Answers were written by Ashley Wright LMT, NMT, NKT

Where will my massage or bodywork session take place? 

Your bodywork session will take place in a warm, comfortable, quiet room at Anointed Touch Therapeutic Massage. You will lay on a table especially designed for your comfort. I will perform all of my assessment testing, ask questions, and the treatment in my private office where your confidentiality and comfort is acknowledged and respected.

Must I be completely undressed? 

During clincal therapy sessions, I recommend all clients to wear or bring comfortable/loose fitting clothing so that I have easier access to your skin and tissues. Sports bras, tank tops, T-Shirts, gym shorts, sweat pants are all acceptable forms of clothing. (Leggings/jeggings, jeans, turtle necks or tight clothing is not recommended, but I am trained to improvise for what I have available to work with.)

For a therapeutic relaxation massage session, you are asked to undress to your comfort level and asked to lay on your table with a sheet and possibly a blanket draped over you, making sure to not expose your body beside the body part that is currently receiving bodywork. Proper draping techniques are used and inapproapriate behavior is not tolerated.

Will the practitioner be present when I disrobe? 

I ask for all clients to wear or bring comfortable or loose fitting clothing for clinical sessions. If you need to change your attire, you may change in my private office before our session begins or the handicap accessible restroom in the building.
If you are reciving a relaxation massage, the practioner will leave the room so you may undress and get under the sheets on the massage table. The practioner will knock on the door before entering the room.

What parts of my body will be massaged?

Through the series of muscle, nerve, and orthopedic testing that I perform, it will narrow down the specific area that needs to be released through the use of massage therapy. If there is an area of the body you prefer to not be touched, I will respect that. I am trained and educated in multiple wellness techniques that will allow me to massage a different area of the body that would effect the area I intend to facilitate a change.

What will the massage or bodywork feel like?

I generalize the combination of techniques I utilize into the term neuromuscular therapy. When I perform neuromuscular therapy, some of the areas I treat will be tender as they are places that hold too much tension and needs to be released. If at anytime you are not comfortable with the technique I am using on a certain area, please inform me and I will improvise. I am focused on tailoring the massage to your needs and comfort level.

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 according to your comfort level and what is needed to be balanced.

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?

EveryBODY is different. Most people feel immediate relief from their initial complaints with improved range of motion and flexibility. For some people it can take anywhere from a couple of hours or up to 72hrs after a treatment to feel relief. You may be sore after your treatment because of muscles that have been too strong for too long have relieved and muscles that have been weak for too long are now working. The balancing I helped facilitate can take up to 72 hours to integrate in the brain. Performing the stretching and strengthening exercises I show you along with the increase intake of water will help decrease any soreness you may feel and help your brain retain the new movement patterns I put int circuit.

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. The treatment you will be receiving will be designed to help you decrease physical and nerve pain while improving your physical abilities.
Please refer to the tab, Benefits of Services, if you would like to know more about how massage can help inprove your health.

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.