Answers, before you call.

Questions & Answers

The things people ask before they call.

Folded together from years of intake conversations. If your question isn't here, the phone is the fastest path.

• How long is a session?

  Sessions are 60, 90, or 120 minutes. Most focused work happens on 1 to 2 problem areas — long enough to make a real physiological change, not just relax around the issue.

• How do I book?

  By phone — (530) 788-2257. Booking is by appointment so each session gets the room and the attention it needs.

• Do you offer gift certificates?

  Yes. Gift certificates are available — call to arrange one. They make a thoughtful gift for someone working through pain, an athlete, or a friend who just needs a quiet hour.

• What does a typical session look like?

  We start with what brought you in. I work integratively — trigger point and myofascial as the spine of the session, with stretching, energy work, or breath work added where they fit. Each session is built for you; I don't use routines.

• What are the benefits of massage therapy?

  Orthopedic massage helps relieve nerve compression, increases flexibility and range of motion, improves posture and coordination, and helps prevent future chronic pain by addressing the cause rather than the symptom. For many clients it is the most cost-effective path back to a productive life — quicker recovery from acute headaches, neck and back pain, and skeletal-muscular strains.

• How is this practice different?

  My training is in rehabilitative massage fundamentals — kinesiology, physiology, postural assessment, short- and long-term treatment planning, contraindicated and prescribed daily activities, and home therapy. I do not believe in "no pain, no gain." Pushing through pain makes soft tissue resist treatment. I go only as fast as the body allows.

• Massage vs. Chiropractic — which is better?

  I absolutely do not believe in one over the other. They perform unique yet essential and complementary functions. It is not a matter of which is "better" — it is about using the right tool for the job. Using chiropractic and massage therapy together is essential for a fully balanced, correctly functioning musculoskeletal system. It is a completely synergistic combination.

• What is orthopedic massage?

  Orthopedic massage is result-oriented, directed at resolving conditions that have been diagnosed and prescribed by a physician. It is also referred to as medical massage. The therapist focuses on specific dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, as diagnosed by a doctor.

• Massage vs. Physical Therapy?

  In this case, it is not about what treatment to use but when to use it. Properly applied physical therapy is a wonderful thing — at the correct moment during rehabilitation. Once exercise is determined to be appropriate, it should be gradual. Pushing soft tissue too far too fast tends to cause further injury, not faster healing.

• Do you take insurance?

  No — this is a private, cash-pay practice. Gift certificates and packages are available.

• Is the room accessible?

  Please call before booking with any access questions — I want to make sure the space works for you before you make the drive.