Taproot Bodywork Resource, LLC

Have you ever tried to teach your partner a new skill?  Has your partner ever tried to teach you a new skill?   

Recently my fella and I went to Big Sky, MT for a week of skiing.  Ever curious about the massage scene, I decided to check out the spa in our hotel, the Huntley Lodge.  Turns out the Solace Spa offers something called the “Guided Massage” for couples, the idea being that a professional massage therapist would guide each of us through working on each other.  Hm.  Four handed massage?  Someone else teaching my guy how to work on me?  A tax write-off in the guise of research?  Excellent!  We scheduled a session for the next night.

Being a professional massage therapist myself makes teaching my partner massage even harder than it might be otherwise.  (Imagine having to massage your massage therapist.)  Our lovely massage therapist/instructor, however, demonstrated strokes and a route around the table, modeled great communication skills, and made gentle corrections, all without causing the eruption of World War III between the two of us.  I was really pleased with my massage, and my partner is eager to practice his new skills.  Success!

Perhaps you’re aware of how hard it can be to get your partner to rub you the right way.  I’m sure there are folks out there who somehow manage to put their egos away, and teach or learn from each other, respectfully and successfully.  But doing so is more difficult when the ‘material’ is new to both of you, or one of you has a sore shoulder, and a shortage of patience.

Perhaps you’d like to ensure that learning to massage each other is the blissful, connecting experience it should be.  Taking a couples massage class allows you to speak your massage needs, and your partner to get advice from a cheery professional about the best way to meet them.  Your shoulder or back feels better, and your partner hasn’t been henpecked.  You’re more likely to turn to each other for massage in the future, for reasons therapeutic or otherwise.    What a lovely habit for you to develop!

Hello folks

I give you Gabrielle Roth, dancer and former faculty member at the Esalen Institute:

“For me, massage is a spiritual practice for both giver and receiver.  In everything is the seed of its apparent opposite, and in no practice is this more apparent than in the ordinary act of reaching out to touch another.  We need each other.  We each possess the power to heal, and this power can only move through creative action.  We, who have been so lost, desperately need keys to unlock the wisdom of affection and intimacy in safe, natural, and organic ways.  Massage is such a tool…”  from Connecting through Touch by Peggy Morrison Horan.

Last month’s couples massage classes were full, and awesome.  Check out the reviews by searching for Taproot Bodywork Resource on InsiderPages.com.  Spaces are still available in this weekend’s class, on March 9th, and on March 22nd.  April classes will occur on the 5th and 19th.  Email or call if you’d like to learn to connect with your sweetheart through massage, in this great class.

REMINDER REMINDER REMINDER  Gift certificates purchased in December as holiday gifts expire at the end of this month.  Do remind your lucky recipients to schedule their hour of relaxation. 

This past Monday I received a massage from one of my favorite therapists.  I thought I was being smart, having just gotten out of the car after a 2 day drive home from 5 days of skiing in Big Sky, MT.  And then yesterday I pulled my way through my first rowing practice in 5 months.  I’ll be scheduling another massage at first light.  Portlanders are all manic in the spring - sound like you?  Come on in - we’ll work the whine out of those newly awakened muscles, and get you on a healthy path through the active season. 

Hope you’re well, and enjoying the heady scents of spring.

Michelle

I’ve made a small adjustment in the couples massage class schedule…

 Back Massage for Couples classes will be held on March 9th (note the change) and March 22nd, this month.

 Class will begin at 2 pm both days.  Space is available in both classes.

Give me a ring at 503 481 0595 if you’d like to register!

Hello world!

You’ve come looking for info on my Back Massage for Couples class, and here it is!  As promised, there will be a prettier version later, but for now, here’s the skinny…

This class is designed to give you and your honey a new and nurturing way to connect.  You’ll spend time as both a giver and receiver of relaxing massage.  Together you’ll practice a back massage ‘flow’, learn to treat chronic problem areas, and get solid advice on body mechanics to keep you safe while you’re massaging.  You’ll go home with the skills to give a great back massage, illustrated handouts to help you remember what you’ve learned, and a bottle of lotion to get you started.  Learning massage together is the greatest gift you can give yourself, your partner, and your relationship for Valentine’s Day.

Currently, I’m offering the 4 hour, single session class on the following dates:  2/9, 2/14, 2/16, 3/8, and 3/22, all beginning at 2 pm.  More dates will be added, of course, as time goes on. 

 The class costs $240.  Below is my deposit policy:

A deposit of $100 is necessary to secure your place in the class.  Deposits must be paid at least two weeks in advance.  You may mail a check to the above address or pay with a credit card via Paypal using this email address:  michelle@taprootbodywork.com.  No-showing for a class will result in your loss of the full value of your deposit.   Cancellations made at least one week in advance, or with instructor approval, will allow the deposit to be used for a future class.

The class is limited to a maximum of 3 couples, and is taught in my homey massage studio in NE Portland. 

I’ve been  a massage therapist since 2003, and my favorite clients are those seeking to make healthful changes in their lives.  There’s simply no better way to do this than to learn to take better care of your body, and to increase your intimacy with your mate.  I hope I’ll see you in class soon!

Further questions?  Please feel free to email me at michelle@taprootbodywork.com.