for your loved one this Valentine’s Day?

Consider giving the gift of a massage, and get something back yourself.

Purchase a gift certificate before February 14th, and receive 30 extra minutes added to your next session.

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If you are looking for something to do together, check out our

Partner Yoga/Writing Workshop on March 3rd,

Embracing the Other.

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Most importantly,

tell them you love them.

She’s been seeing me every few months since then and intends to come back regularly throughout the year.  In our session yesterday she expressed concern about being away for a while, afraid that the structural changes we’d been making may be backtracking.  I assured her that the part to focus on is that she made it back and we will just keep moving forward, taking it one session at a time. It turned into a wonderful session where we broke out of our usual bodywork patterns, working on the area that is the least favorite but most needed.

This is the text message I received from her this morning:

“I enjoyed our session yesterday. Was a good one! I fear losing ground but when we have sessions like the one yesterday I just know it is a matter of keeping up with them. I feel content with the work”

I already knew just from the energy between us in the room yesterday that she enjoyed her session, but I am always thankful for the feedback.

It made me realize that she is right, it is just a matter of keeping up with them. My policy for my own self-care sessions is to always make the next appointment, even if it’s months from now.  There are certain times a session is a given, like my birthday or after a big exam. I go ahead and get them on the books. I figure, even if I can’t commit to coming in next week, or month, it is good to just know when the next time will be.  We don’t think about scheduling during our busy periods, but if the appointment is already made we are more likely to get the work when we need it most.

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Upward Spiral now has its own online booking. You can book your appointment when you are thinking of it, day or night. View current availability and book online.

At Jerry’s first session we discussed his health history in detail as well as the basic approach of Structural Energetic Therapy.  Then after a visual evaluation I applied the first step of SET protocol, cranial work, and then proceeded to work his muscles and soft tissue.  In this session I mainly released the chest and front neck muscles.  Jerry had some moments of “hurts good” and felt positive overall about the changes we were making. We set a second appointment for two weeks later.

One week after the first appointment I had a call from Jerry reporting substantial relief.  He admitted that the pain wasn’t gone entirely but he had more days of relief than he’s had from almost any other therapy. I was thrilled.

At his second appointment, Jerry confirmed what he had told me the week before.  He added that a few hours after the session he had a lot of painful soreness and was worried that it might stay.  But then the next day it felt completely different, like a new neck, and he knew we had done something good.

Jerry left his second appointment feeling even more inspired that we are onto something wonderful. Not only relief from his neck pain but changes in his life beyond what he may have previously been able to imagine.  I can’t wait to see what will come out of this unfolding journey.

*pseudonym

I realized, this client is right! Many times I have had someone in my room, especially a first appointment, and find myself listening to them for sometimes 10 minutes straight.  I recognized a while ago that taking this time to openly listen to them was as important as the hands-on therapy.  It helps us to build trust. Sometimes a new client shares details about a trauma and my ability to actively listen and affirm their feelings creates for them a feeling that they can talk to me about the things that perhaps the other people in their lives can not handle.  It also helps me to learn more information about where they came from and where they are at.

Though I know all of this, it was great to hear my client make this observation.  I am sure glad I listen.

With our approach with SET Bodywork, we know how to address the key areas causing pain, even if they are not the places where our clients are feeling their pain.  It wasn’t until I learned this specialized therapeutic approach to structural bodywork in SET that I realized how much the front of the neck plays a key role in back and shoulder pain.

The muscles in the front of your neck and chest are often very tight when you are experiencing neck pain, but not every massage therapist knows to release them, or how to do this effectively.  Now that I practice SET Bodywork, I have seen dramatic changes in my clients. Often after just one session.

As one client who was experiencing chronic pain in her neck noted, “I never had that much of a shift from just one session before.”  That was last Spring.  I haven’t seen her since because she still feels great. What are you waiting for?

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Upward Spiral Body Therapy operates out of Surgical Alternative, Institute of Alternative Therapy.  Click here to book your session with Nyssa.

We live extremely forward driven lives. Almost everything we do pulls our head forward in front of our body. Since the “body loves repetition,” as my teacher, Don McCann would say, our necks remember the habit of pulling our head forward and will start to keep it there. The thing is, our vertebraes are not designed to maintain this imbalanced posture and our comfort so in time, something has got to give.

At Upward Spiral, we we take all this into account when treating clients with neck and shoulder issues. When we help our clients rehabilitate from bad postural habits and injuries, we also are preventing the development of buldging/herniated discs, pinched nerves, chronic headaches and migraines, whiplash and more.

Check back for part two for when our technique distinguishes us from other massage therapists. We don’t do massage, we provide therapy.

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Upward Spiral Body Therapy operates out of Surgical Alternative, Institute of Alternative Therapy.  Click here to book your session with Nyssa.

About a month ago, I started to notice a lingering pain in my thumb.  I didn’t remember hurting it while working so I started to pay attention to how I was using it.  After a couple of days it clicked.  I was starting to develop “Texting Thumb” – a painful condition from overuse in repetitive movements while using technological devices like phones and computers.

Ten years ago, there was almost an epidemic of carpel tunnel pain.  Every pain relief clinic specialized in treatments for carpel tunnel.  This was because of the increasing use of computers at work with many people using a computer for most or all of their work day.  Now, this fad has died off a bit and more specific conditions like thumb pain from texting or the use of a laptop mouse are starting to emerge.

The good part is, we know exactly how to treat it.  Instead of massaging the area of pain and doing general work on the arm, I know that to fully release the contracted tissue causing the pain, I need to also release the shoulder and arm systematically.  Our myofasical release work with SET Bodywork, allows the tissues to let go of the habitual patterns they have formed through use.  There is a ripple effect down the arm as these tissues release and sometimes when we get down to work specifically in the area of pain, the thumb for example, the releases prior have already initiated the release of the painful area before we even touch it.

Whether you suffer from neck pain, shoulder pain, frozen shoulder syndrome, tennis elbow, or other repetitive movement injuries, know that relief is possible. Being painfree means being more productive, because who cares about doing a good job when you are just waiting to go home. Bodywork may be the key to success. Or at least, what keeps us on good terms with our machines.

Activities include:

• Experience Scavenger Hunt – a fun way to make sure you get to try out all the therapies we have to offer
• De-Stress Tips – posted all throughout our office. Pay attention and complete a quiz to enter to win a free treatment!
• Informational Talks: Hot/Cold Therapy for Pain Relief @ 11:30am, Stress and Bodywork @ 12:15pm, Outdoor Yoga: Neck/Shoulder Release @ 1pm
• Holiday Shopping Bazaar with handmade items by local crafters
• FREE FOOD

I have started to share Robbi’s system of aromatic kinesiology with some of my clients who have been impressed by the accuracy in their bodies ability to pinpoint their current emotional state.  Aromatic Kinesiology provides a framework through which we can ask the body what it needs and it comes back with information about what the client needs for emotional transformation.

For example, I had a client who had just come back from a motorcycle trip where she had felt that she couldn’t keep up  with her fellow travelers who were a bit more experienced and adventurous.  Her body identified the oil Frankincense, which as about moving between vulnerable to protected.  When I read these words to her she got goosebumps.  We used the oil in her session and she even went out to find some to use at home.

If you are curious about which essential oil your body might direct us to use, come out this Saturday for our Grand Opening and receive your FREE Blossoming Heart Aromatherapy evaluation.  This and more is a part of our “Experience Scavenger Hunt” we are inviting our guests to participate in.  Join us this Saturday from 10am-2pm at Surgical Alternative.