Bodywork with Nasrene
MY OFFERINGS
Part of my practice is attempting to shift the narrative of massage as a ‘treat’ or ‘indulgence’. These ideas regarding bodywork convey that stress relief is a luxury and something to reach to on a special occasion. Part of that reason is because it is often too expensive to be a regular therapy, and that accessibility factor is something I attempt to address within my sliding scale. Massage can feel wonderful, relaxing, and alleviating, I want to tell you my thoughts on why bodywork is ALSO critical for health.
We are led to think that stress is a mental state only, that one should simply bear through it and grit their teeth against it, and that mental states do not impact the physical body. Chronic stress can impact the functionality and health of ALL organ systems in the body, it can deteriorate a person’s wellness dramatically. The communities I am a part of, aligned with, adjacent to, and serve are populations with the highest stress levels due to capitalism, and are people who actively accumulate trauma from our violent society. Traumatic situations can get trapped in our bodies and need assistance to work through. It is my desire to assist my community in reducing the impact of stress and trauma on the body through accessible bodywork, hopefully metabolizing the trauma and releasing it actively and continuously. Through being in better relationship to our bodies, we can exist more easily in the ecology of our communities and do our chosen work within them. During sessions, we may be focusing on particular pain or injury issues, yet the stress relief is potently present in an inextricable way.
What to expect:
During a session, you can expect clear communication from me. We will have chatted (via email) and you will have filled out an intake form; these disclosures will have provided us with goals and guidelines for our session. In the treatment room, we will check in about your goals and decide together what the treatment will be structured like. I will orient you to the space, where to place your personal items, how to interact with the massage table. I will leave you with privacy to undress to your level of comfort and arrange yourself on the table. My treatments can be applied and adapted to a clothed, partially clothed, or unclothed person. You will be tucked in under the sheet and blanket at all times, with the area to be worked on modestly uncovered. If you choose to undress partially or fully, I will use oil on available skin. I will be checking in with you regarding pressure, temperature, overall comfort, but PLEASE feel free to tell me if something is not working for you. I have many tools in my toolbox, but I do not know what it feels like in your body! Every body experiences differently. At the end of the session, I will leave you with privacy and time to collect yourself and personal items, and we will check out. Please let me know if you have any specific questions, or if this is your first bodywork session.
My toolbox:
Deep tissue massage- This foundational modality's purpose is to target the underlying structures of our body like muscle, tendon, fascia, and more. I engage techniques such as compression, long and slow gliding, joint mobilization, rocking, friction, muscle energy techniques etc. in order to bring release and change. My purpose in using this modality is to create ease and release from tension, soften what is tough, bring movement where there is little or none, bring circulation to the area, and reduce pain. I can apply these techniques with any range of pressure, a light touch and a strong touch can have similar effects. Some discomfort can occur, though I strive to keep pain out of the equation. Ida Rolf once said that pain is 'sensation with the intention to withdraw', and withdraw creates more tension in the body. Through collaborative communication, we will find the appropriate amount of pressure for your body.
Swedish massage- While this modality uses similar techniques to deep tissue, I apply them differently. Their purpose is to prepare the body to receive deeper work and to transition and soothe the body from one part of the session to the next. As a practitioner, I work slowly and in layers, as the body unfolds like the bud of a flower. I honor the body's pace and timing in allowing tissues to soften, and every body does this at its own rate. Using a combination of modalities helps the body do this.
Myofascial release- Fascia is our soft skeleton, it creates structure and balance using tension, informs our brain as to what is happening internally, and is very much all over our bodies. I cannot touch without touching fascia! Made up of interwoven collagen and elastin, it covers, lines, protects, senses, and lubricates. Sometimes it gets pretty stuck, tacky and immobile, and this can cause pain or reduction of smooth movement. Myo (muscle) fascial release manipulates the fascial tissues specifically connected to muscle in order to create fluidity and ease restriction. The techniques can feel like pinching and holding, spreading and twisting, supported movement, and it can be slow. You may feel discomfort, but again, pain is not the goal!
Trigger point therapy- Trigger points are areas of dysfunctional muscle tissue that can cause local pain, and sometimes radiating or referred pain to other areas of the body. There are numerous theories on why they occur, but most are relieved by pointed, sustained pressure directly on the trigger point. This technique can bring tremendous relief, and while it can sometimes be uncomfortable, should never be painful.
Movement- This one technique can look many ways, whether its passive or active stretching, breathing, instructed contraction and relaxation, it is one of the most important parts of a session. This is because movement allows for your mind and body to connect and rewire pathways. It allows you to notice ways that you feel different than before, to accept change, and start to re-imagine different patterns of movement. Movement helps me engage the tissues in a different way!
Specialty work:
Head, neck, face, jaw massage- Mask/glasses/headphone wearing general stress can stiffen up these areas and cause headaches and jaw pain, neck stiffness and tension. Many people clench and grind their teeth at night, causing further pain in the head, neck, and jaw. Using deep tissue and myofascial techniques, I have developed a protocol that can be performed during a session to release tightened tissue, bring circulation to the area, treat trigger points and adhesions, and provide a lot of relief. Most of these techniques are performed on the external body, and we can stay there. I provide intra-oral manipulation of the soft tissues of the cheek and jaw for further and differently targeted relief. The whole protocol takes about 20 minutes, an external-only protocol takes about 15 minutes, depending on your specific needs.
