Healthy Living To Go

I happen to be a Kaiser member and recently found out about these complimentary audio programs on guided imagery. 


Guided imagery is a type of relaxation exercise designed to engage your mind, body, and spirit. Guided imagery programs are gentle, but powerful.


There are several titles/topics to choose from, including: Anger and forgiveness, Ease pain, Fibromyalgia and fatigue, Healthful sleep, Panic attacks and anxiety, Relaxation and wellness, Relieve allergies, Relieve headaches, Self confidence, Weight loss, Holiday depression, and many more.


You can listen directly from the website, or download as MP3 and take it with you wherever you go.


Please enjoy! 

Play Hard.

The holiday season is well known for being a stressful time of year. While it's taken some practice, I've enjoyed this season more by learning how to manage my 24 hours in the day, and you can too.

Being self-employed can make things a little more challenging at times, or maybe takes longer for the light bulb to click on and register a better idea or way of doing things. Sometimes, it takes 12 times to be told the same thing before recognizing a brilliant idea or needed change. Sometimes, you just have to sleep on it for 5 or 6 months and feel just a little slow in realizing how simple it really is. This much I know from personal experience.

To anyone else that may benefit from my experiences, I offer my knowledge to you. 

Create structure. Develop systems. Within these, don't forget to include "play" time--be it with your kids, a hot soak in the tub with the door locked and the phone turned off, or indulging in your choice guilty pleasure. Budget your finances and time alike. And, make comprises with both. Account for all things needed and desired. 

Your dreams and happiness are within reach. Do NOT allow yourself or others to encourage you to sacrifice your dreams or happiness. Understand, the old adage "work before play" holds true. Your dreams and happiness are your "play," and your work is whatever it takes to reach them--working to pay off bills from before you finally understood when you heard it the 12th time, getting up early to hit the gym or hit the books--whatever it may be in your life that is in your way. Deal with it head-on. Take one step at a time, leave one bite on the plate, work an extra hour each day. 

The feeling you get when you reach your goals and begin to live the life of your dreams is unimaginable. And even when you think life can't get any better, you start to dream again...of what else is possible in this life. And you can do it.

Play hard.

PS--this blog was inspired by rug burns I got on my arms today while playing with the kids at JJ Jump. Deep. :)

Remember to STREEEETTTTCCCCHHHH--Lower Back & Glute Stretch Videos

If you're experiencing lower back pain, try the stretches shown here.



If you're experiencing pain/tightness in  your glutes, try the stretch shown here.



This information is provided as a courtesy and is not intended to replace medical advice. Please consult your doctor or personal trainer to make any necessary modifications to prevent injury.

10 Benefits of Choosing Me As Your Massage Therapist

•I am a woman: a sister, a daughter, a mother, a wife. I can relate.
•You're not rushed in & out the door--your massage session is spent ON the table. One hour=60 minutes on the table.
•Ample time before and after your session, so you get personalized attention and care, which leads to reaching your massage goals faster.
•Quiet, private entrance with no chemical smells like other salons.
•Convenient online booking and gift certificate sales so you can schedule and make your purchases when it works for you.
•Evening appointments available.
•I use jojoba, which is closest to our natural skin oils and won't leave you feeling greasy after your massage.
•Balance your need for therapeutic massage and your "me time" with spa and add-on treatments.
•My Client Loyalty Program can't be beat.
•Making your experience the best it can be is my goal.

Let's focus on YOUR needs.
 It is frustrating when you don’t get the massage you had hoped for, but so restorative when you get just exactly what you wanted. When you come in for your massage, it is time to focus on YOUR needs.


My primary talent is reminding shoulders to let go of your ears using a mix of techniques and stretches to loosen the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. When you leave, the pain in your neck doesn‘t have to be the PAIN in your NECK.


Call me now at 503-318-9626, or jump ahead and book your appointment online.
I look forward to meeting you soon!

Finding Your Rhythm

Rhythms are a natural part of life that help soothe and comfort us. People are drawn to the rhythms in music. Babies are drawn to the rhythm of their mother's heartbeat. Our bodies are built for rhythm. Rhythmic movements, rhythmic breath.

When these rhythms are off, the result is noticeable. Any of my family can tell you my musical sense of rhythm is very poor. Fortunately for me, I chose to work with bodies, not music! 

Back to the body, yoga and tai chi help the body learn to move more smoothly and build strength in places prone to weakness to keep our bodies balanced against stressors in their daily use. You notice when this rhythm is off when you find a "catch" in your back/neck/shoulder/hip. 

Most people don't think much about their breathing or the impact it can make on their body. It is helpful to practice breathing exercises to avoid putting strain on weaker muscles in the neck and upper back, and to develop the diaphragm muscle. Begin with visualizing an oval. As you reach the end of your inhale, you are at the top of the oval, and as you complete your exhale, pause at the bottom of the oval before returning to the inhale. Done correctly, this exercise should not cause you to become dizzy or hyperventilate.

