PlanetJoy massages: an ode to self-care & vulnerability & restoration

The truth is: people can live without massage in their lives. They can live stressed. They can live tense. They can live crunched and hunched, popping and crackling, straining and aching. They can even live that way for so long that they no longer even feel it. They no longer even register it. They are too busy. Their brains are so used to living in fight or flight that they don’t even know where in their body they feel their tension: they just live in a constant state of tension. And that can work for them. Many people feel like that has to work for them. Many people don’t understand why they would even need to feel any different.

Massage matters to me because I feel like everyone deserves to feel taken care of. They deserve to find out how to allow their muscles to soften. They deserve to know what it’s like to not have that knot that they’ve managed to live with for the past 3 years. They deserve to release and let go and soften and relax and feel peaceful even for only an hour out of every month. Even for just 90-minutes they deserve to feel listened to and restored. 

When they walk out of my door they are, of course, welcome to go back to that stress. Or, they can recognize it and decide to let it go more often. They can drink more water, breathe more deeply, stretch, sit a little taller. They can take the tools they learn in my massage office and on my table and they can incorporate them into their lives and grow and find out what it looks like for them to live from a more relaxed place. 

I value the choice we have as humans to define our reality. Our choice to insert self-care into our daily lives and to have that care that we offer ourselves spill over into the lives of those we love.  So that we can better care for them. Because when you love yourself fully you can love others without resentment. 

My work is a safe space to settle down for an hour or two and talk about what’s going on in your life that is seeping into your body and your muscles. My clients are vulnerable with me and I respect that.  I respect their emotions and their baggage and their wisdom and the lessons that we get to learn together. 

My work is an ode to self-care and vulnerability and restoration. 

Because anyone can do a massage. And anyone can live without massage. But PlanetJoy is a safe space where you can be encouraged to live a better and more relaxed life that has an effect on those you love. 

Welcome to PlanetJoy

Who am I?
What an existential question! I will give you a petit definition:

I’m an only-child, ESFP, a 7w6 on the enneagram, a Cancer sun Taurus moon Taurus ascendent, and I’m a natural romantic gamine with dramatic gamine ingenue tendencies….I have a weirdo sense of humor and I love super hero movies and poetry. 

I am a snarky girl with bohemian tendencies (I like to lie in the grass and take pictures of trees and I’m famous for picking flowers and giving them to friends and street musicians)

I’m an art model and a petsitter. Im strangely good at training dogs. I’m a wine drinker and a food enthusiast and and I love to spend time hanging out with friends and meeting new people. I have a monthly supper club and a letter writing club called Letters and Brunch. 

I love to hike and have picnics. I thrive on sunshine. I’m a Christian and a liberal. I am open minded and love fresh perspectives. I’m a sucker for a good view, long naps, country drives, independent films, & nature documentaries. I’m allergic to cigarette smoke and cheese. I’m attempting to say no to sugar more often because I’m a sugar fiend and it makes my joints feel terrible which is bad for both modeling and massage. 

I’ve just recently learned to appreciate both beer and running (not at the same time–I still don’t think if beer as “refreshing” and still have not drunk a full pint of beer, I love the tasting sizes) and although I’m still a cat person I am learning to be more of a dog person. I love the routine of taking care of a dog and it’s very rewarding when they listen to you. I love vintage children’s books and also creepy-cute things. I have a penchant for finding heart-shaped rocks. 
I am a massage therapist who loves to empower her clients to live their happiest lives and I’m a quirky collage designer and I teach people how to use magazine images to make their dreams and goals come to life. 
(If you live around Staunton, VA you can sign up to experience one of my AMAZING massages for yourself or sign up for one of my vision board workshops at Harmony Moon.

Check out my PlanetJoy Facebook page for event listings or to schedule a massage.)

I am quickly inspired, easily amused and very enthusiastic. I’m an idea person–I love to brainstorm. In my brain everything is connected or can be an amazing analogy. 

I study yoga and Ayurveda and I believe healthy is best and that people have the right to know how they can improve their lifestyles.

