Treatments
As a Registered Massage Therapist, I am able to provide you with a variety of techniques suitable for Therapeutic, Relaxation, Lymphoedema & Breast Massage, Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction, Pregnancy, Infant & Child Massage, Sports Massage and many more.
I am able to assist you in maintaining optimal joint and tissue health, provide post-injury rehabilitation and remedial exercise programming to suit your needs.
Initial Visit
It is recommended that on your first visit that you have an Assessment and your blood pressure checked.
An Assessment may include posture & gait or, if you have had a recent injury, some special testing. This provides a base-line for the remainder of your treatments and allows you to see improvements along the way. It also helps me to determine the nature of your discomfort and whether or not you need to be referred to your Doctor.
Cranial Sacral Therapy
Cranial Sacral Therapy is a gentle and effective treatment that combines energy work with gentle hands-on therapy. It used to aid in healing for various physiological conditions. Currently I hold a level I and level 2 certification.
“CST was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics.
CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
By complementing the body's natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:
o Migraine Headaches
o Chronic Neck and Back Pain
o Motor-Coordination Impairments
o Colic
o Autism
o Central Nervous System Disorders
o Orthopedic Problems
o Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
o Scoliosis
o Infantile Disorders
o Learning Disabilities
o Chronic Fatigue
o Emotional Difficulties
o Stress and Tension-Related Problems
o Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders
o Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
o Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
o Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
o Post-Surgical Dysfunction” - http://www.upledger.com/content.asp?id=26
For more information on Cranial Sacral Therapy please visit www.upledger.com
You can also find me on the Upledger Institute website under the ‘find a therapist’ link.
Muscle Energy Technique
Currently I have certification for Muscle Engery Technique - Lumbar spine. This is a very beneficial (and gentle) modality that aids in realigning your pelvis and easing the pain on your lower back.
Cupping Massage
Cupping is an excellent modality used to assist in loosening fascial tissue and aiding in realigning tissue. It is extremely beneficial for those hard to get trigger points that can cause daily pain. Cupping can leave bruising for up to 2-3 weeks (depending on your body and how you heal). Cupping increases blood flow and is NOT recommended for some people. I use the DRY cupping method.
Acupressure
Acupressure is an excellent modality to add to your massage treatment. For chronic pain issues, ie., low back or neck it is a wonderful tool to aid in your healing process. Using the Sinkoda Infrared Acupressure pointer, I can access the exact points and provide the correct pressure. The minerals in the pointer transmit infrared rays allowing treatment to continue long after you have left your appointment. This was a great course to take and is proving very beneficial to many of my clients.
Neural Manipulation
Neural Manipulation is a soft, hands-on manual therapy. Neural refers to the nervous system of the body, which includes the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Neural Manipulation or NM, identifies local nerve restrictions and fixation while examining their effects on the rest of the body. I currently hold Level 2 certification.
Nerve fixation is when the nerves become 'fixed' or dysfunctional, due to many causes: physical trauma, surgeries, sedentary lifestyle, infections, pollution, bad diet, poor posture and pregnancy/delivery. When 'fixed,' a nerve can not glide and/or stretch as we move our body, causing sensitivity, pain, and reduced optimal health.
The application of the gentle NM techniques re-establishes communication in the body, and improves its ability to adapt and restore itself to optimal health. Optimal health relies on a harmonious relationship between the different systems of the body - such as the nerves/nervous system, organs and their support tissues, and other structures. Wen nerve fixation occurs in one location, the body is forced to compensate elsewhere. This creates wider spread restriction, abnormal points of tension, and chronic irritation that over time can add up to functional and structural problems - musculoskeletal, vascular, nervous, urinary, respiratory and digestive, to name a few.
Benefits of Neural Manipulation:
-Lower back pain & sciatica
-Headaches & migraines
-Joint Pain
-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
-Digestive Disorders
-Post operative scar tissue pain
-Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
-Whiplash Injuries
-Neuralgia & Neuritis
-Tendinitis
-Sprains & Traumatic Lesions
-And MORE...
Visceral Manipulation
(Excerpts from IAHE/Barral website)
"Visceral Manipulation (VM) was developed by world-renowned French Osteopath and Physical Therapist Jean-Pierre Barral. Comparative studies found Visceral Manipulation beneficial for various disorders.
Acute Disorders
Whiplash
Seatbelt Injuries
Chest or Abdominal Sports Injuries
Concussion
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Digestive Disorders
Bloating and Constipation
Nausea and Acid Reflux
GERD
Swallowing Dysfunctions
Women's and Men's Health Issues
Chronic Pelvic Pain
Endometriosis
Fibroids and Cysts
Dysmenorrhea
Bladder Incontinence
Prostate Dysfunction
Referred Testicular Pain
Effects of Menopause
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Somatic-Visceral Interactions
Chronic Spinal Dysfunction
Headaches and Migraines
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Peripheral Joint Pain
Sciatica
Neck Pain
Pain Related to
Post-operative Scar Tissue
Post-infection Scar Tissue
Autonomic Mechanisms
Pediatric Issues
Constipation and Gastritis
Persistent Vomiting
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Infant Colic
Emotional Issues
Anxiety and Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
VM assists functional and structural imbalances throughout the body including musculoskeletal, vascular, nervous, urogenital, respiratory, digestive and lymphatic dysfunction. It evaluates and treats the dynamics of motion and suspension in relation to organs, membranes, fascia and ligaments. VM increases proprioceptive communication within the body, thereby revitalizing a person and relieving symptoms of pain, dysfunction, and poor posture.
