Brooklyn Massage

 

quoted from Brooklyn Massage

The Real Power of Massage: Stories in the Life of a Massage Therapist

In order to become a licensed massage therapist, one has to undergo extensive training in all aspects of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology. As a student of massage, you are expected to learn how every single muscle functions, how they interact, and how they can affect an individual’s health. In addition, you are educated in all the other systems of the body in painstaking detail. The Central Nervous System and the Circulatory System become the bane of each therapist-in-training’s existence; memorizing and understanding the vast network of nerves and blood vessels can be an exercise in madness until the time it all finally gels in your mind and you begin to see the “whole” picture…that marvelous, awesome wonder that is the human organism.

At the end of it all, though, massage is first and foremost about the ability to touch another human being and help them restore balance to their body’s natural, self-healing abilities. However, massage can be more than that. In my massage career, I have been privileged to be part of the milestones that mark the lives of our clients…births, deaths, weddings, break-ups, job layoffs, new career, you name it. Over the course of time, our clients at Natural Balance Massage & Wellness Center may have received massage, but in turn, it is THEY who have “touched” us in profound and memorable ways. So it is in tribute to these amazing people, human beings who are more than just a collection of muscles and joints, that I now briefly share one such story on the real power of massage. More will follow in the near future, so stay tuned…

 

Story #1
(names have been changed)

Greg and Darla
Greg, a young, energetic physician whose specialty is Obstetrics and Gynecology, was one of our first clients when we opened back in 1993. He often came to me for massage after a busy shift during his young, internship days at a NYC hospital. Although a traditionally educated doctor, Greg was a huge proponent of eastern medicine and philosophy. He learned the arts of acupuncture and magnet therapy, and I learned that he utilized these modalities with his own patients, especially expectant moms. I was pleased that the medical establishment had a young pioneer in their midst. Within a couple of years, Greg got married, and soon it became a family affair, with his new wife Darla, now also a regular client of mine. One day, Greg announced that Darla was pregnant with their first child. He wanted her to begin pre-natal care, including regular massages. Her visits to our center were timed with her monthly visits to the obstetrician. Sometimes Darla would arrive for her massage, belly covered in magnets! It was always an adventure to see what Greg would do next. Finally, the 40th week arrived. Darla was ready to deliver, and it couldn’t be too soon for her. She was anxiously ready to finally deliver her baby and alleviate the usual, late-term discomforts. I informed Greg and Darla that a “labor massage” could be performed, which would hopefully help trigger the signals to the body to begin labor. Darla really welcomed the idea. I informed her however, that labor massage would be slightly uncomfortable…somewhat stimulating. Having already cleared it with her own Obstetrician, she was all for it! I then applied stimulatory, cleansing massage with a focus to acupressure points that are known triggers of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes contractions, among other things. We ended our session, and I hoped that she would be able to relax until such time as the baby arrived. The next morning, upon arriving to the massage center, I got an amazing call. Greg, who was still at the hospital, called to say “Thanks”. He went on to tell me that later in the evening, shortly after her labor massage, Darla went into labor! She delivered a beautiful baby girl very early that morning and all went well…mommy and baby were resting comfortably. I was so moved that Greg took the time to call me, his and Lisa’s massage therapist. What an honor! We were on the call list, and in some small way, we helped contribute to a healthy, successful pregnancy and birth. Greg and Darla continued to come to us for massage, and they subsequently had two more children until they eventually moved away. To this day, I think of this beautiful family whenever we have the chance to work with another expectant mom. Towards the 9th month, I ask them, “So, are you ready to deliver this baby with a labor massage?”, and then I send out a loving thought to the family that started it all for me, their massage therapist!

Be sure to visit Natural Balance Massage for more information.