hello!

We’re so happy you’re here with us!

I have always had an affinity for learning, but not in the traditional sense of the word. I have a passion for learning skills. This excitement around skill building has led to a life full of learning and growth.

In 2003 I became a licensed massage therapist and honed my skills for a few years before accepting a position to teach at my alma mater, The Chicago School of Massage Therapy. Just as I have an affinity for learning skills, I have always been drawn to teaching others. As quoted by Joseph Joubert, I have found that truly, “to teach is to learn twice.”

Even as a novice guitarist I was anxious to show anyone else who was interested how to do what I was doing. I started showing my 16 month old daughter how to juggle many months ago. And any time I have Amanda’s ear I get excited to talk to her about my geekiest new adventures in memory training.

I am excited to plant the seed of a new skill within your mind and body and, in the process, hone my ability to create positive change in others through the use of my hands. The ability to elevate the emotional state of another person with nothing more than good intentions and the simple use of your hands is an amazing thing. We believe it is the simple ideas and techniques that have the most profound effect. All you need to do is show up with a curious mindset and we will ensure that you leave with a newfound ability to create positive change in your loved ones with the use of your own hands.

~ J o s h

t h e h o n e y h u g : )

The Honey Hug is reminiscent of those loving bear hugs full of muscle and heart your old friend would always give you. This is also our favorite way to greet each other after a particularly long day.

• Begin by having your chests touching and hands on the upper/middle back of your mate. Now nuzzle up in the nape of the others neck and hold each other there long enough to take a deep inhalation and a nice slow exhalation.

Even this intentional embrace alone can be profoundly calming and nurturing.

• After the exhale on your embrace put both of your hands in the C shaped position. This will enable you to engage your mate's body with your fingertips and use a massage technique called friction (we’ll cover techniques more in-depth in a minute!).

•When you’re both done, take half a step back and grab the outer part of your partner's shoulders with your palms and fingers, these are the deltoids!

•Simply squeeze the shoulders into your palms while simultaneously lifting upward and then pulling

outward to the sides - making circles while squeezing.

•Continue the squeezing motion down the the deltoids and into biceps, letting up around the elbows, and continuing the squeezing down the forearms and into the hands.

•Squeeze vigorously or in a relaxing manner, depends on your intention.

R e m e m b e r , a s k i f t h e y w o u l d l i k e

m o r e o r l e s s p r e s s u r e .  

• Continue your hug while changing your hand position to engage your fingertips with medium pressure (20-50% of your strength) along the inner borders of the scapula and down the length of the back.

Petrissage...

is simply a S Q U E E Z E ! If you’ve ever been asked to give a massage, you most likely employed some type of squeezing technique. The goal of this technique is to lift and squeeze the muscle tissue off of the bone; this reinvigorates the tissues with fresh blood and oxygen.

Think of a dry and dirty sponge sitting on your sink. How do you reinvigorate that sponge? First you run it under warm water. Then, once it’s warm and soft, you squeeze the sponge. When you do that, all of the dirty waste is pushed out, making space for the new clean water to be absorbed. When you release the squeeze you then allow fresh warm water to flow in. As you continue to hold it under the warm, running water, still squeezing and releasing, you begin to notice the sponge taking on a newer, cleaner, more

functional appearance. Something very similar happens to your muscles when they are squeezed with

a l o v i n g , t h e r a p e u t i c i n t e n t .

Many of your aching and tight muscles are simply not receiving the oxygenated blood flow they are craving. Our tight, sore, dry muscles cause a lack of blood flow and the lack of flow causes more tightness, this becomes a vicious circle which leads to ischemic tissue. Unless tended to, the muscles keep getting tighter and achier as time goes on. Squeezing also acts to warm the tissue in preparation for deeper techniques, such as friction.

