Meet Olena Fosforova, Massage and Bodywork Therapist

Olena Fosforova is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the owner of Olea Inc, where therapists use muscle testing within massage therapy, which is effective in treating various musculoskeletal problems like back pain, carpal tunnel, and headaches. She has a special interest in providing NeuroKinetic Therapy.

1. What drew you to the field of massage therapy?

I was fortunate to be introduced to massage therapy very early in my life. My grandmother, who was both a nurse and a massage therapist (holistic medicine works hand in hand with modern medicine in Eastern Europe), spoiled me with massages even before I could walk. Later in life, I saw how my grandmother's touch carried a great healing power for other people in need.

These experiences instilled in me both the belief that massage is one of life's greatest pleasures, and a desire to help others. I knew I wanted to receive a professional massage therapy education.

2. Are there some common sources of pain experienced by people who seek out massage therapy?

Lower back pain and neck pain are the main ones we see, often in people who are desk workers. But it varies a lot. People who are active have knee and hip problems. People who work in the service industry have a lot of shoulder and wrist issues. That's what makes my job interesting: solving different pain-related difficulties every day.

3. What is NeuroKinetic Therapy?

It is a corrective movement system which addresses the cause of pain: dysfunctional movement patterns stored in the brain. Simply put, this system is based on relationships within your body. Muscle testing is performed to find which functions of the muscular system have been compromised and to help us treat the compensating areas.

4. What benefits have you been seeing in your clients who have experienced NeuroKinetic Therapy?

A lot of times, palpating and the symptoms that clients complain about will give you a wrong picture of where to massage. NeuroKinetic therapy will bring you right to the root of the pain and the number of treatments is significantly minimized. For example, people who had X-rays, MRIs, and doctors' evaluations that didn't help them have come to me to with hope, and we are able to significally relieve pain after one session. People just don't realize that most of the pain they experience outside of the gut area is caused by muscular imbalances.

5. For people who haven't tried massage therapy before and aren't sure if it's right for them, what's your advice?

I always feel sorry for people who spend a lot of the hard-earned money on tests and therapies that don't help. I always recommend that clients see a massage therapist first, to rule out muscular issues. Conditions that a knowledgeable massage therapist can actually help with include but are not limited to: headaches/migraines, neck and back pain, shooting pain down the arm/down the leg, sciatica, tennis elbow/golfer's elbow, tendonitis, pain from bulging disk, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, IT-Band issues, TMJD, spasming/cramping, arthritis pain, breathing problems, range of motion increase, frozen shoulder, and and and! It will be cheaper and less invasive to see a massage therapist for one thing, and if it helps, you saved yourself a lot of pain, time, and money.

Thanks, Olena!

Introducing Postnatal Massage Singapore

If you are in Singapore and have just had a baby, you might be interested in learning more about a business called Postnatal Massage Singapore or PNSG. They have over twenty years of experience in providing postnatal massage services to clients.

The main idea of postnatal massage is to help women as their bodies go through the recovery process after giving birth. Not only does this help women feel better, but it can also help them in getting back their pre-pregnancy bodies.

In addition to postnatal massage, PNSG offers other massage therapies, too, including prenatal massage and baby massage. The baby massage, for example, is a process that helps mothers learn ways to bond more closely with their infants through touch; the masseuse works with the mother and baby in very short sessions.

There are some promotions currently offered on the PNSG site if you want to give their services a try. They have a prenatal trial for mothers who want to meet the masseuse and try the massage therapy before committing to a series of sessions. With their postnatal massage, they offer an "assurance package" so that clients who buy a package of sessions can change their minds after the trial session if they wish.

To get an idea of the services and how they can help new and soon-to-be mothers, the testimonials page on the website is especially interesting as you get a first-hand perspective about the value of massage for healing the body during and after pregnancy.

Introducing Spa Flow Mobile Massage of Atlanta Georgia

At my day job, there are mobile massage therapists who come to our workplace to offer chair massage, and I've seen chair massage at the airport, too. So I'm familiar with the idea of massage therapists who travel to residential and business locations to provide massage. But what I haven't heard of before is the idea of massage therapists offering spa parties, which is a unique service provided by Spa Flow Mobile Massage and Wellness of Atlanta.

