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Relieving Stress During Tax Season

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Psoas Massage + Bodywork Newsletter  

Welcome to Psoas Bodywork

Greetings!

The Holiday Season is in full swing and it's just as likely that our sanity is fading, our stress levels are high and that we've all changed into our "Oops, I ate too much!" stretchy pants. It's a good thing that we sat down with one our very own therapists, Michael Talbot, and picked his brain about how to stay healthy and stress-free during the holiday season.

Good news for all you skiers and snowboarders! Not only do we have your "lift ticket" to a Kirkwood discount pass, we've also included a video on dynamic skiing and snowboarding stretches. The last thing you need is a pulled groin muscle while gliding down the slopes this season. Our stretching guides will help you avoid that unnecessary pain and strain.

Psoas' very own Jen Rubinstein has offered some words of wisdom to pregnant women everywhere. Fight the tension and back pain of pregnancy with a little Active Release Technique--and just in time for the holiday season.

And finally, speaking of holidays, don't forget to include Psoas holiday gift certificates in all your loved ones' stockings. We're offering some great discounts on our bodywork because every BODY deserves the gift of massage!

Enjoy.

And Happy Holidays from the staff at Psoas!
Holiday Gift Certificates $10-$15 Off

The holHoliday Gift Certificateiday season is well under way and if you're anything like us, you've saved your gift-buying for the last minute! The last thing you want to do is drive around the mall looking for a parking spot only to push through crowds of people and wait in long lines. Lucky for you, we have an easy solution. Give your loved ones the gift of massage and purchase Psoas Gift Certificates today! We're offering $10 off all gift certificates and $15 off each gift certificate when you purchase 3 or more! Call us and get your last minute shopping out of the way! And when you do, make sure to mention that you saw this special offer in our newsletter. And then go enjoy some spiked eggnog by the yule log.
Is It Time for FSA/HSA Enrollment?

Bad Posture DudeYour Flexible Spending and Health Savings plans allow for reimbursement
of many items and services that are necessary for overall health and well-being. Massage therapy is, more often than not, one of the items covered by most FSA and HSA providers. If you haven't already, check with your provider to see if you can get your massage therapy reimbursed. If it is that time of year to enroll in a new plan, make sure you don't miss your deadline! And finally, be sure to make good use of the money in your FSA and HSA accounts by scheduling your next session at Psoas. We are here to make you feel better!

Dynamic Stretching for All Skiers and Snowboarders

You are at the mountain, ready for a good day of skiing or boarding. So slap on the planks and take off....

Slow down now.

This dynamic warm-up will have you flying down the slopes from the very start of your day. You've spent time and money getting to the slopes - take 5 minutes getting your body ready to shred it.

Please, try this warm up at least once - we guarantee that it will help make your day more enjoyable or more totally awesome -depending on your age.

Benefits of Pregnancy and A.R.T.

By Jen Rubinstein - Active Release Technique Practitioner, Sports Massage Therapist

It is a Pregnant Woman on Beachcommon belief that low back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand. While there is no doubt that the body changes during pregnancy - that doesn't mean it has to be painful.

Among other things, as pregnancy progresses, the pelvis rotates anteriorly, the uterus spills forward, the abdominal muscles stretch, the lumbar curve of the spine increases, and the ligaments of the pelvic joints are compressed and strained.

Clients often describe the generalized, low back, hip and buttock pain of pregnancy as fatigue and tightness. I often hear that while prenatal yoga and pilates classes are relaxing and soothing, and spa massages are relaxing, they just don't address the discomfort for any extended length of time.

This is where the beauty of an ART treatment comes in. ART is not just for athletes or desk workers with chronic overuse injuries. There are specific ART protocols to address sacroiliac and low back dysfunctions that make it an effective treatment for pregnancy as well.

So, if you are an active woman who is used to deep tissue and sport massage, then ART might be just the treatment for you.

For more info on ART and other modalities practiced at Psoas check our treatments page.

Meet Your Therapist -
Michael Talbot


He's been called a miracle worker by some. A magician by others. Here at Psoas, we call him Michael T. The newest addition to the Psoas team, Michael has not only brought with him his upbeat personality, but also his nearly decade's worth of experience and tremendous technique to the massage table. An active person, Michael spent his youth in Southern California, swimming, body surfing and racing sailboats and now enjoys spending his days walking and hiking in the hills of Southern Marin where he currently resides. When asked about his best massage therapy memory to date, he enthusiastically said, "Starting work at Psoas!"


