We focus on providing therapeutic (clinical) massage therapy to clients looking for relief from certain symptoms or to keep balanced despite heavy muscle use (e.g., from sports or manual occupations). This type of massage is distinct from relaxation or circulatory massage (sometimes called “Swedish”) which tends to use lighter pressure and focuses on the client experience during (not after) the session. A therapeutic massage will blend various modalities as necessary to achieve a specific outcome, and is sometimes referred to by labels like “neuromuscular therapy,” “deep tissue,” “trigger point therapy,” or “myofascial release.”
In truth, there are probably more names for massage techniques than there are actual techniques, because massage is as much an art as it is a science. A good therapist will focus on the client’s overall posture and/or pain pattern, figure out which muscles need work, and decide which techniques are best applied to those muscles. A smart client looks for a therapist with good hands, a working brain, and a natural curiosity about how the body works. At our practice, we strive to be those therapists.