Your breathing can also impact the results of your massage sessions. When you breathe in a rhythm, I can adjust my techniques to work in sync with your body. Particularly when working with a trouble spot, it is helpful to focus on your breathing. I will lighten my pressure or pause while you inhale, and as you exhale slowly, I will work into the trouble spot. When you and I work in rhythm in this way, your guard is released so your muscles aren't resisting the work, your body becomes more receptive to the work I'm doing, and faster progress can be made.

Working in rhythm with my clients' breathing is one of my favorite things, unfortunately, not a lot of my clients utilize this tool they possess. It is my hope that by addressing it here, clients will become more aware of how to get even better results from their sessions with me.

Name Your Price

I'm curious. I know there are some businesses out there that function solely on letting their customers/clients decide for themselves how much they will pay for services received. 


So if money wasn't the object that prevented you from getting massages, and you could comfortably afford them, how much value would it hold for you?


Or, if money is an object for you, but you still go for massages, what would you feel comfortable paying? 


I'm hoping for some feedback here. Very curious to know how my clients truly value their massages. And don't worry, I'm pretty tough. You won't hurt my feelings one way or another. :)

My First Acupuncture Experience

You should know by now that my glass is pretty much never half empty. All my clouds have a silver lining. There's always two sides to every story. You get it.


Today, my 3:30 massage appointment was cancelled at 1:50pm. Fan-tastic, right? Right!


It did become fantastic when I called up Carol Greismeyer at Oregon City Acupuncture. I met Carol through the Women Empowering Women networking group a good year and a half ago, but it wasn't until she moved her business from Milwaukie to just the other side of 7th Street on Madison here in Oregon City in September that we really connected. 


Since she moved across the street from Heidi's, we've toured each other's offices and agreed that trading services would be a marvelous thing. Carol is usually in the office Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and my mother in law was already planning to come spend the afternoon with her grandsons, so I thought it'd be the perfect time to give acupuncture a shot (pun intended). 


Carol was able to get me in exactly the time I was hoping for, and gave me a very good nutshell of the eastern views of how the body works, and then the de-stress treatment. The needles are not bad at all, just a little poke when it goes in, and then it's fine. 


Carol discovered an energy blockage under my right knee (thanks to all my muscle imbalances, no doubt), and my right hand felt "funny" for a few minutes of the treatment. It was a nice, relaxing treatment, but didn't leave me a sloppy mess either. My hands feel much better, a lot of the muscular tension in my gripping muscles has been relieved, and the same for my upper shoulders/neck that hold tension too. 


My massage therapist tomorrow will no doubt be happy to have a little less work to do on me tomorrow when I get to have my massage in our trade too. By the way, when you come in for your massage and spa treatments, the new face occupying the room next to me is Jessie. And I'll be happy to tell you what her massage style is like after I experience it tomorrow for myself. Be on the lookout for new signs to be popping up that will have both our names on them. Jessie's clients need to find her too. :)


Back on topic now. Give Carol at Oregon City Acupuncture a call: 503-653-1468. The de-stress session is $30. See what you think! You can also buy gift certificates on her website--just in time for the holidays! What a great gift idea. We could all use a little more Eastern influences in our very Western lives...

Following Up

Working on my online prerequisite course for becoming a Certified Injury Prevention Instructor threw me off my usual activities last week, so this blog is coming a few days late.


Over the weekend, I saw and subsequently participated in a discussion on LinkedIn. The topic was on following up with our clients. Many of the therapists that had replied before me said they really don't do much for follow up, and I was somewhat surprised, somewhat not. 


I believe my follow-up with clients has helped me in my business, so I shared what I do, and here it is, taken directly from my post on LinkedIn:


"I send a thank you letter, addressing that I hope I've helped their X, Y, Z pains, encourage them to pass along my brochure/card to anyone they know that might also benefit from my services, and let them know of the discount I offer if they post a testimonial/review of their experience with me online--benefits us both, since a lot of my new clients comment on the reviews they read about me, and helps clients where the cost of massage is an issue to getting the care they need.

I still don't get massive referrals or testimonials, so I don't feel bad like I'm swaying my clients to post reviews online too much, but I can see that it certainly helps some clients stick around longer when they see that I genuinely appreciate their business.

In addition to the thank you letter to new clients, I then make some point of contact with them at 30 & 90 days, 6 & 9 months, annually from their first session, and send a birthday card (paper or e-). The annual and birthday points of contact will have some kind of special or discount in them also, but not the other times.

I find it's very helpful in establishing my reputation in the field, and in keeping my name and offering fresh in my clients' minds.

Also, when I don't see clients return within 3 months, I'll give them a call to check in and see how they're doing, in case they intended to get back in sooner and time got away from them, or if I oops-ed and didn't follow-up with them to make that appointment already. And again, that helps keep me fresh in their minds."


I was surprised and flattered by the response from another massage therapist in the group. Here's what Roy Alderman had to say:


"Rachel - WOW! You really go the extra mile & take professionalism to the next level. I wish you were MY massage therapist!"


