massage therapy & bodywork
I give massage and bodywork sessions at my home studio space in Elsmere (Wilmington), Delaware, for $90 per hour, or I can travel to you with my massage table for the rates listed below, depending on my availability. Regularly (once every week or 2) I am in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, and can give outcalls there as well.
60 minutes
Essential relaxation massage
(A great treat for any human organism.)
$120
90 minutes
Massage & specific bodywork
(Good for those accumulating stress.)
$170
120 minutes
Massage & extensive bodywork
(For those with dense muscle or high tension)
$220
My regular massage style is an integrated blend of relaxation-oriented Swedish oil massage with more specific deep tissue and trigger point bodywork in areas with muscular tension or restriction. I massage with organic, scentless coconut oil, using fingers, knuckles, palms, and forearms to aim for a gentle firmness that frees specific areas of tissue while letting the body as a whole relax into a deeper and deeper state.
If requested, some more active assisted-stretching techniques can be incorporated into the bodywork. In particular, PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) involves repeatedly tensing and relaxing a muscle in its stretched position in order to relax it and its connective tissue more fully, and can have powerful releasing effects along entire lines of the body.
For those who prefer to be massaged over clothing, I use techniques from tui na (Chinese meridian massage) as well as various Thai massage-derived stretches to aid relaxation.
During a session, my goal is to calmly use my fullest awareness to listen to the body’s needs in each particular moment.
Many people find the longest-lasting benefits from receiving bodywork when they approach their sessions with a relaxed, open, attentive, and curious attitude. With focused attention, people can use somatic work as a powerful tool to connect with their inner experience. The result is a shedding of counterproductive subconscious efforting within the system, and thus a feeling of freedom.
yoga / tai chi / qi gong instruction
Add 30 minutes of movement therapy before massage work — $20
1 hour private session, including a tailored sequence I write for you — $50
Yoga is a practice of integrating (yoking) the spirit, mind, and body. It utilizes breath, movement, and inner stillness to become more one with oneself. It is an empowering self-care practice for learning more about one’s inner workings and to address areas of blockage in the mind-body system as they arise. The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits might be summed up by “steadiness and ease” across a wide range of contexts.
Tai chi (or taiji) is one type of qi gong, or breath-centered moving meditation practice. Both tai chi and qi gong offer improved flow of energy, body awareness, and mental relaxation. They can be done indoors or outdoors, with no equipment required.
Qi gong sequences are useful warm-up exercises to balance the body’s energy any time of day.
Tai chi forms are martial arts sequences performed slowly with full, relaxed concentration. They are designed to hone the mind as well as the muscle memory while embodying principles of Taoist philosophy — gentleness, flowing movement, softness, humility, and balance of yin & yang. Tai chi is an excellent movement practice for developing balance, coordination, and healthy ranges of motion.