Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/259468
A B M P C e r t i f i e d C e n t r a l , i t 's w h e r e y o u w a n t t o b e : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 27 director and owner of Lotus Palm School of Thai Yoga Massage. "Increasing range of movement, circulation, detoxing, and unblocking energy are just a few of its benefi ts." "Originally, it was done to help prepare Buddhist monks to sit all day and meditate," Hilliard adds. "In a cultural context, it wasn't appropriate to do that while unclothed." Today, Thai massage is still performed while clients are clothed. It's particularly good for busy professionals who don't have time to shower before returning to work and for people with sensitive skin who may not tolerate oils. And, of course, for monks and others with a full day of sitting ahead of them. 8. BELLANINA FACELIFT MASSAGE Don't confuse a "facelift massage" with a facial, warns Nina Howard, founder of the Bellanina Institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.belavi.com), and creator of the technique. "It's fairly involved. We start on the feet, doing Thai massage, then passive joint movement along the legs. We do some stretching of the arms and wrists, helping the client to loosen up before we start to work on the face." The client remains clothed, with the addition of a wrap to cover the upper body and leave the shoulders bare, because the massage uses oil on the face and neck. The technique is especially popular among older women, Howard says. "This is wonderful for women who may not feel comfortable getting a full- body therapeutic massage. They're covered. They feel comfortable. And their skin ends up glowing and they can see visible results. Plus, it's so relaxing." 9. CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle modality, developed by osteopathic physician John Upledger, that can be performed with the client fully dressed, on a massage table, or even in a wheelchair. The modality aims to release restrictions in the membranes and cerebrospinal fl uid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. CST clients report improvement for a wide range of complaints, including headaches, neck and back pain, temporomandibular joint disorders, central nervous system disorders, motor- coordination impairments, and orthopedic problems. Learn more at www.upledger.com. 10. ROLFING Rolfi ng, the technique pioneered by Ida Rolf, is a means of "resculpting" the body's structural and movement patterns to correct painful imbalances, says Michael Polon, a faculty member at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado (www.rolf.org). Movement-related work in this modality is performed in loose-fi tting clothing, although structural work is traditionally done with the client wearing just underclothes. Rolfi ng can be a good option for clients who prefer a slightly greater level of privacy compared to fully unclothed bodywork. Rebecca Jones is a tenured Massage & Bodywork freelance writer. She lives and writes in Denver, Colorado. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net. TEN FOR TODAY