And my reply:


"Thank you. I've had the idea of this plan in place for...a year, or maybe 2, but with my own time management issues, the actual follow-through of the plan didn't happen as consistently as I would've liked. I've now really cracked down on myself and am making this happen.

You mentioned a key word in your reply: professionalism. I love that. I don't want any of my clients having any doubt of what I do/don't do as a massage therapist, and by presenting myself with greater professionalism, I believe I make that clear. I also feel it is part of my duty to help educate my clients on how effective massage is--it's not just something to treat yourself to on your birthday, but if that's where they're at at this point in their lives, I start with them there, and hope with my continual contact, they will begin to hold a greater value and higher priority for getting massages more regularly also."




I hope this doesn't come off as an obnoxious toot of my own horn, but I admit, it feels really good to be acknowledged by the hard work I've put in outside of my massage room in building my business. My husband also gave me a fee-good compliment over the weekend when I told him about a friend of mine deciding to go to school to become a massage therapist, and my suggestion that she and I get together soon to chat. I would have loved to have a few more insights and resources made available to me before I started school. I do fully enjoy my career, but as I learned while in school, not everyone has a clear idea of the massage profession before starting school, and a few people in my class wound up wasting some time and money after learning the picture in their mind didn't really match up with real world possibilities.

Unexpected Insights and Reflections

"Yesterday is already a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well lived, 
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope."


--Anonymous






These are the words I found written, in my own handwriting, on a notecard in a book I had let a friend borrow years ago and finally just got back this week.


Reading this glimpse of insight into my life from 5-6 (or maybe even more) years ago was really cool. I take peace in seeing how I've always been drawn towards inspirational quotes and the deeper meanings and bigger pictures of things. 


I also thought it was so cool that I actually FOUND this in the book--that maybe my friend found it there, read it, and chose to leave it there for me, without throwing it away intentionally, or letting it slip out carelessly.


I really enjoyed this little reflection. Please share any stories you might have with similar experiences.

Variations in Massage Experiences

So, I had a massage about a week and a half--2 weeks ago, sure. That one focused so much at my hips and glutes, and it was helpful, but I didn't get the full body massage, so the rest of me still felt like it needed work.


Yesterday, I happened to have only one appointment booked, and my evening open, so I checked in with my regular therapist trading buddy. Amazingly, she was open too! 


Can you believe I got a massage that was an hour and 45 minutes long?? I did not expect her to go that long, but clearly, I needed it. And even at the end, I had asked her if she could do a little more on my right triceps, but she just had to stop because she had other plans last night too. 


It was amazing. Well, to be honest, I was freezing cold the whole time, because, naturally, I'm cold blooded. And maybe because her room has a tile floor that insulates the cold weather quite nicely, and she doesn't keep the heat on when she's not working. It is now my fault if her heater ignites a fire, because I tell ya... that room needs constant heat! 


(Insert therapist voice: Please tell me if you are ever too cold while getting a massage from me. It is not fun to be shivering, I know. And please tell me if you're cold because of my cold hands. I haven't found the cure-all, but I can sure try to offset a few things to help them be warmer if it's an issue.)


After my massage, the family went out to dinner at Bugatti's with a gift card I got from referring clients to Complete Health Chiropractic Center. We've been wanting to go there for a long time, and finally, the gift card gave us the push to do it finally.


Oh, how I wish we'd discovered that restaurant sooner!! DE-licious!! They had a fantastic family style special that we tried, and were very impressed with it all. We forgot to ask for our pizzas on whole wheat, so of course that's our fault, and they goofed and made a Thai Chicken pizza instead of our BBQ pizza, then started the BBQ, told us the mistake, and gave us the Thai free of charge too! We weren't super crazy for the Thai pizza, but the way they handled it, combined with the deliciousness of everything else...we will definitely be going back.


What a great day: my one appointment I had yesterday was a birthday present for a 13 year old getting his first massage, then the longest massage I've ever received, followed by delicious (I just can't find a better word--sorry for over-using it!) dinner. I've had two other first-massage clients this week too: one of those was for her birthday also, and the other is getting care from a car accident. 


Hope you are enjoying your week as much as I am. If you're out of dinner ideas, load your crew up and check out Bugatti's (or just go again if you've maybe forgotten how good it is). And if it's been a while since you've had a massage, give me a call--I've got some open time again today and tomorrow afternoon too. And I keep the heat on. You might have to ask me to turn it down, because I like it warm!

Massage Makes It All Better--Make Your Massage Better With New Body Butters Too!

This week, I'm unveiling a new offering: Add on your choice of Honey Butter or Mango Butter to your massage, in place of my usual jojoba oil, for just $4. Y-U-M. I just picked them up from Set-N-Me-Free today, and if you book my 5:15 appointment today, or my 7:00 appointment tomorrow, I'll let you try out one for free!








