Where will my massage or bodywork session take place?
Must I be completely undressed?
Will the practitioner be present when I disrobe?
Will I be covered during the session?
What parts of my body will be massaged?
What will the massage or bodywork feel like?
Are there different kinds of massage and bodywork?
What should I do during the massage or bodywork session?
How will I feel after the massage or bodywork session?
What are the benefits of massage and bodywork?
Are there any medical conditions that would make massage or bodywork inadvisable?
Where will my massage or bodywork session take place?
Your massage or bodywork session will take place in a warm, comfortable, quiet room. Soft music may be played to help you relax. You will lie on a table especially designed for your comfort.
Must I be completely undressed?
Most massage and bodywork techniques are traditionally performed with the client unclothed; however, it is entirely up to you what you want to wear. You should undress to your level of comfort. You will be properly draped during the entire session.
Will the practitioner be present when I disrobe?
The practitioner will leave the room while you undress, relax onto the table, and cover yourself with a clean sheet or towel.
Will I be covered during the session?
You will be properly draped at all times to keep you warm and comfortable. Only the area being worked on will be exposed.
What parts of my body will be massaged?
A typical full-body session will include work on your back, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck, and shoulders.
What will the massage or bodywork feel like?
A relaxing Swedish massage is often a baseline for clients. In a general Swedish massage, your session may start with broad, flowing strokes that will help calm your nervous system and relax exterior muscle tension. As your body becomes relaxed, pressure will gradually be increased to relax specific areas and relieve areas of muscular tension. Often, a light oil or lotion is used to allow your muscles to be massaged without causing excessive friction to the skin. The oil also helps hydrate your skin. You should communicate immediately if you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken. Massage and bodywork are most effective when your body is not resisting.
Are there different kinds of massage and bodywork?
There are numerous types of massage and bodywork; various techniques utilize different strokes, including basic rubbing strokes, rocking movement, posture and movement re-education, application of pressure to specific points, and more. We can discuss which methods may be most appropriate for you.
What should I do during the massage or bodywork session?
Prior to the massage, feel free to ask the practitioner any questions about the technique or the upcoming session. During the massage, make yourself comfortable. The practitioner will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax, communicating if/when they need more or less pressure, another blanket, or anything else relevant to the session. If you have any questions regarding the session or about the particular technique you are receiving, feel free to ask.
How will I feel after the massage or bodywork session?
Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains developed from tension or repetitive activity. After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity which can last for days. Since toxins are released from your soft tissues during a massage, it is recommended you drink plenty of water following your massage.
What are the benefits of massage and bodywork?
Massage and bodywork can help release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and bodywork is also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety and create an overall sense of well-being.
Are there any medical conditions that would make massage or bodywork inadvisable?
Yes. That's why it's imperative that, before you begin your session, the practitioner asks general health questions. It is very important that you inform the practitioner of any health problems or medications you are taking. If you are under a doctor's care, it is strongly advised that you receive a written recommendation for massage or bodywork prior to any session. Depending on the condition, approval from your doctor may be required.
Hypnotherapy
Does hypnosis really work? How does it work?
Yes! Hypnosis is an effective way to create healing and change in our lives. Hypnosis allows us to clear out old beliefs, old ways of seeing ourselves and replace them with new, healthier, and happier images and beliefs that move us toward the life we most want for ourselves.
Can hypnosis help me stop a specific behavior or pattern?
Yes! Our subconscious is 90% of our mind, and whatever our subconscious believes to be true is portrayed in our lives. For example, if your subconscious believes that smoking calms you down, then you will be reliant on the cigarette to be calm. If your subconscious believes that the only way to get a break in your day is to smoke a cigarette, then you will find that you crave one when you need a break. Whatever beliefs your subconscious has about smoking, we can clear those out and replace them with images and beliefs that are more accurate and that allow you to be free of cigarettes.
Will this help me get to the "root cause" of a problem?
Yes! This is how hypnotherapy works! The root cause of any issue is stored in the subconscious. When we heal or release that root, we are free to release the problem and create change in our lives.
I saw a stage hypnosis show and it sure looked like the people on stage were under some kind of mind control. What is that about?
Ah, those hypnosis shows! I must admit I think some of them are well done and funny, but in fact they do not have much to do with therapeutic hypnosis.
It is important for you to know that you will not do anything you are uncomfortable with, and you will not accept a suggestion that is not right for you. This is one of the reasons I take the time to do an initial consultation with you. The better I understand your goals, and the better I get to know you, the better I can craft a session and suggestions that your subconscious will accept.
A stage hypnotist is trained to look for people in the audience that will be comfortable being the center of attention and making people laugh. I am trained to listen to the way you speak about your goals and determine the best way to help you achieve them.
