My boyfriend goes to see Rebecca weekly for help managing his many severe allergies with acupuncture, nutritional planning, and herbal therapies. I've noticed great results with that, but that's his review to write.
What I'm going to focus on is the hour-long therapeutic massage he got me for my birthday. This is a one-woman business, and she's excellent at what she does, so Rebecca is often booked out a while in advance, but she was very accessible and accommodating in scheduling my appointment.
When I arrived, she sat me down in the reception area and talked a little about her massage style. She explained what she'd be doing, and asked if there were any particular spots where I didn't want to be touched, and where I was experiencing pain. My job is pretty physically active, so I'm often in pain over a large part of my body, and I have no massage experience beyond giving the occasional affectionate backrub, so I pretty much just told her to do her thing as she saw fit, other than a mention that my feet are extremely ticklish so more pressure there would probably be better for me not squirming. This was the most discussion I've ever had before a massage, and it really made me feel more comfortable. It's a far more pleasant experience than filling out some boxes on a paper.
Once I was naked under the sheet on her table, Rebecca came in and put on some music. I don't know exactly what it was, but the vibe was calming and middle-eastern or Asian. She had told me beforehand that she doesn't really "check in" much while she works, but that if I needed her to go softer or give me a moment for a break, to let her know. But as I mentioned, I'm not the sort to complain about a massage, and anyway, I've never had one that made me feel better with no pain during. She definitely worked me over hard, but nothing was past my tolerance. I didn't feel the need to talk very much, and she didn't try to force me to, but anytime I did say anything, she was responsive and friendly. She started with my lower legs and feet, and worked her way up, paying extra attention to the parts of my back and legs that she knew would be likely to hurt based on how much time I spend online, at work, and studying.
You know it's good when the massage is over and you need to just lay there for a few minutes and enjoy it before you get up and start moving and scrunching muscles again. From my toes to my scalp, everything felt nice, loose, and relaxed. After a bit, when I was finally ready to get up and get my clothes back on (ok, I would have lain there all day if she had let me, but that's not realistic), I went out into the front room again and Rebecca gave me a big glass of water, reminding me to drink lots of water for the rest of the day to finish the therapy of the massage. She let me hang out for a few minutes to get my bearings and "come down" with no rush, and we chatted comfortably during that time.
All in all, this was easily the best massage experience I've ever had. If I had the income for a weekly break from reality on Rebecca's table, I'd be there with bells on. (It's not that she's expensive; on the contrary, her rates are right in line with what I'd expect for an independent in her field. I'm just a broke-ass college girl.) read more