A closer look at the principles that guide us..

Acorns of Wellness - An Introduction.

I love the balance I've found between my disciplines in my practise- the combo of movement and massage therapy to help with injuries, illness and conditions is pretty great, but more importantly, effective. But to be sure benefits continue outside treatment time, I also make sure to touch on:

- Activities of daily living modifications

- Ergonomic intervention

- Sleep hygiene

- Self-massage techniques

- Postural awareness

- And the habit coaching that makes it all actually happen.

Habit formation may be one of the most important aspects to any coaching; helping to design realistic systems with people for their lives that are easy to implement to make a desired behaviour more likely to happen. The little acorns, or actions, that if repeated consistently over time will grow into a mighty oak.

The tiny acorns you'll get from me? A sweet self-care and movement routine, customised for your life so we can sprinkle goodness into your day when and where is reasonable. Habits that'll bump up your routine to the next level to have you feeling better on the daily.

Oh, and also one hell of a massage. Be sure to include scalp. Always  include scalp ^.^

Acorns of Wellness #1 - Identity Matters.

There’s a lot of talk about goal-setting at my office.

Discussions are usually focused on a certain behaviour change that will allow people to reduce chronic pain, to balance the strains of work or stress and to strive for personal growth. This chat is important so I can best tailor both your in-clinic session and home-care recommendations to your particular needs and lifestyle.

One thing I’ve noticed is that people have a natural tendency to set sights on outcome-based goals, or goals that will yield specific results: do the thing until it’s done, like doing exercises until their pain stops, then the goal is completed… and then they forget everything about their exercises until the pain comes back.

We may actually find longer-term success by shifting the focus to identity-based habits: focusing on who you wish to become. We literally are what we do repeatedly, so if you change your self-image, the view on those habits, and our resistance or inconsistency with doing them, starts to change.

Consider the difference if:

The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.

The goal is not to start a diet, but to change your diet.

The goal is not to get out of pain, the goal is to stay out of pain.

This is a gradual evolution: the more you repeat a behaviour, the more you reinforce the identity associated with that behaviour. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become. Change in this way is a two step process - decide the type of person you want to be, then prove it to yourself with small wins.

I’m the kind of person who believes movement is the answer to a lot of questions. So here I am and here I will be, forever trying, forever practising ^.^

Need help getting started, or progressing from where you've been with your routine? Online booking is always open!

AoW2 - Environment Matters.

Clients generally have similar goals when they come to see me- they want to reduce pain, move better, sleep better, basically feel and operate better in general. Quick heads up- these goals require teamwork, ie, effort from me AND YOU! 

This is why I teach self-care habits in the form of movement, self-massage, and breathing exercises, as well as ergonomic and daily life tips to improve other influencing factors. Active involvement in your own wellness is KEY and creating habits that support your goals is crucial. 

BUT getting started on these habits can feel overwhelming when you factor in the rest of life's strain on your time, so it helps to set yourself up for success wherever you are- create an environment that makes it as easy as possible to engage in the habits you want to repeat. 

In my context, that may mean 

• strategically placing self massage tools around your home, like trigger point balls next to your bed to roll your plantar fasciitis foot before standing

• a foam roller next to your TV so you can self-massage your back while you watch

• putting a yoga mat next to your work desk to prompt you to move intentionally at the start of your break. 

• Or maybe it's assigning a firm meaning to a sticker then putting it in regular view so it sends you a message with every glance at it (posture checks and/or sips of water are my favorite for this!).

Are you ready to chat about self-care habits (oh, and also still get an incredible massage for whatever ails you)? Donut worry, I got your back! Online booking always open ^.^

AoW3 - Mindset Matters.

Has the little voice in your head been saying “should” a lot lately?

I should drink more water. 

I should move more.

I should get off my phone.

I should do my exercises

… only for none of those things to actually happen (and then you feel guilty about it)?

Creating a physical environment that fosters good habits is so much a part of the equation (check out my last post for more on this!), but it’s still up to our brains to DECIDE to do the thing - to pick up the glass of water, to get out the yoga mat, to put down the phone. 

That’s where creating a MENTAL ENVIRONMENT that encourages those habits comes in. The words with which we speak to ourselves MATTERS, how we frame a situation or context in our mind MATTERS, and can ultimately be the determining factor in our success (or failure). 

What if instead of letting that voice run away with uncontrolled thought, we intentionally repeat certain phrases, even mantras, to train your brain to operate in a different way?

I AM a person who PRIORITIZES health and wellness as a part of my lifestyle. 

I AM a person who VALUES movement as a means of achieving balanced wellness.

I AM a person who MOVES on a regular basis in ways that interest me and that I enjoy.

I AM a person who BELIEVES that personal growth is a life-long process, not a destination.

You can FEEL the difference then when you’re in an environment where your tools are readily available and your brain is telling you this script of the core values you truly want to live by (bonus points if your environment also reflects your mantras!!). It’s here where MOTIVATION isn’t necessary, only ACTION is. And every action is a point in favor of becoming who you want to be- feeling better, moving better, living better.

So please, no more shoulds, no more guilt, just more supportive places, inside and out. I hope you find my office to be one of them. <3

(That also means no “I should book a massage” either - just click the BOOKING header!)

AoW4 - Tools Matter.

The toolbox analogy is a fantastic way to describe the collection of strategies, both physical and mental, that we have to help ourselves. The more tools, or techniques, in the toolbox the better then, right?

Meh, not really.

What if we didn’t need a thousand different things to try, what if all we need are a select few tools that work effectively FOR US?

This is where LISTENING to your body, reading your own signals to recognize the things that are helping versus the things that aren’t, comes in. REFLECTING on if things may be uncomfortable in the moment but better later, or maybe better in the moment but worse later (deep pressure is NOT always the answer, folks!!!!) can help not only you learn more about how your body responds to things, but can help point me in the right direction for recommendations for self-care!

I’ve spent a lot of time trying out different strategies for pain and tension relief, from self-massage tools like trigger point balls, bars, rollers, scraping/guasha tools and percussion massagers, to topical applications like heating pads, ice packs, creams, gels, essential oils, or epsom salt, physical supports like chairs, pillows, mattresses, bolsters, yoga blocks or back bridges, as well as acupressure devices- don’t even get me started on the list of yoga mats and stretchy bands of every brand I’ve also sampled!

I can’t lie, I was even surprised when I piled all these goodies together given that I only use about 25% of them (because of my current needs)!

You don’t need to spend all the money trying all the things. I have the knowledge and the tools up my sleeve to point you in the right direction from the start!

Be sure to pop along over to online booking at www.KinesioMassageTherapy.com to claim your next session so we can find the RIGHT tools specifically for YOU 💛

When things don't always go your way throughout your day, it's important to have confidence in your routine (especially in relation to self-care!)

Things have been bananas busy lately on this end, but one thing I know for sure is that even when I feel like I DON'T have time, I can still squeeze in SOME time for goodness for my body in just a few minutes - 13.5 to be exact in this example (and some, or any, is MUCH better than none!).

Like, some content here in the form of being a fly on the wall for my movement session the other morning is much better than not posting at all because I didn't write the post I originally wanted to for today

The concept is SIMPLE, but that doesn't mean that it's EASY. But good news, that's where I can help :) www.KinesioMassageTherapy.com to book! <3