Bringing Balance to Your Life
Owner Mollee McCullough is a medical massage therapist licensed through the Ohio State Medical Board, a yoga instructor registered through Yoga Alliance and an ACE certified Group Fitness and Youth Fitness Specialist. She is passionate about helping her clients get back to living their best lives and is committed to superior service.
Samantha has been a licensed massage therapist through the State of Ohio Medical Board since 2010. She specializes in therapeutic, sports and prenatal massage and is certified in lymphatic drainage. What Samantha enjoys most about her work is helping her clients with a personalized plan of treatment to reach their therapeutic goals.
What to Expect at Your Appointment
Before the Massage
Make sure it is a good time for you to have a massage. Reschedule your appointment if you have a fever, skin irritations (such as poison ivy or sunburn), or if you are trying to stabilize your medication as massage can affect the dosage needed.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Do not eat directly before your massage.
- Give yourself enough time to arrive relaxed. If you are rushed and arrive stressed, it will take longer to get into a relaxed state.
On Your First Appointment
First appointments begin with an intake process, starting with a health history. Please arrive early to have time to fill out forms.
The massage therapist will review your health history and ask questions. Because massage can affect multiple body systems, such as the cardiovascular and nervous systems, be honest with the massage therapist about your health.
You should also let the therapist know about any pharmaceutical drugs or botanical medicines you are taking. Massage can enhance or reduce the effects of pharmaceutical drugs such as blood pressure medication. Knowing your history allows a therapist to determine if there are any reasons you should avoid massage or a particular technique.
What to Expect from Your Therapist
The massage therapist also will ask you questions to better design a session that meets your needs and goals within the time allotted. Let the therapist know what areas of your body you would like worked on, if there are any areas to avoid, and if you have any techniques that you would like to use or avoid.
If you are concerned about undressing, discuss it with the therapist, who will be able to offer you some options. Draping is utilized in every session and only the body part being treated will be exposed at any time. Your comfort level is our top priority. Don't be afraid to discuss any apprehensions or concerns. All information you give is confidential.
Generally, you will lie on a massage table, covered by a sheet or large towel. Make sure you are comfortable and let the therapist know if you are not. Tell the therapist if you are cold, want to be covered, don't want an area of your body touched, don't like the music, or are experiencing discomfort with the technique or how it is being applied. Remember, you are in charge and can ask for changes or stop the session at any time.
- Relax and try to let your thoughts go. One way to do this is to focus on how the touch or technique feels.
- Remember to breathe, as this helps you relax. Sometimes people hold their breath when a sensitive area is massaged, but it is best to breathe through it.
- Tightening your muscles during the massage is counterproductive. If you can't seem to relax your muscles, let your massage therapist know. They may need to adjust the massage technique.
At the end of the massage, the therapist will leave the room so you can dress in private. Wait a few minutes on the table as you get grounded, especially if you feel light-headed. It is a good idea to drink some water to help the body flush waste products. If possible, allow some quiet time after the massage and don't go back to work or other responsibilities immediately.
How you feel after the massage will vary based on the style of massage used, the length of the session, and the demands you place on your body afterward.
- Feelings range from being relaxed, renewed and centered, to invigorated, excited or experiencing a rush of clarity or new energy and insight, to recognizing your true level of fatigue and wanting only to rest.
- Clinical types of massage may leave the body free from chronic tightness or acute pain patterns, but may replace it with a mild soreness from the pressure applied. After this type of massage, you may want to rest the area before jumping back into the activity that produced the soreness.
Realize that the benefits of massage tend to be cumulative, so typically, you will feel better as you get additional massages.
