TREATMENTS
Massage heals by assisting the body to regain normal functioning, moves blood and lymph fluid for better circulation, breaks up scar tissue giving tissue and bones better movement, promotes the flow of metabolic waste from muscles, organs, tissues, for better elimination, stimulates digestion in the stomach and intestines, reduces inflammation and relieves pain, calms irritated nerves, stimulates tired muscles and relaxes tight muscles, eases stiff joints
Tension Headaches & Migraines, Stress Management or Repeatative Use Syndromes
Migraines
As a whole, massage therapy has shown to improve many ailments, such as pain, poor circulation and migraines. Studies from the Touch Research Institute indicate that people who receive regular massage have reduced migraine symptoms, increased sleep quality, increased serotonin levels and fewer migraines. There are several different massage therapies that are effective in reducing migraine symptoms.
Tension Headaches
Under the back of the skull must be the single most pleasing and popular target for massage in the human body. No other patch of muscle gets such rave reviews. It has everything: deeply relaxing and satisfying sensations, and a dramatic therapeutic relevance to one of the most common of all human pains, the common tension headache. And no wonder: without these muscles, your head would fall off. They feel just as important as they are
Repeatative Strain Syndrome
Massage is used in Repeatative Use Syndromes to help relax and lengthen tight, restrictive muscles, break down scar tissue in injured muscles, reduce adhesions on affected tendons at their point of attachment to the muscle or to the bone, remove toxins from muscles and increase overall circulation and nutrient delivery to the associated tissues. All of these wonderful benefits help overworked muscles to relax and injured muscles to recover.
Stress Management
Massage therapy is a proven, non invasive way to reduce chronic stress levels in the body. Dozens of studies have shown the effectiveness of massage therapy in reducing stress and millions of people avail themselves to the services of massage therapists to treat stress. Using massage to reduce stress is natural and safe and unlike some forms of alternative therapies, massage therapy is a proven discipline within the medical community with scientific evidence supporting the use of massage for stress management.
Sports Massage and Injury Management and Post Operative
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Sports Massage
Anyone who routinely stretches their physical limits through running, cycling, triathlon, swimming or other physical activities will benefit from a massage. It has become an integral part of the new athletic regimen; a growing number of athletes believe that massage provides the extra edge to their performances. As athletes train hard and continuously stress their bodies, massage is important because speeds recovery by increase blood flow & nourishment to muscles, drains fatigue away, enhances athletic performance, reduces muscle tension and swelling, shortens the time it takes for an injury to heal, extends the overall life of your athletic career and maintain the body in better shape. Sport massage utilizes a mixture of techniques ranging from Swedish, deep tissue, neuromuscular therapy, mio-fascial release, and facilitated stretching.
Post Operative
"Massage is great in helping to bring blood and nutrients to the affected area to repair the soft tissue. Massage also can help break up scar tissue and keep the muscles supple so less scar tissue develops in the first place."
By increasing circulation while relaxing the muscles, massage can help the body pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs. This allows the surgical rehabilitating area(s) to become more flexible and heal at an accelerated rate.
Foam Roller Instruction and Self Care Education
If you are still of a mind that foam rollers are for everyone else, then you are missing out on one of the most effective tools at your disposal for physique-building, recovery and injury prevention. Rollers are the most popular mechanism for self-myofascial release, or SMR, and are gaining popularity among elite athletes of all walks because of the drastic and usually immediate impact it has on their performance and overall health.
Back Pain, Sciatica, Posture Correction and Chronic Pain Syndromes
Back Pain
Massage therapy can provide substantial healing and pain relief for people suffering from low back pain caused by muscle tension and strain, if the correct muscles are targeted.
Research shows that massage therapy has several potential health benefits for back pain sufferers, including:
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Increased blood flow and circulation, which brings needed nutrition to muscles and tissues. This aids in recovery of muscle soreness from physical activity or soft tissue injury (such as muscle strain).
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Decreased tension in the muscles. This muscle relaxation can improve flexibility, reduce pain caused by tight muscles and even improve sleep.
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Increased endorphin levels--the "feel good" chemicals in the brain. This mood enhancer can ease depression and anxiety, which can help reduce pain and speed recovery--particularly important for those suffering from chronic back or neck problems.