I believe that self-care is a necessity not an indulgence. 

Do what you love….

I love waking up in the in-between time when its a bit chilly and the light is blue. I like napping in sunlight. I like when dogs press their noses on your leg and inhale deeply and how they have to circle around a bunch if times before they plop down. I love the simplicity of tomato sandwiches, especially in the summer when the tomatoes are fresh and ripe and warm from the sun. I love laughing with a friend at a play and seeing their eyes crinkled with delight. I love being enraptured by musicians or actors who can completely transform the atmosphere of a moment simply by arranging their bodies and mouths in a certain way. I love climbing up high and sensing a shift in my perspective. I love reading something which puts into words exactly how I’ve felt when I didn’t know how I was feeling. I love drinking tea, especially with a friend when they show you their collection and let you smell the different kinds and pick whichever suits your personality that moment. I love cuddling on a couch with a glass of wine and a movie and freshly popped cinnamon popcorn. I love magical, mystical things like crystals and astrology and knowing that God has placed His power into these things for a reason and has allowed us to delve deeper if we do choose. I love napping in parks when I travel. I love tourists who ask me the best places to eat in my town. I love well-made food. I love doing dishes. I love dancing in the kitchen. I love buying houseplants. I love walking and talking under the stars. I love burying my hands in the soft fur of sleeping cats. I love quick wit. I love ideas and curiosity and brainstorming. I love playing games with friends after dinner. I love Christmas lights. I love clean kitchens. I love soft blankets. I love sitting in a warm glow and having deep discussions and realizations. I love hiking. I love accomplishing things and having new adventures. I love random drives. I love when someone grabs my hand and holds onto it for awhile. I love tenderness. I love aesthetically pleasing and poetic and sensual things. I love sculpture. I love anatomy. I love the arches of feet and the curves of spines. I love the warmth and heaviness of heads. I love the vulnerability of bare arms and naked feet. I love the adorable sleepy faces of clients when they turn over on my table and sigh, contentedly. I love bird sounds. I love nature documentaries. I love beautiful handwriting. I love reconnecting. I love hearing Gods voice in the stillness. I love stretching my body in yoga. I love eating cereal. I love eating. Hardboiled eggs, warm chicken, tender steak, creamy salmon, soothing soups…. I love making people feel safe and knowing they trust me. I love encouraging and being encouraged. I love handwritten letters. I love untangling people’s muscles and making their bodies symmetrical. I love swaying to music in a calm and peaceful room. I love the orderliness and thoroughness of a long massage. I love stillness. 

What do you love? Are you doing it? Are you making room for it? 

Wordy Wednesday: Thank you for 6 years of massage

Hello! So much can happen in the course of a week, and even more in a month, and too much in a year. Day by day it feels like not much is changing but then you look back and you are amazed by how much you’ve been through and how much you’ve accomplished. 
This is my 6th year of doing massage. It’s so crazy to think that I’ve had my own business and run it successfully for this long. One day at a time, one amazing and encouraging client at a time. 
I want to say thank you for being part of my adventure. 

I literally would NOT still be doing this without you. Even if you think you’ve only played a small part in my venture, that small part has meant SO MUCH. Every little bit of feedback has made me better at what I do. Every time you got on my table and were willing to be vulnerable with me has helped me grow as a person. 
So, I just wanted to say thank you. 

I never knew I would be in this field and I never knew how much it would feel so naturally a part of my identity. I love helping people feel valued. I love helping you feel like your body is a temple and that your self-care is the most wise investment you could ever make. 
You’re amazing. 

Thank you for making PlanetJoy an actual thing. A happy thing. A place where we can thrive together. And thank you for all the people you’ve shared my information with. Thank you for recommending me again and again. Even when those people haven’t actually scheduled, it has meant so much to hear that you’ve passed my name along to them. What a beautiful feeling to know that you love my work so much and you’ve felt so wonderful on my table that you wanted to share that experience with another person. 
Sending you so much love 💕

Joy 

The Benefits of Pregnancy Massage


Massages are not only relaxing and pampering. Massage decreases symptoms of pregnancy and decreases the pain and length of labor.

