1) This is your massage, not ours. If you don't want us to touch a certain place, want a different pressure, don't like the music, you feel cold, or anything else, we will not be offended!
2) Sometimes we may push your muscles and joints in ways that can be intense but it should never feel like we are injuring you. It should be "good pain" and be productive, not "bad pain." If it feels like we are injuring you, let us know! That is absolutely not our intention. If you feel unsafe for any reason, tell us. It’s not going to hurt my feelings and I need to figure out what’s wrong so you can feel safe again.
3) We know a lot about bodies in general, but you are the expert in your own body. Use us to help us help you. This is a collaboration. We like to educate on how the body works but ultimately, you know your body best and know what makes the most sense. Unfortunately, massage therapists don't have fancy tools or x-ray vision, so we will start with what is the most common reason for your symptoms and rule each out one-by-one.
4) If you feel like you want to stop the session and leave for any reason, tell us. It’s not going to hurt my feelings and I don’t want to subject you to an experience you don’t want.
5) If you feel like you need to cry, let it out. You might startle me, but I’m not going to run away.
6) This is a social justice oriented business. We do not tolerate any racism, sexism, ableism, or other forms of prejudice. This is also means this space is safe to discuss difficult topics, even taboo ones, if that means it helps us on our journey of healing or learning. As a trauma-informed clinic, sometimes traumatic issues need to be acknowledged so you feel heard and seen.
In addition, massage and body therapies, like all therapies, is meant to help us live more authentically in our own bodies.
~Sometimes that means more movement and space.
~Sometimes that means better "posture," alignment, and suspension.
~Sometimes that means confronting the injuries, pain, and abuse we have endured with love and compassion.
~Sometimes that means learning how our bodies exist in the context of our environment, and learning how to not take personal responsibility for what is not ours.
~That never means perfection.
~That never means reform.
~That never means conformity.
~That never means living up to others expectations.
~That NEVER means shame.
~The goal is diversity in its infinite varieties.
~The goal is your own path.
~The goal is your own voice and stance.
~The goal is attracting to you what works for you.
~The goal is learning to listen and communicate.
~The goal is learning how to not harm ourselves and others.
There is nothing more radical than living and moving authentically in your own body.
We are all learning, we all make mistakes, we all are doing the best we can with the resources we have, we are reacting often in normal ways to extremely intense and incomprehensible scenarios, and yet, we can grow TOGETHER with compassion, honesty, vulnerability, faith, mercy, and trust.
The Community Massage Model believes:
~Healing comes in community.
~Touch and massage are human rights.
~Health and sanity is not a symbol of perfection, productivity, or worth.
~We are our bodies.
~Our bodies help us find balance, strength, flexibility, endurance, and mindful engagement with the world.
~You exist, and your existence in all its pain and struggle, is good enough. Massage and body therapies help us sit with our own existence.