Sciatica Pain
Shooting pain, numbness, and/or tingling down one side of your lower back and into your leg or foot may be an indication you are suffering from irritation to the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is often caused by a problem in the lower back that compresses nerve roots and sends pain signals down the back of the leg. The symptoms of sciatica may be constant, or you may find that sitting for long periods of time can cause excruciating searing pain, or that sleeping is nearly impossible. A seasoned massage therapist may be able to provide welcome relief from leg pain caused by a problem in the back the goal of massage therapy is to promote circulation and better healing, which reduces the severity of sciatica pain.
Posture Correction
From board meetings to bunko groups, there's a lot of tension these days-as in neck and back tension. "Our necks and backs hurt, and poor posture is the No. 1 culprit," says Janice Novak, M.S., author of the book, Posture, Get it Straight! (Perigee Trade, 1999).
When you hunch forward, your body isn't properly aligned. "Not only does poor posture look bad, but it forces some muscles to work incredibly hard all day long while others get weaker," Novak says. Poor posture can put you in other slumps, too. "When you slouch, you're pressing down on your internal organs, which affects digestion," Novak says, adding that circulation and breathing capacity can take a hit too.
Unlike other bad habits, poor posture can be relaxing to correct. Why? Because massage can help get your body back on track. Allowing the body to reinforce healthy and natural movements can be one of the most beneficial aspects of massage therapy.
Massage can relax and loosen the muscles made sore by bad posture, allowing your body to position itself in its natural-and pain-free-posture.
With ongoing massage the muscles are loosened and relaxed-joints have greater freedom and pressure points are relieved. This allows the body to position itself in a healthy and natural posture, therefore avoiding the movements and positions developed over time as a reaction to the pain. If ongoing massage is of interest to you, please visit our Massage Envy Spa membership page.
Benefits of Improved Posture
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Muscles are loosened and relaxed
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Joints enjoy greater freedom
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Pressure points are relieved
Remedial and Deep Tissue Massage & Trigger Point Therapy
Remedial and Deep Tissue
Remedial Massage a form of deep tissue massage that is applied to individual muscles. It is used to increase blood flow, reduce pain and release pressure on nerves caused by injuries to muscles and other soft tissue. Remedial massage helps release trigger points, intense knots of tense muscle can also “refer” pain to other parts of the body. Relieving a tense trigger point in your back, for example, could help ease pain in your shoulder or reduce headaches.
Deep Tissue Massage targets the deep tissue structure of the fascia and muscles, referred to as connective tissue. Of the many types of massage, deep tissue focuses on the release of muscle tension and chronic knots. Deep tissue massage can break up and eliminate scar tissue from previous injuries. A common problem is that stressed muscles can block nutrients and oxygen from getting to where they need to go, and this will cause inflammation that allows toxins to build up in your muscle tissue. The inflammation and toxins contribute to pain and stress. Deep Tissue Massage breaks up and releases the built-up toxins by loosening the muscles, released, blood and oxygen can circulate as they should through one’s body.
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Trigger Point Therapy
An active trigger point is a hyperirritable spot in skeletal muscle that is associated with a tender and palpable nodule in a taut band of muscle. These muscles often appear tight, weak, do not respond to just stretching and cause restricted joint ranges of motion. Once a trigger point is established it can become self perpetuating and persist for decades until it is adequately released. If the trigger point is not released it can lead to altered joint motion and be the cause of recurring pain.
There are some different approaches to the treatment of trigger points including ischaemic compression, specific soft tissue mobilisations (SSTM), frictions and massage. Due to the hypersensitivity of the trigger point, pain levels will be initially quite high during manual therapy, but as the treatment progresses it eases off.
Pregnancy, Post Natal and Baby Massage
Pre and post natal care is something I am extremely passionate about. It is an absolute joy to be involved with a woman’s’ natural transition into motherhood, whether it be their first, second or sixth child. This is such an amazing time, nurturing and growing a child inside of you, connecting with it and bringing it into the world.
