What I Do

what_I_do

Each of Stef’s massage sessions is different. Every person is different – and every person may have different needs from session to session.  It is impossible and counter-productive to standardize procedures.  Stef works “by feel”.

A visual assessment at the beginning of the massage session is normal, which means a quick analysis of the symmetry of the body in gravity and out of gravity (in English: person standing, walking and laying on the table). Range of Motion is always thoroughly considered too.

Stef might use just one technique or several in order to accomplish her goal…

…to offer relief from pain, a sense of overall well-being and an increased self-awareness that will help the person to maintain what the massage has accomplished.

She might pick from Myofascia Release Techniques, Sports Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Propioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, Myoskeletal Realignment Techniques, Orthopedic Massage Techniques, classic Swedish massage strokes, Active and Passive Stretching, etc.

Stefania Caldwell is also trained in Lymph Drainage Therapy, a wonderful modality to help serious conditions like Lymphedema as well as a great way to detox the body. The lymphatic system  belongs to the circulatory apparatus: through arteries the oxygen rich blood leaves the heart and through the venous and lymphatic pathways it returns to the heart. Lymph is a fluid which originates in the connective tissue spaces of the body and is a system with slow rhythm, low velocity and low pressure. It is designed to finely tune the capillary filtrate in the tissues and reabsorbs the “overflow” of water and excess substances in the interstitial environment. The protein-rich filtrate needs to be reabsorbed and leave the tissues, otherwise edema develops. Even in healthy subjects edema can develop and toxicity in the body is very common… That’s why everybody can benefit from a Lymphatic Drainage session. Just come very hydrated and keep drinking water after the session to maximize the “flush”!

I start considering the body as a tensile structure, just like the Golden Gate Bridge, where muscles allow bones to be the scaffolding of our bodies (without muscles all our bones would be an insignificant heap on the floor in a bag of skin…). As a natural consequence, my focus is to loosen up muscles so that bones and joints can work correctly, sliding on each other the way God meant them to perform. When muscle tightness gets in the way, our joints move out of their natural alignment, literally eating away cartilage and opening up the way to all kind of inflammatory and/or degenerative processes commonly afflicting the joints.…. 

In case of fever and contagious diseases massage is contraindicated. For any other serious medical conditions, your physician clearance to bodywork is highly recommended.

When soft tissue pathologies are involved, Orthopedic Massage works and works fast, that’s why it has been decided over the years not to offer any kind of packages in the name of fairness. Even the maintenance program is so customized that there is no telling.. I like for my client to grow in awareness of their bodies and learn to pay attention to their needs, trusting that innate intuition of ourselves we all have.

Come and feel the difference!

Please be respectful of my time and of other people’s right to get on the table. Cancelling a service without a 24-hour notice is very unfortunate for many reasons! A no-show will be charged at the full rate of the scheduled session.