YAY!! I'm so excited to share that I finally got some bodywork done on myself on Saturday. I was so long overdue for a massage. Usually I prefer 90 minutes anyway, but most definitely needed it this time around...although, because I was seeing a new therapist, there was a bit more chit-chat before we got going, and I had a limited window of opportunity, that I only got about an hour. And even at that, she focused primarily on my trouble areas, no full body bliss. 


Laura Champion, LMT worked her wonders with my lower back, glutes, and hips. Laura has a more "no pain, no gain" unverbalized technique than myself, and I was concerned I'd be all bruised up at the end. Fortunately, I wasn't. Laura knows her stuff and really loosed up my tight muscles. I am super grateful, and will be happy to pass along her contact information whenever I run into a client with greater low back/hip/glute issues than I can help.

Changes vs Mental Blocks

How many times have you decided you want to make a change in your life? Lots I'm sure. How many times have you achieved your goal? Many less if you're like most of us.

I'm seeing more often, or at least more clearly, that people often say they want to make changes in their lives, but just don't give it what it takes to get it done. It amazes me how many times I have to read some suggestion before I believe in it enough to utilize it, but once I do, I reach my goals so much faster and wonder why I hadn't just done it the first time I came across it.

What I am understanding better now, is that as much as we will decide we want something in life, we aren't always ready to get it right away. Sometimes other changes have to take place first to prepare us, or help us see that what we thought we wanted doesn't really help us fulfill the needs of our souls. 

That's getting deeper than I intended here, and I'll get back on track.

In terms of our bodies, we may be holding tension and need a massage to feel better, but don't always book the appointment. We instead make ourselves believe we don't deserve it, or can't afford it. I understand. I've been there. Heck, I AM there. Here's my confession: it's been 4 months since my last massage. For a while, I had a mental block against letting myself get another one because I still owed my therapist buddy from our last trade. I've now repaid that debt to her, and even got my appointment booked with her, but had to cancel thanks to a darn cold. And now our schedules are not matching up and I'm really starting to feel how overdue I am. 

My mental block is gone now, and I am fully ready to go do some "market research"--that's my fancy way of being able to write off paying for a massage--and try out a different therapist. I do love to trade with my usual buddy, but I also like to pick up on new techniques from other therapists too. And I need a massage.

I also feel like I give a better massage after I've gotten one. I suppose it refreshes in my mind how my client is feeling during their session and what I can do to make it their best massage.

Hopefully, by next week, I'll be able to share all about my latest massage and have a few new techniques to put to work. 

When you are ready to experience them for yourself, I will be here, and will be happy to help you reach your goals.

Autumn Begins Today

My Autumn Newsletter is hot off the press. Check it out and share your thoughts!

Massage Package Bonus! *Limited Time Special*

Have you been wanting to get massages more frequently? This is the best deal I have ever offered! Not only do I have massage packages at various levels and huge savings, I've just sweetened the deals even more. These deals won't last long--maybe a month or two--so call me to get your package now! Even if all you are interested in are the massages, and not the sweetened deals, you're getting amazing value at an amazing rate, and I would be happy to write up the bodywrap and mini-facial onto gift certificates for you--just in time for the holidays that will be here before we know it. Talk about getting more bang for your buck!

See Heal Your Body, Save Your Cash for more information about the massage packages. 

**Just in case I wasn't clear, the deals below are added into the massage packages (as described here) for free for a limited time only!**

Platinum Package

Receive one 8oz bottle Bodywrap Solution Gel plus one  Warm Linen Bodywrap and mini-facial free! 

$185 added value!

Gold Package

Receive one bonus 90 minute massage plus one Warm Linen Bodywrap and mini-facial free! 

$175 added value!

Silver Package

Receive one 75 minute massage plus one Warm Linen Bodywrap and mini-facial free!

$160 added value!

Bronze Package

Receive one 2oz bottle Bodywrap Solution Gel plus one Warm Linen Bodywrap and mini-facial free! 

$114 added value!

Contact me now to get a package for yourself, or to make you the star of someone else's life by giving them such an amazing gift!

Phone: 503-318-9626 or Email.

The Excitement of September

September is an exciting month! 


Over Labor Day weekend, I finally decided it was time to paint over the trees on the wall in my massage room that my previous roommate Jeana had painted, as well as saying goodbye to the dark blue ceiling. The result: beautiful. Not only does the room feel bigger, it's brighter, and in my opinion, feels more professional and complete. Pics coming soon, but you are welcome to take a look for yourself and see what you think.


I'm very excited for next week. Now that I'm done with the continuing education course I was working on, my attention can go back to following my newly developed discipline. This week I fell off the bandwagon a little bit in my haste to get the course completed by today as required, going to my older son's preschool open house, taking him to the doctor for an unrelenting fever, and co-organizing his first soccer practice, since my husband is coaching his team.


At the misfortune of two of my clients that were in car accidents, the previous grim appearance of my schedule has improved. These clients are now utilizing my services in their follow up care, and yes, I handle the insurance billing for them. I am very thankful they thought of me for their care, and am happy to help restore their health and quality of life to their pre-accident levels.


