Massage & Bodywork Modalities
Massage – Swedish and Deep Tissue are two of the most sought after modalities for massage. Swedish massage is typically light to moderate pressure and is great for relaxation, stress relief, and improving circulation. Deep Tissue is commonly used to address spasms or “knots” that result from repetitive motions, past injury, or exercise that may causing pain, discomfort or restricted movement. All of our massage therapists are licensed and trained in these two common modalities. Feel free to see our massage therapists here.
Stretch Therapy – Stretch therapy is individualized to meet the specific needs of each client, ranging from sessions that improve mobility, reduce the risk of injury, and increase performance to sessions designed to release tension, help you relax, and move subtle energy. This is an assisted stretching practice, where the practitioner utilizes both active and passive stretching techniques to help you move better and feel emotionally centered. Book your session here.
Myofascial Release – Fascia therapies fall under the umbrella of structural bodywork. They address the connective tissue of the body which envelops each muscle, bone, tissue, and organ down to the cellular level. This work offers support for posture correction and deep relaxation by addressing areas of the musculature locked short or long because of compensation patterns that can arise from injuries, repetitive strain, and even emotional distress. Sessions include posture/gait assessment, slow subtle stretches and muscle compression with joint mobilization.
Reiki –Reiki is an energy healing technique that promotes relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety through gentle touch with hands, delivering energy to your body, improving the flow and balance of energy to support healing. Mikao Usui developed reiki in the early 1900s, deriving the term from the Japanese words rei, meaning “universal,” and ki, which refers to the vital life force energy that flows through all living things. Now, reiki is used all over the world, including in hospitals and hospice to enhance other forms of health treatments. Reiki is available at Centered with DJ, Joshua, and Sandy.
Sound Healing – Sound Healing is a vast practice including the use of one’s voice, musical instruments, or crystal singing bowls to bring about a state of deep relaxation, resonance, and release of stuck or stagnant energies in the body and psyche. Sound Healing has a long history across many ancient cultures. Sound Healing is incorporated in many of our classes and workshops at Centered (and our sister space, The Lexington Salt Cave) and may also be booked as a one on one experience.
Acupuncture – Acupuncture is an ancient technique used to treat a variety of health concerns including reduction of pain, stress, and promotes overall health and well being. Acupuncture has been in use in some form for at least 2,500 years. According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Qi (life force energy) flows through meridians, or pathways, in the human body. These meridians and energy flows are accessible through acupuncture points in the body. Inserting needles into these points with appropriate combinations will bring the energy flow back into balance. Our resident Acupuncturist, Paikia is with us seasonally March thru December.
Breathwork –Breathwork refers to a wide array of breathing techniques that intentionally channel and focus on the breath. Breathwork is accessible for everyone and helps calm us to feel more calm and move our body and mind out of fight-or-flight mode (stress or trauma response) Breathwork brings greater awareness to what’s already present and helps us to improve focus, memory, daily functions while lowering stress and cultivating more energy, leading to a better quality of life. Our daily yoga classes include breath practices and one on one sessions are available with many of our practitioners.
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) – Originally developed by osteopaths, this therapy relies on proprioceptive listening and detailed anatomical visualization. CranioSacral Therapy practitioners use consistent light pressure, about the weight of a nickel, to feel and facilitate the body’s primary respiration rhythm, assess mobility/motility, and use bones as handles to subtly unwind tension from the deep body to ease relationships between the connective tissues of the meninges and sliding surfaces between skull, brain, spinal column and cord. Tension released around the central nervous system produces deep, rejuvenative states and encourages the outer body to ease in alignment with the inner. CST stimulates the vagus nerve and the body’s natural autocorrective measures to improve the recipients capacity for neural balance through increased parasympathetic tone. Craniosacral work is an gentle and effective treatment for a wide range of issues from joint pain/headaches to emotional tension/PTSD.
Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) – Chikly Health Institute lymph work relies on manual lymphatic mapping to discern the direction and flow of lymph as well as areas of edema and congestion. Another example of a proprioceptive listening modality, LDT puts the therapist’s sensitivity on the gateway between fluid and structure. By listening soft touch for the lymph pulse, then lightly stretching skin and fascia in the direction of fluid flow, stretch receptors within vessels are triggered causing tiny muscles called lymphangions to contract in rhythm to increase peristalsis generally or in a specific area. This increased fluid flow aids the body in clearing inflammation and edemas which cause stiffness and discomfort. All tissues of the body rely on a healthy lymph system to regulate immunity and overcome traumas. Just like getting stronger in the gym, lymph therapy is a workout for the lymph system. Regular sessions improve lymphatic fitness and hold the power to transform inflammation at the root of many issues ranging from sinus issues/orthopedic pain to digestive issues/autoimmune problems and much more. LDT is a boon for recovering from covid and preparing for or recovering from surgery.
Visceral Manipulation – Visceral Manipulation is a proprioceptive listening modality focused on releasing tension around the organs and within the smooth muscles that gives them motility. Visceral therapists draw on detailed anatomy study to visualize, palpate and discern the textures, ligamentous connections and arrangement of the vital organs to ease their relationships, reduce cramping/restrictions and improve circulation throughout the body. Outside of the central nervous system, the only place where there are white and grey brain matter is in the mesenteric ganglia or gut brain which is housed in the membrane that holds the small intestine to the lumbar spine. More space with less tension around the gut brain stimulates not only more effective digestion, but emotional resiliency as well. VM can be offered on its own or easily incorporated with other modalities to offer a balance of outer and inner tension release. In a culture where almost everyone suffers from digestive issues, visceral manipulation offers a soothing noninvasive solution. Beyond digestion, visceral therapists treat lungs, kidneys, nerves, ligaments, organs of sense, and much more.
Thai Bodywork – Also known as Nuad Borarn, Thai style bodyworkers move recipients through a series positions similar to yoga poses as they gently elongate and compress the muscles and fascia which wrap them. The work has its roots in eastern contemplative practice, originally employed for the purpose of helping monks to sit more comfortably for long meditations. Like yoga, some schools offer a set sequence of postures and stretches while others utilize assessment techniques and tailor the work to the specific needs of the recipient. Thai bodywork can be adapted for draping and incorporated into massage on the table, yet the traditional session is performed clothed on a large cushioned futon-style mat. Traditionally, sessions run for 2 hours, yet 15 minutes can sometimes bring about relaxation comparable to an hour of swedish massage. The reason is that each Thai technique and position affects the entire body instead of just one area being stimulated at a time. Movement Re-education, CST, LDT and many others can be integrated into a Thai session for extra benefits.
Prenatal/Postpartum -Prenatal massage therapy has been shown to play a critical role in the mother’s sense of empowerment, connection to her changing body’s needs, and newborn care. Clinical trials indicate that infants born to mothers who had massage therapy had lower cortisol levels, better neonatal outcomes and fewer incidences of low birth weight and prematurity. Prenatal massage brings relaxation, lessens aches and pains, and reduces swelling. Postpartum benefits include hormone regulation, reduced swelling, better sleep, and improved breastfeeding. Regular care will also help restore your body to its pre-pregnancy condition, speeds healing and assists with cesarean recovery (clients who had a cesarean birth must wait until 6 weeks post partum to schedule).
Infant/Pediatric Massage – Skin is our largest organ and a direct connection to our brain and central nervous system. Introducing loving and skillful touch early can help resolve birth traumas, regulate baby and mom’s (or caregiver’s) nervous system, reduce colic, improve breastfeeding, better sleep and digestion, improve immune functioning, bonding and overall growth and development. Baby massage is gentle and most effective when offered on a regular basis. These sessions are offered by Lauren and include treatment for your little one as well as education on how to continue care at home.
Movement Re-education – Movement Re-education is a bodywork style that includes hands on work with a therapist and personalized corrective exercises. Traegar, Feldenkrais, and Alexander techniques all fall into this category. Movement Re-education is especially helpful stubborn injuries and the compensation patterns that keep discomfort around when the acute phase of injury has passed. Applied as bodywork, it often feels like being gently rocked, mobilized and jostled into ease. Used as posture correction, injury maintenance or prevention, this modality can also be seamlessly incorporated with many other types of bodywork and massage, on the mat or table.