About me...

I am a massage practitioner, currently based in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County, California, with 21 years of practical experience. A second generation bodyworker, I was taught massage by my father and his second wife. However, it wasn't until I was twenty-three that I went to an accredited massage school and became a professional massage therapist. I was certified at the School of Shiatsu & Massage in 1988.

From 1988-1992, I worked at a couple of spas in Calistoga, California. It was during those years that I developed my unique style of bodywork.

In 1992, I moved to New York City, and worked primarily on professional dancers. I also taught massage for couples at the New York Sports Club.

In 1997, I moved back to the Napa Valley and started my own business in Calistoga. From October 1997 - February 1998, I worked exclusively for Robert Redford and his editing crew, while they were editing The Horse Whisperer in Calistoga. In 2004, I began working for the Auberge resorts, full-time at Auberge du Soleil, and part-time at The Calistoga Ranch.

In May 2007 I was hired to be a part of the team in the opening of Solage Calistoga, a new Auberge Resort, where I performed the duties of Lead Massage Therapist and Spa Treatment Trainer for seven months, teaching the massage staff all of the spa treatments and writing the protocol for, and teaching, the Solage On The Rocks (Hot Stone) Massage.

Also, in 2007, learned the Synchronized Four-Handed Massage, a style of massage that pairs two bodyworkers with one client. In February of 2009, I trained the massage staff of The Kenwood Inn & Spa in this technique.

Please contact me directly if you are interested in a regular bodywork session. I do not charge extra for deep tissue work. I am also available for spa parties in your home. For parties with over four people attending - or for the Four-Handed Massage - I may need extra time to bring in an additional bodyworker.

Upon request, I am available to work at the following resorts:

Auberge du Soleil - www.aubergedusoleil.com

Calistoga Ranch - www.calistogaranch.com

Kenwood Inn & Spa - www.kenwoodinn.com
Poetry Inn - www.poetryinn.com

Currently, I am working independently as an out-call bodyworker, spa consultant, and trainer. Please email me for more information about my rates and availability.

MY STYLE:

Over the years I have developed a unique style of bodywork that utilizes many techniques. My work has been described by many of my clients as being intentional, powerful, deep, specific, focused, transformational and flowing.

WHAT THIS BLOG IS ALL ABOUT:

Essentially, I've created this blog to better communicate with my colleagues and clients, and to offer information and advice about the care and maintenence of the body. It's an evolving blog, so keep checking in for updates. I'm hoping to get some additional material from some of my very talented colleagues, in the form of articles and advice, and I will answer all questions to the best of my knowledge. Please feel free to add comments to any post. Questions for clarification, corrections, and suggestions, are always appreciated.

How strong do you really need to be to give a deep tissue massage?

The misconception regarding deep tissue massage is that the bodyworker has to be extraordinarily strong to be effective. The fact is, it's not about the strength of the bodyworker, pressing harder, or bearing down with all your weight. Deep tissue work is all about technique, approach, and the use of proper tools (knuckles, thumbs, elbows, forearms) in the session.

1. Use oil sparingly.

A thicker oil is best. It slows down your strokes and allows you to work deeper into the muscle fibers, rather than gliding across the skin.

2. Work slowly.

Working slowly gives the muscles time to release under your pressure.

3. Don't strain.

Working beyond your capacity is counterproductive. Straining will only exhaust and possibly injure you or your client.

What are "knots" and how do I get rid of them?

I've been getting the same questions from many of my clients lately.

Why does this particular muscle always hurt? Why are my muscles tight and in "knots"? These are the big ones, and the answer is: It's different for every body. However, there are some generalities that apply to everyone.

The back, neck, and shoulders are usually the spots that most people have issues with. So, I'll start there, with the muscles of the upper trapezius.

Basically, the trapezius is a large superficial muscle on a person's back. It also happens to be the area of the body that I focus most of my attention on when I do bodywork.

This is what it looks like, and a brief description of its actions.



Because the fibers run in different directions, it has a variety of actions, including:

* scapular elevation (shrugging up or lifting the shoulders),
* scapular adduction (drawing the shoulder blades together)
* scapular depression (pulling the shoulder blades down)

Different fibers control different actions:

* The superior (upper) fibers elevate the scapula.
* the middle fibers retract it.
* The inferior (lower) fibers depress it.
* When the superior and inferior fibers act together they superiorly (upwardly)
rotate the scapula.

So...what is a "knot" exactly?

IN A NUTSHELL:

Simply put, a knot is a contraction of muscle tissue that is a cause of stiffness and pain in the affected area. The medical term for muscle knots is myofascial trigger points, and there is still much we don’t know about them.

Knots most typically appear after a prolonged period of tension or following an injury, and begins as a muscle spasm. The knots form because the spasm keeps the muscle continuously switched on (normally, muscles don’t work continuously without rest, but cycle on and off) so, the spasm makes the muscle work constantly, and muscles are not designed for this unremitting work.

Eventually, the muscle overloads and forms a knot.

A trigger point does not really cause a contraction, but rather a contracture, which is a sticking of the muscle fibers.

This sticking of the muscle fibers can result in a compression of capillaries, which has the effect of causing an increased local energy demand and loss of blood circulation to the area. This "energy crisis" causes the release of chemicals that augment pain activity. And, since an involved muscle is weakened by this sustained shortening, the muscles around a trigger point may also develop trigger points.

Here are the major trigger points of the body that seem to cause the most grief for the majority of people I treat. Click on the image for a larger view.



Amazingly, around 75% of pain clinic patients have a trigger point as the sole source of their pain, and the following conditions are often (incorrectly) diagnosed when trigger points are the true cause of pain. These conditions include, (but are not limited to): Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Bursitis, Tendonitis, Angina Pectoris, Sciatic symptoms, and many other pain problems, especially a condition known as Fibromyalgia (more on that later).

However, the real culprit may be a trigger point, normally activated by a certain activity involving the muscles used in the motion, by chronically bad posture, bad mechanics, repetitive motion, structural deficiencies such as a lower limb length inequality, or nutritional deficiencies.
A client recently asked me if I thought she might have Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is typically characterized by chronic, and often continual, pain in the muscles, joints, tendons, and fibrous tissues of the body. This pain is commonly located precisely in those localized trigger points shown in the picture above. The usual diagnosis consists of widespread pain that lasts for more than 3 months. Officially, a person must have 11 out of 18 trigger points to get a diagnosis of FMS, but I question this, because there is still alot we don't know about this condition.

UNTYING THE KNOTS:

I treat knots with a variety of massage techniques that I've refined over the years to deal, specifically, with the problem of pain and tension associated with shortened muscles.

First I identify the trigger points, and begin with efflueurage strokes to warm the muscles and increase blood circulation. I then utilize a combination of shiatsu and myofacial release strokes to release the tension of the trigger point and elongate the muscle fibers. Treating the fascia and surrounding muscles to elongate and resolve strain patterns is very important, otherwise muscles will simply be returned to positions where trigger points are likely to re-develop.

POST-TREATMENT MAINTENENCE:

Drinking water is essential, to flush out the toxins that are released into the blood stream after a massage session.

Head rolls and shoulder rolls should be performed often throughout the day, as soon as pain or stiffness is noticed.

A brisk 30-60 minute walk daily will promote efficient blood circulation and oxygenization of muscles, as well as release endorphins, which will help with relaxation.