Friction... is an accurately delivered pressure and subsequent friction of the skin over the deeper muscle tissue, applied through use of your fingertips. Friction can be safely apply on those spots where “knots” are often times located. These knots are ischemic tissue that are experiencing a form of strain, which could’ve resulted from either overuse and/or underuse. Once tissue is properly warmed, friction can be applied to increase circulation and bring in

You know you’re pinning down the correct spot only if you get into the habit of asking, “is this the spot?” or “how is this working for you?”, etc.. However, often times the recipient will immediately say something like,

“O h y e a h , r i g h t T H E R E ! ”

Once you are on the spot ask, “how is this pressure?” or “does this feel good?”, etc.. You can then initiate circles from your shoulders and hips, not from the thumbs or fingertips. Every person and every spot are different on every single day. Some people can handle quite a bit of pressure and some can hardly handle any at all. That’s why communication is paramount.

*A Note on Pressure Application: People often ask, “don't your hands get sore?!”. Nope, here’s why… Pressure is applied by using your core and your body weight to lean into your partner. So take a few grounding deep breaths before you start your massage, that’s where your strength comes from!

Be sure to pin the skin down and use your fingertips to mobilize the skin

over what’s beneath!

Compression... is exactly what is sounds like: pressing on a muscles. The compression technique is great because it uses gravity and our body weight to give deep, engaging pressure to anyone. Compressions can be used in any massage situation, however, they work best when the receiver’s shoulders are lower than the giver.

The tool used for the type of compression you’ll learn with us, is the forearm. Our definition of forearm is the lower 1/3 of your ulna (forearm bone that is inline with the pinky finger) just above your elbow. That’s right, your elbow is technically part of the ulna:)

The giver can be situated either in front of or behind the receiver, either standing or seated. Next, locate the mass of soft tissue at the base of the neck commonly referred to as the traps. Many people will tell you this is where they carry their stress, which makes this is a great place to massage on nearly everyone! Slowly lean into the receiver’s traps with your forearm. Once you have a little engagement, check in by asking, “is this too much pressure?” or “ would you like more pressure?” or “how does that feel, Honey?”. Once you have communicated and found the ideal spot and pressure,

s i m p l y r e m a i n o n t h a t s p o t f o r

u p t o 1 o r 2 m i n u t e s .

Compressions are a wonderful way to begin a massage because they help warm large areas both gently and effectively.

Warming an area properly is key to a great massage!

Tapotement... comes from the French word “tapoter”, which means to tap, or to drum. Tapotement is also often called percussion for this

very reason; you literally are rhythmically tapping on your partner. We’ll teach you four types of percussion: loose fist, hacking, tapping and cupping. Loose fist uses a loosely closed fist to wrap gently; hacking uses the edge of the hand on pinky finger side; tapping is just fingertips; and for cupping you make your hand look like a cup to gently tap the area.

Percussion is primarily used to W A K E U P the

nervous system. Unlike other tools, percussion is usually used on a limited

number of body parts. It is most effective on the back, glutes and backs of the thighs, legs

a n d f e e t b u t y o u c a n experiment using it almost anywhere and at varying speeds. You’ll discover

that...

the quicker the rhythm, the

more invigorated your partner

will feel! Because of the stimulating nature of this technique, it is good for helping someone regain

focus at any time of day, and it also helps aide in the release of lymphatic build up. Due to the stimulating nature of this technique, it can aid in the reduction of stress and quite possibly the releasing of heavy emotions. The rising popularity of a modality called Emotional Freedom Technique is a testament to the effectiveness of using rhythmic percussion on your own or someone else’s body with the intention of mood elevation.

Loose fist

Hacking

Tapping

Cupping

n o t e s

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H e a d a c h e R e l i e f 1 0 1

According to the International Headache Society, 90% of all

headaches are considered “tension type headaches”. Tension can

reside in either the mind or the body;

or both. Regardless of where it

resides, tension is something we

create; this means it is also

something we can mitigate through the

use of manual therapy. With regular

practice of these simple techniques

and progressions...

you ha ve the ab i l i t y to

drast ica l l y decrease the

d ra i n i n g effects of a tens ion

type headache.

