The importance of bodywork/ massage

‘Job’s Body’ by Deane Juhan

A book on the importance of bodywork

I am currently reading ‘Job’s Body’. Just reading the introduction makes me think that it should be a required text during any bodywork education. Let me reframe this – it should be common knowledge, especially in the medical field.

This book seems to put into words the deeper reasons why I am drawn to bodywork- both to give and receive.

Here are the highlights the book will explore, outlined in the introduction:

• Tactile input is essential for the development of the central nervous system.
• We have the potential to move fare beyond our genetic blueprint.
• Our body tissue goes through constant change; we are not fixed.
• Every sensation and emotion translates into muscle response. Those are the bases for our habitual patterns, posture and behavior.
• Tactile input can reeducate the organism, so it is then more able to resist depression and is able to repair itself when stressed or injured.
• Bodywork goes fare beyond pleasure; it has the potential to alter conditioned responses, chemical balance and structural relationships.
• Essential to lasting positive change is Self Awareness. Bodywork is an effective way to increase Self Awareness.

Reading on, I didn’t know how vital tactile sensation is for the development of the central nervous system. Yet it makes sense when Deane Juhan sites the observations in orphanages where the children were fed and kept clean, but didn’t receive nurturing touch. The results were similar to malnutrition. The children lost their thrive to life, didn’t develop physically and mentally and often died.

I have a very basic understanding on that we are not bound by our genetic blueprint. And I whole-heartedly agree and have experienced all the other points covered. So I can’t wait to read his explanations and learn how to put into words what I intuitively feel and know, so I am able to share it better.

Enjoy your explorations

Antje Roitzsch

Use your resources wisely

It takes so much less energy and resources to stay healthy than to recover from pain.

Learn more about why maintaining your health is easier than to regain it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXaCnosCw_g

Holiday Wishes and Offers

We wish you a warm and peaceful holiday season with meaningful connections.

May your new year unfold in a beautiful way.

Some of you have seen our ad in the Penobscot Bay Beacon Magazine.  The additional editorial offered great incentives to take care of your body mind and sprit.

You can still take advantage of them until the end of 2014.

If you are a first time client you will receive a 2 hour intake session at $80, a $45 reduction. This will give you a sense if we are a good fit for you.

If you are interested in committing to yourself with regular massage, you can take advantage of a package of 5 sessions at $450 that is good for 6 months or

10 sessions at $900 that is good for a year.

This is the last time we will offer packages at this price.

We will reevaluate our price structure in the spring, since our prices are the lowest of the established therapists around. This is your chance to extend our current prices through 2015.

You can purchase all these sessions and packages online for yourself or a loved one. Here is the link:

https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/admhome?studioid=184420

Go to the tab: purchase sessions and gift cards.  You find these offers under the gift card tab.  Once you purchased them, please go to the appointment tab and book your appointments.  For the packages get your calendar out and schedule to the best of your ability.  You can make changes later.

We look forward to the honor of being your Massage Therapists in the new year.

Antje and Deborah

requesting your input

We need your help. Describe what emotions this image evokes in the comments.  The words below were shared already by  people on FB.  We will be posting more images for your input.

Comfort

Enveloped with nourishment

Compassion

Presence, connection, whole, safety, love

Collaboration. breakthrough

We are one!

Hold each other in gentle care

Warmth

Phenomenal Touch creates an experience of worthiness

My dear friend shared with me of her struggle to feel worthy.  She can hear love and appreciation a 1000 times from other people, but until she actually believes it herself and feels it in her own heart, she will continue her suffering.  Intellectually she knows all of this, but how can she experience her self worth and self love, not just in her head, but in her body? Isn’t this the struggle so many of us share?

Phenomenal Touch creates an experience for the body to feel worthy.  Worthy to be held, worthy to be nurtured, to feel safe, to feel loved, to feel seen, to trust, to take up time and space, to rest, to receive, to feel good.  It is an experience that might be foreign to us.  We might need to practice this until we can surrender into the self love.  We all deserve to embody our self worth and love.

self worth

Dr. Alan Ross will hold 2 presentation at the Picker Center

Both presentations will be held at the Picker Center, 3 Glen Cove Drive, Suite 2, on the Pen Bay Medical Center Campus; we are located between Pen Bay Women’s Health and Urology.

The first presentation, Rehabilitation Medicine: Adding Life to Your Years, will be held on Wednesday, November 13, from 6 – 7 p.m.Rehabilitation Medicine:  Adding Life to Your Years

Sometimes medical care can add years to your life.  But physiatry (fizz-EYE-uh-tree) can add life to your years.  Physiatry is Rehabilitation Medicine–in other words, helping you do stuff better!  A physiatrist uses non-surgical treatments to help many kinds of problems, but especially problems of muscles, bones, and nerves.  Because of their broad knowledge base, physiatrists are often consulted for pain problems of all shapes and sizes.   Dr. Ross’s talk will be interactive, and there will be time for questions and discussion.

Osteopathic Manipulation: A Timeless Healing Art will be held the following week, Wednesday, November 20, from 6 – 7 p.m.

Osteopathic Manipulation:  a Timeless Healing Art

Each of us experiences stress in life, whether due to an injury, an illness, emotional stress, or even poor posture.  Stress often gets stored in our bodies, in the form of muscle tension, tight fascia, or restricted joint motion; however, we may not notice until the condition goes far enough for pain to develop.  Osteopathic manipulation serves to gently but effectively release areas of restriction, so the body can return to optimal functioning.  Cranial osteopathy (also called craniosacral therapy) adds a whole new dimension to the scope of treatment.  Dr. Ross’s talk will include time for discussion and questions, and perhaps a demonstration.

Biography

Alan Ross, MD has practiced pain rehabilitation in Augusta, Maine for 16 years.  He recently opened a part time office in Rockport at the Maine Beehive on Rte 1 near Rte 90.  He is a graduate of Columbia Medical School in New York City, and completed his four years of specialty training in Physiatry/Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Michigan.  When he is not at work, he may be found dancing at a local contradance, kayaking, or hiking with his dog.  He also enjoys folk music and plays the flute.

Reconnecting with your body

What does it take to reconnect with your body after an accident?

First a lot of healing has to happen.  When the person is ready, Phenomenal Touch can be just the right avenue to lead the body from touch oversensitivity to gently reintroducing touch and movement.  Deep listening is needed to how the body wants to be touched.  It is a dance where the therapist follows every queue of the receiver; every breath, muscle response, sigh.  No moves follow a formula, rather the lead comes only from the recipients needs in every moment of the session.

Oh, it is such a pleasure and honor to tap into your rhythm and follow you.  Let’s dance.

follow the lead of the client