Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is Massage?
A. Massage is the manipulation of soft tissue for relief from pain and relaxation of muscles. It does not work on bones or the bone structure but rather the softer muscles and tissues surrounding the bones.
Q. Who can receive Massage?
A. Massage is appropriate for all ages. Athletes can receive massage before or after a workout, and massage works well in conjunction with chiropractic work or physical therapy. Pregnant women can also benefit from massage to relieve fatigue and soreness. Children and infants also can also receive massage for various issues. If you have any doubts, or certain chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, certain cancers, or communicable diseases, consult your doctor before receiving massage therapy treatments.
Q. What kind of massages do you do?
A. Every massage is tailored to the needs to the person receiving the massage. My therapeutic work generally uses Swedish massage as a base, and integrates deep tissue, trigger point work, myofascial work, stretching, and other modalities to suit what you need. I am also a specialist in Prenatal, Infant, and Fertility massage and am one of the few therapists in the area that specializes in these modalities. I am fully certified in every form and modality of massage that is done. If you need a massage technique that I am not qualified to do, I will refer you to someone who is. For more information on what some of these different modalities are please click here.
Q. Do you take my insurance?
A. In the state of Pennsylvania, Massage Therapy treatments are not covered by health insurance. The only insurance which may be used for massage is Car Insurance following an accident, or Workman's Compensation. In either of these cases, a doctor's prescription must be presented for all treatments.
Q. Do I have to take off my clothes?
A. For a "full body massage", the client will be asked to "disrobe to your comfort level". This means remove as much or as little of your clothing as they feel comfortable with. It is easiest for the therapist to work on bare skin because clothing can create unwanted friction and prevent the proper manipulation of soft tissue. When the massage is in progress, the client is fully covered by sheets and/or a blanket at all times and only the body part being worked on is exposed. Massage is not done on the chest or other sensitive areas, and the sheet is not removed over the chest or gluteus area.
Q. What is a "Chair Massage"?
A. A Chair Massage is done in a specially designed chair that allows the recipient to receive a relaxing massage focused on the back and shoulders. This type of massage is short, but very effective. There is no need to remove any clothing, and can be done almost anywhere. This is also a good massage alternative for people who have difficulty lying down on their stomach, but still want massage therapy on their backs
Q. How far in advance do I have to book an appointment?
A. It is advised to schedule appointments at least a day in advance. Same-day appointments are very difficult to accommodate, and at this time I can not accept walk-ins. If an appointment made in advance needs to be canceled, please call no less than 2 hours before the appointment as a consideration to the therapist. You can see available appointments and schedule appointments on your time via our online system.
Q. Will you come to my home / hotel / office to do my massage?
A. At this time, all massage appointments are only held in my office. I am unable to travel to personal locations for appointments. I do, however, offer 'Corporate Massage' in which I come to offices or other group events for chair massage. Please contact me for specifics of your event to see what I can do for you.
Q. Do you do Couples Massages?
A. I am a solo therapist, so until I magically grow two extra arms, I can not do two massages at the same time. I may be able to accommodate two massages one right after another, but unfortunately not both together.
Q. Do you use a lot of heavy scented oils during your massages?
A. The lotions and products that I use during regular massages are completely unscented, and I do not use any scented candles in my massage room. For the occasional specialty massage, or a requested aromatherapy massage, products custom hand-mixed with the proper proportions of essential oils are used. I do make every effort to "air the room out" following one of these massages in order to keep the room as odor-free as possible.
Q. Do you teach massage?
A. Yes! I hold a degree in teaching, and I love to teach massage. I teach Infant Massage for parents, as well as teachers, caretakers, or other groups who work with children. I also teach Prenatal and Infant Massage at the Valley School of Healing Arts in Port Traverton, PA and would be happy to discuss what massage needs you would like to learn and what I can do for you.
