REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPY WELLNESS CLINIC Vernon BC Canada

We offer Swedish Massage from a Registered Massage Therapist. Swedish massage involves long, flowing strokes with light to medium pressure. This treatment is designed for relaxation and to improve circulation. This is a great option for stress-reduction, anxiety, chronic pain, pregnancy, injuries, headaches, insomnia, and other conditions that benefit from calming the nervous system. Swedish massage uses five core techniques: 1.Effleurage: This involves gentle, flowing strokes, often starting with light pressure and gradually increasing to deeper pressure, to warm up the muscles, promote relaxation, and improve circulation. 2.Petrissage: This technique uses kneading, squeezing, and rolling motions to target deeper muscle layers, release tension, and improve flexibility. 3.Friction: Deep circular movements are used to break down adhesions and knots, stimulate blood flow, and address chronic pain or stiffness. 4.Tapotement: Rhythmic tapping, drumming, or cupping motions are used to stimulate muscles, improve circulation, and energize the body. 5.Vibration: This involves gentle shaking or trembling movements to relax muscles, reduce tension, and promote relaxation. Please note that Hot and Cold Stones will be integrated into this massage. Other techniques can be interwoven into this treatment. Full body or partial.

Our therapeutic stone massage is different because we do not simply place the stone on the patient, we do a deep therapeutic massage with the stone in our hand. It is a hybrid massage combining Swedish/Relaxation Massage and Deep Tissue Massage. It can be beneficial for muscle relaxation, pain relief, improved circulation, inflammation reduction, reduce muscle spasms, improve mobility, stress reduction, to enhance mental well-being and much more. Hot and cold stone massage uses heated and chilled stones to provide deep relaxation and health benefits by alternating between hot and cold temperatures. For this treatment you may choose to opt out the use of cold stones, however, we highly recommend trying it as the effectiveness of this technique lies in the use of heat as well as alternating temperature. One of the main functions of massage is to increase circulation in tight tissues by dilating the blood vessels, flushing the tight area with fresh nutrient rich blood flow. Now imagine receiving a massage WHILE the therapist is holding a hot stone. The use of heat speeds blood flow into the tissue much quicker than our hands alone can accomplish. When an RMT encounters an area that is particularly tight, we can choose to alternate between hot and cold stones to dilate and constrict the vessels. This acts like a pump bringing in fresh oxygenated blood, mobilizing waste products that were trapped, and then pushing it all back out of the tissue when the constricting cold stone is introduced. We can alternate between hot and cold stones several times if needed. We can choose to end on a hot stone (great for regular muscle tightness) or end on a cold stone (excellent to control inflammation). Who wants a cold stone on them during a treatment ? Our therapist uses a technique that distracts from the “bite” of the cold stone by using both a hot and cold stone at the SAME time. It is highly effective and most patients don’t even notice the cold while receiving all the fabulous, therapeutic benefits. This treatment can be full body or partial.

Our therapist offers a wide range of Deep Tissue Massage techniques with light, medium and firm pressure that can be adjusted. This treatment is for relaxation, to improve circulation, improve mobility, chronic pain, musculoskeletal issues, muscle tension and stiffness, limited mobility, postural problems, stress and anxiety. Every person is unique and pressure preferences vary amongst individuals, different body areas and can even change from day to day. One person's idea of medium pressure can feel deep for someone else. As with any massage therapy technique, be sure to communicate openly and honestly with your therapist about your treatment goals and what types of pressure work best for you and on which areas of your body. Our therapist will work with you to find the techniques and levels of pressure that work best for you. How much pressure is too much? Are you holding your breath? Grimacing? Even sweating? These are all signs that the pressure is too much. If you can breathe slowly in an expansive manner and feel yourself relaxing into the massage table, then you’ve found the right amount of pressure for you. There is a misconception that “If it hurts, it must be doing something good. Right? We’ve heard this comment/question from people who don’t want a painful massage experience but have been told ‘no pain no gain’ or ‘it has to hurt to be effective’. Thankfully, this isn’t true. In fact, pain can activate our fight or flight response and exacerbate chronic pain and other health conditions. Enjoyable experiences that feel good can help our nervous system shift into a calm rest and digest mode that supports healing. For some people that includes firmer pressure. Techniques used in Deep Tissue Massage include all Swedish tech (Superficial Fluid Techniques, Neuromuscular Techniques) but applied with a light, medium and firm pressure. For more specific work other techniques can be used such as Trigger Point Release, Myofascial Release, Muscle Stripping, Compression, Static Pressure (such as Golgi Tendon Organ Release, Muscle Approximation, Origin and Insertion work), Cross Fibre Frictions, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. Hot and Cold Stones are incorporated into this treatment.