Shiatsu, Integrative, & deep tissue massage therapy | Boulder, CO

A couple of weeks ago panelists on the ABC show “The View” discussed an incident of reported sexual harassment concerning a massage therapist and a political figure. They proceeded to descend into an outright attack on massage, laughing while they called up old and tired stereotypes. I would like to take a few moments to defend against their hurtful statements.

Co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck started the ball rolling stating that “Massage always has the potential to go wrong.” This statement comes from a mindset that has trouble separating therapeutic touch and sexuality. Massage therapy is not about sex.

A ‘news’ correspondent responded by saying that “Nothing good happens after the first hour of a massage.” Again there is the implied connection between massage and sex, along with the thought that the longer you have contact with someone the more sketchy and potentially dangerous that professional relationship is. I find this a sad thing to think. Hour long sessions are a often a norm among massage therapists because they fit neatly into many schedules. However 90 minute sessions or longer are also quite common, because every client has their own needs and there is only so much that can fit into an hour.

At this point another commentator tried to throw in his two cents, possibly calling the previous statements into question. But we may never know because Hasselbeck launched into a story of trying to treat a significant other to a massage. This is a wonderful gift to give, but she made the mistake of not doing any research and not considering her own feelings. She “ordered” a massage from an Athletic Massage company (as the recipient was an athlete) and then felt resentful when as she put it: “a hot chick” arrived to perform the massage. If you are looking to give the gift of massage, please take the time to find a therapist who you feel is right. In the case of a gift for a significant other, listen to your own feelings around someone else having contact with them. Is there fear or jealousy? Is there some nebulous worry that you can not put a finger on? If so you may wish to talk to a massage therapist about these feelings. Again, find the right therapist for you.

The segment concludes shortly after, but not before implying a connection between massage therapy and prostitution. Massage therapists have worked long and hard to extract their healing work from this old entanglement, and it helps no one to have harmful stereotypes reinforced by TV personalities. Possibly the saddest thing about this clip is that the hosts of a female centric show completely pass up the opportunity to defend against harassment. Sexual harassment is a very real danger for massage therapists, and only through education can we move away from the misconception of sexual massage.

Since this segment aired, several thousand massage therapists world wide and the American Massage Therapy Association have asked ABC and “The View” for an apology, but have yet to receive one.

There is a good chance you have seen chair massage, it’s practically everywhere. Massage chairs can be found set up at festivals and fundraisers, corporate offices of all sizes, wellness fairs, airports, malls, upscale grocery stores, and outdoor plazas. This unparalleled accessibility is one of the greatest features of chair massage.

Not only does chair massage fit almost anywhere, but it also fits into your busy schedule. A typical chair massage lasts from 5 to 30 minutes with 15 being the average time. In this short amount of time a therapist can reduce tension, ease muscular pain, increase circulation, and leave you relaxed yet alert and ready for the rest of your day. A chair session can easily be fit into a lunch break, time between jobs, or after work to leave the stress of the day behind. The time spent can easily be targeted to the areas that need the most attention. A common combination includes the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands: a desk jockey’s dream in 10 to 15 minutes.

And since most therapists charge $1 per minute of chair massage, it is very affordable. If you have never received massage, chair massage is a great, convenient, and cheap way to experience all the benefits massage can offer.

For those of you in Boulder, come say hi to me as I offer chair massage on the Pearl Street Mall this July. You can find me by the corner of 13^th and Pearl, in front of the Boulder Cafe, and take advantage of my 20 minutes for $15 special.

We’ve all experienced knots in our muscles from time to time. These can be painful, limit movement, and actually cause pain in other parts of the body.

These knots are called Trigger Points and they occur when individual muscle fibers become caught in contraction. All our muscles move by the contraction and relaxation of their cells, but they do sometimes get stuck and problems begin. With the muscle contracted the blood flow to that particular area is cut off. Normally the circulation of blood through muscles carries away all the metabolic waste that the cells produce, but with the loss of circulation the waste builds up. This build up causes pain, which causes the muscle to spasm, and that can lead to a greater reduction in circulation. As the cycle continues, pain can build and can be felt elsewhere in the body. The referred pain follows patterns through the nervous system and can actually mask the true source of the problem. A headache or pain in the jaw could be caused by trigger points in the neck or upper back and wrist pain could refer from the upper forearm or even from the shoulder.

The bad news: Trigger points do not discriminate, they occur in everyone to some degree though many can be latent and not cause pain. The good news: They are treatable by relatively easy methods. Deep Tissue Massage is a wonderful treatment method for trigger points because it breaks the pain-spasm cycle and allows blood flow to return to the affected area. The natural increase in circulation that massage produces works to carry away the built up waste. Self massage is also effective and there are a number of tools (looking like oddly curved things) available designed to help relieve trigger points. The treatment process, while intense, does not have to be horribly painful. There is a difference between therapeutic discomfort and full on pain, and if you are experiencing the latter then it is your right and duty to inform your therapist.

As a final note, be sure to drink plenty of water after any massage, but especially for trigger point therapy. All the waste that built up around the point is still in your body and it’s best to flush it out before it settles anywhere else.

eZential Massage offers therapeutic bodywork to promote and maintain the holistic health of its clients. It is my mission to foster your personal growth and healing through attentive and therapeutic touch. Together we will find the proper style, pace, and depth of bodywork to meet the needs of your body, mind, and spirit.

The remarkable training I received at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy taught me to view a client as a whole being, not just a collection of muscles. I bring all of myself to my sessions, offering my skills, attention, and calm presence.

All true healing comes from within. I would be honored to be a part of your journey in life.

I have always been fascinated by water, probably because I grew up a couple blocks away from the Atlantic ocean. Water is so simple but so important to every life form on Earth. Here’s an interesting fact: The surface of this little planet we call home is covered by just over 70% water. The average adult body is made up of about 60% water, but at birth the percentage can be as high as 78.

So why is it that we hear “Drink x glasses of water every day” from doctors other health experts? We constantly lose some of the water we have through sweat, tears, urination, and even exhaling and this needs to be returned. Loss of water results in dehydration which reduces the functioning of our cells and our ability to heal. Water works to keep movement and balance within our bodies and without it all of our systems start to break down.

How does one know if they are getting enough water? Very good question. One thing to keep in mind is not to rely on how thirsty you are. If your mouth is dry, your body has moved beyond thirst to needing water. The sensation of feeling thirsty can also diminish with feeding thirst with soda or other beverages and with age. So getting into the habit of drinking water is important. A decent gauge is the color of your urine. The more hydrated your body is the clearer the urine will be. This is not the most appealing yardstick in the world, but it does let you know if you should be drinking more.

Now what does this have to do with massage, and why does a massage therapist always say to drink plenty of water after a session? One of the health benefits of massage is an increase in circulation. A lot of the knots that build up in your body become sore and tender because the normal flow of cellular waste has been disrupted. Getting the knots worked out sends all the waste that was stuck flowing about your body. Drinking more water helps make sure they flow out of you and don’t just settle back in another part of your body.

Now I’m going to have a glass of water. Won’t you join me?