Pregnancy
However carrying a baby inside you changes your center of gravity and puts a lot of stress on your back, neck, abdominal muscles, and shoulders. Pregnancy also relaxes your ligaments, so that your pelvic joints are less stable, and changes your posture, pulling your pelvis forward. Add to that the extra weight you’re carrying and you may find you’ve got an aching lower back.
Induction Massage
Induction massage is given after your due-date, using the essential oils. Focusing on acupressure points otherwise avoided during pregnancy, these pressure points combined with massage can help the body to release both endorphins and it’s own oxytocin hormone. Oxytocin is a natural form of Pintocin used medically to induce labour.
Our induction massage will also help to release your sacrum and pelvic area, creating space for your baby to move down into your pelvis. When your baby’s head is right down and against your cervix you have a much greater chance of going to labour naturally. Freeing up your pelvis will also support you to be able to open to birth and allow your baby to pass through.
These techniques work with the body’s own ability and willingness to let labour begin naturally. Induction massage works to relax and calm the body easing tensions and helping to create a clear and grounded space. We have a fantastic success rate with our induction massages, with most clients going into labour within 12-48 hours, often avoiding medical intervention. Induction massages require a 1.5 hour appointment.
Post Natal Massage
I consider post natal massage to be almost more important than pre natal care. After the euphoria of bringing a child into the world, the adrenalin and emotions of the labour itself, it can be an ecstatic, yet overwhelming few days. Then with a woman’s milk coming in, settling into a new routine and tending to the often demanding needs of a new bundle of joy, it is extremely important to ensure that a mothers needs are not ignored.
From my experience I have found that it is best to commence post natal massage care as close to the birth as possible. By balancing a woman’s emotional state, and easing any post labour related aches and pains, the bond and connection between mother, child and partner is strengthened, and allows for much more enjoyment.
Baby Massage
You’re not the only one who craves a soothing body rub every now and then. Babies also find a gentle laying on of hands very relaxing — and even therapeutic. That’s because of the five senses, touch is the one that’s most developed at birth, and there’s research to suggest that infant massage has enormous benefits for helping babies grow and thrive.
Relaxation, General Wellbeing and Pure Bliss Thermal Stone Therapy & Aromatherapy
Relaxtion Massage is also knows as Swedish Massage a system of long strokes, kneading, friction, tapping, percussion, vibration and shaking motions that apply pressure between muscles and bones, rubbing in the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart. Swedish Massage feels good, is relaxing and invigorating.The main purpose of Swedish Massage is to increase the oxygen flow in the blood and release toxins from the muscles. Some other benefits include shortening recovery time from muscular strain, increased circulation without increased heart load, stretching of ligaments and tendons, skin stimulation and soothing of the nervous system. It reduces stress, both emotional and physical, and is suggested as part of a regular program for stress management.
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Hot Stone Therapy Combines thermotherapy with massage techniques to provide an effective healing therapy. The use of natural stones in conjunction with massage uses powerful earth energies to help the patient heal. Heat from stones also has the benefit of geomagnetism from a Earth source; which has a balancing and healing effect on our systems. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of having a hot stone massage; it consists of both warm and hot stones placed in a formation on directly on the body as well as being used as a massage tool. The localized placement of heat on a particular area increases circulation of fluids, and can assist in alleviating organ congestion and may even dissolve masses.
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Aromatherapy & Aromatherapy Massage
Aromatherapy has been around for some 6000 years and involves the use of pure essential oils (fragrant plant extracts), usually through massage, inhalation, baths or compresses. In an aromatherapy massage, individual blends are prepared by the practitioner, in a base of cold pressed oil and then applied to the patient's skin through a remedial or relaxing massage. It is important that they are not used directly on the skin, as burning or rashes could occur.
As a holistic treatment, aromatherapy can have a profound effect on physical and psychological wellbeing. There exists the belief that scent, as the most enduring of our senses, has the power to transform our emotions, and heal our bodies.
The Essential Oils used in aromatherapy are extracted from plants and herbs to treat conditions ranging from infections and skin disorders to immune deficiencies and stress. When aromas are detected in the nasal cavity, impressions associated with previous experiences and emotions are created. Combining this with the fact that the parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels and hormone balance are also related to the nasal cavity, it is evident that the use of essential oils contributes to and achieves many physiological or psychological effects.