I think I am very analytical, so it would probably be difficult to hypnotize me, right?
I enjoy working with analytical people. I am analytical myself, so I understand how your mind works! My job is to find the best approach to help you into hypnosis, and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the experience! While some analytical people do best with a technique to distract or tire the mind, many actually do very well with a relaxation technique because it feels so nice to let your mind and body relax! Because you are analytical you may have a little more mind chatter – or random thoughts. That is perfectly fine. That is your conscious mind, and since your conscious mind is already convinced to make these changes, I am not concerned about what it is doing. Just allow yourself to become aware of the thought, and then let it drift away. Over time, that will happen less and less. I am very easily hypnotized, but I still get mind chatter from time to time.
What if I cannot be hypnotized?
Everyone with normal brain function can be hypnotized. Your mind goes in and out of hypnosis all day, every day. We are just going to do it intentionally, to create a specific change.
Right now, as you read this, you are most likely in Beta brain waves – very alert. You have probably had many experiences of sitting in a meeting or classroom and discovering that your mind has wandered. You have probably enjoyed daydreaming, too. Those are moments that your brain slips into Alpha brain waves. That is light hypnosis. If you have ever gotten lost in a good book or watching a movie or even a fire in a fireplace, and completely lost track of time, then you were in Theta brain waves. This is also that feeling of being almost asleep, but not quite. That is deep hypnosis. And of course, you have been asleep, which is Delta brainwaves.
We can get a lot of work done in either Alpha or Theta brain waves. Some hypnosis techniques work best with lighter, mid-level or deep hypnosis. Part of my job is to work with whatever level we achieve today. The most important thing to know is that you cannot do this wrong.
What will I feel? What does it feel like to be hypnotized?
Everyone experiences things in a unique way, but in general you will feel your mind and body relaxing. You may find that your body feels light, as if you can float. Or you may find that your body feels very deep, as if you are sinking into the chair.
You may find that you are able to clearly focus on each word I say, or you may find yourself drifting deeper and missing out on some of my words.
You may find that you are very visual, and you see everything I talk about. Or you may find that it is more of a sensory experience for you. Or you may just relax and listen to my voice. The most important thing to know is that you cannot do this wrong.
What should I expect during a session?
Each session is unique. We will always start by chatting about how things are going in your life. This is important, as sometimes you will have made such progress and I will want to adjust my plan for that session.
In some sessions, we will work with metaphors and direct suggestions, and you will just rest and relax. In some sessions, I will be talking with your subconscious and you will be a more active participant in how the session progresses.
How often should the sessions be done? How many sessions do I need?
Everyone is so different, so it can be hard to predict the number of sessions. I suggest you plan for 4-7. We may find that you are done in 3, or that you need 8 or 9.
We will adapt to whatever works for your schedule and budget, however, I do suggest scheduling once a week for a couple weeks to start.
How long is each session?
My sessions are 60 minutes; about half of that time is spent in hypnosis.
How will I know it worked?
Every journey is unique, and together, we will take that journey to completing your goal. You will know it has worked when you have achieved the specific goal we have set together.
What if I get stuck in hypnosis?
Because brain waves are not static, it is impossible to get stuck in any particular set of brain waves. For example, we do not get stuck in sleep. If I were to stop speaking and leave the room, one of two things would happen. Most likely, after a couple of minutes you would open your eyes and wonder where I went. If you happened to be tired, you might drift into a short nap, and then you would open your eyes and wonder where I went.
Can you help me forget a terrible experience I went through?
Your subconscious will continue to remember the event. What we will do is heal the experience so that the resulting negative feelings or trauma begin to dissipate.
Will I remember what happened during the hypnosis? What if I go to sleep?
Most of the time you will recall what we did in the session. It can be a bit like recalling a dream, so you may wish to bring a journal to write down any important thoughts.
It is possible that you will drift down into deep theta brain waves and not recall everything. If that happens, I will be happy to give you an overview.
While it is not common for someone to fall asleep in my office, it does happen on rare occasion. This is usually because the client is very tired, or perhaps has been sick. More commonly, it feels as though you were asleep because you went deep into theta brain waves. If you open your eyes when I ask you to or take a deep breath when I ask you to, you are in theta brain waves. If you do not, even after I prompt you a second or third time, then you may have fallen asleep! Not to worry though, as your subconscious does not go to sleep and continues to get the benefit of the session.
What if I recall something in hypnosis that is awful, and I had not remembered it before?
This is not a particularly common event, but if it does happen it means that your subconscious feels that you are ready to deal with it. And we will do that together. That might mean that we move through what comes up and allow it to be released and healed, or if in that moment you prefer, we can move away from it to something that feels safer. If we move away from it for now, we will come back to it when you are ready.