Schedule your appointment so that you can arrive a few minutes early, especially if it is your first visit to the building. This gives you a chance to find parking, silence your cell phone and use the restroom if needed. Having a cushion of time so that you are not rushing to the massage room signals to your body / mind that it is ok to start slowing down. It also gives us a chance to chat for a moment about your goals for that day’s session. Another important note is that being on time ensures that you will receive all the minutes that have been set aside for you.
[photo taken by me on a visit to the ocean this year . . . makes me feel peaceful and reminds me to breathe]
When you are ready to book your next massage just go here and click on the ‘booknow’ button.
I’ve always been mindful of what goes on your skin during a massage session. There are some ingredients in skin care products, such as endocrine disruptors, that can affect hormone health. In the past [and sometimes still] I’ve even made my own small batches of massage balms to use in my practice, ensuring that every ingredient was organic and high quality.
I’ve recently fallen in love with some massage body butters that are handcrafted in a small warehouse in CA by Rebel Massage. The ingredients are clean, provide therapeutic effects from the organic base lotions and essential oils, and they smell amazing! I get excited each time I use them because I know they are good for you – and for me. The version with a bit more grip lets me access deeper muscle tissue layers with more ease and the version with a little extra melt is perfect for days when you’ve just come to relax.
Some of my most frequently used ones are: Sore Loser – which has Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Arnica to help sore muscles; For Your Inflammation – with Roman Chamomile, Juniper Berry and Wintergreen, which helps with inflammation; and Sole Food – which has Turmeric, Lemon and Black Pepper – great for foot health. I like Sole Food so much that I keep one at home as well, just for me.
Sole Food Total Meltdown Professional Bodywork Butter
Know that when you come in for your next massage appointment your wellness and well being are being truly thought of. I only use products that I’d feel good about putting on my own skin. Bonus that you get to go home smelling like heaven.
When you’re ready to book your next appointment just go here and click on the ‘booknow’ button. It’s so easy. See you soon!
Today. Cloudy & cool. My favorite to hike in. Years taking photographs, seeking saturated colors & interesting skies, living in the PNW, have converted me to favoring an overcast day. Conversation with a friend. She’s experimenting with her diet. No dairy, sugar, gluten, grains. A disordered part of me wants to join her. I’ve weighed myself recently & saw the highest numbers of my life. My body continues to change & get bigger despite feeding it vegetables, taking it on walks, joining fitness challenges. Another friend texts to say she loves IF. I told her about it & no longer practice. A strong impulsive desire to join her too. The tracking app is still on my phone. A lifetime spent practicing disordered eating. Years in undiagnosed orthorexia. My mental health would suffer if I tried again. Another friend texts to say she hasn’t lost weight post a serious surgery & wants to use my fitness pal to track her food. I feel tired for her. We’ve spent too much time focusing on numbers. Cosmetic outcomes. Too little taking care of our bodies in weight neutral ways. Moving for the sheer pleasure of it. The afternoon is spent searching for the file with the spreadsheets from 8 years ago when I kept track of everything my body was doing. That year I moved towards a plant-based diet. I required myself to walk, jog or hike a minimum of 5 miles every morning. Just to earn the right to exist in my body. An entire year: no alcohol, caffeine, sugar, anything processed. I ran races, lifted weights, felt strong – but isolated, full of anxiety that one chocolate chip would throw me completely off track. Many compliments on my outer appearance, but rarely felt internal peace. I came across random photos while searching for the ‘body file’ & sent one to a friend because she looks glowy & happy. She replies “you are stunning.” I say “we were both beautiful & had NO IDEA.” She says “well, I knew you were, but you never believed me.” I feel tired again: for the stories we believe about ourselves, the missed moments, the constant chasing of ‘life will be better when,’ the not realizing we are lucky just to be alive. And the not believing that we are enough. Just as we are. Right now.
***Note – this was originally written for Instagram and therefore could only have 2200 total characters. I’ve left it that way for consistency, though I know it would benefit from paragraphs and better wording. I wrote it raw and left it that way. ♥***
The random found photo that I sent to a friend.A dress I loved but wouldn’t buy during the 5 mile a day time because I thought I needed to be smaller to splurge on it.Only fruits and veggies were allowed in my fridge.I spent a ton of time food prepping. It became tedious – but it was always so vibrant looking. The colors made me happy.
Tania Palermo [Studio on Main] 