I hope September brings lots of good things your way as well, but if you find yourself with a bit of misfortune and in a car accident too, I hope you'll remember that I can help!


I'd love to hear about what you have to look forward to this month--share your comments below.

What Are You Doing RIGHT NOW?

I've begun a habit of asking myself throughout my day whether the action I'm taking RIGHT NOW is helping me or prohibiting me from reaching my ultimate desires in life. It's an absolutely amazing thing. I find myself accomplishing so much more than I previously allowed of myself. 


For me, it means getting up at 6am when my husband leaves for work to start my day, and having a routine to my day. Working in the afternoons and evenings for so long, having a morning routine isn't something to which I'm accustomed, and, as some of my clients might share, leaves me pushing the clock to get to work before they arrive for their massage. 


My recent discipline developments have lead me to create more than just "goals" that I'd like to accomplish on a daily or weekly basis, which always seemed like a good idea, but never really stuck. Now, I have a schedule to my day, allowing me to know exactly what I should, or more importantly--should NOT be doing, in my quest to reach my biggest goals in life.


What is happening now, is that all the things I've wanted to do or have is really becoming reality. My email inbox is under control and is no longer what I look to when I feel like I should be doing something productive, my follow up with clients is getting done, the kitchen isn't loaded with dirty dishes (for those who don't know, we don't have a dishwasher!), the house is cleaner altogether, I'm going to the gym on a more regular basis, and I feel SO much better.


Most everyone dreams of success, and hopes one day they'll have it....but how will you know? What would YOUR success in life look like? What are you doing to reach that dream? What are you doing that is hindering your chances of reaching that dream? How can you make different choices to get what you want? Are you really okay with allowing what is currently holding you back to remain as it is? Or, are you willing to push yourself outside your comfort zone to reach your goals? 


I hope to have inspired you to know that you CAN have the things you want in life. Be prepared for the journey, and begin by taking small, consistent steps. It is a journey, and if you try to run too fast for too long, you will get tired and fall. Your intensity must be built up. Break down your dreams into smaller goals. Begin with making a different choice today, tomorrow, each day this month, and smile when you start to see the effect. You can do this. Your dream life is waiting for you, you just have to allow yourself to stretch a little further so pretty soon, it's just within your reach. 


Yes, you can!

Patience, patience according to The Universe

I have commented on both Twitter and Facebook today about my feelings and actions regarding an order I placed 2 months ago for Body Cushions for use in my massage therapy practice. Specifically, these cushions add comfort to women that are pregnant, large-chested or have implants, or for other reasons, such as easing back/hip/leg discomfort while laying face down on the massage table. 


The company I ordered from, OLS (Our Little Secret) Corp in Canada, has done very little to help me understand why I don't have these cushions yet. So, I finally filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau today about it. I feel only slight relief from that action. During the filing process, it said that the particular office the complaint would be directed to is behind on reviewing complaints, and it may be 6 weeks before they look into mine. So, not a lot of help there either, at least not initially.


And now, I was just looking through my email in my personal account, and this is what I found: 


"So what if you don't have it yet, Rachel? 

It's coming. You're gonna get it. You're gonna love it. And then you're gonna forget there was ever a time when you didn't have it. 

Like clockwork.

I know,
    The Universe

Learning to be happy while you wait, Rachel, is worth learning. And to help learn this, just keep yourself busy."

This came to me as one installment of a regular email I get from www.tut.com, which sends me "A note from the Universe" as many days a week as I choose, and for me, that is every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It's amazing to me just how ironic today's message was, and I've saved countless other messages that were equally as inspiring, calming, or encouraging. It's a total treat to read something so short and sweet that humbles anxieties, lifts discouraged spirits, and doesn't ask for anything in return. 


I encourage you to take a look and sign yourself up. And I'd always love to know how it impacts your emotions, like it has done for me today.

Stay Hydrated!!

We're finally beginning to get some summer weather--yay! It's always important to keep your body hydrated, but as we start seeing more sun and higher temperatures, plus increased physical activity that usually goes along with summer, it becomes even more important that our bodies have the right amount of fluids coming in.

Two common misconceptions there: right amount and fluid. What defines each?

Let's start with fluids and then move to find out how much you should be drinking.

Fluids that hydrate your body are NOT: coffee--whether regular or decaf, or soda--whether regular or diet, caffeinated or caffeine-free. Some better choices might be juices or milk, but the best choice, and what you should focus on drinking the most of, is good old h2o. Water. This isn't new news, but I still get clients that drink mostly coffee and/or soda throughout the day. Coffee and soda are actually fluids that dehydrate your body. So while you might think, "Well, I drink something all day," you're not actually hydrating your body and may be making it harder for your body to perform its functions. Switching to water can make a huge difference in the way your body functions.

