Important Notice + Spring Updates 2023
Hello friends, clients and colleagues. It has been a while since I last wrote! I hope you all are enjoying the generous Spring season. Items in this newsletter include:
an Important notice about upcoming appointments
an article about options for paying for massage through insurance
Some menu additions and changes
an FAQ request
Thrilling updates about my life!
Read on for more details ~
IN MY HANDS
A long term goal of mine is coming to fruition within the next two weeks, by the grace and generosity of my perinatal colleague Amy Beck of Olive Tree Birth. She has invited me to be a part of an upcoming home birth so I may witness the transformative event for the first time. This is an essential part of my developing perinatal massage practice and I am so grateful and humbled to have the opportunity.
So, for those of you who have appointments booked from now through June 15th, I will not only be keeping my phone ringer on, I may need to reschedule at a moment's notice. My preference here is that we keep our appointments for the time being, and when the time comes I will send notice and suggested dates via text or email. Babies can be unpredictable in these final moments (as many of you know!) so I appreciate your flexibility as we anticipate the arrival of this hew human.
ON THE WEB
The National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) recently published this article on options for paying for services like massage therapy. Many of you already know that I accept Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) payments, and for those of you who didn't, the linked article explains why this works, as well as other ways you can have your sessions covered by your insurance providers. Please take a look!
And while you’re browsing the NCCIH website, you might also read this page covering What You Need to Know about Massage Therapy.
ON THE MENU
A recent request has inspired me to reprise tutorial sessions for couples who are looking to develop their skills for exchanging massage at home. This service will look like a three hour session for you and a partner (perhaps a friend or loved one, not just a romantic partner!), in which we will go over the basics for sharing safe touch, some tips for endurance, and then a guided hands-on tutorial where each partner will take a turn giving and receiving touch on the table.
I have also reviewed my Hot Stone Massage offering and am making a slight shift: booking a Hot Stone Massage session will remain as a full body service for the current price. Hot Stone add-ons will be reduced to $10 and will be integrated into sessions in an abridged format, which may include working stones or placement stones for the specific area desired. My hope is that this will make the stones feel more accessible and allow for greater finesse on my part.
IN THE SPACE
Something I am feeling called to offer on the blog is a Massage FAQ for clients who are new to my practice, or for any of you who have wanted deeper details on my offerings or expected massage etiquette, anything really! You can respond to this email directly or submit anonymous questions on this Google form.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Since April, I have been immersed in the PLANT as PORTAL Herbal Apprenticeship offered by Katie Novotny of the Indiana Herbal Center. It is a seven month course all about plants and how to make medicine with them for personal and community use. I look forward to this knowledge better informing my oil and tea offerings within this practice, and everything beyond. Check Katie out if you are looking for herbal medicine of your own!
Later in June, I’ll be joining again with oak. Bloomington for their second annual Summer Solstice event. I’ll be offering chair massage and aura fluffs for $20 on Friday, June 23. Tell your friends! Chair massage is an excellent introduction for those who have never had massage before, or an opportunity to sample the work of a new-to-you practitioner. Clients will be fully clothed and seated in a chair which supports the front of the body while pressure is applied to the spinal tissues, head, and arms. And what is an aura fluff? Come find out!
IN MY HEART
This weekend, I got to share massage with my father for the first time since I started doing this work. It was really incredible to get to witness the change he experienced throughout his session, and to have the opportunity to share such profound and transformative care with my family - it was as healing for me as it was for him! My gratitude to each and every one of you for sharing this intimate work, and the lessons you and your bodies have taught me about massage and life these last six years!
