Therapeutic Massage Therapy combines a variety of techniques, including but not limited to trigger point therapy, neuromuscular massage, deep tissue, sports massage, relaxation massage, and stretching, often with focus on individual muscles rather than general muscle groups. Through slow, specific strokes, areas of chronic tension are released. Therapeutic Massage strokes work to "correct" muscle fibers, releasing tightness and realigning tissue. Heavy pressure is an effective way to access deeper muscle fibers, but it is not the only way. Pressure level is adjusted to the specific needs of the client, especially with consideration to age and medication profile.
Clients with medical conditions may also be seen by me at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center for services. Conditions and modalities include but are not limited to therapeutic massage, relaxation/Swedish massage, orthopedic massage, sports massage, deep tissue, geriatric, oncology, hospice, HIV, post-surgery, palliative care/pain relief, premature infants, prenatal, and postnatal massage; heart-rate training, functional fitness, balance training, and flexibility sessions. Clients can remain fully clothed if desired. Please visit The Graf Center for Integrative Medicine website or call 201-608-2377 to schedule an appointment. I'm available Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays during our regular business hours. No state tax is charged for those with a prescription. Employees of the hospital receive an employee discount. You may also use your FSA/HSA (health savings account) for payment and submit out-of-network to your health insurance with our medical receipts. Our office now accepts insurance for acupuncture services and nutrition sessions with our dietitian.
Pregnancy Massage is a style of bodywork designed specifically for pregnant women. Pregnancy is a time when a woman's body endures tremendous stress due to dramatic physical and emotional changes. Using various techniques specially developed for the expecting mother, Pregnancy Massage helps release the pain and discomfort experienced throughout pregnancy. The benefits are profound, including emotional support, the relief of joint pain due to extra weight and postural imbalance, and improved breathing and relaxation.
Infant Massage is a style of bodywork designed specifically to promote the healthy development of your infant. Caring human touch is crucial for a healthy thriving baby, and the benefits of massaging your infant are potent and numerous. For example, many infants show improved growth and development of the brain and nervous system. Infant massage has also been shown to improve the quality of a baby's sleep, as well as strengthening their immune system.
Sports Massage is a type of massage designed for highly active people who engage in athletics. Engaging in sports is harsh on the body and can often lead to injuries in both the short and long term. Sports Massage enhances performance and prolongs a sports career by helping to prevent injury, reduce pains and swelling in the body, relax the mind, increase flexibility, and dramatically improve recovery rates. Sports Massage is also highly effective in aiding the rapid recovery of an athlete from an injury by encouraging greater kinesthetic awareness and in turn promoting the body's natural immune function.
Your fitness program will be designed specifically around your goals (muscle or strength gains, increased flexibility, better endurance, fat loss, etc.), capabilities, and access or lack of access to a gym or equipment.
Initial sessions are typically 1-2 hours and consist of prescreening (discussion and review of questionnaires), determination of your fitness and lifestyle goals, a comprehensive baseline assessment to help us develop an appropriate program and track your progress, and demonstration of appropriate exercises with proper technique. In addition, a general body-weight training packet with exercise pictures and directions, cardio fitness/heart health guidelines packet, and a training log is included - as well as a detailed personalized fitness summary, complete with your clinical and anthropometric measurements, proposed exercise program, recommendations, nutrition and hydration guidelines, and physician/lab summaries (if received) - emailed to you. I will happily collaborate with your clinicians (physicians, physical therapists, nutritionists, etc.) as desired.
Flexibility is necessary for proper muscle balance and posture, and decreases the likelihood of a future injury. Sessions are developed to assess muscle function, improve range of motion, and increase strength and flexibility. An initial 60-minute customized session includes a review of goals, a muscle function and flexibility assessment, a guided self-stretch warm-up, and full-body passive stretching with CR/AC (PNF) techniques on a massage table. The session also includes a comprehensive guidelines packet so you are able to perform static and dynamic stretches on your own. Follow-up sessions can be combined with massage therapy for greater relaxation and flexibility gains.