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If you are new to Shiatsu, it is a Japanese healing modality based in East Asian Medicine that uses acupressure along the acupuncture channels to effect change on the physical, emotional and metabolic level. Housed within these channels is Qi – the animating life force – that we experience as movement, communication, respiration, digestion, communication, thoughts and spirituality.  Using the knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Western anatomy and physiology, Shiatsu offers a method of healing that sees the complex individual as a whole and works to restore imbalances. By viewing the body as one unit it can be understood that when one part of the body is not energy-efficient other parts get pulled to carry the weight of what is not working optimally so that our bodies can continue to support us.  If left unaddressed, we can experience physical, psychological and emotional distress. The goal then is to create a treatment plan that works to unify and optimize the system, by amplifying the body’s innate wisdom while offering increased range of motion, pain relief and freedom within the musculoskeletal system.  The work can be as deep or gentle as you require and is thus a safe and effective option for a broad range of conditions including osteoporosis and pregnancy.

 

MY APPROACH

I believe that health is a complex interconnected web made up of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects.  In a constant state of flux, health is then an ebb and flow of these aspects and shiatsu aims to bring them back to a state of relative balance.  Each individual is different and each system has figured out a baseline to work from so the goal is not to bring you “back to normal” but rather to bring you back to what is “normal” for your system.  Grounded in Chinese Medicine, I use a wide lens to see all complaints and find the connections between, in order to develop a treatment strategy.  As we work towards pain relief, increased range of motion, or softer waves of emotional swings we have the opportunity to fine tune the strategy. My goal is to amplify what is disconnected so that your body’s innate wisdom can bring about the change that it already knows.

 
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ZEN SHIATSU

  • Typically performed on a futon on the floor, receiver wearing soft clothing

  • Treats the acupoint and meridian system, providing the same benefits as acupuncture

  • Moves the receiver through stretches with the same benefits as yoga poses

  • Applied for relaxation, musculoskeletal therapeutic aims, or to benefit internal conditions or emotional rebalancing in the same way as acupuncture.

VS. MASSAGE THERAPY

  • Performed on a massage table, received disrobed with draping, utilizing oils

  • Treats muscle and connective tissue using gliding and kneading strokes

  • Applied for general relaxation or for musculoskeletal therapeutic aims

Below is a short list of what shiatsu can benefit:

  • Muscular tension, aches & pains

  • Joint Pain

  • Acute/Chronic Injury

  • Neuropathy

  • Everyday Stress, Anxiety & Depression

  • Digestive Imbalance

  • Increase of Circulation

  • Headaches

  • Emotional Balance & Response

  • Pregnancy

  • Sleep Disturbance