Massage Therapy
Melissa does not perform just one particular massage modality; instead, she integrates her knowledge to provide a customized, client-centered massage session, based on each client’s individual needs.
- Injury Massage – The goal of an Injury Massage is to help the client manage pain due to injury, surgery or trauma. In a full session, light to deep techniques will be used to treat specific areas of the body. With her strong background in anatomy, common injuries, and surgery, Melissa is proficient in this specialized branch of therapeutic massage.
- Structural Bodywork –Structural Bodywork aligns and balances the body by lengthening and repositioning the fascia, a connective tissue surrounding muscles and joints. As fascia is lengthened, it allows the muscles to move more efficiently. Melissa applies slow, deep pressure to the body, working the entire fascial system in a systematic way. After the restricted fascia is released and lengthened, the body can return to its structurally optimal position.
- Cranial Sacral Therapy – During Cranial Sacral Therapy, Melissa is using only five grams of pressure (about the weight of a nickel) on areas of the head, back, and hips. This subtle and relaxing treatment releases tension and compression possibly affecting the cerebral spinal fluid (CNF). Advocates of the technique feel it improves the function of the central nervous system, thereby complementing the body’s natural healing process.
- Shiatsu – Shiatsu, a Japanese word meaning “finger pressure,” may include not only fingers, but also the palms, feet, and knees of the massage therapist. Shiatsu is traditionally performed on a floor mat, but Melissa has modified it for the massage table.
- Russian Sports Massage – These techniques are a fusion of sports and relaxation massage developed and refined in the former Soviet Union as part of an overall approach to sports training. Long gliding strokes make this modality similar to Swedish massage, except more rocking, jostling, and vibration techniques are utilized here.
- Trigger Point Therapy – During Trigger Point Therapy, Melissa applies firm pressure to the “knots” in the muscle, palpable nodules called trigger points. A trigger point is characterized by exquisite tenderness, referred pain, and loss of range of motion. There is verbal communication about pain and sensation during this treatment.
- Neuromuscular Therapy – Neuromuscular Therapy consists of alternating levels of concentrated pressure on the areas of muscle spasm. During this massage techinque, Melissa may apply pressure with the fingers, knuckles, or elbow. Once Melissa applies pressure to the muscle spasm, she may not vary the pressure for ten to thirty seconds.
- Reflexology – In this technique, Melissa massages and manipulates different reflexive points in the hands and feet. Aside from the feelings of deep relaxation this technique can produce, advocates feel that it transfers the stimulation to the reflexive points in corresponding organs and other areas of the body through the body’s energy flow meridians.
- Seated Massage – This is a massage performed while the client remains fully clothed and seated in a special massage chair that Melissa provides. Easy to set up almost anywhere, this option is ideal for an office setting.