• Individuals are encouraged to drink plenty of water and reduce caffeine consumption to avoid being dehydrated so that their body is able to respond with more ease.
• Do not eat a large meal before a session.
• Arrive on time for your session so that you are able to receive the full amount of time. You will also be able to enjoy the session more if you arrive with time to slow down from your day and your drive.
• If it is your first time at PCCHH it is best to show up approximately 10 minutes early so that you will have additional time to fill out your health history form, and this will not cut into your session time.
• USE THE RESTROOM! Nothing will disrupt your session more than lying on the table thinking of needing to use the restroom!

• Make sure that you are comfortable during your session. It is important to communicate fully with your massage therapist. If the pressure is too much or not enough, if you are too hot or too cold, if you would like different music, etc., tell your massage therapist, YOU WILL NOT HURT THEIR FEELINGS!
• Breathe. Your muscles are able to relax more fully on an exhale.
• Know that talking during a session is your decision. You may want to base your decision on your intention of the session. If you are looking for a deeper spiritual session involving energy work, it is best not to talk so that you and your therapist can access deeper levels of connection.
• If your mind is racing and thinking of things that are in your past or future, it helps to thank your mind for doing its job, and ask it to take a vacation. Also, you can focus on how the therapist’s touch feels, how the sheets feel on your body, or on your breath, anything that brings your awareness back to the present moment.

No. Your massage should never "hurt". There are a lot of therapeutic benefits to a more slow, gentle, specific massage. Sometimes, however, for specific deep tissue massage/ trigger point work or injury work the pressure can be a bit uncomfortable. On a scale of 1-10, 1-being no pain and 10-being severe pain, your massage should not feel stronger than a 6-8. Your massage should not feel so strong that you are tensing up more than relaxing. If you are tensing up please make sure to tell your massage therapist to lighten their pressure. Some people like the "good hurt" from a massage. This is often a signal that the neuromuscular system is releasing and the therapist is working on the areas that need attention. However, it is not necessary to suffer through pain in order to benefit from massage.

• If you are ticklish it is best to inform your therapist prior to the start of your session. We wouldn’t want you to be about to fall asleep and then jump when we touch your feet ;-)
• Often times the pressure and speed used during touch greatly impact the feeling of being "ticklish". If you think that you may want to still have certain areas such as your feet massaged our therapist can adjust their work for your comfort. Communication is the best way to assure your relaxation.

• Our therapists use hypo-allergenic oils and creams. However, if you know that you have very sensitive skin you may want to bring in an oil or cream that you know responds well with your skin. Also, please inform your therapist of any allergies you may have.

• How far you disrobe is always based on your comfort level. It is most beneficial for clients to fully undress, so that the therapist can more easily massage areas such as your low back. However, if you are uncomfortable with this idea your therapist can go around areas of clothing such as undergarments.
• Clients are fully covered during a massage session with clean sheets and blankets to preserve privacy and comfort. The therapist will only uncover areas of the body which they are working with at that moment.

You should NOT receive a massage if you:

• Have a fever
• Feel like you are coming down with a cold or flu
• Have any blood clotting disorder
• Are having a complicated pregnancy
• Have recently had surgery
• Have a contagious skin condition

* Modifications may need to be made for additional health conditions, so please make sure to inform your therapist of ALL changes in your health.

* While Massage may not be suitable for all situations you may benefit greatly from Energywork.

• A trigger point, commonly called a "knot", is a hyperirritable spot most commonly found in muscles, tendons or connective tissue. Trigger points, though unclear the exact reason they occur, will cause local and referred pain. Trigger points are known to cause headaches, low back, neck and shoulder pain, and are associated with Fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and much more.

• A massage therapist’s view of the appearance of the body is totally different than the stranger walking down the street. When you come into our office our number one concern is your overall well-being. This means that when we look at your body we are not looking at your extra few holiday pounds, but instead are assessing how you hold and carry your body so that we can pin point areas of your body that need extra attention.

• Drink plenty of water so that your body is more able to flush out toxins that may be moving out of your body. Otherwise, you may feel like you have the flu.
• Remember that there is a lot that happens within your body when you receive bodywork. Nurture your emotional, mental and spiritual sides.
• Give yourself additional time after a massage so that you can integrate back into your daily life with ease.
• If you are thinking about using heat or ice after you receive a massage please ask your massage therapist their specific recommendation as to not add inflammation to any area which has received an intense amount of work.
• Stretch. Sometimes long held patterns of holding can have a rebound effect on or around areas receiving a sustained amount of work. After a massage the body is in a phase of re-educating itself. To help prevent any discomfort during this period of time we recommend that you stretch your entire body through means such as Yoga to maintain a lasting result of length and relaxation in the body.

• It is important to drink a lot of water both before and after a massage. During a massage more than just your muscles are benefiting.  Your circulation and lymphatic fluids are also busy moving fresh fluids though your body.  While no studies have been found providing any fact to the old theory of, "flushing out toxins that are moving out of your body", your body is always able to function at it's best, as well as to keep energy moving throughout your body when properly hydrated. It also helps to support your liver in this functioning by adding lemon to your water. Often if you are feeling sick however more water has been said to help you feel more like yourself again.
• If you feel sick or sore after a massage always communicate this information with your massage therapist. Depending on your previous health history specific precautions may need to be taken during the session.

• How frequently should I come for a massage?
• Frequency varies by individual needs. Ideally clients should receive a weekly to bi-weekly massage if they are looking to achieve specific health benefits from their sessions. However, those who decide that they would like to come monthly or quarterly will still benefit from the relaxation of massage.
• It is best to speak with your therapist about your specific goals so that they may give you a personalized recommendation.

We know that your skin is the largest organ in your body, and we want only the best for you and our staff who are using them all day long.

We strive to only use high quality products in our sessions sourcing organic and sustainably harvested products when available. We use certified organic, vegan*, gluten free massage cream/lotion/oil/gel in our sessions, and therapeutic grade essential oils.

*Some sessions include topicals that may include honey.  If you are vegan and are looking to avoid these products please mention that to your therapist.  You may also bring your own product to use if you have an allergy or sensitivity that you are concerned about.