I recently moved back to Leesburg after living in Fort Lauderdale for the past six years.  An opportunity knocked to “come back” or as I liked to say “move forward” to Leesburg to begin a new practice. Because like Leesburg , I have evolved.  Leesburg has more business investment, new housing, and more people are now moving to the area from all over the country; needless to say, not quite how I left the small town in 2012.  I left, moved to a metropolitan city, and lived close to the ocean.  Big city living at its very best!  Thanks to those experiences, I’m not quite the same person who left in 2012.  I’ve have six more years  experience and worked with a community with all kinds of cultural backgrounds including athletes, young and old alike.  Because of the needs of my eclectic clientele, I’ve taken additional courses and have added cupping and more specific muscular therapy work. I’ve reconfigured my offering and related fees—keeping in mind that each client has different needs.  Whether it’s 30,50,75 or 90 minutes, we will work together for a different you.  This new fee schedule includes a no tipping policy. Yes, Leesburg has changed and so have I!

A bitter-sweet blog post today. I am closing my Fort Lauderdale office on June 15th. I'm relocating back or as I like to say "moving forward" to Leesburg FL, where I lived and practice before moving to FTL.   I will be opening up a new practice in Leesburg, hopefully late June early July.  My FTL clients you all rock and I will miss you all very much. Thank you for supporting my practice these last 6 years. If you have friends or family that live in the Leesburg/ Lake County area please pass on my name. 

Will you notice the art work on my walls? Maybe. Will you notice the particular aromatherapy in the air? Maybe.

But what I know with certainty you will notice is a sense of safety and trust.

Massage therapy and body work is a very personal service. Clients are placing their bodies in my hands and I do not take that respect and trust for granted. The oldest principle of healers is alive and well in my practice; that is, do no harm.

This is why before each session we sit - you talk, I listen - and we get clear on your specific needs and your intentions for the session.  No two clients get the same cookie-cutter massage. That’s why I don’t offer a specific menu of services. Each session is customized to you and how you feel on that particular visit.

The ways you can customize your session are endless:

If you want to talk, I can listen.  If you want to simply relax, take deep breaths and just “be,”  go right ahead - there’s no such thing as an awkward silence, only peace.

In any bodywork experience, communication is key. Is the pressure too much or too little? Just let me know and I will adjust.  Want to be fully clothed? No problem. Prefer being undressed (under the sheet, of course)? No problem.  Ready to end your session altogether? As you wish.

You can even decide the temperature of the air and the music being played in the background.

The most important thing for me is that you feel happy and healthy when you walk out of my office. This is YOUR session and YOU determine how it goes. I am at your service.

We usually don’t think about our feet. Until they hurt. We tend to take them for granted, but like other parts of our body they can get tired, overused, sore, and in need of some attention.
When they start to hurt it can lead to many other problems.

When your feet hurt, you do not want to do much of anything. You just want to stay off of them. Your body likes to move, however. Moreover, your brain functions better when you are active. So foot pain can quickly lead to other issues.

Foot pain can cause other pain in your body. If your foot hurts, you change the way you stand, walk, and move. Those changes affect your legs. When your legs hurt, you make more changes in what you do, which affects your hips, then your back, then your neck.

Some jobs involve being on your feet most of the day. Often it is on hard floors or rough terrain. You may have a long walk from the parking lot to your job.

At home, we walk around to take care of our place, our family, and our belongings. We shop, stand to chat with a friend, stand in lines, and walk around doing errands. We cook, do laundry, clean and put things away. You may make multiple trips up and down stairs every day. Yard work and home maintenance keep us on our feet as well.

You may kick things out of the way or stomp your feet to let out some frustration. You may do the extra walking for exercise or from an inconvenience, or run to make it somewhere on time.

If you enjoy sports you use your feet to run, jump, and kick. Your feet take a real pounding since they support all your body weight along with the extra force from the exertion.

For exercise or fun activities you use your feet for yoga and fitness classes, hiking, climbing, kickboxing, and dance - and hauling all of your equipment around.

Your feet have things dropped on them, and they get stepped on. You step on unexpected things such as rocks, tools, or toys (Legos!).

All of your leg joints are all affected by your feet. Joints are under pressure from muscles and bones pulling and twisting on them. Relieving foot pain allows your muscles and joints to be in their proper positions and with less pressure on them you feel better.

We squeeze our feet into uncomfortable shoes or boots. Sometimes it may be for the sake of fashion, such as high heels. Other times work footwear is uncomfortable. Sandals may be more comfortable, but they may not provide the support your feet need.

