Taproot Bodywork Resource, LLC

If you’ve been looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift - you’ve found it! 

Come one, come all out to Bend for a lovey-dovey weekend full of snow, sunshine, and massage!  I’ll be teaching at least two couples massage classes in BEND over the course of Valentine’s weekend. 

The dates are as follows:

Friday evening, February 12th, time TBA.

Saturday, February 13th from 10 to 3 pm.

Sunday, February 14th from 10 to 3 pm, if there’s enough demand.

**Would you like to schedule a private session?  Give me a ring, and we’ll set something up for one of the evenings…

Are you in PORTLAND, and wondering if there will be a class there, soon?  Please drop me a line - I’d like to teach at least 2 group classes there in the near future… Depending on the preferences of those who contact me, I will either teach over V-Day weekend (Sunday), or schedule classes for the weekend following, February 20th and 21st.

I’m looking for willing hosts for a class - if you have a warm space in your house that would accomodate no more than 3 couples and would like to experience the healing energy of massage in your home, I’d like to give you a discount on the class!

Questions?  Give me a call at (503) 481-0595.

Hello folks!

After 5+ years of private massage practice, I’m moving on to new adventures and sunnier skies.  In a few weeks, my partner Jim and I are moving to Bend, where I will be working at the community college in the massage therapy program.  I’ve long longed for a smaller town, a larger kitchen, and a more intimate connection with the outdoors, and I’m ready for my massage career to branch out in a new direction.  Bend offers all this with the added benefit of allowing me to stay in a state that has become my heartfelt home. 

The continuity of your care is extremely important to me, and thus I’m pleased to announce that Angella King, LMT, will assume the helm of my practice.  I’ve enjoyed Angella and her skills for three years, and have been very happy to share an office building with her since July.  Her practice is a great complement to mine, consisting of a variety of folks who enjoy the benefits of regular relaxation, athletes from recreational to Olympic, pregnant mommas needing some relief, and baby boomers and others who want help maintaining their wellness.  She is a therapist into whose hands I’ve very gratefully placed my tired body after athletic events and stressful days, and I’m confident that you will find the soothing touch you are seeking in her practice.  I’ve attached Angella’s bio - check her out!

We’d both like to ease your transition to her practice.  When you come in for your final massage with me, I’ll be able to help you schedule your next session with Angella.  Angella will be offering an introductory rate on your first massage of $50 for an hour and $75 for 90 minutes.  This is a great opportunity to try out her skills and experience her work.  You can view her availability and book online at www.unwindmassage.net, or call (503) 310-1627.  I feel very comfortable knowing that you will be in good hands with Angella…literally! 

The Nitty Gritty:

My last day in the office will be Wednesday, January 21^st.  I’ll be maintaining my regular Wednesday - Saturday schedule through that date.  There will be no refunds for unused gift certificates or package sessions.  If you’d like to get in for one last session, please do schedule soon.

Classes Continue:

I’ll also be teaching a Back Massage for Couples class this coming Sunday, January 11^th.  There’s still space for 2 more couples.  Private sessions are also available and can be scheduled at your convenience through January 21^st.

I’m hoping to add at least two more classes to my couples class curriculum in the coming months.  I’ll continue to intermittently teach in Portland as long as I can fill a class.  If you’d like to be notified of these upcoming classes, please send me an email with “couples classes” in the subject line so that I can add you to the appropriate mailing list.

Keeping in Touch:

For all you massage-ophiles out there, my new relationship with massage will inspire more regular blog posts, so please do check my website regularly, or subscribe to the RSS feed for easy notification of new posts.  www.taprootbodywork.com

I’ve known many of you for 5 years now, and I’m grateful for all the color you’ve added to the fabric of my life.  If you’re inspired to keep in touch, I’d welcome your emails.

Stay warm!  Take care of yourself!  And follow your dreams!

Michelle

 Happy Holidays, folks!

I wanted to let you know about my upcoming Couples Massage Classes - a great Christmas gift for both you and the special person in your life!

I’ve got space available for 2 more couples in this weekend’s class on Sunday, December 21st.  Perhaps you’re preparing to take off on your eggnog-fueled, multi-state family fest, and you’d really like some downtime with your sweetheart before you go.  This is the class for you!  I’m very interested in filling this class, so I’ll take $40 off the regular price for existing clients!

Maybe you’re thinking ahead to that cold weather in January… I have two upcoming classes, on January 4th and January 11th.  Gift certificates are available!

A Couples Massage Class is the one present you put under your tree that is a true luxury for the two of you.  Get a little bit closer in the New Year!

