Author Archive

One evening this spring, after a night of ballroom dancing, I glanced in on a West Coast Swing convention that was being held in Medford. I was blown away by the energetic, imaginative, and spirited way I saw couples dancing. Despite the fact that I knew nothing about West Coast Swing, I was so inspired that I invested the whole next day at the conference, discovering and taking in as much as a I was able by viewing the classes ...

by: Stephanie Shrum, LMT & NCBTMB Approved Continuing Education Provider   From time to time, I'd like to offer recommendations for local businesses as part of my blog that serve as inspiration for the post. In this post, I’d like to recommend a dish at a local restaurant called the Loft Brasserie in Ashland, Oregon. This rich and sumptuous dish is the Dungeness Crab Macaroni Gratin made with white truffle oil. Since the truffle flavor is so magnificent, I suggest ordering it without crab so that the truffle flavor can be ...

Massage therapy is a very in-depth, personal field where therapists are often engaged over the standard eight-hour day in order to continue to meet the needs of their clients. Very often, these seasoned professionals will find they are struggling to feel energized about their work after just a few years in the field; they are, after all, working intensively with people in an effort to make them feel better. Because of the time investment involved with the actual profession, there ...

One of the things that I first fell in love with Thai massage was its dance like nature.  Although it is often referred to as ‘lazy man’s yoga’ because the client if facilitated through a series of yoga-like poses, most people who choose to receive Thai massage are hardly the lazy sort.  Thai massage is both meditative and dynamic.  At times it challenges the receiver to be present in their own body and at other times Thai massage can induce ...

During conversations with my clients, they often express that they’d like to be able to give massage to loved ones at home, but that it's difficult because their hands get so tired. It’s possible to give massage without overworking your hands and I’d like to teach you how. You can do this easy and stress-relieving massage technique at home with a partner. It’s a hands-free technique that comes from the Thai massage tradition. All you have do ...

Given that November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving, and I’d like to dedicate this post to express my gratitude. I give thanks to you, readers and clients. Thanks to your generous word-of-mouth referrals, and the tight-knit community of Ashland, I have been able to create a thriving practice in less than eighteen months. Every day I have the honor of working with ...

A Client's Perspective on Massage and Bodywork. What makes Co-creative Healing Different? by Jill Bickford I like to care for my health and massage is one of my favorite ways to do this. I’ve had many massages over the years for various reasons – some times I just needed a little soothing relaxation; other times, I had an injury or pain that needed attention.  Some massage sessions were unremarkable and some were more characteristic, but overall there was always a similar current ...

At first glance, massage Cupping does look odd, maybe even medieval. However, it can be medicinally effective for treating both acute injuries and chronic pain and tension.   What are some of the Benefits of Cupping Therapy? Cupping Therapy, also known as Negative Pressure Massage, has many benefits. These include: Reduction of Pain Increased flexibility and range of motion Decreased scars and adhesions in tissues. Relieves inflammation Stretches ...

I have fond childhood memories of helping my grandmother untangle her necklaces. Mysteriously, these golden chains would become a tangled ball in her jewelry box. I never understood how these chains could go from separate necklaces to one tangled ball of chains in a stationary box. I would imagine little gnomes stealthily sneaking into the jewelry box at night and twisting them all together. ...

I love Thailand! I love the people, the food, and the opportunity to learn and receive the unique massage that Thailand is known for. Ten years ago while traveling in Thailand, I had one of the most unique massage experiences of my life. Receiving a massage from one of the great Thai masters, Chaiyuth Priyasith, was an experience I knew I couldn’t miss while in Thailand. It took weeks to get a session scheduled with him. As a practitioner of Thai massage ...