My session with David Van Eck was fantastic. David Van Eck has many years of experience working on bodies and teaching massage therapy at the Ann Arbor Institute of Massage Therapy before they closed their doors about a year ago. He taught myofascial release based on Ida Rolf’s structural integration methods and Thomas Myers’ fascial work. In addition, he assisted school owner, Jocelyn Granger, with teaching neuromuscular therapy. I decided to see David because I was having s

Barnes Method Myofascial Release is aimed at releasing the fascial system, addressing pain, and realigning the entire body. Fascia is a complex web of connective tissue in the body that unites each part, from the macro to the micro. It covers every cell, fiber, tissue, and organ; it forms an enveloping sheath just under our skin, giving us our outline and quite literally, holding us together. Due to the interconnectivity of this web, when there is a restriction or snare in

I am honored to be teaching Thai massage this fall at Liberty Athletic Club. When spa manager, Chris Maxton reached out to me about teaching Thai massage to their new crop of massage therapists, I was excited to get involved.  Prema Lindsay Smith of Inner Balance Therapy has been working for several years to build and expand a Thai massage program at Liberty Athletics. Prema is a longtime fixture of massage and bodywork in Ann Arbor; she has been practicing massage and bodywo

Renée Rutz, RCsT, LMT is methodical in her approach. She can delve into the details of an issue, exploring, questioning, sensing, aiming to find the root cause of imbalances in the body. It seems like she could easily spend 45 minutes on one part of my foot if that was what is called for. Then she can zoom out and look at the big picture; assessing how all of the pieces are connected together. In addition to her Craniosacral Therapy training, she has been in the bodywork busi

My session with Eileen Dickinson was spacious. Her smiling presence is open, calming, and accepting. She seems to see all of me and she was very present from the moment I walked in the door until the moment I left. According to Jo Larson of True Healing Touch, “Trager is a form of healing bodywork that involves blissful rocking and soft, playful bouncing of limbs and muscles, all done in state of relaxation that is so deep and profound that nearly half of people experiencing

Recently I was asked to blog about the different types of bodywork available in my community. Typically massage therapists incorporate many modalities into a single session but it can be helpful to have some familiarity with individual techniques in order to determine what might be best for your body at any given time. Here is a brief description of some common types of bodywork: Asian Healing Modalities: Thai Massage: Described as "lazy man's yoga", this powerful technique c