Massage & Somatics
Massage
Non- Registered (in BC)
Massage therapy is a valuable tool to support overall well-being and health. As an essential practice for body maintenance, it focuses on preventative care, pain management and supporting the vitality of the body's tissues, joints, and systems, reducing stress and fostering long-term well-being. A session involves a variety of techniques aimed at providing a therapeutic and healing experience. Intentional touch and tissue manipulation is utilized during the massage to help to release tension, reduce muscle imbalances, and promote optimal tissue health. It also supports nervous system regulation, thereby reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Issues such as tightness, stiffness, or restricted mobility are addressed during the therapy, with the aim of alleviating muscle fatigue, discomfort, and the potential for injury. The techniques used are customized according to the client's unique needs, incorporating soothing strokes, targeted pressure, and fascial release, among other therapeutic massage techniques. This approach enhances the body's functionality while promoting relaxation and improving circulation. Massage therapy extends beyond physical maintenance. It offers an opportunity to unwind, restore balance, and develop a deeper connection with your body. Regular sessions can be an beneficial aspect of your self-care routine or chronic pain maintence, allowing you to proactively nurture your body, prevent tension buildup, and enhance overall well-being. Specialized treatments, are also available for individuals with specific needs, such as limited mobility, chronic pain, repetitive strain and movement issues, scar tissue buildup, acute injuries, trauma, and more. These sessions combine targeted massage techniques, gentle stretching, and nervous system stimulation to promote increased freedom of movement and overall well-being. Whether you're training for an event, addressing ongoing needs, or simply prioritizing your overall well-being, massage therapy can be an invaluable tool, supporting health and well-being now and into the future.
Jess's Methodology
My goal as a massage practitioner is to integrate my knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics within a broader holistic framework. By considering the intricate interplay between the mind, body, and other ecological factors, I approach pain, healing, and well-being from a more contextually informed manner.
By broadening my observations and evaluations of pain, tension, and stress outside of the traditional frame of massage therapy, I understand that chronic pain is not solely attributed to tissue damage or movement dysfunction. While these factors are essential to address, it is also important to recognize that if our body's underlying state is chronically stressed, ill, and dysregulated (as per the polyvagal theory and Somatic Experiencing), addressing issues such as movement dysfunction, muscle tension, and fascial restriction may only offer temporary relief or prove ineffective for long-term pain management.
Through a holistic and integrated approach, I assist clients in cultivating a deeper awareness of their body and its relation to the broader context in which it exists. This empowers them to explore the underlying causes of pain and create more effective strategies for managing and alleviating it.
By working with the different internal senses such as interoception, nociception, and proprioception, as well as utilizing the knowledge of the systems of the body, the fascial lines of the body (as per Thomas Myers), and pain physiology, we are able to explore and more intentionally understand how ones body exists in space and time. This exploration helps us address holding patterns of tension that arise from unprocessed chronic stress responses, unresolved patterns of self-protection, and different environmental factors that can hinder our body's optimal functioning. Through this process, we can evaluate and better understand the support a body may need to operate more harmoniously and efficiently.
I use techniques such as massage, cupping, stretching, joint movement, and fascial stimulation alongside somatic tools and practices to integrate the process of healing with a more holistic mind-body lens.
I hold certificates in Rapid Neurofascial Reset, Dynamic Cupping, Fascial Stretching, Somatic Experiencing, and more.
Jess worked as a registered massage therapist (RMT) for over 12 years in Alberta before moving to Vancouver Island. She received training under the same curriculum as BC's in 2013. However, Alberta has not regulated Massage Therapy and does not have standardized entry to practice exams. As a result, her credentials cannot be transferred provincially. Therefore her services are not able to be claimed for benefit reimbursement. This makes Jess a great option for those without benefits who desire a highly experienced practitioner at a more accessible rate than comparable services offered by RMTs.
Currently, Jess has chosen not to pursue her RMT designation in BC at this time for various reasons. Nevertheless, she maintains good standing with her Alberta association, CMMOTA. This allows her to continue practicing massage and bodywork in Canada under a recognized regulatory body. It ensures she remains accountable to ongoing training, practice standards and up to date liability insurance.