The most commonly used modality.  This modality has its own subset of techniques that included flowing strokes, kneading, skin rolling and tapotement (karate chop). This modality is commonly experienced in spas.  Swedish is excellent for moving lymphatic fluids, increasing blood flow and oxygen in the body.  

Deep tissue is a broad term use to describe techniques that affect the deeper levels of tissue. (did you know that bone is a type of tissue).  Some of these techniques can include heavy pressure, ischemic techniques (i.e. trigger point therapy) and fascial stripping.  These techniques can be great for breaking up scar tissue, breaking up fascial holds on muscles and allow an increase in muscular motility or re-stimulating the inflammatory cycle to help complete the healing process for injury recovery.

Ah, Yes!  My favorite!!  Cupping is a tool used for centuries in many cultures around the world.  Cupping, unlike most modalities, uses decompression as opposed to compression to reach a goal.  The decompression allows for many things to happen.  Sometimes muscles get stuck together and become less hydrated.  Cupping helps to pull them apart.  It also helps to free impinged and entrapped nerves from the tissues around them to relieve nerve symptoms.  It also helps to pull stagnate fluids up from the deep to place where the body can move and process it (that's where the bruises/ "octopus kisses" come from).  It also helps rush fluids and hydration to an area that might be lacking.  It can be a more gentle approach to affecting the deeper levels of tissue.  Cupping can be used in injury recovery especially with scar tissue and tendon repair and is great for low back pain from lumbar injuries as it doesn't put pressure on the spine. Cupping can be used in deep and surface levels of suction and in a variety of different ways like static and dynamic. It's not for everyone, and there are some cases where it would be inappropriate, like if you bruise easily or are on medications that cause you to be more sensitive or bruise easily.  If we use cups for your first time we are very conscious about how we use them as to see how the body responds.

MFR is a fantastic modality that can be superficial and deep.  It is performed without the application of oil or lotion.  The type of MFR that we use is from the Til Luchau lineage.  This modality is applied with a flat body surface and allowing it to "grip" the body and then slowly move across the body.  It is a very slow moving set of techniques.  This modality is especially excellent for post trauma treatment.  It allows the body to build trust with the practitioners touch and can be very subtle in suggesting or inviting the body to release an area. This modality is designed to treat an area by having more of an effect on the fascia (connective tissue) that surrounds and connects everything in the body.  This modality and set of techniques is safe and effective for the majority of people. 

Heat is an excellent ingredient in a treatment session.  Heat can help to quell the soft tissues like a lullaby and allow for them to release without having to dig deeply.  It can also help the superficial tissues to release enough to allow for techniques to be effective and also reach deeper levels.  It can also feel like a nice reward for the body after deep work in an area has been completed.  Hot towels and hot stones are both used more as tools within a technique.

Therapeutic and rehabilitative techniques are different than traditional massage.  They are often used in other types of bodywork like physical therapy.  Some of these techniques focus on retraining movement in the body away from habitual movements that are causing injury.  Some of the techniques focus on the attachments of muscles (tendons) and how to "trick" the cells and communications to get them to release. Some examples of techniques include assisted stretching, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, passive range of motion and active range of motion techniques, pin and stretch and pin and glide.  these techniques are great for helping to remind the body that it is capable of different movement.