Take Home Oils and Heat Packs are available for puchase at the clinic
Reiki & Energy Healing
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Reiki & Energy Healing
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Awaken your heart, mind and body - experience the healing art of Reiki
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Are you ill, in pain, or in distress and seeking help to cope with your situation?
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Are you feeling low or anxious?
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Does everything feel 'just too much' at times?
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Need a way to recharge and gain peace of mind?
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Reiki is a non-invasive, gentle, yet powerful method of healing
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Reiki energy, (often described as "universal life energy" or "spiritual energy") is accessed by the practitioner during a treatment. It enhances the body's natural healing ability and promotes wellbeing.
Reiki treatment stands on its own as a healing practice and is also safely used to support orthodox and complementary medicine. Reiki doesn't interfere with or diminish the intended effects of other health or medical practices.
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Reiki treatments are increasingly accepted in health and community care facilities including hospitals, hospices and cancer support units. For example, at the SolarisCare Cancer Support Centre at Sir Charles Gairdner hospital in Perth, Reiki is the most accessed complementary health treatment for cancer and leukaemia patients. Many patients report significant improvements in their level of pain, fatigue, nausea and breathing.
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Aura Cleansing and Chakra Balancing
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Aura Cleansing
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Energy Healing Techniques for Your Energy Field - Aura cleansing can help you stay well and feel more alive, more clear-headed, and more emotionally stable and balanced.
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Why Might I Want To Cleanse My Energy Field?
Our auras, or energy fields, interact constantly with the energy of others. It's not uncommon for us to take on some of the energy of other people.
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For example, have you ever been in a great mood, then spent time with someone sour and negative, only to find that your good mood has evaporated? You've probably taken on some of the energy of the negative person.
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Usually it does not serve us well to absorb others' energies into our own auras (although there are exceptions).
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Our auras can also harbor the energies of unwanted thought forms (such as negative self-images and negative self-talk) and unprocessed emotions. Drugs (prescribed or not) and even food can also taint the aura.
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Any of these foreign energies can make our energy field less balanced, and can cause blockages to the natural flow of energy in our field.
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When our auras are harboring unwanted energies, we may feel tired, down, unbalanced, depressed, anxious, "not quite ourselves," or even ill. We can clear our fields through various aura cleansing techniques.
Doing an aura cleansing should make us feel more vibrant, clearer, happier, more balanced--more "ourselves."
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Chakra Balancing
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Why is chakra balancing important?
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Keeping our physical body alive, healthy and functioning well is a complex exercise in balancing. It's called homeostasis, and it keeps all the chemicals, hormones, and processes of our body in harmony with each other. If our body deviates from a state of homeostasis, we're in trouble.
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In the same way, our chakras must be in balance and aligned with each other.
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When our chakras (or any aspect of our energy system) are out of balance, it can have a profound impact on our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. When they are out of balance/alignment, both our bodies and our lives are likely to be out of balance as well. We may find that we are illness- or accident-prone, or that our lives are unhappy, unsatisfying, or chaotic.
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Sound healing expert Jonathan Goldman compares the body to a musical orchestra, where the individual players represent physical or energetic organs. If one "instrument" (like a chakra) gets off tune or out of balance, the sound of the entire orchestra (the health of your entire body) is off, and pretty soon the other players (other part of your physical or energetic system) start to veer off-tune, too.
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Energetically, what characterizes a chakra system that is in balance?
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Energy flows through the chakra system in two ways. First, it flows up and down along your central channel, base of spine to top of head, connecting the chakras. Second, it flows horizontally, in an exchange of energy with the cosmos.
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In a balanced chakra system:
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Energy flows freely vertically, reaching all the chakras: none of the chakras are blocked.
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Energy flows freely horizontally: each chakra exchanges energy freely with the cosmos.
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None of the chakras is substantially more open or spinning faster/slower than the others: none is significantly overactive or underactive in comparison to the rest.
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Each of the chakras is opened to the degree needed to support your health and spiritual development: none of the seven chakras is open too wide, or closed down too tight.
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Neither the upper chakras nor the lower chakras is over-emphasized.
