Manual Therapy

For over 20 years as a massage therapist, I’ve used manual therapy techniques to help people feel better. My background as a neuroscience researcher helps me understand how the brain works, allowing me to give special attention to your nervous system. Detailed knowledge of brain anatomy allows me to focus the gentle manual therapy I provide on your problem areas. When I help a person who has had chronic pain, anxiety or other problems feel better for the first time in years, I am thrilled and grateful that my life’s journey has put me into position to do this.

Here’s my story….

I earned a PhD in neuroscience studying the brain. I was attracted to neuroscience because I was curious about consciousness-- how we know that we are here. During my PhD studies and postdoctoral years, my studies focused on how one neuron (brain cell) talks to another--specifically, how the synapse, or area where neuronal communication happens, becomes specialized. I published several articles in top research journals including Nature, which is one of the most-cited journals in the world.

Craniosacral Therapy

As does every living being, I began accumulating stress from various sources, including job, school and personal issues. I learned that I could reduce stress, relieve physical pain, and improve my posture by receiving bodywork from a variety of manual and massage therapists. My research interests became more focused on integrative, complementary and alternative therapies. I learned that several talented practitioners had already begun to explore healing and optimizing nervous system function using Craniosacral Therapy, Cranial Osteopathy, Visceral Manipulation, etc. Eventually, I realized that my expertise as a neuroscientist afforded me insight and clarity into the nervous system to an extent that is rare in the world of manual therapy and I knew that I wanted to learn manual therapy from the ground up. My career path evolved and I became a Certified Massage Therapist at the Healing Arts Institute (Fort Collins, CO) in 1994. I have been in practice since then, deepening my knowledge base through continuing education classes and reading, refining technique through experience and being appointed to serve as a teaching assistant in Brain Curriculum. Currently, I see clients in my comfortable home office. I also conduct research on manual therapy techniques.

I have used these manual therapy techniques extensively for about 20 years in my work with individuals who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other problems. I worked part-time as a contract massage therapist for 3.5 years at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center outpatient clinic, the Restoration and Resilience Center. I am very grateful that the US Army granted me permission to collect self-reported data about the effects of these manual therapy techniques on active duty soldiers who were diagnosed with chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and who had suffered a head injury that could have caused mild TBI. The results of this study have been accepted to a peer-reviewed journal (click here).
As a neuroscience researcher, I studied brain anatomy extensively and I integrated that knowledge into my manual therapy practice. Being able to focus the gentle manual therapy I provide on specific areas seems to be more effective in relieving your stress and pain and results in fewer side effects. I have experience working with individuals seeking relief from a wide variety of issues including:
Chronic headache
Pain from adhesions, scar tissue, joint problems
Back and neck pain
Pain from endometriosis
Jaw pain and popping
Stress
Other chronic aches and pains throughout the body

I enjoy working with people of all ages — newborn through adult! The light touch manual therapies I use may help children relax deeply so their bodies can heal. I use a pressure of approximately 5 grams (the weight of a nickel).
During the session, a parent or guardian must be in the room and children remain fully clothed. Newborns and young babies may be worked on while they are lying on the massage table, or while being held in their parent’s or my arms. Toys are available for toddlers and younger children to play with while I work on them. Older children generally relax on the table during a session, similar to adults.
Manual therapy is by appointment only, in my home office. Rates for pediatric patients depend on the complexity of the problem. The initial session will likely be at least 30-60 minutes, and subsequent sessions may be briefer.