Now, how much water should you be drinking? There's several ways to quote how much water a person should drink. Some say 8-8oz. glasses a day, for a total of 64oz. Some say a glass of water for every hour you're awake. Some say, and what I feel is the best way to drink as much water as YOUR body needs, is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Don't panic--what that really means, is if you weigh, say, 150 pounds, then you would drink 75 ounces of water. If you weigh 125 pounds, you would drink roughly 62 ounces of water. If you weigh 200 pounds, you would drink 100 ounces of water. You get the idea. 

Now, you might be wondering how you will ever drink all that water in one day. First of all, you shouldn't wait until you're thirsty before reaching for something to drink. You may already be dehydrated at that point, and will likely be reaching for something with flavor, something less likely to actually hydrate you. If you don't drink very much water on a regular basis, give yourself the best shot, and don't expect to drink your quoted amount right away. Just work on increasing your intake. You may need to experiment what temperature of water is your favorite to drink. Some people will only drink ice cold water, some like it from the fridge, some like it at room temperate, some like it somewhere in between. You might also need to experiment with different water-holders. Do you like drinking from a cup, glass, straw, a wide- or narrow-neck bottle? Carry water, in whichever means you prefer, with you wherever you go, and drink from it often. 

By staying hydrated, your muscles will be less likely to become sore, your body can excrete waste products more efficiently, by means of sweat, clearer urine, and regular bowel movements. You'll have better circulation, your skin won't be as dry and may clear up if you're prone to blemishes. 

Cheers--to a fun-filled, beautiful summer ahead, and your increased hydration to boot!

Stress-Buster Deal for Today Only

I found a gem in my inbox today, worthy of sharing! The link here has a LOT of info on it, but I think it'll be worth it. I've ordered my book, and once I read it, I'll keep it in the client waiting area at the massage studio for clients to thumb through or maybe borrow. Short and sweet from me--go check out that link!

Honorable Mentions...

In my last post, I shared 10 "favorite" things about my clients. It didn't take me long to realize I left off a few other very favorite things. 

I love:

• When clients really, truly breathe with the massage. Not sure if you do this, or what I'm even talking about? What I mean is breathing in on lighter pressure, and exhaling through deeper pressure, such as when working on a tight spot on the back. Breathing in this way helps your body accept the massage more thoroughly. Visualizing the tension leaving your body as you exhale can be very effective, and speeds the results you may be after. It also shows that you are present in the moment of receiving massage, not frantically concerned about how your to-do list is multiplying while you're getting your massage. And the truth to that is that you will be much more productive after getting a massage anyway.
• When clients give me feedback during their session. SO helpful! I love knowing which spot or pressure amount is just exactly what you want. Again, another way to reach your results faster. Although, I do understand if you just want to zonk out during your massage too...just bear in mind, your consciousness can be helpful if there's a particular area of focus you want or need attention on improving.
• When clients post testimonials online. So many of my new clients find me online, especially on Google, and having reviews on there makes a big difference. Some of these new clients specifically mention how they liked what people have said about my work when calling to make that first appointment. I try to market myself in many ways, but this is one area that I can't do myself, and is so helpful to have. If you have a few minutes to spare, think about what YOU might say in a review for me/my work. Also check out my client loyalty program and see how I show you my appreciation. Then, post your review online to  Google, MerchantCircle, Yahoo, Decidio, Superpages, Yellow Pages, Insider Pages, Bing, Yelp, Angie‘s List, or any other place you find my business listed.

Thank you, to all my clients. You're the best!

What I LOVE About My Clients

Consider this your official shout-out. There are so many things I love about my clients, I couldn't keep it in any longer--it's time to tell the world!


I love:

• When you refer your friends, family and co-workers to me. That tells me you trust me and want your loved ones to experience for themselves the impact massage can make on their lives.
• When you rate your overall health as "Excellent" on my intake form. That tells me that you truly care about your body, and makes it less likely that you'll expect a miracle to happen in 60 minutes or less.
• When you schedule your next appointment before leaving. Not only does that tell me you enjoyed your massage, but that you don't want 6 months to pass like the blink of an eye before you set foot in my office again.
• When you keep your appointments! I'm sure lots of times when an appointment needs to be rescheduled, it's not my fault, but there's times when I can't help but wonder. Keeping your appointments keeps my confidence intact.
• When you tell me how much you've been looking forward to getting your massage when you come in. I'm so glad to be a part of making your life better.
• When you follow me on Twitter. This is especially helpful for those clients who don't book their appointments in advance, and really rely on calling to get an appointment TODAY, since that's pretty much all I post on Twitter.
• When you "Like" my business page on Facebook.
• When you "Like" my new website. By the way, there's "like" buttons on all the pages. :) Word of mouth is the best way I get new clients, and this is a really easy way for you to tell all your friends about me. Look at the Client Loyalty Program page for more reasons why you should do this.
• When you compliment my new room design. It's wonderful to have my massage room all to myself, and I'm so glad it's done now.
• How you think of me and keep me involved in your life. It's nice to know you think of me other than when you're hurting. :)

Thank you, to all my clients. You're the best!

Do you suffer from headaches and/or neck pain?