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How You May Feel or Act When Chakras Are Overactive or Underactive
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Root Chakra
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Overactive
Fearful, nervous, insecure, or ungrounded; materialistic or greedy; resistant to change
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Underactive
Lacking a sense of being at home or secure anywhere, codependent, unable to get into one’s body, fearful of abandonment
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Sacral Chakra
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Overactive
Overemotional, very quick to attach and invest in others, attracted to drama, moody, lacking personal boundaries
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Underactive
Stiff, unemotional, closed off to others, lacking self-esteem or self-worth, possibly in an abusive relationship
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Solar Plexus Chakra
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Overactive
Domineering, aggressive, angry, perfectionistic or overly critical of oneself or others
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Underactive
Passive, indecisive, timid, lacking self-control
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Heart Chakra
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Overactive
Loving in a clingy, suffocating way; lacking a sense of self in a relationship; willing to say yes to everything; lacking boundaries, letting everyone in
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Underactive
Cold, distant, lonely, unable or unwilling to open up to others, grudgeful
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Throat Chakra
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Overactive
Overly talkative, unable to listen, highly critical, verbally abusive, condescending
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Underactive
Introverted, shy, having difficulty speaking the truth, unable to express needs
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Third Eye Chakra
Overactive
Out of touch with reality, lacking good judgment, unable to focus, prone to hallucinations
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Underactive
Rigid in thinking, closed off to new ideas, too reliant on authority, disconnected or distrustful of inner voice, anxious, clinging to the past and fearful of the future
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Crown Chakra
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Overactive
Addicted to spirituality, heedless of bodily needs, having difficulty controlling emotions
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Underactive
Not very open to spirituality, unable to set or maintain goals, lacking direction
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Dry Needling
Dry needling, sometimes referred to as ‘clinical or Western acupuncture,’ is an invasive method whereby solid filament (acupuncture) needles are introduced into the skin and tissues below, with the term ‘dry needling’ coined to differentiate it from ‘injection needling’ where something is injected into tissue with a hyperdermic syringe.
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Dry needling is a unique procedure intended to specifically target and restore muscle function, with an emphasis on improving tissue healing and restoring normal tissue function. This is important as continued activity with poor muscle function may lead to further tissue damage and increased pain. Dry needling is not meant to replace conventional medical procedures such as physiotherapy or surgery. However, when combined with conventional treatment options, dry needling can be an influential method to accelerate pain reduction, healing and the restoration of normal tissue function.
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Myofascial Cupping
What is the Myofascial Cupping Technique?
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The Myofascial Cupping Technique was developed by David Sheehan in 2002. It involves the gliding of negatively pressurised cups over the body with the assistance of massage cream and can be accompanied by joint mobilisation. It is a very different technique to traditional cupping and importantly, marking the skin is NOT part of the desired treatment outcome. It also should be performed at a pressure level that is almost painless to the client.
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How is it different to other massage techniques?
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Unlike all other massage techniques that use compression, the Myofascial Cupping Technique is unique in that it ‘lifts and separates’ soft tissue, known as negative or tensional pressure. This in turn can increase nutrient-rich blood supply to the tissue, while giving a gentle passive stretch to the underlying soft tissue.
Benefits from the Myofascial Cupping Technique
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The Myofascial Cupping Technique can provide profound benefits, particularly with assisting the body in maintainingRange Of Motion, eliminating Myofascial Trigger Points and reducing restrictive and sometimes painful fascial adhesions commonly found from repetitive movement originating from sports and the workplace. By reducing fascial adhesions, while encouraging optimal hydration levels of soft tissue, the Myofascial Cupping TechniqueTM can assist in reducing the incidence of injury and maintaining functional soft tissue.
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About the founder of the Myofascial Cupping Technique
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David Sheehan has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement), Diploma of Health Science (Remedial Massage) and Diploma of Education. His career highlights include working as a lead sports trainer with various football clubs, which included the use of vacuum cupping for both prevention of and treatment for injuries.
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Over time, David has developed these skills and now teaches his own energy efficient and effective cupping techniquesto massage therapists and physiotherapists in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, including physiotherapists and remedial therapists at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
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