You can find more information about the class on my website:  www.taprootbodywork.com, or of course, feel free to give me a ring.

Be warm, be safe, and have a cool Yule!

Michelle

The Back Massage for Couples Workshop will be taught on the following dates:

Sunday, November 23rd, 1 to 5:30 pm

Sunday, December 7th, 1 to 5:30 pm

Sunday, December 21st, 1 to 5:30 pm

All classes will be taught in close-in Southeast Portland. 

Early registration is encouraged.  Registering requires a non-refundable $100 deposit, payable by check or via PayPal. 

Feel free to call or email with questions!

Folks, 

As massage therapists and other natural healer types are wont to do, I recently subjected myself to a three week ‘cleansing diet’.  No, this was not some militaristic fast, nor an esoteric meal plan consisting of lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and maple syrup.  Rather it consisted of a very fibrous shake once or twice a day, and a diet that eliminated the most common food allergens, as well as anything that might tend to stress the liver, such as caffeine or alcohol.  I actually found it easy to follow, never felt deprived of sustenance, and maintained my weight.  Cool! 

About a week and half in, however, I got sneezed on by a 4 year old, and 3 days later I had a sore throat.  Quel dommage!  As usual, I whipped out the orange juice, bought stock in grapefruit plantations, sucked on zinc lozenges, make some chicken soup, napped lots… and medicated myself with a shot of whiskey a few nights running. 

What a sweet way for bacteria to perish, aswoon in local Clear Creek Distillery’s McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt! 

My belief that no throat-dwelling bug could survive being doused with whiskey overcame my compunction to adhere as closely as possible to my cleanse.  My folk remedy seemed a worthwhile divergence from the stricture of the cleanse – an all-too-rare case of one good thing outweighing the benefits of another.   

How does this relate to massage, you might finally ask?  Perhaps in these frightening economic times you’re tightening your belt against rising food and fuel prices.  Perhaps you’re eliminating anything you regard as ‘luxury’.  Over the tumultuous months sure to lie ahead, however, there will be times when treating yourself to a massage will be of greater value than strict adherence to a no-frills budget.  Ultimately, we scrimp so that we can afford the necessities - a healthy body and a clear mind should top that list.  Massage is preventative maintenance for your exquisite body.  When times are tough, massage not a luxury, but an inoculation against the ravages of stress and discomfort. 

Inspired?  Do call or email to schedule your appointment!  I have several appointments available this week, but will be out of town for my pop’s wedding June 8^th through the 17^th.   

If you’d like more information about cleanses or are seeking a fabulous naturopath, check out Dr. Kelly Owens at http://www.hawthornewellness.com/.  Please let her know you heard about her here! 

The July Back Massage for Couples class will be taught on the 26^th, at 2 pm.  Check out reviews and more at my new website: http://www.taprootbodywork.com. 

Hope you are well and enjoying the simple things in life.

Michelle

PS. Got a great folk remedy?  Tell me about it!

The July Back Massage for Couples class will be taught on the 26th, beginning at 2 pm. 

 The August class is pending due to the vagaries of vacation scheduling, etc.  Check back soon for updates.

Back Massage for Couples will be taught June 7th, from 2 to 6 pm.

Can’t make it?  Give me a ring, and we’ll set up a class time that works for you, or keep an eye out for the announcement of July’s class date.

Learning back massage is the beginning of a lifelong wellness practice! By taking a couples massage class, you and your partner will:

Gain competence and confidence in the hands-on skill of massage

Become more aware of your bodies, and be able to address physical problems sooner

Have a means of relaxing together, productively!

Appreciate your mate as a partner in your health

Deepen your connection and develop communication skills that go beyond the verbal

Complement your existing intimate relationship with the addition of skilled, loving touch

Give each other a gift that keeps on giving — to your health, and to your relationship!

• Active couples who’d like to help themselves and their partners feel better after a workout
• New couples who want nurturing touch to become a cornerstone of their relationship
• Established couples who want to explore a new way to connect and communicate.
• Lifelong learners with a curiosity about the body and the effects of massage
• Couples who recognize the value of massage in addressing an ongoing health issue
• Couples who’ve tried to massage each other, and haven’t yet rubbed each other right

Now accepting registration for the May 10th Back Massage for Couples Class!

Guys, you’ll get what you give with a couples massage class, and the mother of your children will love to be massaged by you on her personal holiday weekend.

 Email michelle@taprootbodywork.com to sign up for a great Mother’s Day gift!