A few weeks ago, I participated in a webinar put on by Dr. Ben Benjamin (yes, that's his name!), who has been practicing massage for over 40 years and is a leader within the massage field.


Dr. Benjamin shared the 3 main causes of neck pain: injuries to the neck ligaments, loss of range of motion (ROM), and chronic accumulation of muscle tension. Did you know there are 18 ligaments in the neck that can cause referral pain throughout the entire upper body? Did you know our range of motion naturally decreases as we age? Did you know the "normal" number of headaches per year is just 3-4? 


Chronic tension in the face, jaw and occipital area (the back, lower portion of the skull) can cause tension headaches, and clenching your teeth can actually increase the tension in your neck also. 


The good news is that massage is very effective at decreasing the frequency and intensity of headaches and neck pain. Treatments may take as long as 3-4 months or longer if the issue has been present for a long time, or as few as 6-8 sessions if the issue has only been bothering you for a couple months. The even better news is that you can speed the process towards living a more pain-free and headache-free life by doing some self-care between massage appointments.


I highly recommend you watch Dr. Ben Benjamin's video on neck stretches and practice this routine at least once a day. I've done these stretches before bed, and when I woke up, my neck still felt fabulous, not stiff at all. I've also done the stretches first thing in the morning when I wake up, and it helps loosen my neck for the day, particularly if I'd forgotten to stretch the night before.

Meet Robo-ssage

Check this out! For a mere $6,799, you too can enjoy yourself a robotic massage. 


My initial thoughts are:
**Hmm...looks enjoyable...probably better than the massage chair experience I had when I got my pedicure last week, minus the pedicure.
**What about the front of the body?
**There's no stretching involved.
**Doesn't look suitable for larger body types.
**Are buyers really going to see $6,799 worth of value from this thing before it starts collecting dust and holding laundry? 
**Buyers miss out on one major factor that drives my clients to get a massage from me: HUMAN TOUCH. There's no substitute for it, including this.
**Comparable to paying $6,799 for a CD that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, versus spending $60 every so often to go to the actual concert. 


If you'd like, just pay me $6,799 and I'll be happy to give you a massage every day for 113 days. I'd be thrilled to take part in a study comparing the use of this fake massager every day, versus a real massage every day for the same amount of time and cost. Sure, some might argue that after 113 days, the value in the chair goes on, but I contend it to be gathering dust by then. And those receiving real massage would be flying high on cloud 9. 


What do YOU think?

Upcoming Improvements

Wow, a lot has been going on lately! A few of my clients already know that I've been plugging away at a whole new website. The good news is, it's almost ready to launch. The bad news is, I think it needs to wait a little longer to launch until my other improvements are ready to go also.


What does that mean? A LOT.


I'm nearly caught in limbo now. My next moves are dependent upon some incoming dollars I am expecting. Once I see some green, there will be a new logo, a new slogan, and a flux of new marketing: business cards, signs, magnets, postcards, the whole shabang.


And let's not forget some of the best news! Jeana, the therapist I've been sharing my massage room with at Heidi's Too, will be moving her business elsewhere in just over a week. The fantastic part is I will now have my room all to myself! Clients coming in for treatments in the next few weeks will be seeing lots of these changes gradually take place. I will be painting the room and refurnishing it with only myself and my clients in mind. It will be gorgeous when I'm done, I can hardly wait!

2009 Services, Business/Marketing, Client Statistics Completed!

Have you been at the edge of your seat waiting for me to get this posted? I'm so happy to say that it's done, and am wishing I started with this bit of information first, rather than my bookkeeping statistics, since this information was much easier to tally up.


You can now click here to (hopefully) see how you rank against the rest of my clients among lots of categories and demographics. I left vowels out of lots of the categories to save on spreadsheet real estate, so I'll list everything here so you have a better idea of just what the numbers are representing. Please let me know if you are unable to access the file, I'm still figuring out Google Documents. I may still need to recreate it into a new file so more people can get to it, as I understand, not many people have Microsoft Works on their computers (except for me!).



