Massage therapy is a treatment whose sole purpose is to make us feel better and to add to our health. It relaxes us and boosts our bodies immune response, but sometimes it's not the best treatment for us. Massage therapy can actually intensify your symptoms or cause other issues to arise that are uncomfortable or unwanted at times. Here are a few examples of when massage therapy is not such a great idea.

• Impending illness- Regular massage sessions can keep you healthy but If you're already coming down with a cold or other illness, massage can exacerbate your symptoms making you feel worse. It's best to wait a week or two before scheduling a massage to allow your body to heal and work through it on its own.

• While using pain relievers or muscle relaxers- This is not a good time to get a massage because you can't accurately communicate with the therapist about pain or pressure. That could be a problem because the therapist may accidentally injure you with out that oh so important feed back. 

• While getting treatment from a doctor or physical therapist with out their knowledge of adding massage therapy-  Let your physician or PT know that you are seeing a massage therapist, as this may interfere with their treatment. It's best to double check with them first to make sure massage is indicated for your specific situation.

• First trimester of pregnancy- While there is no concrete evidence that massage is harmful during the first trimester of pregnancy, it's always a good idea to approach this time with caution. High risk pregnancies are usually a "no-go" for massage, so it's best to wait and make sure your pregnancy is without complication before booking a session. Some therapists will request that you wait until the beginning of your second trimester to schedule your first prenatal massage.

Remember  to discuss any health concerns with your massage therapist and to let them know if your health history has changed since your last visit.

Tell me:
How does massage help you stay healthy?
Leave me a comment- I love hearing from you!

This past week I visited Florida's Atlantic coast with my husband and we had a great time exploring a weeks worth of beaches.

We went from Orlando to Key West and up to St. Augustine.
While some parts of Florida are very fast paced - Miami for example, other small beach communities really knew how to kick back and enjoy the sun and sand.

It's been said that its much better to give from a place of over flow rather than from a place of lack-
I really resonate with this philosophy and try to keep up with my self care as much as possible.

Just like many people who work physically intense jobs, Massage therapist push themselves everyday- often having their own battles with overuse injuries and exhaustion.

I spent the first few years of my career in pain from not taking care of myself with healthy practices like meditation, time off, or getting regular bodywork myself. I made excuses about not having the time or money or not wanting to be in the massage environment any more than I had to for purposes of work because one of the things that wore on me was being in the dark so much.

I got a large amount of sun this week and floated in the beautiful aqua sea.
I'm always inspired by the ocean and  natural beauty, that's why I named my massage practice "Gaia." A word that describes the healing and nurturing aspects of the earth.

While we specialize in creating relaxation for others, we must also take care of ourselves just as we hope our clients do, by getting regular massage, rest, doing therapeutic stretching, and taking a break every so often.

When a therapist not only talks the talk- but also walks the walk, they are more in tune with their clients needs and concerns. They get regular bodywork themselves, so they feel the benefits and can help guide their clients to stress relief and help them manage their pain from a more effective, first hand point of view.


I feel recharged and excited to get back to my massage practice. I hope I've inspired you to make time for yourself and your loved ones.

The dolphins were so cute!