Therapeutic Massage

“Massage is not a question of your right to pure self-indulgence. It is a matter of survival,” explains one of the most sought after Massage Therapists in Ann Arbor. “It’s your body and brain’s natural instinct to restore balance and energy to improve every aspect of your life.”

We are inundated by all these stress factors of our modern life that produce cortisol. Whether you’re late getting your kids to school, or stuck in traffic, late to work or late to the party, a complex biological cascade flows through your body, causing your adrenals to secrete cortisol.

This is the fight or flight response that unleashes a flood of glucose to supply your large muscles with immediate energy. Left untreated, this unrelenting torrent of cortisol production from stress and the resulting complex hormonal response may typically lead to sleeplessness, headaches, and digestive problems.

“Constant cortisol release day after day dramatically increases blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. A continuous stimulation of cortisol also works to mobilize triglycerides from storage and transform them to visceral fat cells and drive the development of mature fat cells. In other words,” says the veteran Ann Arbor massage therapist, “unrelenting stress can make you gain weight and drive you towards obesity.”

“But, come on, really, can a relaxing expert massage counter these hormonal responses and offer effective relief to the stresses of life?

“It’s a fair question,” Heidi responds. “And the answer is: Yes! Medical research documents this. You don’t just deserve a relaxing massage. You need one.”

“Significant decreases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and salivary cortisol levels have all been measured as the result of the simple act of lying on the massage table when you are literally in the hands of an experienced therapist,” says one of Ann Arbor’s leading practitioners of relaxation massage. “Improvements in psychological state, the Perceived Stress Scale, and POMS Depression Scale, and the Anxiety State Scale also have all been documented as the result of a professional massage from a trained and experienced massage therapist.”

“In other words, a relaxing massage is a healthy massage!”

“From even a single session with a knowledgeable massage therapist at Thrive Massage and Bodywork, you are generating an improved outlook on the world, a way to feel better about yourself, to be more alert, calm and creative and better able to handle the next round of pressure you face,” Heidi explains.

“Unfortunately, the endless string of cortisol-inducing stress events continue. How do you cope? Regular relaxation massage therapy sessions from a massage therapist you know and trust can help you be the best friend, spouse, parent, team member, and boss you want to be.”

“You’ll be glad you took the time. And healthier for it. For over 20 years, we have provided massage therapy in Ann Arbor, our clients continue to come back to see us because they enjoy our style of massage and they experience wonderful benefits. Each massage is peaceful and soothing because we don’t promote a lot of conversation and that results in a deeply tranformational hour for our clients. When a client climbs onto our massage table they have temporarily disconnected from their cell phone, which – by the way – is challenging for some clients and also incredibly rewarding and restorative. We all need a break from our lives. We are honored to be able to assist our clients when they need a break and provide them with an absolutely wonderful relaxation massage directly from our hearts and from our hands.”