The list starts with appointment times: 3-4p, 4-5p, 5-6p,  6-7p, 7-8p;
Day or the week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday;
Returning Clients;
How long the massage session was: 30minute, 45minute, 60minute, 75minute, 90minute;
Spa treatments: Bodywrap, Body Mask & Wrap, Mask, Toning, Skin Polish, Bodywrap & Massage, Skin Polish & Massage, Hand & Foot Polish & Massage, Body Mask & Massage, Add-Ons, Retail Products Sold;
Transaction information: Trade, Gift Certificate Sold, Package Sold, Complimentary Gift Certificate/Coupon Redeem, Gift Certificate Redeem, Package Redeem, Cash, Check, Credit, Debit, American Specialty Health (HealthNet insurance massage benefit), Private Insurance (car accidents), No Tip, Tip<$5, Tip<$10, Tip<$15, Tip<$20, Tip>$20;
Booking information: Rebook Yes/No, Same Day Appointment Booked, Same Day Appointment Cancellation,  No Show Appointment, Sunday Appointment Request, Tuesday Appointment Request, Thursday Appointment Request, Saturday Appointment Request, Same Day Appointment Request With Full Schedule, Appointment Request Before3:30;
Source of new clients: New Client Referral, New Client Drive By, New Client Online, New Client Personal, New Client Miscellaneous;
Client demographics:
Male/Year of Birth/Female: M '20-'29 F, M '30-'39 F, M '40-'49 F, M '50-'59 F, M '60-'69 F, M '70-'79 F, M '80-'89 F, M '90-'99 F, M '00-'10 F;
City or residence: Beavercreek, Beaverton/West Side, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Molalla, Mulino, Oregon City, Out Of Town, Portland, West Linn, Wilsonville;
Job/career information: Accounting, Administration/Office, Architecture/Engineer, Armed Forces, Beauty, Computer, Customer Service, Design, Education, Food/Hospitality, General Labor, Government, Human Resources, Legal, Management, Medical, Media, Real Estate, Retail/Sales, Self Employed, Stay At Home Mom/Dad, Retired, Unemployed, Student;
Health insurance provider: AARP, Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, HealthNet, Kaiser, MediCaid, MediCare, ODS, Oregon Health Plan, Providence, Motor Vehicle Accident Insurance, Other, None;
General health description: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, Not Indicated;
How much water drank daily: H2O<16oz, H2O<32oz, H2O<48oz, H2O<64oz, H2O>64oz, Not Indicated;
Health ailments/concerns: Headaches/Migraines, Arthritis/Joint Swelling, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Epilepsy/Seizures, Cancer, Cardiac/Circulatory Problems, Bruise Easily, Osteoporosis, Varicose Veins, Contagious Disease, Chronic Pain, Surgery, Motor Vehicle Accident/Injury, Broken Bones, Numbness, Stabbing Pain, Pregnant, Allergies, Contacts/Dentures, Etc for LMT to know;
Massage history: 1st Massage, Last Massage within the last 2 months, M<4mo, M<6mo, M<1yr, M<18mo, M<2yrs, M<5yrs, M<10yrs;
Massage needs: Relaxation, decrease Pain/Tension, decrease Stress, Maintain Health, increase Energy, Headaches, Other, No Response;
Pressure preference: Light Pressure, Light-Medium Pressure, Medium Pressure, Medium-Firm Pressure, Firm Pressure;
Areas to receive massage: Full Body OK, No Head, No Face, No Neck, No Upper Chest, No Back, No Arms, No Hands, No Glutes, No Legs, No Feet

My 2010 Marketing Plan

Ahh... don't you love that sense of accomplishment when you finally get something done that's been on your to-do list for what seems like forever? The kids blessed me with a longer than usual nap yesterday, giving me some much needed quiet time to really chip away at my goals for this year.

What really made a difference in setting these goals, is that I was more specific in what I wanted to achieve. Until recently, my goals seemed to always be based on just a general number of client sessions per month, not taking into consideration whether they were 30, 45, 60, 75, or 90 minute sessions, or whether it wasn't even massage, but a bodywrap or other spa treatment instead. I suppose my 2010 goals didn't get quite as specific as they could be, now that I'm thinking deeper into it, but I've at least based my goals on the financial step I'd like to reach.

I'm still a bit on the fence about sharing exact numbers, maybe not due to my own feelings towards them, but more in regards to other people's feelings about income. I've never really understood why people are so secretive about money. I'll keep much of this information on a general, percentage standpoint, though I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to punch a few numbers into a calculator and come up with the exact. If you are really interested in knowing, just ask.


To begin, I had 206 total sessions in 2009, which is equal to 58% of 2010's goal of 351 sessions, based on the most commonly booked 60 minute sessions.

My total income in 2009 is equal to 67% of my goal for 2010, and 2009's total take home is equal to 66.6% of 2010's goal. I like that those numbers are pretty close, and am not too daunted by my goal of a 33% increase...so far! However, I'm also looking to reduce my total business expenses. 2009 is 117% of my goal/budget for 2010.

If I reach my monthly income goals, 31.3% goes towards business expenses, things like my massage room lease, student loans, stamps, ink, printing, continuing education, license renewals, linens, laundry, products, etc; 23% for taxes, maybe that will take the edge of my annual surprise!; leaving 45.6% for personal profits, ie. paying household bills and keeping tummies happy.

So to reach these monetary goals, I need to have 29 non-discounted 60 minute massage sessions per month, which would keep my schedule at 78% capacity throughout the year. I believe I worked in a few vacation days when figuring those numbers. If my schedule only books up to 70% capacity, I would need to increase my 60 minute massage rate by $6.86 to continue to meet my goals.

How will I keep my schedule at 78% capacity to avoid raising my rates, you ask? I've got a list of things to do and, as I found when beginning this post, a few more things to add on also. I don't want to list it all out here... so let's see if, as a client, you notice my efforts!