For events like birthday parties, bridal showers, and more, Spa Flow offers services like foot massage, express mani/pedi treatments, table massage, and more. In other words, you can book an event at the venue of your choice and give your guests the special gift of wellness treatments.

In general, Spa Flow has found a great niche for their services because they allow customers in the Atlanta, GA area to have access to professional massage therapists while avoiding traffic, finding a place to park, etc. Plus, if you want a massage to be a stress-relieving activity, it makes sense to have a massage in the restful comfort of your own home. Reservations are generally available within 24 hours, and same-day appointments are sometimes available, too.

Learn more about Spa Flow by visiting their Facebook page and checking out the video below.

Meet Nourhy of NowStudio

Nourhy has been in the holistic field for over 13 years and her mission is to help find healing through relaxation. She practices massage and other healing arts at NowStudio in Chicago.

1. How did you decide on the name NowStudio for your business?

I actually had a hard time thinking of a name, but my first private office was on Webster Avenue, so I thought an acroynm "Nourhy On Webster" would be fun. But really it started making a lot of sense as I want people to feel "present" in the moment when they are with me in the studio, so it's really an appropriate name. NowStudio is about being and feeling "here" in the moment.

2. Would you describe how your own experiences as a patient/client inform your practice as a massage therapist and holistic care professional?

Everything that I learned as a patient helps me be a better practitioner. So many little things I learned that I try to tell other people to help them so they can avoid difficulties if they have to deal with doctors and other health practitioners who have never had any of their own health issues. Most people when they go to a doctor never think of questioning as to why they need to take a certain drug or do certain tests. I learned to ask questions, and I learned to say no to most drugs if I learned that the side effects might outweigh any benefits or that I might get better benefits if I did more natural therapies. You just really need to take control of your own health issues and be proactive instead of depending on other people. I try to be sensitive of those things and be gentle and encourage my clients by teaching them what I've learned.

3. How do you assist individual clients in finding the specific therapies that might be most helpful to them?

Everybody is so different, and sometimes a client might come in thinking they want reflexology, but I might wind up doing Craniosacral Therapy instead because of their issues they mentioned. I can usually tell after a brief conversation what might be the best course of action to do. Sometimes, it not even physical: it might wind up being a more talkative session, more intuitive guidance, but I always want people to leave feeling well cared for, no matter what we do.

4. What makes NowStudio a unique experience in terms of the setting as well as the services you offer?

NowStudio is unique as a setting because it's not a sterile clinical environment nor a store front. It looks like a home, it's filled with art and cozy furniture, and I have a beautiful treatment room in which I've painted the walls to look like a birch forest. I wanted to be a space that I love to come to work because I spend so much time. I love decorating and people love all the little things too. Also, working for myself allows me to bring my dog Bk to work with me. I think he brings a lot of healing energy into the room, and many people love animals.

5. For people who are new to alternative therapies (and perhaps massage, too!), what do you recommend they do if they want to start integrating new techniques/treatments for healing into their lives?

I think it's important for them to be open to trying and to really give it a chance. Read about it, use their intuition about the person or place they want to go, talk to the person on the phone if they are completely new to trying a therapy to get an idea if it would be a good match, and be open when they go to really listen to what the therapist has to tell them. What's the point of going if you're afraid? Many people try things because they heard it was good but were too afraid like getting acupunture. If you really hate needles, then that's not going to work for you. You have to find something that you feel could work. Like reflexology is good for people who are afraid of needles because like acupuncture it deals with the meridans. CranioSacral Therapy is more gentle then the cracking that a chiropractor might do so that might be good for a person who needs a gentle touch. It's also about finding the right therapists, too; just because someone does the work doesn't mean they are good for you. Call them and talk to them and again use your intuition about seeing if they are a good match for you. Again, the most important thing is to be open about trying something because if you really want healing in your life, you have to want it wholeheartedly. Healing can not happen if you're not ready.

Thanks, Nourhy!