Q: What are the benefits of massage therapy?
A: Massage therapy is a great way to manage primary or secondary symptoms of any acute or chronic condition. Some benefits of massage include:
-reduced pain
-increased circulation of the blood and lymph
-a feeling of relaxation and overall wellbeing
-increased mobility
-faster recovery times from stressful physical or emotional events
-a better quality of life
-more energy and focus
-increased vitality and health
-less of a need for other medical appointments that don't even give good patient outcomes
Q: What is Neuromuscular Bodywork?
A: Neuromuscular Bodywork is a term that describes treatment techniques that extend beyond a standard approach to massage therapy. These techniques are performed as a holistic way to engage the nervous system as it relates to muscular function. These techniques may include:
-vibrational release
-orthopedic and dynamic cupping
-cranial nerve exercises and functional neurology maneuvers
-gentle movements and joint mobilizations
-trigger point therapy
Q: Will massage therapy help me? Is it worth the cost?
A: Massage therapy is a legitimate medical treatment option for almost any health condition. Massage is especially effective at achieving relief from chronic pain. While individual results may vary, I have observed that the clients who follow their treatment recommendations do get incredible lasting relief from their symptoms.
My treatment recommendations tend to require less appointments than physical therapy or chiropractic treatments all the while giving different and even better results than these treatments alone. I encourage you to think of massage therapy as an investment in your health rather than in terms of cost.
-Please reach out to me directly to discuss how my treatments could benefit you!
Q: Why are your massages so expensive?
A: The short answer is that I value my time and am extremely confident in the services that I provide, but here are a few more reasons why my massages cost more than some other providers.
-I am a legitimate massage therapy provider that runs an actual business. The cost of doing business and paying taxes is not cheap. I pay annual, biannual, and semi annual costs for my licensing, insurance, and taxes. Legitimate sole practitioners pay a lot of money to be able to work! Your support enables me to provide the best legitimate complimentary healthcare services possible.
-I only use premium products and supplies in my massage office. My sheets are made of real cotton. My laundry detergent is an eco friendly clean product that keeps my sheets fresh without strong scents or chemicals. I pay extra for better choice sanitizing products. My massage cream is an organic name brand product without any additives or irritants. All of these items cost me a lot of money but I believe in a clean non toxic environment. I am concerned about your health as well as my occupational exposure to chemicals.
-I invest in continued education. I offer a high grade of services for a range of clients that many other providers cannot or will not treat due to outstanding medical concerns. I am not afraid to treat high needs clients because I am highly trained in safety and contraindications of massage therapy for rare diseases and chronic conditions. This training is not cheap and demands a lot of me to complete but I believe in access to complimentary healthcare for everybody especially those that need it the most.
-I have my own medical conditions to manage. My cost for care reflects what it costs me to physically and mentally perform the work that I do. Massage therapy is a laborious and extremely physical job. Even perfectly healthy therapists succumb to injury over the span of their career. Injury prevention and longevity is a huge focus in the massage industry. My fees reflect the compensation required for the wear, tear, and flares I experience due to my job demands. I love having first hand experience managing the same symptoms and conditions that many of my clients have. I feel like this gives me an edge in the field. Don't feel sorry for me and don't think you're making things hard on me by booking a massage treatment. Please know that I love feeling useful and able. I also love being appropriately compensated for my work.
-I am the only provider I know of that does what I do. You cannot find anybody else that works like me especially not in this particular location. I take a lot of pride in my techniques, services, and results which I can reproduce again and again for my clients. My rates reflect what it costs to have access to me, my time, and my space. Of course you can find other providers many times for a much lower price but there is only one of me and I work very hard to give my clients an experience that is well worth the cost.
-I only work with clients that I know I can help. Client screening is an important part of my business model. I do NOT work with everyone that requests my services. When I schedule you for a session with me, I only do so because I know that I can give you good results. Rest assured that when you make a contract with me for treatment that I am already invested in your relief and recovery. My session costs are backed by actual high level performance of services. I am not here to take or waster your money. I intend on giving you your money's worth each and every session.
-A word of caution on low cost providers: Being an informed consumer is extremely important for making wise purchasing decisions. Please understand that massage therapy providers that are charging low rates are sacrificing on one or more of the above mentioned factors. This means that somewhere along the line, there is a compromise in the quality of care that you are receiving. For example, student massage is incredibly cheap but these providers are not well trained. New graduate massage may be cheap but these providers are not confident or experienced in their work. Even mobile massage may be cheap but only when the provider overlooks factors like wear and tear on their vehicle and body or the cost of their time for travel and set up. There is a saying that when it comes to a service, you can only have two out of three qualities, those qualities being good, fast, and cheap. My work is good quality with fast results which means that it is inherently not cheap! Remember that professional grade often translates into a higher cost. That low cost provider may not be a legitimate professional with the qualifications needed to manage your care. If you require high quality care and special considerations for treatment, I encourage you to choose a professional grade provider in order to get the best results. Your treatment outcome, safety, and comfort depend on you being able to make an informed investment decision. Please also keep in mind that consumer trends dictate what goods and services are available. Continually choosing lower cost providers drives high cost professionals out of business. Then all you will have left to choose from is lesser quality care. The future of healthcare is ever evolving and it depends heavily on what consumers demand from their providers. Demand and invest in the best!!
Q: What are my credentials and qualifications?
A: I am an Ohio licensed massage therapist with 900 hours of school based training. In addition to my massage therapy education, I have completed various educational courses and trainings in a variety of modalities, techniques, and medical conditions including rare diseases. I have attained countless CE certificates with major certifications from the Coaching the Body Institute (certified Pain Hacker and Upper Body Specialist with training in frozen shoulder treatment) and Neil Asher Professional Education (Certified Natural Alternative Therapist and currently-in-progress Trigger Point Therapist certification). I have done virtual and in person mentoring with various bodywork providers from several states and countries. I am insured by the American Massage Therapy association with coverage that protects myself and my clients. I own a small library of books and printed resources that I have meticulously studied in order to expand my knowledge on a variety of specialty topics such as facial pain and TMJD dysfunction. My specialty is treating active trigger points, upper body dysfunction, and chronic pain. I myself deal with rare disease, active trigger points, and chronic pain conditions which helps me put my training into clinical practice with a unique perspective on treatment, recovery, and management. I am currently self employed but I spent a year and a half working for several area medical providers to attain clinical experience and refine my treatment approach. I am very confident in my work and pride myself on being able to safely and effectively treat client complaints proficiently.
- A list of my mentors is as follows:
Chuck Duff of Coaching the Body Institute, specializing in trigger point therapy for shoulder dysfunction
Missy Brunch, specializing in functional neurology and cranial nerve dysfunction
Tracey Kiernan, dental professional and massage therapist specializing in scar treatments, hypermobility, and TMJD
Robert Gardener of Next Level pain relief, specializing in clinical Thai Massage and mat-based bodywork treatments
Jen Hartley LMT, specializing in burn scar therapy
Dr. Wesley Shankland DDS, dental professional specializing in facial pain relief and TMJD treatments
Michael Hamm, licensed massage therapist and teacher that created the Neurofascial Approach to bodywork
David Lobenstein LMT of Body, Brain, Breath, specializing in intensive and intentional deep bodywork and breathwork
Neil Asher Professional Education, a high quality professional education resource
- I am happy to answer questions or produce proof about my credentials at any time.