Service to others is the philosophy of my life; it informs everything that I do. So in 2002, after 20 years in the IT industry, a change was in order. Computer programming is sedentary, abstract wo...
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Stairway Walks 1: Yerba Buena Cove, Telegraph Hill, Chinatown
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
What: Stairway Walk #1: Yerba Buena Cove, Telegraph Hill, ChinatownWhen: Sunday 7 December 2008, 11:00 - 15:00Where: SE Corner of First St. and Market St.Who: You!I’m going to be leading the first of a series of Stairway Walks inspired by the book, Stairway Walks in San Francisco, by Adah Bakalinsky. This first walk is right from the firs...
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Gift Certificates Available!
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
That’s right, real, live paper gift certificates, with a matching envelope and a pretty gold gift box. You can purchase them online or buy them in my office. Either way, the gift of touch makes a wonderful gift! When you purchase them online, you can select Birthday or Holiday Gift Certificate.And if you purchase 5 or 10, you’ll r...
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Thanksgiving Special
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Between now and the end of November, 2-hour Body Detailing Massage Sessions are 25% off! That’s like paying for a 90-minute session and getting an additional 30 minutes free!Conditions: the appointment must be booked for a November 2008 date, and must be paid online, and may not be combined with any other offer.TAKE ACTION: Book An Appoin...
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Between Massage Sessions
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
To get the most out of your massage, practice these self-care tips regularly.Stretch. If you are getting massage for pain and discomfort, stretching is essential for you. Frequency is more important than length of a stretching session. Try setting up a reminder sound like a chime on your computer to remind you to stretch for 2 minutes every ho...
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Self-care for the Forearms
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
If you are having discomfort in your forearms, these tips may help reduce your pain and prevent further injury. Try them out, then choose one or two to focus on for several weeks before adding more.Support your forearms when you can, but do not rest them or your wrists on anything while typing.Don’t pound on the keys; use a light touch.Ho...
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November 2008 Newsletter
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Happy Halloween!Wow, the past two months have flown by! The lovely weather of Autumn is giving way to the wetness of approaching Winter. Massage in the NewsSo much good news coming out about massage in recent weeks:Massage helps reduce pain in post-surgery patients:The study, which was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and laste...
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California Passes Statewide Massage Regulation Law
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
After many years of working with the state legislature to enact statewide regulation of the Massage Therapy profession, we finally got a bill passed and signed by the governor.Starting 1 September 2009, massage practitioners and massage therapists will be able to voluntarily register for statewide certification, which would prohibit a local gove...
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Repetitive Stress Injuries and Massage
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Repetitive motion of the hands, arms, and shoulders can lead over time to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the arms and hands. These injuries are known by a collection of terms: Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), Collective Trauma Syndromes, and by the most common term: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a specific dia...
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Massage
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Complementary & Alternative Medicine
Repetitive motion of the hands, arms, and shoulders can lead over time to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the arms and hands. These injuries are known by a collection of terms: Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), Collective Trauma Syndromes, and by the most common term: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a specific diag...
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Eggplant and Tomato Gratin
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
With the end of summer upon us, eggplant and tomatoes are looking really delicious in the markets, and maybe in your garden, too. Check out this recipe from the New York Times Health section for a delicious, low-fat way to prepare an eggplant parmesan. Both eggplant and tomato are full of antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals, and they ...
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First Client on the 800
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Wow. Just wow. Beside going back to school for more training in 2006, this is absolutely the best investment I’ve made in my business.Being able to adjust the table height in the fly was utterly incredible; it let me put the client at the perfect height for whatever I was doing to him at that particular moment. I got to use my legs for more powe...
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Lazy Bear Weekend
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
It’s that time of year again - time for my annual pilgrimage to the Russian River. I’ll be OOO from 30 July to 4 August.If you are planning on being up there for Lazy Bear Weekend, come get a massage while you’re there! A lovely outdoor massage in a screened gazebo; what could be more fun? Call me at 415-424-9570 to set up a...
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July Specials
by
Paul B.
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Add a luxuxrious Hot Stone Massage to your massage session for only $10 this July! The hot stones send penetrating heat deep within your muscles, allowing for them to relax more easily. Being massaged by the hot stones is a fantastically relaxing experience, too! After the heat has done its work, the stones smooth out you...
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Improve Your Sleep
by
Paul B.4 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
What can you do to improve your sleep? Running up a sleep debt seems to be the way of life for many people, which can lead to mental and physical fatigue.
Have a regular time for sleep. Spend the final hour of your day preparing for sleep. Have a sleep ritual that includes things like brushing your hair and teeth, massaging your feet, hands ...
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Fight the Winter Blahs
by
Paul B.2 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Mind-Body
With all the shortening of the days comes the winter blahs. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fight off the blues. Exercise: regular exercise, from a brisk walk around the neighborhood to more strenuous workouts at the gym, to everything in between can help keep one feeling alive and perky! The euphoric feelings that working out provides carry...
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FAQ: Myofascial Therapy
by
Paul B.2 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
Myofascial Therapy, or MFT as we’ll refer to it, is an anatomically specific form of bodywork that is intended to free fascial adhesions, to reduce pain and restore a joint to a fuller range of motion. It is performed on a table from a medium-low height on an unclothed client, but no oils or lubrication are used. Before performing any MFT work,...
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The Experience of Knowing
by
Paul B.3 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Mind-Body
On the shuttle bus ride to BART yesterday on the way home from school, I was in a conversation with a friend, and she was asking me how did I know that massage was what I wanted to be doing, how did I connect with my clients, as she was finding that the shiatsu training she’s had so far wasn’t working for her and that she felt remote from her cl...
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Balancing Hips, Abdominals, Glutes and Back
by
Paul B.1 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
A client and I sat down to talk about some test results he recently received and how that would impact our work moving forward. I am concerned about doing certain kinds of spinal movement on him, and changed my strategy of today’s session as a result. One of my favorite things to do to a client is a Thai Cobra.As seen in this photo from www.team...
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Line of Force, Hierarchy of Power
by
Paul B.1 Comments
Posted in: Blog Posts in Massage/Spa
One of the rules of body mechanics for massage therapists is Line of Force. This rule stipulates that all of the transfer of movement from the body of the massage therapist to the client is done with the therapist’s body in a single line of force. This is done by aiming the hips in the direction of the movement, as well as shoulders, elbows, wri...
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