Integrative Massage - Practical Information for Prospective Clients
*This post is Part 4 of our series on massage therapy and healing touch. If you haven't already, please check out Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here!
We'll wrap this series up by discussing some practical elements of the massage and healing touch services we offer at The Buddha's Medicine.
Who Benefits from Our Massage and Healing Touch Services?
This is an easy one - everyone!
Whether you're seeking a mini-retreat from the busy-ness and intensity of life or navigating complex health conditions, you've got a place to land and be tended to with us.
Whether you're casually physically active or a professional athlete, you'll find yourself more physically functional after an appointment with us.
Whether you're working through every day aches and twinges or living with chronic pain, you'll leave feeling some relief and positive change.
If you're in need of a safe, soothing, healing space - supported by healing touch - in which to process thoughts, feelings, and emotions, we're the team for you.
You'll definitely benefit if you're looking to include massage and healing touch in your preventive health and wellness maintenance routines.
If you're pregnant or a new parent, you'll find restoration and balance in seeking massage and healing touch with us.
And if connecting more fully with your body's wisdom interests you, you're in good hands with us.
What to Expect Before and During Your Appointment
We make our scheduling and appointment process as streamlined - and yet as comprehensive - as possible. It's wonderful when we are seen, heard, and known by our massage therapists, but no one likes a scheduling hassle.
So when you go to book an appointment for massage with us, you'll be provided with an intake survey and forms that take no more than 5 minutes to complete, and can be done at home at your convenience. Your therapist will see and review those forms ahead of time, and will discuss anything of importance to you at the time of your appointment, before you get started. In turn, this process will ensure that your experience is customized and personalized to your needs, that you can spend more time on the table receiving some much needed healing touch, and that your post-massage care and integration are also optimized.
Addressing Common Concerns
Let's tackle some common questions here next:
Q: What if I've never had a massage before?
A: You could not have found a better equipped and more welcoming and compassionate team for your first massage experience. In fact, my (as of right now) 8-year-old neurodiverse son just had his first massage ever with a member of our team, and he absolutely loved it.
Q: What if I have [insert health condition here]?
A: You are most welcome here for care, and we will ensure that your health needs are not only respected, but addressed however is appropriate.
Q: What if I'm not comfortable with touch?
A: Our team knows exactly how to care for folks who have a complicated relationship with touch. That may look different from person to person; some folks may benefit from a particular approach to touch, while others may want an entirely hands-off energy medicine-based approach. We've got your back, no matter what your needs are.
Q: Will getting a massage hurt?
A: Not unless you explicitly tell us that you want lots of deep tissue pressure! And even if you do request that depth of pressure, you'll find your experience is more of a "good hurt" than anything else.
Q: How often should I come?
A: That very much depends on what your goals are! For general wellness and prevention at least once per month is a good pace if it aligns with your schedule. Your needs will be highly personal to you, however, and we support you in whatever those needs are.
Our Commitment to Access
Our care services are built to be as available and accessible as possible.
We welcome folks from all walks of life, and invite them to bring whoever they are and whatever body and mind they have into our healing space.
We're committed to financial accessibility, as well. We are a direct care practice, meaning we interface directly with you rather than going through a middleman or a gatekeeper. This means less output for you and your bottom line, and no hidden out-of-pocket costs. We do gladly accept HSA/FSA funds, and encourage you to make use of those when you have them available!
Each of our appointments can be customized not just in technique and approach, but also in length, so that both your care and budgetary needs are further met.
But beyond access alone is the value we offer; each of our massage therapists practices in coordination with me (Dr. Matt), meaning that the quality of their work is overseen by me, and that each massage and healing touch experience is medically-informed and comprehensive.
And simply for being here and reading this, we'd also like to treat you to 20% off of your next treatment - use the code BLOG20 when you book!
The Big-Picture Vision: Whole-Person Healing from All Angles
Creating a True Healing Ecosystem
As I hope I've demonstrated over the course of this 4-part series, massage completes our circle of care in a host of ways. With our internal care ecosystem developing and expanding in this way, the synergy between our services is also increasing. This allows us to further support our patients at every level: physical, psychological, emotional, energetic, spiritual, and more.
The right kind of massage is a phenomenal compliment to medical care and mental health care, and supports root-cause healing in so many different cases and conditions. It also activates the body's innate healing capacity, making it helpful not just for treatment, but also for prevention - and this allows us to help you build resilience and vitality, too.
In our practice, we don't fragment; we integrate. We consult with each other, we make supportive suggestions to each other, and we pool the collective strength of our accumulated ancient wisdom and modern understanding. Together, we bring the full force of relationship-based care to you across our care modalities.
Getting Started
If I've convinced you that you would benefit from working with our massage team and you're ready to dive in, here's how you can do that!
For Existing Patients & Clients
If you're already a patient or client of the practice working with Jamie and/or myself, adding massage to your current care plan is easy! You can hop onto the portal and schedule with any of our massage therapists based on their availability.
I'm happy to provide input and support (and so is Jamie) if that would be helpful (including on the modalities that would best suit your needs), and we can also schedule you with your input if that is your preference.
For New Patients & Clients
If you are new to our practice or considering coming for the first time, we welcome you!
You do not have to be an existing patient with me or a client with Jamie to experience and benefit from our massage services. However, it is possible that you could find that receiving massage and healing touch on-site piques your interest in our other care offerings. Who knows?
Taking the First Step
To book directly with any of the fantastic members on our team, see their availability here! We encourage you to review what services and skillsets each of our massage therapists offers, and also to trust your intuition regarding which massage practitioner(s) you choose to work with.
Conclusion: An Invitation to Experience Healing Touch
Are you ready to reconnect with the ancient medicine of healing touch?
Wherever you may be at in your healing journey and process in this moment, we know that it can sometimes take courage to seek out and receive care. You can be assured, however, that our team will always bring skill, experience, intuition, and heart to your healing, with safety always the top priority.
You are invited to be a part of our expanded healing community. Your body's wisdom is waiting to be heard - we're here to help you hear it clearly and resoundingly.
If you or someone you love could benefit from skilled, tradition-informed healing touch to support recovery, ease tension, or simply restore a sense of well-being, we're here to help.
Professional disclaimer: please do not initiate any herbal or other medicinal interventions without the guidance of a knowledgeable provider.
Dr. Matt Van Auken, MD, MPH
Dr. Matt is an Ayurveda-trained, triple board-certified physician.
