancing your nervous system.
Upon completion of this treatment, you may pick from The Offering Bowl. The Offering Bowl contains different textured small stones, seashells, and bits of coral all hand picked by me throughout my years in California. They are gifts from Mother Earth thru me to you. Look within the Bowl and pick what speaks to you, keep it with you always. In times of stress or other negative energies, touch and look at your special gift .... It will return you to your time of peace and connection with Mother Earth.
9. Scrub / Polish / Salt Glow: You will hear and see these terms interchanged and they all mean the same thing; exfoliation of your superficial layer of skin using a granular substance combined with a base cream and aromatic essential oil or oils for a treatment designed to leave your skin feeling baby smooth. The session starts with Dry Brushing using a ruff textured body buff which increases your circulation and provides a warm feeling, followed by the Glow of your choice applied to your body in a gentle yet firm manner using upward strokes and circles. When fully polished, you will be washed off with abundant pre-warmed wet towels.
10. Wrap / Cocoon: These similar terms refer to detoxification and purification of your body eliminating metabolic waste, cellular debris, excess water and cellulite reduction thru application of Seaweed, Dead Sea Mud or Sedona Red Clay, body masques. To create heat, you will be "cocooned" in foil sheets, plastic sheets and finally nestled inside a heated blanket. As with a Salt Glow, your Cocoon will be started by Dry Brushing and washed off with abundant pre-warmed wet towels.
Whether you are seeking to just relax and let the world slip away for a while, or you need some serious stress relief or pain reduction, or perhaps you just want the glow of youthful skin or to detox your inner Self from the yuck of today's world, Sanctuary Massage has everything you want, need, require and desire.
Call Today ~ Feel Bliss Today
702-917-3845