Adding Bodywork and Expanding Hours on June 15
Phase Three of Chicago's reopening plan allows for us to start offering bodywork in a limited capacity. Beginning on Monday, June 15, we'll be offering 30 minute bodywork sessions. These appointments will be limited, as we can only offer one per hour to allow ample time for cleaning. Massage clients will be expected to wear a mask for the duration of their appointment.
We'll begin by offering bodywork by Nathan on Monday and Wednesday mornings and by Kate on Monday evenings. These 30-minute sessions are $55 and perfect for a quick nervous system shut down or to alleviate aches and pains.
We'll also be expanding our hours starting June 15 to allow for more acupuncture appointments and making community acupuncture bookable online again. Our new hours will be:
Monday - Thursday 8:30am - 6:30pm
Friday 8:30 - 2
Saturday 10 - 4
Please visit our booking site for our full schedule and offerings.
Don’t Stress About Relaxing: Bodywork for Chronic Stress and Anxiety
Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to feel relaxed. Luckily, we don’t need to be worried about relaxing. Simply noticing that you have trouble unwinding or relaxing is very useful because then you can do something about it. When our nervous system is responding appropriately to the world around us, our bodies are totally capable of relaxing when the time is right. At other times, we need to be alert and engaged because that is what is called for. The distinction between times of vigilance and times of relative safety gets blurred in cases of chronic stress and anxiety. The nervous system becomes primed and ready for action in case of threat and fails to pump the brakes on that threat response once the moment of danger or frightening event has passed. Instead of turning off systems that protect and turning on systems that heal and restore, we exist in a perpetual state of threat response which is really hard on our bodies in the long run.
How can we help recalibrate a nervous system that has a tough time navigating these two states of response? Regaining that balance is a process, and there is no single thing that will get you there. There is a growing body of research that also points to the importance of body-based therapies, movement, and social connection in refining and strengthening our ability to restore calm after averting or managing a situation that activates our fight/flight/freeze systems. Yoga, Pilates, dance and other movement based classes can be incredibly beneficial because they offer both movement and social connection. But simply spending time with friends or going for a walk are also great options. Walking with friends? Even better!. Therapy can help with the mental and emotional aspects of these issues, of course. The list of options is long and it can sometimes feel overwhelming to figure out. This is another reason why massage is a great place to start.
Massage and bodywork is a great way to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress. Just as repeated and prolonged stress attunes the body toward states of vigilance and reactivity, regular bodywork can attune the body to the feeling of rest and calm. Massage and bodywork restores and fosters a somatic connection that helps us recognize what is working for us and what is not. Slowing down and shifting your awareness inward helps you gauge which practices and activities positively impact how you feel, and which have the opposite effect. It clears the cobwebs and puts you in closer touch with your body, enabling you to recognize the very palpable difference in states of vigilance and states of relaxation, and refines your nervous system’s ability to navigate between the two with ease.
Winter is Here
By Kate Fruchey, LMT
Winter is here. Massage and bodywork can help.
It’s inevitable. It happens every year whether we like or not. No matter what we do to prepare, it happens too soon. The days get shorter, the wind gets colder, and just like that… it’s winter.
If you’ve lived in Chicago for more than 5 minutes no one has to tell you the impact of winter is real. The tendency to withdraw is strong; lack of light affects our mood at a physiological level. Instinct and intuition beg us to slow down, rest, hibernate; yet the world demands as much (if not more) of our time and energy as it did in those first glorious days of spring and summer. It’s a tough dynamic to balance.
While we may not be able to hibernate for weeks at a time, taking an hour once or twice a month to do exactly as nature intended this time of year can help ease the negative effects of the season. Studies show that regular massages improve mood and reset circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep and more energy.
A bit more energy this time of year can make a big difference. When our energy is too low we might be inclined to cancel that coffee date with a friend, skip pilates or yoga, or put off a phone call to someone we care about. But these types of activities are as important as resting in winter because they keep us connected. Being connected to community and physically active are also powerful tools in maintaining our health and boosting our mood. Finding that balance is tricky and it looks different for everyone. Don’t forget we are here to help!
Massage Early and Often: Don't Wait for Pain
By Kate Fruchey, LMT
It seems to be pretty common knowledge these days that massage is a wonderful and effective tool for addressing tension in our backs, necks, and shoulders. And it is! In fact, getting some bodywork to address general, achy, tension in these areas before it becomes downright painful is one of my favorite self-care tips. That general discomfort is a signal that something is off, an imbalance of some sort is affecting your body’s ability to work efficiently.
Posture, repetitive movement and fatigue are all likely suspects in these cases, and it is important to remember they rarely act alone. Usually it’s a combination of such factors working together that, if left unheeded, gradually become chronic neck and back pain. One of the biggest players in this scenario is often overlooked is stress. Anxiety and stress can lower our ability to modulate pain, potentially allowing minor aches and pains to escalate into major problems. Have you ever noticed your back pain gets worse when work/life gets particularly stressful?
While experiencing stress is inevitable, chronic stress can be a real problem. It’s the type of problem that makes other problems feel worse by disrupting sleep, negatively impacting digestion, dampening our mood and resilience, and triggering physiologic processes that affect our immune system and the health of our tissues. And, as you may have guessed, that is where massage comes in. Research has shown that massage therapy can have a positive influence with the issue of stress and improving quality of life. Taking time out to alleviate stress and address those minor aches and pains just might help prevent some major issues down the road.