What is Shiatsu?

Shiatsu (shee ah' tsoo) is a form of Japanese bodywork which uses finger and palm pressure, stretching, rocking, holding and mindful awareness to restore a state of relaxation, openness, flow, and revitalization to your body.

It allows you to let go of patterns that can lead to pain, fatigue, stress, and overwhelm.

As a practitioner of an Oriental modality, I invite you to remember your place between heaven and earth, using a system based on daily and seasonal rhythms to describe your health in terms of harmonious relationship between your being and the natural world.

Bodywork or energy work?

  Shiatsu is often considered 'energy work' because, like acupuncture, the focus is on moving 'ki' (chi), or 'life force energy' through the body.

But it is also quite hands-on, and the integration with other modalities, such as structural alignment, trigger point, soft tissue, and fascia release, make it also a physical experience.

Whether your needs are localized, like with neck and shoulder pain; internal, as in PMS or digestion issues; stress-related, as with anxiety or insomnia; system-wide, as with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue; or if you're seeking an overall sense of balance, vitality, presence in your own skin, and greater range of motion in your body and your life, I have a variety of tools with which to meet you where you are. (Read more about these tools here.)

Shiatsu can be helpful with:

stress and overwhelm ~ fatigue ~ digestive problems ~ loss of center ~ fibromyalgia ~ back, neck and shoulder pain ~ stuck emotions ~ reproductive and menstrual issues ~ anxiety ~ release of tension patterns ~ headaches ~ feelings of disconnection and apathy ~ asthma ~ poor circulation ~ issues stemming from hip misalignment ~ regaining range of motion and flexibility

And so, what I do mean by, "... living in the fullness of your life?"

Think of a house ... with rooms blocked off behind closed doors due to clutter, lack of use, painful memories, whatever. Yes, you can still function with the remaining rooms, but it still weighs on you to maintain those areas... and it limits the fullness of your entire living space.

What might you do with that extra room if you had it? What would it feel like to throw the windows wide, dust off the furniture, and let that space breathe?

We humans have potential... hopes, dreams, gifts, talents, creativity, to-do lists.

You have an idea of where you want to be, what you could be doing, if only...

Ah ... if only...

- you had more energy

- you had less pain

- you had greater mobility

- you had more discipline, better focus

- you had more time

- you just felt better

If only you experienced less restriction, less overwhelm, greater freedom of movement, more room to BREATHE and just be... (what would you do with your "one wild and precious life..?")

I believe that what we feel in our bodies affects how we feel in our lives. I believe in literal meanings and physical experiences of the words: balance, alignment, centeredness, flexibility. I believe that when we do not feel these things in our bodies, we have difficulty manifesting them in our lives.

States of restriction - whether of joints, muscles, connective tissue, unhealthy repetitive patterns, outdated stories, or unresolved trauma - each has the effect of using up our precious life energy.

External circumstances in our lives may not change so easily, but our experience of them can.

Ready to make an appointment?

Call: 610-304-5120, or see hours here and book your own session!

Read more about what a bodywork session is like.

Not sure if this work is for you, or you want some clarity about what to ask for? Here's a no-obligation form...