Bodywork Sessions with Kelly Kempter
Kaizen Healing Arts
Kaizen Healing Arts
Kaizen Healing Arts
Kaizen Healing Arts
Benefits of Bodywork
Receiving regular bodywork can improve overall health and vitality on a myriad of levels. By balancing the energy of the body, mind and spirit, the body's own healing capacity is stimulated. Through compression and stretching of the body, the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, which, in turn deepen the breath capacity, slows the heart rate, decreases blood pressure, improves digestion and metabolism. Furthermore, by rebalancing the internal organ systems, many health concerns can be successfully addressed. From pain reduction and release of chronic muscular tension, to headache resolution and mood enhancement, Thai massage and Shiatsu can be an integral part of maintaining health and well being. Bodywork can promote faster healing of injured tissue through improved circulation to affected areas, and reduced inflammation and edema. On an emotional and mental level, a bodywork session creates a space for you to ground yourself, while gently inviting focused awareness. Receiving regular bodywork is an invaluable component of any stress management program. In addition to specific health applications, Thai massage and Shiatsu are known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, enhance energy levels, stimulate organ function, soothe the nervous system, and create a lasting overall sense of well being.
Bodywork Techniques: Thai Massage and Shiatsu
A bodywork session with Kelly is a seamless synthesis of Thai massage and Shiatsu. With her gentle, confident touch, she listens deeply and intuitively integrates elements from all of her training and experience in order to tailor the session to your specific needs. A minimum of ninety minutes is strongly encouraged. Perhaps the biggest factor contributing to our discomfort is exhaustion. We are all working hard, moving quickly from one thing to the next, juggling a myriad of responsibilities, and ultimately depleting our energy reserves. Committing to receive regular bodywork exemplifies a dedication to your well being. Giving yourself extra time to dwell in that deeply relaxing place, and to fully absorb the session, allows your body to better access your inner healing potential, thus more completely replenishing your body and soul.
Kelly has been trained in Pediatric Massage Therapy and is excited to nurture the health of the youngest members of our community.
Thai Massage: Described as "lazy man's yoga", traditional Thai massage is an ancient healing art that developed in what is now Thailand and draws primarily from the Yogic and Chinese traditions. This powerful technique interweaves concepts from acupressure and yoga. Deep compression is applied along energy lines, through which the body's vital force flows, inviting the release of toxins and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. You will be gently guided into yoga-like stretches, which further enhances the flow of energy and stretches the muscles. The session, which utilizes hands, feet, knees, elbows, and forearms to apply pressure, is performed on a floor mat with the recipient fully clothed. Thai massage releases blocked energy and stimulates the body's innate healing potential, thus cultivating balance, health and harmony in body, mind, and spirit.
Shiatsu: Shiatsu is a Japanese healing art deeply rooted in the philosophy and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This form of healing is aimed at balancing qi, the essential life force of the body. Qi flows throughout the body within a system of defined channels, known as meridians. In Shiatsu, the therapist uses his or her body weight to apply pressure to specific points along the meridians, known as tsubos. These gateways to the meridians are the same points used in an acupuncture treatment. Through manual pressure, joint mobilization and stretching techniques, the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, promoting recovery from illness and enhancing the body's own healing abilities. By ensuring healthy flow of qi through the meridians, Shiatsu can address many health concerns, restoring balance to your entire system.
Cupping Therapy: This ancient healing technique has been used in cultures around the world for centuries to help with a variety of health conditions. Cupping therapy can help with clearing stagnation and congestion, relieving inflammation and pain, resolving lung conditions, sedating the nervous system, bringing fresh blood supply to the skin, relaxing muscles, and stretching connective tissue.
Gua Sha: Gua sha is a traditional Chinese healing technique dating as far back as 220 CE. Also called coining, spooning, or scraping, it is a press-stroking therapy that involves repeated, pressured strokes using a tool to increase circulation and assist the inflammatory response in its healing process. Gua sha can be effective in treating bronchial concerns including colds and respiratory disorders, chronic pain, repetitive strain injuries in the upper limbs, and neck and shoulder mobility issues, among other conditions.
Pediatric Massage Therapy: Nurturing touch for babies and children has been shown to increase growth and brain development, sensory integration, help with sleep regulation, enhance verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as alleviate pain, anxiety and depression. In addition to relief from chronic conditions such as asthma, nausea, constipation and muscle aches, receiving bodywork provides comfort, increased relaxation, and reduced stress hormones in the body. Research has shown that massage therapy can ease both physical and emotional discomforts associated with pediatric medical conditions.
For healthy children living in today’s high stress climate of overachievement, sensory overload, burdensome choices, and multiple extracurricular activities, our children can benefit from therapeutic massage more than ever before. In fostering a lifestyle of well being in our children, through teaching them to care for their bodies, encouraging a healthy relationship with touch, and carving out quiet time for rejuvenation, we give them some essential tools that will build a lifetime of healthy choices.
Children tend to respond amazingly well to touch therapy by fully and quickly integrating the benefits into their growing bodies, thus shorter sessions are generally sufficient. I always encourage parents to be involved and stay in the room during their child’s session, especially if the child requests it.
In addition to massage therapy for children, Kaizen Healing Arts offers private and semi-private tutoring sessions for parents/guardians and their children. Together, let’s nurture our society’s youngest members though therapeutic touch!