Have you ever had a massage where you weren’t sure why the therapist was doing a certain technique? Or where the pressure was too deep – or too shallow – and you felt like you couldn’t speak up?

Brian’s approach centers you and your body, and not a pre-set plan for treatment. What everybody needs is so vastly different, and can change from week to week even with the same client! In short, we’ll respond to what we find in treatment. We might stay on one area for a while, if it’s slow to respond, or if it releases quickly, we might move on to other areas right away.

More pain is not more gain! Deep pressure is a useful tool, but a cornerstone of Brian’s approach is that we’re treating your nervous system just as much as we’re treating muscles and fascia. If your body thinks you’re in danger, even subconsciously, things don’t release as well. This may mean we adjust the pressure many times during a treatment, and the rule of thumb is that you should be able to relax and take a deep breath into the sensation. If you have to flinch or tense up to protect yourself, we’re just fighting your body instead of working with it. Brian is still comfortable using deep pressure, but more pressure isn’t always the best option!

Consent is crucial. It’s important you understand what we’re doing, and why, so that you can feel safe during the treatment. If you’re apprehensive the whole treatment, it’s hard for your body to relax! If we ever try something that you’re not sure you like, it’s okay – we’ll just try it a different way, or move more slowly, or try something else.

Alongside the direct manipulation of muscles, fascia, and joints, we’re also exploring sensation in your body and building your skills of body awareness. Brian will often give cues to help you notice and describe sensations as they arise, or to try different breathing techniques to help your response to treatment.

Brian’s original background is in science, and he cares deeply about evidence-based practice. We will root any ongoing treatment plans in results. If we try an approach that isn’t working, it just means we learned something, and we’ll adapt and try something else right away. If Brian ever doesn’t have the skills or experience needed to treat your symptoms, he’s happy to refer out to other practitioners to try to help you find the care you need.