 

2 Common myths and preconceptions of pregnancy and massage: 

1. Massage during 1st trimester causes miscarriages

*Reality: Only extremely deep and vigorous lower abdominal massage could possibly cause a miscarriage. If a woman experiences a miscarriage after a massage, it is not the massage that is the cause. 

2. Massaging the feet and ankles will cause a pregnant woman to go into labor.

*Reality: There ARE acupressure and reflexology points on the feet and ankles that are contraindicated (should avoid stimulating). However it takes prolonged specific pressure directly on those points to activate them.  A general foot and ankle massage does not do this and is safe to perform. 

Benefits of Prenatal and Post-Partum Massage: 

Prenatal 

• Helps mother cope with emotional and physiological changes in her body
• Reduces morning sickness 
• Relieves headaches 
• Reduces insomnia and fatigue, promotes deeper and better sleep 
• Reduces musculoskeletal pain and postural imbalances 
• Reduces sciatic paining hips, low back, and legs 
• Relieves cramps, spasm, and myofascial pain 
• Improved flexibility, releases tight muscles 
• Promotes blood and lymph circulation, reducing toxins in system
• Reduces edema (swelling) in hands, feet, face, and ankles 
• Reduces blood pressure due to improved circulation 
• Reduces varicose vein development and pain 
• Helps maintain efficient breathing patterns 
• Promotes secretion of hormones that are beneficial to mother and fetus
• Helps prepare mother for labor 
• Release endorphins which helps with pain management 
• Reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and emotional swings 
• Increases mothering instincts 

Post-Partum 

• Speeds up physiological recovery
• Helps balance physical and emotional challenges of motherhood 
• Reduces post-partum depression 
• Lightens stretch marks 
• Relieves stress
• Reduces fluid retention 
• Exfoliates skin 
• Improves sleep 
• Boosts milk production 
• Improves circulation 
• Improves tone and flexibility of muscles and stretched nerves 
• Helps reposition the pelvis 
• Relaxation!

Benefits for Baby

• Positivity affects health 
• Helps mother and baby bond
• Releases happy hormones 
• Improves outcome of labor
• Less complications 
• Lowes rate of premature labor
• Helps facilitate natural childbirth (less interventions)
• Can make labor shorter, easier, and less painful 

*If at any time during massage you experience any discomfort, please tell the therapist immediately

This is an excerpt from my  client Savanna’s pregnancy massage experience. [You can read more here]

PlanetJoy Massage Client Feedback

Allison Sprouse, 45

I trust Joy because she does great work and truly cares about her clients’ health.

PlanetJoy is a total body relaxation experience. It’s quiet and soothing. Pressure is always perfect and if there are trouble areas, Joy focuses on them. 
Bonus: My migraines are gone!

A monthly massage gives me something to look forward to and it helps me stay on top of health concerns before they happen. 

Joy can tell when something is wrong with my body that I wasn’t aware of! True story. She discovered I needed adjusting when I never knew anything was wrong. I went to my chiro and she was spot-on!

Jacob Graham, 35

Highlights of a PlanetJoy massage: the attention she pays to my issues, the care she takes, the tenderness and responsiveness to my body. She reads it well.

I’ve had relatively extensive massage experience, but this is my favorite. Joy is not in any way overbearing. She is considerate, quiet, and I get the sense that it’s a deep practice for her.

What has pleasantly surprised me? Just how relaxed I feel when I leave.

Deb Kirtland, 52

Joy relieved some tension/knots/pain that my chiropractor could not – and the relief was quick and fairly permanent.  I say “fairly permanent” because it’s my life style that makes me have flare-ups. 

What concerns or worries have been taken care of?  Neck pain, shoulder and upper back tension is less overall.  Also, being able to sign up for packages and pay in installments creates less stress about affordablility.

What has pleasantly surprised me?  How relaxed I am on the table.  I thought I would be uncomfortable with having someone massage me, but I don’t because of PlanetJoy’s environment and JOY!

