Muscle tightness can disrupt daily life, cause discomfort, and limit mobility. Many people turn to therapeutic techniques to relieve tension, and one such method gaining popularity is Gua Sha.

For over a decade I've taught martial arts to youth, guiding children in movement, breath, focus, and grounded confidence. Over the years, one truth has become more and more obvious: children are under enormous pressure today — emotionally, physically, socially, and neurologically — and many don’t have enough safe outlets or support to process that stress in their bodies.

I don’t like calling myself a massage therapist. For most people, the first image that comes to mind is a spa setting—getting undressed, lying on a table, and receiving an oily rubdown to relax and unwind. There’s nothing wrong with that image or profession, but it doesn’t reflect what I do. Because that’s the dominant perception of massage, I often find myself boxed into a category that doesn’t fit. It makes educating potential clients and marketing my work an uphill battle. 

I didn’t want to separate the different aspects of healthy movement and the mind the way conventional Western fitness often does: strength here, cardio there, leg day, stretching, mindfulness somewhere else. This compartmentalized approach might build certain skills in isolation, but it often creates imbalance or even injury.

Every aspect of modern life creates a perception of being under visceral attack, and can scatter the mind- even when we are relatively safe in the moment. What we can do is improve our physical organization in order to carry on and stay healthy. Breathing is the link between the mind and body and the fastest route to improving our mental and physical state.

I have been utilizing CST in my practice for over 3 years now.  Depending on the needs of the client I may use it as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with various types of massage (Tui Na, Swedish, Deep Tissue, Thai Yoga Massage), as a way to regulate the nervous system after a personal training or martial arts session, or even as a way to enter into a meditation practice.