Align Bodyworks LLC

I sit down with the client and ask questions pertaining to their personal objectives.  If it is medical in nature, such as Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Lymphedema, I will also take measurements, before photos (to show comparison to results) and make note of the initial condition.  For Swedish Relaxation the initial consultation is brief.  The more the client is looking for specific results, such as recovering from a car accident or auto injury, or relieving work related tension, the more specific questions I will ask to determine the initial condition and set estimates for expected outcomes.

The therapists who came out of Ashmead College (formerly Seattle Massage School) back in 2001 were all taught from the massive Canadian massage text that goes into the medical massage treatment for ailments. Contraindications, signs, symptoms, and the specific types of massage ideal for the indications were part of our training as well as learning how to pin and stretch every muscle in the body. The spa side of mge I learned as well including Hot Stone Massage which at the time most of the stones collected came from the Columbia River here in Washington. Chair massage from the originator of this American invention, David Palmer of San Francisco, was one of my favorite classes. He started out with Japanese Acupressure and he adapted the modality in the 1980's to take care of office workers. This included helping to invent the massage chair. CranioSacral Therapy is a modality I picked up in 2006 with the Upledger Institute. It has been an amazing and versatile modality. You can find out more about it at Upledger.com My Certified Lymphatic Therapist (CLT) credential for Manual Lymphatic Drainage I learned from KLOSE Training in 2016. In an effort to become a LANA therapist I went to Bellevue College for several quarters to gain the specific college credits required. I continue to see Lymphedema and post-surgical patients currently while I am studying for the upcoming test. There have been numerous classes through the years including Qigong and Interoral (state certified). My goal toward the vast array of modalities is to be able to help as many people as possible, and to know when to refer out and who specifically would be best to handle specific concerns.

All services for massage modalities are $80 an hour.  If during a relaxation massage the client notices something that needs specific treatment work, or an area holding stress that would benefit from CranialSacral, the changes will not increase the estimated cost.

Modalities that require additional preparation, onsite services, and massage add-ons may have an additional expense when ordering.

I had childhood injuries that caused pain for more than a decade. A co-worker in a corporate office nudged me to seek medical help. When a three-month headache was 'cured' within 5 minutes applying pressure to only one place, I was sold! I took copious notes in college, I continually asked questions of my instructors, other massage therapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and every other professional I could find for the following 16 years to understand how the body works, how we can care for it better, what the nature of dysfunction is, and how (in a practical way) we can move the body from dysfunction to functional so as we age we become stronger and healthier.

I have worked with new born to 92 years old. My clients have come from car accidents, labor and industries, work stress, recent surgeries, headaches, chronic pain, swelling/edema, lymphedema, relaxation, sports, and many others. With the CranioSacral Therapy/SomatoEmotional Release golfers, skiers, and others have found better aim, alignment, and endurance.  Many clients have found they were physically holding on to stress and tension for many years. Their body had never let go of the incident which created complications later in life. By giving the body space and time to physically unwind it creates the feeling you see in commercials. Someone is in a comfortable chair looking out at the water on a warm, beautiful day. All is at peace as the mind and body feel in sync. That's what a good massage does. It creates that feeling that all is well, that it's all going to be ok.

Look for professional who is comfortable conversing with you about your needs and what you are looking for.  Good communication, especially in massage, is important.  You do not want to find yourself asking for a 90 minute relaxation massage and find yourself 30 minutes later in a treatment massage because a therapist found something she wants to "work out of you".  The same is true of a deep tissue request.  Deep tissue requires accessing the specifically restricting adhesions, spasms, and connective tissues that are creating dysfunction.  Light touch can be irritating to some conditions, and in some cases spasms do not like to be stretched without first recieving specific treatment to resolve the root reason for the develoment of the spasms.

Expectations are important, and good communication is a huge part of that.

Think about what you are looking for and what your expectations are.  The world of massage therapy is truly vast and even within a relaxation or treatment massage there are differences in how individual therapists perform their job based on the classes they have attended and their previous experiences.

If you're main physical complaint is a right hip that interferes with sitting and walking, make that part of your first communication with the therapist.  Some therapists only do relaxation, so even if you ask for the right hip or left shoulder to recieve additional attention, a better way of phrasing your expected outcome may be, "I want my right hip to hurt less."  Focused intention in bodywork helps create better outcomes, and just as there are goals in business, massage therapy works better when goals are expressed before the session begins, and communicated needs are still expressed during the session when need be.