Bevin Yowell, proudly almost 40!

Did you have any objections or skepticism about signing up for massage package? At first, yes. I was concerned about $ & Time. 

What are some highlights of the experience? Pricing options are awesome and Joy’s massage skills are the best that I’ve experienced. 

What concerns or worries have been taken care of? $ and time actually worked out well! 

What has pleasantly surprised me? I find it easy to make the time. 

What is most satisfying about the experience? I feel amazing and I’m more in tune with my body and how my body holds stress. 

 

Asechiah, age 42

Joy was recommended to me by several people. The experience has been great, and I absolutely trust her skills and knowledge.

It’s a very soothing experience. Joy is very easy to communicate with, taking in account the unique set of health issues I’ve had.

Joy has helped me make serious strides in the past year, I’m very thankful. Pain has been much more manageable. See the light at the end of the tunnel.

What has pleasantly surprised me? Sense of energy has been returning, overall body balance is much improved 
What is most satisfying about the experience? It’s good to have someone you can see eye to eye with regarding your health and the necessary steps it takes to get there. Joy is very encouraging.

PlanetJoy: Feedback

Here’s a round up of testimonials I’ve received over the years: 

PlanetJoy Massages: 

2013

2014

2015

-Linda Tabor, healthy hippie badass 

-Suzanne Leahy, hospice care counselor

 

-Alison Jones Sprouse, teacher 

-Bevin Yowell, therapist

-Alyssa Grabinski, art therapy student 

-LeeAnn Monroe, elementary school principal

PlanetJoy Pregnancy Massage:

Savanna’s Experience

PlanetJoy Catalyst Collage Parties:
2014
2015

International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2017

I’m so honored to be a part of Stauntons LARGE group of women business owners. 

I thought I would share a bit about my experience as a woman business owner and why I choose to work on women: 

I am a massage therapist and I work from my home here in Staunton. 

My business is called PlanetJoy because people say they feel like they’re transported to another planet when they are on my table. 

PlanetJoy is set up specifically for women because women tend to stay busy giving and giving to others without allowing themselves time to fill their energy back up. They feel guilty allowing themselves the “indulgence” of self-care. 

My intention is to make women feel as safe as possible when they are on my table. 8 out of every 10 women have experienced some kind of abuse throughout their life: physical, emotional, sexual, mental….so, when women get on my table I want them to feel like they can actually relax. 

I’ll never forget the first time I had a woman come back to me when I was helping out in a spa downtown. She had called to specifically request me because when she had been on my table it was the FIRST time she had been able to relax during a massage due to past abuse. When she told me told me a little more about her past experiences, I made sure to make her feel even MORE secure during her next massage and she actually fell asleep. When you get a massage you are in a very vulnerable position so sleeping is the ultimate sign of feeling safe. I’m proud to say all of my clients have fallen asleep on my massage table at some point. 

I also want all women to feel beautiful and be able to understand and respect their bodies. Self-love, self-respect, and body-confidence are so important. I have had the honor of being an art model for Beverly Street Studio School for the past 9 years and I have learned from the fabulous women artists there that every body is unique and interesting and full of radiant beauty. 

We as women need to use our strengths to support other females in our lives. We can always do a little something to make other women feel loved and safe. And we should always encourage each other to take care of ourselves. We simply cannot love others as efficiently if we are not taking time to love ourselves. Strong women lift each other up. Together, we can rise higher. 

8 Reasons to schedule a regular massage

The trick to getting bodywork on a regular basis is to treat it like it is a standing appointment with yourself: it really comes down to simply committing to scheduling a regular time with your body worker. 

Signing up for a package deal can really help you get into the habit of coming on a regular basis and it’s usually a little more affordable than paying for one session at a time.