 Well Michael, we're excited to have you here too!


Michael Talbot

Q. What are you reading?

I could make something up to impress you, but I haven't finished a novel in several months. The last one being The Life of Pi, which I loved. I try to keep up with my New Yorker magazine subscription, which I also love. Professionally, I'm deeply into Stretching Anatomy by Nelson & Kokkonen, a book all our clients should read and use!


Q. What got you into therapy?

I was dying of colon cancer; my doctors had rated my chances for survival around 30%. My lab reports were not looking good. I was trying hard not to get depressed about it. A wonderful friend gave me several sessions of bodywork as a present, and my response to it was phenomena--I began to heal. I decided then and there that this would be my new life.


Q. What technique/s do you use and why?

My approach to almost any problem is through the lens of NeuroKinetic Therapy, or NKT. NKT is a neuromuscular modality, meaning that the work is about removing obstacles to the proper engagement of muscles by working along the neural pathways between the muscles and the brain. Just massaging the tight muscle until it relaxes doesn't address the underlying compensation patterns that created the problem in the first place, so the pain and dysfunction usually return shortly. Using the NKT protocol, though, muscles are released and reconnected in a way that eliminates compensation patterns and replaces them with natural movement abilities. It's a highly interactive way of working, with muscle testing and deep focused massage being the primary tools of treatment.


Q. What are NKT's benefits?

The beneficial effects of the work sometimes surprise even me. Almost without exception, people who are suffering from acute pain and movement restrictions experience immediate relief. And it's lasting relief. That's why I like NKT so much!


Q. What's your goal with a client? What do you want to achieve?

I want them to be able to move with ease and without pain.


Q. What type of person or types of people would your style suit best?

It's especially satisfying for people who have tried chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, yoga, etc. to treat their problems, and who have experienced some relief, sometimes significant, but who never quite get that final resolution they're seeking. NKT is so often the missing piece.


Specifically, I like to say my specialties are the neck and the hip. People with whiplash, limited rotation, constant pain, movement limitations in the neck; also people with sciatica; those who have difficulty walking or running; people with a lack of hip flexion; plantar fasciitis; or those with painful calves, hamstrings, and IT bands.


Q. What's your favorite body part?

This is sort of shop talk, I guess, but I'm going to interpret "favorite" as meaning most challenging. It's in the neck and upper shoulder, the "levator scapula" muscle, which can often dominate things there in a bad sense, and which can easily be made worse with the best of therapists' intentions! I have learned a secret way to deal with it, though! 


Q. What do you do when you're not loosening knots and reactivating muscles?

Walk and hike. I live in the hills of southern Marin, providing endless opportunities. I also love to spend time at the beach. Our home is sited high up in the hills, with decks so it's a perfect perch for birds, from small seed-eaters and hummingbirds to crows, ravens, even the occasional hawk. I've become an aficionado. I really enjoy feeding and watching them right up close. I also garden a lot, both outdoors and indoors. I work out regularly and STRETCH every day. I also hang upside down every day to traction my spine, which has led to incredible health benefits. It's kind of addictive, hanging there like a bat.


Q. What's one piece of advice you would give people to stay loose, limber and healthier.

Stretch! Make it a part of your daily regimen, like brushing your teeth. For good health, it's not an option--it's a necessity, especially as we age.


Q. Knowing what you know now regarding massage therapy, if you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

My only regret is that I didn't begin this profession much earlier in my life. It is unending in both its satisfactions and its challenges.


Q. Any advice for staying calm and relaxed during the holidays?

Breathe, deeply and slowly.

Kirkwood Discount Offer

The WiKirkwood Logonter season is officially here and so is the powder. If you love to ski and snowboard, you'll want to take advantage of the seasonal discount  Kirkwood is offering all Psoas clients. Buy a one-day pass for $58 or a season pass, with no black-out dates, for $419.

Click Here for more details about this offer as well as to buy your tickets!
Group ID: PSOAS

Password: bodywork

April 2010
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In This Issue
Psoas Gift Certificates - Every Body deserves a great massage
Pay for your bodywork with your Flexible Spending or Health Savings Account
Warm-up Video for all Skiers and Boarders
Pregnancy and Active Realease Techniques (ART)
Meet Your Therapist
Kirkwood Discount
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