Have you ever had a massage?

I am a Licensed Massage Practitioner in the state of Washington, and this is my page to help educate the folks who may not know exactly what I do and why I do it. I welcome your questions and input!

Massage therapy is becoming more and more mainstream every day. Some medical insurance companies are now covering massage when referred by a doctor. Massage is being used as an adjunct to chiropractic treatment and physical therapy, as an aid to healing in surgery and injury patients, as one of the few sources of comfort and relief for people with chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis, and is of course an important part of the lives of "average Joes" with daily stress and tension.

The latest massage modality that is gaining popularity is seated or chair massage. A seated massage is generally 10-30 minutes in length, and emphasizes the neck, shoulders, and back.With seated massage, the massage therapist can work on a client fully clothed, and in a corporate setting, which makes it convenient for people who don't have time to set aside an hour or more to see a massage therapist in their office. Many companies are now providing their employees with regular seated massage, which has been shown to increase productivity in workers.

If you are looking for a basic or "regular" massage, you are looking for Swedish massage. This typically entails lying on a massage table under a sheet and/or blanket, with the massage therapist uncovering the body areas in turn as they work on them. A lubricant for the skin is usually used, such as oil, lotion, or cream, and the amount and type can always be adjusted to your comfort level. There are numerous websites devoted to further description of Swedish massage, including the AMTA page linked below.

More...

A few links:

My professional affiliation

My national certification

Where I got my massage education

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I am available to do housecalls in the greater Puget Sound area of Washington State. Housecalls are a nice way to really unwind - after the massage, you don't have to get dressed and ready to go anywhere, you can just stay home! I always like to do at least a telephone interview with new housecall clients prior to scheduling an appointment, that way we both can determine if we are comfortable with the housecall arrangement. If you would like an appointment, I can be reached via pager at 206-xxx-xxxx or email me at julie.redl@juno.com

Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, this page is in its infancy stage and will be under construction for quite a while - sorry if you stumbled across it in this state...