Why might you want to have regular massages?
1. Massages are good for your mental health and well-being

2. Massage can improve your relationships with others (when you’re happy everyone around you can feel a little happier, too)

3. Massages help you get rid of chronic pain and all-over tension

4. Massage can help you feel more well-adjusted in your every day life

5. Massages help you be mindful of what is happening in your body and your mind (they allow a space for you to process things in a world where we are consistently taking in information without pausing to absorb and process it)

6. It’s important to be kind to yourself and to take care of your body 

7. Massages help reduce stress

8. Massages are more affordable long-term than pain-pill prescriptions or doctor visits (preventative health care is more affordable)

List of Planet Joy’s Upcoming Projects

I have five ideas spinning around in my head:

1) finding out the best hours to work with busy moms
2) hormonal testing
3) officially offering intention setting sessions as part of my business (both one on one and group settings)
4) removing the stigma from anxiety and depression and providing a space for women to connect: encouraging instead of isolating.
5) potentially running an asyra machine right here in Staunton.

More details:
1) Working with busy moms. Massages and collages offered at times when moms are finally able to have free time. Those weird hours like 8-11 in the evening when the kids are finally asleep and they have time to rest. I want to find out when mommas are actually available! My business has always had the intention of being for busy women but my hours (11-6) are not reaching all the moms! It is time to make mammas happy :)

2) Hormonal testing. Hormones have become super interesting to me. They are responsible for so much and can get out of balance so easily. I’d love to help women figure out what’s going on in their bodies and especially help women who are going into menopause or are currently experiencing menopause. There’s so little information out about menopause and yet every woman will eventually experience it….I know that personally when it comes time for me to go through it I want there to be someone who can come along beside me and help me figure out what’s happening.

3) Officially offering intention setting sessions (both one on one and groups) I’ve been helping people set goals and intentions through collage for a couple of years now. It’s an extremely easy way to get what is in your head out and make it visual. Making your goals and dreams visual is an incredible way to actually achieve them. Also, collage is a great way for people to use their atrophied creative muscles. (Almost everyone can use scissors and a glue stick.) I also teach how to set achievable goals. Kind of like art therapy life coaching.

4) Removing the stigma from anxiety and depression and creating a supportive and encouraging atmosphere for women who are experiencing dark times. A huge amount of women have these feelings (to some extent our hormonal cycle includes whole weeks where we feel a little anxious or a little down) it’s part of being human. We need to talk about it. I want to bring women in together who have been down in it and gotten back up. Self-care is sometimes what we know we SHOULD be doing but I want to have a list of resources for women from women– things that actually WORK to pull them out of the darkness. We naturally tend to isolate when experiencing negative emotions. Even more so if we feel like we are the only ones and that everyone else is too busy being awesome and happy. We don’t want to burden others with our feelings. What we really need to be able to do, though is to reach out and feel accepted–negative emotions and all.

5) Possibly running an asyra machine right here in Staunton. A friend of mine and I have been discussing purchasing an asyra machine. We have both used one in the past: it’s a machine which reads your entire body and tells you what’s happening, comprehensively. It can tell you what you’re deficient in, what foods you’re allergic to, what supplements would be most beneficial for you, what you’re dealing with emotionally, which parts of your spine are out of alignment. It’s helpful for so many different things: mental, physical, emotional….it’s kind of magical. I’d really love to run it for people to truly help them figure out what is happening in their bodies. I do a ton of health research and this machine is excellent because there’s no guessing what might help. Every body is unique and this machine tells you what YOUR body needs. (This last time I went I found out that what I most needed was some cayenne and flaxseed oil) I love that it’s not pushing pharmaceuticals, too.
The machine shows you a snapshot of what’s happening in your body right now and your body changes around every 5 weeks or so, so at that point you could come back and get another snapshot.

A lot of cool ideas. I can’t wait to see how they develop! If you’d like to help in any way, you can contact me here: joyboardman@gmail.com.

Allergy Season: Pump the Lymph Out of Your Face

Just a friendly reminder that spring is here and soon, if not already, ALLERGIES will also be here :-/

If you suffer from the spring sneezes, a great thing to do RIGHT NOW would be to schedule a lymphatic drainage massage for your face.

(If you’re asking yourself, “What is lymph??” I wrote a post about it!)

