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Freedom Massage is more than a place to receive massage.
It is a community of practitioners ready to help you discover the art of massage and the ancient power of touch. Freedom Massage practitioners are experienced and dedicated.
Our practitioners are trained in a variety
of modalities to suit your needs.We invite you to see our beautiful space
and experience a massage from one
of our seasoned practitioners.
By Diane Matkowski, CMP,
Owner of Freedom Massage,
and Author of The Body Is ArtMassage: Find Freedom Through Relaxation
One of the first remedial practices of humankind was massage. It is said to be the most natural and instinctive means of relieving pain and discomfort. Information found at The British Museum, shows evidence that massage was practiced in China as early as 3000 B.C. and has been practiced in India for over three thousand years. Increased awareness of physical and mental fitness has opened the way for alternative healthcare in our country. Beginning around 1960, a massage renaissance began to take place in the United States and grows stronger to this day. More facts are showing that massage really works and it is returning to a place of prominence in the healthcare system.
Touch is the core ingredient of massage. Practitioners learn specific techniques for massage and use their sense of touch to determine the right amount of pressure to apply to each person and locate areas of tension. Touch conveys a sense of caring, an important component in the healing relationship. It is a component many people are missing in their quest for optimal health.
Massage creates a space where individuals can retreat and rediscover their bodies. Once the touch begins a sense of relief quenches the body. The goal is total relaxation. Every massage brings you deeper into a relaxed state and awakens your body awareness. It is a vehicle to help people become more conscious of the enormous amount of stress residing in their bodies. A transformation begins as the massage practitioner and client become more in tune. This relationship, based on a level of trust, allows you to let go of tension in your body so that the unwinding of stress can begin in a safe environment conducive for healing and relief.
As a professional massage therapist, I see the undeniable benefits massage gives to my clients. I watch as the stress of the day immediately begins to leave as they begin receiving their massage. I have watched many lives change, including my own, through the power of giving and receiving massage regularly. It is a mini-vacation from everyday stress. The effects of your massage will be endless and will ripple out into every area of your life. Massage will knock down walls of stress and allow you to build a new sense of well-being.
Without taking time for yourself, stress can build its thick wall all around you. Stress can negatively impact your mental and physical health. It adversely affects your immune system. Stress lowers your productivity at home and at work. Stress strains marital relationships and friendships. Stress also affects parenting skills. “Experts estimate that 80% to 90% of diseases is stress related. Massage and bodywork is there to combat that frightening number by helping us remember what it means to relax.” (Vol 1, Fall 2001, Body Sense magazine). Massage can be a tool to help minimize these doctor visits.
We all have countless responsibilities. Women, specifically, sometimes become busy taking care of everyone else and forget to slow down to take care of their own needs. Besides daily life, women deal with menstruation, PMS and menopausal symptoms. The constant change of hormones and emotions can make day-to-day living seem unbearable at times. These emotional ups and down can get worse if you do not take the time to nurture yourself.
If you think massage is just a nice way to unwind after a long day at work or a grueling workout, you’re missing its many advantages. If you think it is a luxury, you may want to reconsider it as one of life’s survival necessities. A growing body of reputable, respected research is beginning to document massage benefits. The Touch Research Institute in Miami- Florida has shown massage has benefits specifically for women:
- Increases immune function in woman diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years
- Relieves severe PMS
- Lessens labor pain and length, shortens hospital stay, lowers likelihood of postpartum depression
The good news is more people are becoming aware of the benefits of massage through the media’s coverage of ways to improve one’s health. Massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, relieves back pain, reduces stress, relieves headaches, improves posture, and helps bring women and men into a more harmonic relationship with their bodies. Modern day medicine is rediscovering an art practiced for hundreds of years. The power of touch is becoming undeniable. The positive results are finally being revealed.
Massage gives us the touch our bodies yearn for, the peace of mind we crave, and creates the balance to embrace each new day. Massage is a gateway to a healthy lifestyle.
Editor’s Note
As owner of Freedom Massage, I am proud to say it has become more than a place to get a massage. It is a community of talented practitioners waiting to help you replenish your body and discover the art of massage.