Top surgery protocol- I offer pre and post top surgery support using movement, deep tissue, myofascial, and scar tissue release techniques. Whether you are having implant or removal surgery, softening and mobilizing tissue pre surgery can provide more comfortability in recovery and positive aesthetic and somatic results. Post surgery work can assist in the same way, help mobilize scar tissue to reorganize in a softer pattern, assist in lymph flow, improve circulation and mobility, reduce pain from holding recovery positions and anesthesia. Pre surgery work can be done any time before surgery, and can be folded into you session without any additional time. Light pressure post surgery work on the site directly can be started in a minimum of two weeks, and take about 10-20 minutes, depending on what stage of healing you are in. Deep pressure and techniques on the surgery site can be done 2-3 months post surgery.
Binding related bodywork- This protocol addresses issue related to binding, from neck and shoulder pain, to ribcage and breathing issues. If you bind regularly, bodywork can help mitigate the issues that can arise from the constant compression, and this protocol timing is flexible to fit your specific needs (they all are, but especially this one!)
Hand and forearm- I absolutely love getting into the nitty gritty of the inner workings of the hand and forearm. If you suffer from pain and tension in this area, we can spend additional time here. I work with tattooers, artists, desk workers, construction workers, other massage therapists, and know that these areas are often overlooked and very very needing of care. We can take anywhere from 5-20+ extra minutes here!
Pre/post-natal care- Receiving massage while pregnant can give so much relief form the aches and pains of carrying. You can expect non-gendered prenatal bodywork on a comfortable table, lying on your side as your stage of pregnancy allows. The post-natal time can be an excellent time to reorient your body as it knits back together and your hormones fluctuate. Take advantage of this in-between state to get deeper work done on old injuries! Any length of session can be a pre/post-natal session!
Other stuff I can help you with:
Chronic pain mitigation and management
Sleep support
TMD and other jaw related support
Prep for top surgery, both removal and implant surgeries
Recovery and support from other surgeries
Support with tendinitis and other repetitive motion injuries
Addressing binding injuries
Addressing postural pain (with or without posture correction)
Injury recovery and support
Neck and shoulder dysfunction support
PTSD and C-PTSD support
Mobility support
Pre and perinatal massage
Support related to birth injuries/ congenital issues
Anxiety/depression support
Asthma and breathing issue support
And more!
We are led to think that stress is a mental state only, that one should simply bear through it and grit their teeth against it, and that mental states do not impact the physical body. Chronic stress can impact the functionality and health of ALL organ systems in the body, it can deteriorate a person’s wellness dramatically. The communities I am a part of, aligned with, adjacent to, and serve are populations with the highest stress levels due to capitalism, and are people who actively accumulate trauma from our violent society. Traumatic situations can get trapped in our bodies and need assistance to work through. It is my desire to assist my community in reducing the impact of stress and trauma on the body through accessible bodywork, hopefully metabolizing the trauma and releasing it actively and continuously. Through being in better relationship to our bodies, we can exist more easily in the ecology of our communities and do our chosen work within them. During sessions, we may be focusing on particular pain or injury issues, yet the stress relief is potently present in an inextricable way.
What to expect:
During a session, you can expect clear communication from me. We will have chatted (via email) and you will have filled out an intake form; these disclosures will have provided us with goals and guidelines for our session. In the treatment room, we will check in about your goals and decide together what the treatment will be structured like. I will orient you to the space, where to place your personal items, how to interact with the massage table. I will leave you with privacy to undress to your level of comfort and arrange yourself on the table. My treatments can be applied and adapted to a clothed, partially clothed, or unclothed person. You will be tucked in under the sheet and blanket at all times, with the area to be worked on modestly uncovered. If you choose to undress partially or fully, I will use oil on available skin. I will be checking in with you regarding pressure, temperature, overall comfort, but PLEASE feel free to tell me if something is not working for you. I have many tools in my toolbox, but I do not know what it feels like in your body! Every body experiences differently. At the end of the session, I will leave you with privacy and time to collect yourself and personal items, and we will check out. Please let me know if you have any specific questions, or if this is your first bodywork session.
My toolbox:
Deep tissue massage- This foundational modality's purpose is to target the underlying structures of our body like muscle, tendon, fascia, and more. I engage techniques such as compression, long and slow gliding, joint mobilization, rocking, friction, muscle energy techniques etc. in order to bring release and change. My purpose in using this modality is to create ease and release from tension, soften what is tough, bring movement where there is little or none, bring circulation to the area, and reduce pain. I can apply these techniques with any range of pressure, a light touch and a strong touch can have similar effects. Some discomfort can occur, though I strive to keep pain out of the equation. Ida Rolf once said that pain is 'sensation with the intention to withdraw', and withdraw creates more tension in the body. Through collaborative communication, we will find the appropriate amount of pressure for your body.