You know that horrible congested feeling you get where your face feels like it is just FULL and HEAVY with gunk? Well, most of that fluid is lymph!

Lymphatic drainage helps your lymph move out of your face (making it feel less puffy) and helps you decongest.

If you start now, your lymphatic system will actually not only unblock but also create new little pathways! How awesome is your body??

Lymph is great. Stuck lymph: not so great.

What to expect:
Lymphatic drainage is different from regular massage.

During a lymph session I focus specifically on your head, neck, and face.

Your head will be slightly elevated to allow the fluid to drain.

It’s extremely relaxing because the motions are very repetitive and light. I’m helping manually pump the lymphatic fluid down and away from your face and head.

You might find yourself feeling the need to swallow more and that is great because it means stuff has started moving! (Totally gross if you think about it too hard but also VERY AWESOME.)

Sessions are 15 or 30 minutes, your choice. (If you’ve never had a session before, I recommend the 30 minute session because, chances are, you have a lot of accumulated fluid!)

And, after the session I will teach you some things you can do in between sessions to help pump the fluid on your own.

$15 for 15 minutes
$30 for 30 minutes

You can add a lymphatic session to the end of a regular massage or you can come in specifically for a lymphatic drainage session!

Schedule an appointment with me today by emailing me at joyboardman@gmail.com or sending me a Facebook message :)

Massage for Chronic Pain

Do you have chronic headaches or neck or low-back pain that just never seems to go away and stay away? It can feel defeating. I want to encourage you to feel empowered when it comes to your body.

Massage is a fabulous way to improve your long-term quality of life and wellness. If you commit to regular self-care, you will be able to reduce the severity & length of flare-ups.

You will also develop an increased awareness about your body. Instead of not knowing exactly where the pain is coming from or the cause, you will learn which muscles are stuck and how you can help them release. When you know where the pain is coming from, you’re much closer to helping it leave.

Massage may not make your chronic pain go away forever but I’ve seen massive knots have melted and come back smaller and smaller each time.

I’ve also seen my clients learn how to take care of their bodies in between sessions so that they experience less pain in everyday life.

Take responsibility for your own health. You are more in control of your pain than it wants you to think. You have options. Bodywork is an excellent option.

Would you like to schedule an appointment this month? Contact me!
Find me on Facebook. Or email me at joyboardman@Gmail.com

Massage Question: Why should I drink more water after a massage?

“Why do massage therapists always tell me to drink water after a massage? And what are these “toxins” they mention?”

Massage stimulates the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is like the garbage pail of the circulatory system. It filters all the waste products out of your body.

(Which is why when you are sick, your lymph nodes swell because they are handling a lot of junk all at once)

Your lymph system doesn’t have a pump like the circulatory system but the body naturally filters a certain amount through the lymphatic system throughout the course of the day when you walk around and move. BUT during a one hour massage, your body filters that ENTIRE amount that it normally would during a WHOLE DAY! Isn’t that cool??

So, you want to flush that stuff out, otherwise it’s like holding in your pee….the stuff that should be out, stays in and can cause muscle soreness or headaches.

This is also why:
*You may have to get up to pee during a massage or pee right after

*And why you should ALWAYS drink water every day to keep your lymphatic system happy and flushed.

Pregnancy Massage Testimonial (updated!)

I’m reposting my friend Savanna’s pregnancy massage testimonial.

She was the first client I had the privilege of working on throughout her ENTIRE pregnancy.

Together, Savanna and I had a lot of fun practicing and perfecting the most amazing pregnancy massage experience.

—————————————-
Name: Savanna

Age: 27

Did you have any objections or skepticism about pregnancy massage?

“I actually was a little bit skeptical.

While I am a big fan of massage, I was skeptical about whether or not I could still enjoy it if I couldn’t lay on my back or stomach.

I wasn’t sure exactly how it would work or if I would just have to lay on my side the whole time.

Mainly I think I just didn’t know exactly what to expect so I was skeptical about whether or not it would be as comfortable or relaxing as a regular massage.”