#1

Trap squeeze 1-2 minutes

#2

Posterior cervical squeeze 1-2 minutes

#3

Bilateral temporalis f r i c t i o n 1 minute

aka: “Bear Claw”

H e a d a c h e R e l i e f 1 0 1

While we’ve laid out a nice roadmap for you here, the most

important element cannot be photographed - or even taught for

that matter. I n t e n t i o n is a determination to act in a certain

way, the thing that you plan to do or achieve,

an aim or a purpose.

When you have the

intention to help

someone feel better,

and the skills to do

so,

you become a

r o c k s t a r

to

those

around you:)

#4

R e p e a t trap squeeze 1-2 minutes

#5

Trap, levator,rhomboid thumb and fingertip friction 2 minutes

#6

“W” thumb friction

#7

fingertip friction

#8

T r a p /l e v a t o r f o r e a r m compression w i t h h e a d m o v e m e n t 1-2 minutes per side

D a y ’ s E n d D e c o m p r e s s i o n

Life is hard. Believe it or not, the human neuroendocrine system

did not evolve mechanisms for coping with the type of protracted

mental, emotional, and physical stress we deal with as a species

today. Chronic mental and/or emotional

stress has measurable negative physical

symptoms, including musculoskeletal

stiffness and pain. The digestive system

becomes less and less

functional as we become

more and more hyper

stimulated and stressed.

Feel your stress

d issipate as you

cont inue to both

g i ve and rece i ve

regular massage .

#1

Honey Hug 30 seconds

#2

Honey Hug cont. forearm squeeze 10-20 seconds

#3

Trap squeeze 1-2 minutes

#4

Pec friction 1-2 minutes

D a y ’ s E n d D e c o m p r e s s i o n

The introduction and practice of effective stress reduction techniques

is one of the most important things you can do to immediately ensure a

happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

The act of massaging someone else’s aching

muscles actually has

incredible benefits

for the giver AND the

receiver. We have

t h e p o t e n t i a l t o

e x p e r i e n c e t h e

beneficial effects of

t h e o x y t o c i n

hormone.

Mother and newborn

get a healthy dose of this elixir during and after child birth which

creates an intense bonding environment for both. During a mutually

satisfying massage experience, both people will create measurable

levels of this “love hormone” in their system. We hope you’ll agree

this progression is a nice way to shake off the

stress of the day and ease into a relaxing

evening.

#5

Breaking Bread Hands

20 seconds

#6 Breaking Bread Feet

20 seconds

#7

Bear claw scalp 1-2 minutes

#8

Tapotement 1-2 minutes

n o t e s

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Until we meet again -> Thank you!! The me ten years ago would’ve never guessed I would’ve helped pen a workshop like this. You see, shortly after graduating from Miami University I moved to Chicago and within six months, I was working on a high pressured sales and trading desk in the loop. At the time, it fit me like a glove. I analyzed data as it poured in from multiple screens while talking endlessly on the phone for hours upon hours.

I worked hard and achieved what I'd seemingly sought after; but the job ate away at me. I needed to switch gears. Big time.

So I quietly signed myself up for evening courses at a massage school in the loop. After fifteen months I was a licensed massage therapist. There was now groundwork for a new path and, unbeknownst to me, I’d also met the man who would become not only my loving partner, but also the doting father of our child. My life had begun shifting.

Making changes is always an adventure. Going from what is comfortable into the unknown can be scary. But it’s also what makes you feel alive. In our opinion, as you practice acquiring and mastering new skills you notice a consistently renewed vigor for life.

As quoted by Joseph Joubert, “To teach is to learn twice.” So we teach the skill of massaging one another and in the process, ignite our passion and hone our own skills as well. On my journey thus far I have learned how to trade bonds, sew bibs and baby wipes, make most of our household cleaning and grooming supplies, race vintage sidecar motorcycles (which one of these is not like the others?:), ferment foods, heal the world one body at a time, and I’m not sure what’s next. If you’re curious about any of the above skill sets (maybe minus the bonds), don’t hesitate to ask.

Now go massage each other!

-Amanda