An integrative approach to evaluation and treatment of a patient requires assessment of the structural relationships between the viscera, and their fascial or ligamentous attachments to the musculoskeletal system. Strains in the connective tissue of the viscera can result from surgical scars, adhesions, illness, posture or injury. Tension patterns form through the fascial network deep within the body, creating a cascade of effects far from their sources for which the body will have to compensate. This creates fixed, abnormal points of tension that the body must move around, and this chronic irritation gives way to functional and structural problems.
Imagine an adhesion around the lungs. It would create a modified axis that demands abnormal accommodations from nearby body structures. For example, the adhesion could alter rib motion, which could then create imbalanced forces on the vertebral column and, with time, possibly develop a dysfunctional relationship with other structures. This scenario highlights just one of hundreds of possible ramifications of a small dysfunction - magnified by thousands of repetitions each day.
There are definite links between somatic structures, such as the muscles and joints, the sympathetic nervous system, the visceral organs, the spinal cord and the brain. For example, the sinuvertebral nerves innervate the intervertebral disks and have direct connections with the sympathetic nervous system, which innervates the visceral organs. The sinuvertebral nerves and sympathetic nervous system are linked to the spinal cord, which has connections with the brain. In this way someone with chronic pain can have irritations and facilitated areas not only in the musculoskeletal system (including joints, muscles, fascia, and disks) but also the visceral organs and their connective tissues (including the liver, stomach, gallbladder, intestines and adrenal glands), the peripheral nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system and even the spinal cord and brain.
Thanks to the dedicated work of Jean-Pierre Barral, a Physiotherapist (RPT) and Osteopath (DO), healthcare practitioners today can use the rhythmic motions of the visceral system as important therapeutic tools.
Barral's clinical work with the viscera led to his development of a form of manual therapy that focuses on the internal organs, their environment and the potential influence on many structural and physiological dysfunctions. The term he coined for this therapy was Visceral Manipulation.
Visceral Manipulation relies on the palpation of normal and abnormal forces within the body. By using specific techniques, therapists can evaluate how abnormal forces interplay, overlap and affect the normal body forces at work. The goal is to help the body's normal forces remove abnormal effects, whatever their sources. Those effects can be global, encompassing many areas of bodily function.
How Does Visceral Manipulation Help You?Visceral Manipulation is used to locate and solve problems throughout the body. It encourages your own natural mechanisms to improve the functioning of your organs, dissipate the negative effects of stress, enhance mobility of the musculoskeletal system through the connective tissue attachments, and influence general metabolism.
How is Visceral Manipulation Performed?Visceral Manipulation is based on the specific placement of soft manual forces to encourage the normal mobility, tone and motion of the viscera and their connective tissues. These gentle manipulations can potentially improve the functioning of individual organs, the systems the organs function within, and the structural integrity of the entire body.
Harmony and health exist when motion is free and excursion is full - when motion is not labored, overexcited, depressed, or conflicting with neighboring structures and their mobility. Therapists using Visceral Manipulation assess the dynamic functional actions as well as the somatic structures that perform individual activities. They also evaluate the quality of the somatic structures and their functions in relation to an overall harmonious pattern, with motion serving as the gauge for determining quality.
Due to the delicate and often highly reactive nature of the visceral tissues, gentle force precisely directed reaps the greatest results. As with other methods of manipulation that affect the body deeply, Visceral Manipulation works only to assist the forces already at work. Because of that, trained therapists can be sure of benefiting the body rather than adding further injury or disorganization.
Reiki
Reiki is a form of energy healing. It is suitable for clients of all ages and health requirements. It is great for relaxation and for areas that are in acute stages of healing and are too painful to touch. For clients that are uncomfortable with massage or a lot of hands on touch, Reiki is an ideal option. .
"What is Reiki?The knowledge of an invisible energy that flows through all living things has been part of the wisdom of many cultures for thousands of years. The exist-ence of Life Force Energy has been documented by scientific experiments. Medical doctors now consid-er the role it plays in the functioning of the immune system and the healing process. When our life force energy is low, it impacts our wellbeing and person-al health. Reiki is an energy that works on the men-tal, physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The tech-nique increases one’s life force energy that brings the body back into balance promoting a healthier life." - Canadian Reiki Association
I am a Certified Reiki Practicioner with the Canadian Reiki Association since 2007 (Reiki I, Reiki II and Master Level)
*Under the new Scope of Practice with the Canadian Reiki Association, I am no longer able to add reiki as a modality to compliment your massage treatment. It must be billed separately as a reiki treatment*
**Some extended health benefits now cover Reiki. If you are one of the lucky ones, let me know so I can fill out the correct form for you to submit to your health care insurance company**
Due to the nature of unwanted phone calls and texts to my office beginning in January 2017 I feel obligated to post this notice. It only takes a few to ruin it for others:
**PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL CALL POLICE IF YOU ARE CALLING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PROFESSIONAL, REGULATED, MASSAGE TREATMENT. I AM A PROFESSIONAL, REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPIST UNDER THE CMTO AND WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY LEWD BEHAVIOUR OR SUGGESTIONS IN MY OFFICE OR ON THE PHONE**