What were some of your concerns or worries?

“I was mainly worried or concerned at the beginning about whether or not it was completely safe for the baby.

I had read some mixed reviews online about the safety especially for the first trimester.

I had also read that sometimes massage made morning sickness worse.”

(*Special note: the reason massage can have a bad rep for first trimester is that the first trimester is a very sensitive time and many women do not end up carrying to term. When something happens and the pregnancy is terminated, the massage is not a direct cause, but all the pain from losing the baby can often lead women to search for a cause. Because of this it’s important to work lightly and check in a LOT with the woman to make sure she feels comfortable, healthy, and safe.

Also, in the case of losing a baby, massage is excellent for mental health and emotional healing.)

What were you hoping would happen?

“I was hoping that my skepticism and/or worries would be for no reason and that I would enjoy pregnancy massage as much if not more than regular massage.”

Why did you choose to come to me (instead of someone else)? What made you trust me?

“I had already had good experiences with your massages so that helped.

Also I know that you are always reading and researching so I knew that you would be well versed in what was safe and unsafe for both me and the baby.

Plus knowing that you went to the effort to take the pre-natal class was reassuring as well.

But even without the prenatal class I was confident that you would do your homework and look into what was and wasn’t safe for pregnancy so that was reassuring.”

What can other people expect? Juicy details, please! What were some highlights of the experience?

“Pregnancy massage is obviously somewhat different than a regular massage, but it is also the same in many ways.

With the physical changes that pregnancy brings come a lot of aches and pains, and you need a relaxing massage more than ever.

Despite what I originally had thought, the massages can be just as relaxing as a regular massage, they are just a little different.

The “cloud” was also very nice.” (*A special combination concoction of pillows to prop you up so you can have your head, neck, arms, and feet worked on. Feels like floating on a cloud….) 

“Because I was propped up on pillows I rarely felt nauseous or lightheaded.

When I did I always was able to be adjusted in a way that alleviated that feeling.

It was also helpful that you were very open minded and always willing to make little adjustments as we went to make sure that I was always comfortable.”

What concerns or worries were taken care of?

“I was reassured after talking to one of our midwives who actually said not only is it safe but that they recommend massage and/or chiropractic care.

I was also reassured that you took the prenatal massage class so I was very confident that you would know what was and was not recommended during pregnancy.

I also appreciated that you were open to trying different things and I always felt comfortable letting you know if we needed to adjust my position, if I needed another pillow, etc.”

What was different about this experience compared to regular massages?

“The most obvious is that you can’t lay on your stomach or your back.  Other than that the experience as surprisingly similar.

The added stretches and the tummy massage is an extra perk.”

What pleasantly surprised you?

“I was surprised that despite having a different position for the massage it was really just as relaxing as a regular massage.”

What was most satisfying about the experience?

“Massages were great in helping relieve the aches and pains of pregnancy, as well as relieving the tension from stress and anxiety that comes with pregnancy.

It was nice to take an hour a month (or sometimes a couple of hours a month) to relax.”

—————————————-
Savanna’s baby, Scarlett is completely wonderful. The first time I ever held her, I massaged her head and she went right to sleep. We’ve got a connection :)

PlanetJoy’s Manifesto for 2016

I love….quirky ladies who have a sense of humor and who are happiest being themselves, I love helping people find their way to their best lives, I love indulging in the cycles of the moon and finding ways to connect on a deeper level.
 
I believe….that you can reach your goals once you’ve made them visual, I believe that taking care of yourself is not selfish, I believe cats make everything better, I believe it’s important to be yourself because everyone else is taken, I believe everyone is creative & that some people just need a safe space in which to explore their creativity.
 
I am committed to….helping the women in my life realize their potential, feel encouraged, and feel taken care of. I am also committed to sharing what I learn and making people smile.

Come play with me at a collage party held around the new moon every month. Or come jump on my table to experience complete relaxation.

Find me on my PlanetJoy Facebook page and see when I have events and also find out how you can be on my massage schedule.