What is Massage Therapy?

Massage Therapy is a type of wellness treatment in which a trained and certified professional manipulates the soft tissues of your body – muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and skin – using varying degrees of pressure and movement.

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and integrative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension. At the YMCA, massage therapy may be recommended to help people cope with the pain and stress of cancer, heart disease, stomach problems, fibromyalgia or other conditions.

What Are The Various Types Of Massages?

Swedish Massage:

A light massage that consists of long, smooth strokes. The benefits include increased blood circulation, decreased stress and muscle tension and improved range of motion.

Deep Muscle Therapy:

Designed to aid in the restoration of damaged muscles and soft tissue. With its natural healing properties, it helps restore circulation on the cellular level.

Therapeutic Massage:

Beyond relaxation, therapeutic massage can help address injuries or long-term or chronic health issues such as headaches or neck pain. It involves greater pressure and cross-fiber friction against the grain of a muscle, tendon, or ligament. You can get therapeutic deep tissue massage, which can be good for stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders. Or you can get a therapeutic sports massage that can help address injuries or pain from recurrent muscle use or strain. Sometimes therapeutic massage is prescribed as part of a larger therapy program for treating specific issues.

Chair Massage:

Chair massage is performed in a specially designed chair that helps people relax in a seated position. The technique focuses on tension areas of the neck, back, shoulders, arms and hands. Besides relaxing muscles, chair massages can sooth brain activity, increasing concentration and providing greater mental clarity.

What is Life Coaching?

A life coach is a type of wellness professional who helps people make progress in their lives in order to attain greater fulfillment. Life coaches aid their clients in improving their relationships, careers and day-to-day lives.

Life coaches can help you clarify your goals, identify the obstacles holding you back and then come up with strategies for overcoming each obstacle. In creating these strategies, life coaches target your unique skills and gifts. By helping you to make the most of your strengths, life coaches provide the support you need to achieve long-lasting change

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment that may help skin, muscle tissue, and other parts of your body heal. It exposes you to low levels of red or near-infrared light. Infrared light is a type of energy your eyes can’t see, but your body can feel as heat. Red light is similar to infrared, but you can see it.