Massage provides relief from Plantar Fasciitis, heel pain, and other common foot pain. Most muscles that move your foot start in your calf, so relieving foot pain can also reduce calf pain too.

Your feet do a lot for you. Give them some attention with a massage, so you can keep doing what you want.

The day, the week and the month of 9/11, I felt like a Massage emergency responder therapist. Massage therapy helped give some respite to clients during that incomprehensible time, who were in shock, feeling fearful, grieving and stiff from watching those repeated scenes over and over again. Many times the sessions  allowed my clients to "just be". To have private moments of personal tears during their sessions. I realized last year when I visited the 911 Memorial that I didn't really grieve myself during that period because I was in care taking mode. I was grateful that I had a place to go to even though it was many years later to "just be" and let my tears flow.

http://911memorial.org

To celebrate my 28 years as a licensed massage therapist, and to show just how much I appreciate my clients, I have come up with a special offer for the month of August 2016.

If you buy one (1) 50 minute massage session for $80, you will receive a second 50 minute session for only $28!

The first massage has no expiration date; however, the second must be booked before August 31st.

I look forward to seeing you!

It is always important to keep me updated about your body when you come for your next appointment so your session is optimal for your needs. Since our last session, what has happened physically or emotionally in your life?

• Have you tripped on the sidewalk or did you overdo it gardening or playing tennis?
• Did you have a stressful situation with a family member or find out some bad news that may be causing stress in a certain area of your body?  
• Are you taking a new medication that may be contraindicated in the techniques I use?
• Have you had any surgical procedures recently that may have put your body in awkward position that could affect the pain or discomfort you are having today?
• Have you thought about something I did in our last session that you would want me to do differently in this session? 

Communicating with your massage therapist is essential for a long term relationship. I often say to my clients, “I can’t read your mind.” Like any relationship with a spouse, friends, family members, expressing your needs is important to me. I want to know, from our last session, if there was anything you would like to do differently for this session. Please tell me if you need to be cooler or warmer.  Do you want different music?  Not all of my clients want music with flutes, pianos, and water sounds. Some clients relax differently and want rock and roll instead.

It’s your massage! If you have questions about what and why I am using this particular technique, just ask.  If you had negative reaction from the last session, like you were really sore the next day or you got a headache, let me know and we will work differently this session.  You are not going to hurt my feelings by asking for what you need.  If I am using too much pressure in a specific area, let me know.  Sometimes while I am working on clients, I go into a zone where I am so focused on the body; I may not be paying attention to the grimace on a client’s face or the tensing up of a muscle. Bottom line, communicate with me; it’s your massage.

It’s hard to lose a client who has been part of my practice whether it’s for a job change and they have to move or I am moving. However, it’s especially hard when one of my clients dies. I have had the privilege to work on terminally ill clients days before they pass and had a chance to say “goodbye;” but, my clients, past and present, who die suddenly are extra tough, especially when they are so young , vibrant, and thought to be going places in the world. Recently, I received the news of the death of a client I haven’t seen in more than a decade; but, my hand and heart memory did not forget her sweet nature, brilliant mind, and all that curly hair.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Cancer isn’t predictable and can be tough, but here are a few simple ways to take care of you and loved ones. (Men, this includes you too.) 

Lead by Example

Perform monthly self breast exams; no one knows your body like you do. Make sure you schedule a clinical breast exam with your primary care physician, too. Set a good example for the loved ones around you by incorporating healthy practices. This can include, starting a garden, eating as local as possible, exercising regularly, and packing healthy lunches for your kids. 

Talk to Your Family and Friends

Teach your family, about self care and good breast health. Tell them about the health risks that come with smoking and alcohol. Talk with your kids, siblings, parents and grandparents about your family’s health history. Consider talking to your sister, mom, or best friend about getting a mammogram or Thermascans - or go together! 

Give a Meaningful Gift

Go out of your way to show someone you care. If someone close to you is struggling with cancer, offer to get their groceries, bake them a dish, take them to a doctor’s appointment, or just be there for them when they need it. A gift doesn’t have to involve money or the purchase of a material item. A sentimental trinket is nice, but having compassion and showing care for someone going through something really difficult is worth so much more. 

Get Involved

Consider raising money for a good cause, attending a local event, or starting your own fundraiser during the month of October.   Get involved and make a difference. 

Take Care of Yourself

Put in the effort to take care of yourself and this goes beyond eating healthy.  Take time to exercise and curb any habits that negatively affect your health. Replace them with good ones. Turn your 10 minute smoke break into a 10 minute walk break. Avoid staying up to late and try to go to bed even 20 minutes earlier and finally get more massages.