TRADITIONAL lomi lomi Massage
therapeutic bodywork
FOR wellness& injury treatment

"Your massage helps me to inhabit all parts of my body and to feel that they are all my body and that they belong to me.  I don't want to give up on them, or not inhabit them in some way.  I want to get better and be the best I am and I also want to accept the way I am.  Thats a strange kind of paradox."
~~ Jana Ostrom, pharmacist, wife & mother, who was hit by a fast moving car while crossing a street at an intersection

INTENT:  I offer spiritually grounded, traditional lomi lomi massage with a problem solving focus designed to relieve or eliminate physical and sometimes emotional pain you may be experiencing, and to help you move more easily and freely.  This session provides you with the opportunity to become more present in your body as it supports you in developing more body awareness that can last long after the session is complete.  

My massage is sought by people experiencing pain and movement limitation caused by illness and chronic health conditions, by people recovering from accidents or injuries, as well as by people simply wishing to nurture the overall well-being of their body, mind and spirit.  This special work provides a way to ease emotional pain when you’ve experienced a loss such as death of a loved one or pet, or loss or challenges related to relationships, family, friends, health and/or work.

Using lomi lomi massage I have helped people experiencing arthritis, many varieties of joint pain, knee, hip and shoulder replacements, whiplash, Parkinson’s disease, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, sciatica, strokes, HIV, and more.

WORK DONE: We will begin the session by identifying problems from which you would like relief.  We may assess and explore movement of your limbs, pelvis and spine before you get on the table and repeat this movement exploration at the end the session to note the improvements achieved.

Once you are on the table, you will receive a full body treatment.  We usually begin with you face down and work from the head to the feet before having you turn face up and work from the feet back up to the head. 

All external areas of the body except genitals can be included in the session.  Women will be given the option of having their full chest and breasts included in the massage. See more information about this below. I will of course honor your direction to avoid any part/s of your body that you specify.

We can also do the session with you lying on your side when this is more comfortable.

I give massage done with consistent bone deep yet gentle pressure making this work feel wonderful to receive.  I use a mix of rubbing strokes, tissue compressions, traction, rhythmic percussion, and range of motion techniques.  My finely developed, sensitive palpation skill contributes an energetic element to the session that is hard to put into words, but definitely contributes to the session.

This lomi lomi does NOT include work which causes pain caused by aggressive touch.  It does, however, sometimes elicit the interesting “hurts so good” response which causes you to moan “Ah, yes, right there, right there, go deeper there, that’s the spot!!” 

I give full body massage because I find that pain and restrictions in one part of the body usually are either caused by and/or affect other parts of the body.  So whether you have experienced whip lash in your neck, broken toes, or any other problem somewhere between the head and the feet, I still give a full body treatment.  The amount of time spent on each body part and the specific emphasis given each area depends on what your body needs.

If you come for a lomi lomi session without a specific problem to address, I will give you a soothing, full body treatment.  Even without having identified a problem at the start of the session, I’ll none the less remain aware of possible problems and apply massage techniques to address any problems I become aware of.

With client consent, I usually offer a spoken, personalized blessing at the start of the session with my hands resting quietly on the client’s body.  It is of course OK for the client to decline the blessing.  Here is a sample blessing for a client named Jane.

This bodywork has profound effects on the neuromuscular system, decreasing muscle tension and spasm, increasing range of motion in the joints and breaking the neuro-physical and neuro-emotional patterns that we tend to hold on so tightly to.

CHEST & BREAST MASSAGE: I offer the option if including massage the full chest and breasts as part of your full body massage for both men and women.  I will massage your full chest and breasts, of course, only with your full and willing consent.

Having the full chest and breasts included in a massage for people who are open to this experience feels really good, helps us breath more easily, and especially supports ease throughout the chest, throat and  shoulders.  In doing this work my hands follow the structure of the rib cage.  Unless you request otherwise, your chest and breasts will be undraped as I massage them.

Click here to see a video demonstrating how I do chest and breast massage for women. Click here to see a video demonstrating how I do chest and breast massage for both men and women.

In Europe the full chest and breasts are often included in full body treatment, but very few women in the USA have experienced this work.I invite you to try it.

DRAPING:  You will undress for this session, with the option of keeping your underwear on or taking them off.  Your body is covered at all times with a sheet or towels, except for the area being worked.  Your pelvic area is securely covered and massage of the buttocks is done through the sheet.  In addition to providing warmth, the sense of safety provided by draping provides a structured boundary which helps many people to more fully relax. 

To clarify further, you’ll start with a full sheet, and optionally also a blanket, covering your body.  I’ll uncover individual body parts while I massage them, and cover them again when I move to the next area.   When it’s time for you to turn over, you’ll again be completely covered.

While massaging the chest and breasts of clients who choose this option, I will undrape your chest and breasts to do this work.

People occasionally choose to receive their session fully clothed, and this can easily be accommodated. 

LUBRICANT: I use a cream that provides a nice balance between tissue glide and tissue catch and which allows me to work moderately deeply.  This cream, which includes some beeswax, leaves your skin feeling wonderfully satiny smooth after the session, and not at all oily.

NO SEXUAL INTENT:  While receiving massage, gentle sexual arousal including but not limited to erections occasionally occurs.  While this treatment is not intended to include sexual behavior or sexual release, I take no offense at erections, and simply keep the groin area covered and work around the area.  If you find yourself feeling aroused and/or experiencing an erection, I invite you to simply relax into the feeling, enjoy the sensation, and  allow it to pass.

I would, however, end the session immediately if a client initiated specific sexual actions or behavior.  I've never had to take this step.

Please share with me any questions or concerns you have about this matter.

MUSIC:  You’ll have the choice of listening to relaxing soft music or enjoying quiet during the session.  I have a large variety of music to choose from, and if you would like music, we’ll find something that works for us both.

LENGTH OF SESSION: My lomi lomi massage is done within a 2 hour session.  This time includes our initial conversational check in including movement assessment and exploration, the full body massage, time for you to rest briefly on the table after the massage, and time for you to get dressed, and reschedule should you choose do so.

WHO:  I offer lomi lomi massage to adults – both men and women.  I occasionally give massage to teenagers with their parents’ consent.

PAYMENT: I prefer cash or check at time of service.  I can accept credit cards using PayPal.  I do not accept payment by Insurance.