Inner Nature
Acupuncture. Herbalism. Massage Therapy.
Deep Tissue and Trigger Point Release
Deep tissue massage works with deep slow pressure into the muscle and connective tissue, working below the surface structures. This helps to work with chronic holding patterns and pain, affecting deep change in these structures. This can feel more intense in the moment, but creates longer standing relief. Often the holding patterns will begin to reassert themselves after some time and will require a handful of sessions to create more long-term change. Dena will often give exercises people can do at home to help prolong the affects and re-educate the body.
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Trigger points are not perfectly understood, but are thought to be places in the muscle where the nerve is slightly more exposed. When tightness develops to a certain degree, a trigger point can become active, creating a pain referral pattern that may travel quite far from where the original issue is. By working with the trigger point itself, the pain through the referral is relieved. This can be done manually or with needles. To create longer lasting change, Dena also treats the structure and works to find out what the original cause of the issue is to resolve it most efficiently.
Dynamic Body Balancing/Cranial Sacral
Dynamic Body Balancing is a form of cranial-sacral that incorporates myofascial unwinding. This follows the body's lead, allowing it to release places of torsion in the connective tissue, works with the alignment and movement of the cranial, spinal, and pelvic bones, and works with the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. This can alleviate a variety of symptoms that are rooted or entangled with the nervous system, connective tissue, and skeletal system.
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This work is often helpful for working with infants, whose cranial bones and connective tissue can often be affected by the process of birth, and even different positions they may take in utero.
It can also be very helpful during pregnancy and postpartum, when the body undergoes massive changes in almost all of the physical systems and tissues.
Prenatal and Postpartum Massage
The changes the body undergoes during pregnancy and after birth can put strain on the muscles and joints. Massage therapy can help release the muscle tension and allow the body to come into better alignment. Keeping the structure in proper alignment can help support an easier, faster, smoother labor. This is because a properly aligned pelvis along with relaxed core and pelvic muscles allow the baby to lay in proper alignment with the birth canal and to transit more smoothly through the bones and muscles of the pelvis.
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After the birth is complete (whether vaginal or cesarean) the body has been through a long journey of change, and can often use support to return to normal or to find a new normal. Massage can help release tension that accumulates as stretched muscles relearn their proper tension and as other muscles tighten to create new forms of support.
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For breech, Dena utilizes various techniques, including massage therapy, acupuncture, moxibustion, and Spinning Babies® techniques, to provide breech balancing sessions to help open space in the body facilitating babies turning. These can be done as a single session, a series, or planned around and in concert with your scheduled ECV (external cephalic version).
Arvigo® Abdominal Massage
Arvigo® abdominal massage focuses on the organ systems located in the belly, particularly the lower abdomen. This style of massage is great to work with issues of the reproductive organs including fertility, menstrual concerns, sexual dysfunction, trauma, and more. This method can also help treat other issues of the organs such as digestive issues, scar tissue, and respiratory concerns. I an initial session you will also be given self-care exercises in order to be able to treat yourself daily, to help alleviate symptoms more efficiently. Herbal remedies, castor oil packs, and steams are sometimes utilized in concert with this work.
Shiatsu and Thai Yoga Massage
Both Shiatsu and Thai Yoga Massage are clothed style massages that use compression, shaking, and partner assisted stretches. They are often performed on a mat on the floor, but sometimes adapted to the massage table. While Shiatsu focuses on meridian lines and their directional flow (like a river), Thai Yoga Massage focuses on sen lines, which flow both ways (like a tidal river).
When working with children, Dena finds these styles of massage, along with DBB, to be the most accessible and effective.
