Well being for every body

The mandate for masks in healthcare facilities has been lifted, but we at Obsidian Bodyworks believe that those who are still looking to receive bodywork in a masked space should be able to do so. Our massage therapist will continue masking in office, along with  the use of IQ Air Hepa filter air purifiers, and  our very thorough cleaning regimen. As a massage receiver, you will not be required to continue masking, but are more than welcome to.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Obsidian Bodyworks dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic?

Obsidian Bodyworks cares about your health and the health of those around you. That is why we chose to shut our doors before we were mandated to do so, and will still be following the OHA guidelines for healthcare facilities now that the mask mandate for public spaces has been lifted.

We already have a rigorous cleaning regimen in place, and that will continue. We will also continue the use of our IQ Air Hepa filter air purifiers in our waiting and treatment rooms, and our LMT has been double vaccinated and boosted.

What is massage?

Massage is the manual manipulation of soft body tissue, muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, to potentially enhance a person’s health and well-being.

Why should I try it?

Massage has the potential to be beneficial for many things. Your daily aches, pains, and stiffness from “just getting older”, pain from injury, athletic performance, headaches, anxiety and depression, digestive disorders, insomnia, and oh so many more. For some people it can produce feelings of caring, comfort, and connection, which are also important. Plus, it just feels good. It is not a guaranteed fix-all, but you never know if it’s something that will work for you unless you try it.

When are times I should not receive massage?

Your therapist will not be able to give you a massage if you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, if you have a skin condition that is infectious, or any Covid-like symptoms including: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle/body aches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose.
If you fall ill when you’ve got a session scheduled, please contact us to reschedule. It will be better for us, for you, and for other clients that are seen in the space, if you wait till you’re feeling better to come in.
Other times it may not necessarily be that you shouldn’t receive massage, it might just be that we require a note from your primary care physician, such as pregnancy, stroke, heart attack, cancer, etc… Please contact me with any questions about this, as it is on a case by case basis.

What can I expect? What should I wear? How will I feel after?

Welcome

When you come in for a session, you will have already filled out the confidential, electronic, health intake form sent to you via email. You are welcome to water or tea while we sit and go over how you’re feeling physically, and what you’d like to get out of our sessions. If range of motion tests, or postural analysis are necessary, those will happen next. When that is finished, we’ll go over what will happen in this session. You are welcome to ask me questions at any point!

Before the Session

If you are receiving therapeutic or wellness session, I will leave the room while you undress to your level of comfort and get onto the table, and under the sheets. If you happen to need help getting on to the table, we will discuss how the sheet should be wrapped around you after you’ve undressed, while you wait sitting in the chair for me to come back in, and I can help you to get onto the table from there.

If you are receiving a stretch therapy session, you should be wearing loose fitting/active clothing, you will remain clothed, and we will go right in to doing some warming up of your muscles before we get in to the stretching.

During the Session

During all massage sessions I will ask about comfort levels, while also making sure that any pain and discomfort is minimized.

After the Session

After your session, I will encourage you to get up slowly. I’ll leave the room for you to get dressed, and meet you back out in the waiting area where water will be waiting for you. There we can discuss and observe any immediate effects of the massage, and see if you have any feedback for me. Not all effects will be immediate, and I encourage you to pay special attention to how you feel in the days following your session. Many people feel very relaxed, but sometimes therapeutic bodywork can leave you slightly sore that night or the next day, which is normal. It’s much like a good workout at the gym, and should quickly dissipate. Increasing your water intake for the day should help as well.

If it still seems daunting to go to a place you’ve never been, and get a massage from a person you’ve never met, feel free to contact me, and we can schedule a time for you to come meet me and check out the space.

What if I don't like something that you're doing?

It is your session, so don’t be afraid to SPEAK UP!

You will not hurt my feelings by telling me that you want me to change the pressure, area being worked on, position you’re in, you’re too hot, you’re too cold. I want you to be as comfortable as possible. These things can also change session to session, minute to minute. Comfort is a fluid thing. I will always be checking in, but please don’t feel nervous to speak up.

How often should I receive massage?

Some is better than none. It varies person to person, and is dependent on your particular muscular goings on. If you’re looking to address a specific condition, it is recommended to come more frequently, such as once or twice a week, and then slowly taper down to a maintenance schedule, such as once every four to six weeks. We will discuss this after your treatment, when I’ve got a better hands-on understanding.

How many sessions you will need to address any issues is unique to every person as well. Some issues can be helped within a few sessions, others have been years in the making, and may need equal amounts of time to sort out.

Will the massage hurt?

The short answer is, no. Pain in a massage can cause you tighten up, and negate the effects of the massage. The most effective massage should always work with your body’s natural response, not against it.

That being said, therapeutic massage is usually aimed at helping with a specific condition or injury. When dealing with these things, pain might be felt because a muscle could be extremely tight, injured, or inflamed. In therapeutic massage there are generally two types of pain. There’s an ‘uncomfortable, but effective’ pain, and an, ‘ouch! stop it’ pain. The second is the one we try to avoid.

Why don't you offer full length deep tissue sessions?

I’m going to start by saying that deep tissue does not equal deep pressure.

A common misconception about deep tissue massage is that it’s normal for it to be painful, “No pain, no gain!”. The truth is, this is not the case. Deep tissue massage is about getting into the deeper layers of tissue, and not about the amount of pressure applied. Some of the deepest tissue techniques I know involve really light pressure. Working with deep pressure into tissue when it isn’t ready to be worked, or causing pain during a massage can actually be counterproductive. You may think it feels good, and get some immediate relief, but in the long run it can actually exacerbate any pain or injury, potentially causing problems that were not already there. There is such a thing as too much deep tissue, which is why I work deep tissue techniques in with other techniques. When effecting deep layers of tissue in the body, the tissue needs to connect with your nervous system and kind of ‘reset’ the muscles that have been worked on back to their new normal. If a full session of deep tissue is done, the body doesn’t have that time to ‘reset’, and can cause imbalances and other pain.

What is your cancellation policy?

We ask that if you need to cancel your appointment, that you do so at least 24 hours in advance. If you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours notice you will be charged half the price of your intended session. If you no-call/no-show for your appointment, you will be charged the full price of your intended session. You will receive an appointment reminder as a courtesy, but it is exactly that, a courtesy. It is ultimately up to you to show up for your session.
**Illness is an exception to the cancellation policy, especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. If you are feeling ill, please keep yourself, your bodyworker, and other clients safe by rescheduling your appointment without fee.