Swedish massage- While this modality uses similar techniques to deep tissue, I apply them differently. Their purpose is to prepare the body to receive deeper work and to transition and soothe the body from one part of the session to the next. As a practitioner, I work slowly and in layers, as the body unfolds like the bud of a flower. I honor the body's pace and timing in allowing tissues to soften, and every body does this at its own rate. Using a combination of modalities helps the body do this.
Myofascial release- Fascia is our soft skeleton, it creates structure and balance using tension, informs our brain as to what is happening internally, and is very much all over our bodies. I cannot touch without touching fascia! Made up of interwoven collagen and elastin, it covers, lines, protects, senses, and lubricates. Sometimes it gets pretty stuck, tacky and immobile, and this can cause pain or reduction of smooth movement. Myo (muscle) fascial release manipulates the fascial tissues specifically connected to muscle in order to create fluidity and ease restriction. The techniques can feel like pinching and holding, spreading and twisting, supported movement, and it can be slow. You may feel discomfort, but again, pain is not the goal!
Trigger point therapy- Trigger points are areas of dysfunctional muscle tissue that can cause local pain, and sometimes radiating or referred pain to other areas of the body. There are numerous theories on why they occur, but most are relieved by pointed, sustained pressure directly on the trigger point. This technique can bring tremendous relief, and while it can sometimes be uncomfortable, should never be painful.
Movement- This one technique can look many ways, whether its passive or active stretching, breathing, instructed contraction and relaxation, it is one of the most important parts of a session. This is because movement allows for your mind and body to connect and rewire pathways. It allows you to notice ways that you feel different than before, to accept change, and start to re-imagine different patterns of movement. Movement helps me engage the tissues in a different way!
Specialty work:
Head, neck, face, jaw massage- Mask/glasses/headphone wearing general stress can stiffen up these areas and cause headaches and jaw pain, neck stiffness and tension. Many people clench and grind their teeth at night, causing further pain in the head, neck, and jaw. Using deep tissue and myofascial techniques, I have developed a protocol that can be performed during a session to release tightened tissue, bring circulation to the area, treat trigger points and adhesions, and provide a lot of relief. Most of these techniques are performed on the external body, and we can stay there. I provide intra-oral manipulation of the soft tissues of the cheek and jaw for further and differently targeted relief. The whole protocol takes about 20 minutes, an external-only protocol takes about 15 minutes, depending on your specific needs.
Top surgery protocol- I offer pre and post top surgery support using movement, deep tissue, myofascial, and scar tissue release techniques. Whether you are having implant or removal surgery, softening and mobilizing tissue pre surgery can provide more comfortability in recovery and positive aesthetic and somatic results. Post surgery work can assist in the same way, help mobilize scar tissue to reorganize in a softer pattern, assist in lymph flow, improve circulation and mobility, reduce pain from holding recovery positions and anesthesia. Pre surgery work can be done any time before surgery, and can be folded into you session without any additional time. Light pressure post surgery work on the site directly can be started in a minimum of two weeks, and take about 10-20 minutes, depending on what stage of healing you are in. Deep pressure and techniques on the surgery site can be done 2-3 months post surgery.
Binding related bodywork- This protocol addresses issue related to binding, from neck and shoulder pain, to ribcage and breathing issues. If you bind regularly, bodywork can help mitigate the issues that can arise from the constant compression, and this protocol timing is flexible to fit your specific needs (they all are, but especially this one!)
Hand and forearm- I absolutely love getting into the nitty gritty of the inner workings of the hand and forearm. If you suffer from pain and tension in this area, we can spend additional time here. I work with tattooers, artists, desk workers, construction workers, other massage therapists, and know that these areas are often overlooked and very very needing of care. We can take anywhere from 5-20+ extra minutes here!
Pre/post-natal care- Receiving massage while pregnant can give so much relief form the aches and pains of carrying. You can expect non-gendered prenatal bodywork on a comfortable table, lying on your side as your stage of pregnancy allows. The post-natal time can be an excellent time to reorient your body as it knits back together and your hormones fluctuate. Take advantage of this in-between state to get deeper work done on old injuries! Any length of session can be a pre/post-natal session!
Other stuff I can help you with:
Chronic pain mitigation and management
Sleep support
TMD and other jaw related support
Prep for top surgery, both removal and implant surgeries
Recovery and support from other surgeries
Support with tendinitis and other repetitive motion injuries
Addressing binding injuries
Addressing postural pain (with or without posture correction)
Injury recovery and support
Neck and shoulder dysfunction support
PTSD and C-PTSD support
Mobility support
Pre and perinatal massage
Support related to birth injuries/ congenital issues
Anxiety/depression support
Asthma and breathing issue support
And more!
Our session will be a collaboration, a unique collection of modalities that will support and nurture your healing.
Prices include gratuity!
30 minute Focused Treatment- $80
(upper or lower body focus, TMJ focus, prep/recovery from surgery, injury recovery)
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60 minute Unifying Session- $120
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90 minute Incorporation Session- $160
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120 minute Total Body Session $220
First time clients will pay an electronic deposit. After that, payment due at the time of service via cash.