June Workshop: Gestalt Awareness Practice
At Therapeia we are continuously committed to the betterment of health and well-being through massage therapy. Our intention is to encourage our clients to care for themselves by receiving massage, and we feel that intrinsic to the practice of self care is deepening our awareness of our body and our thoughts.
We are delighted to present a workshop that will give our clients the opportunity to do both!
This three day workshop focuses on the practice of Gestalt Awareness, and is appropriate for those who are new to this approach, and for those who would like to revisit the basics.
A detailed description is below:
Gestalt Awareness Practice is a form - non analytic, non coercive, nonjudgmental - derived from the work of Fritz Perls, influenced by Buddhist practice, and evolved by Richard and Christine Price. The work integrates ways of personal clearing and development that are both ancient and modern. To the extent that awareness is made primary, Gestalt Awareness Practice has a strong relationship to some forms of meditation. Emotional and energetic release and re-balancing are also allowed and encouraged.
The emphasis is intrapersonal rather than interpersonal. Participants are not patients but persons actively consenting to explore in awareness. The leader functions to reflect, clarify, and respect whatever emerges in this process. The aim is unfoldment, wholeness, and growth, rather than adjustment, cure, or accomplishment.
This introductory workshop is both didactic and experiential. Utilizing group exercises, meditations, and discussion, participants work with each other to explore ways of increasing our quality of awareness as well as working with what arises in the process. Open seat work is not the focus of the workshop.
Additional Links and Resources on Gestalt Awareness Practice:
GAP: The Approach pdf document
Join us at Therapeia Massage on June 22nd-24th to attend.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday 6-9pm
Saturday 10am-1pm and 3-6pm
Sunday 10am-1pm
Location: Therapeia Massage
San Francisco, CA
REGISTRATION: Contact Alison Raby with LifeBeforeDeath
Tel: 415.721.3371
Email: info@lifebeforedeath.net
We look forward to seeing you!
Therapeia Massage
LifeBeforeDeath Presents: Life101
What if you could live each day as if it were your last?
What if you could use the knowledge that this will end to begin again?
Please join us for an enlivening day long inquiry: Given the fact that we will die, how will we choose to live?
This is a workshop for anyone looking to:
- Increase their vitality and sense of purpose
- Develop radical self-awareness and acceptance
- Discover the passion of embodied living
- Turn towards the full spectrum of experiences in life and death
Facilitator Alison Raby has been studying Gestalt Awareness Practice and Buddhist meditation for the past 15 years. She has a degree in Holistic Health and has trained in Bioenergetics, Reichian work, Eidetic Imagery and Self-Acceptance Training among other modalities. She is currently leading groups in San Francisco, co-facilitating workshops at Esalen Institute, and working with people individually. Alison considers LifeBeforeDeath to be both her true vocation, and a call to others to face the fact that this will end, to live without regret, and to realize their dreams.
In this introductory workshop Alison will draw on her extensive background and will guide participants as they explore fundamental questions of life and death from an embodied perspective. We will learn to develop awareness in the present moment as we reclaim our soul’s calling, and enhance our sense of deep aliveness.
Death is the natural bookend to Birth.
What are you writing on the pages in between?
Life101 Workshop details:
January 28th 2012, 10am-6:30pm
Location: Therapeia Massage
For more information and to register, please visit us at: www.lifebeforedeath.net
Free Talk & Coaching Session
This Monday at 7 pm join Leslie Stewart for a fireside conversation in our fantastic front lounge…
Leslie Stewart has been guiding women on how to be the love that they seek, and live into their dreams, their fullest lives. Now a trained Life Coach, intuitive and writer, she spent many years in corporate work. Leslie has worked with hundreds of clients, and loves to both inspire and teach grounded, actionable practices to busy women who are craving to be more of who they really are.
RSVP to info@therapeiamassage.com by Sunday evening October 16th
Our acupuncturist Mr.Craig Marble takes the floor…
“Spring has sprung! :)
Spring is the time of allergies, Spring cleaning, longer days, liver cleanses, and the promise of summer.
Spring is the season of the Liver, according to Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM). The Liver governs the circulation of Qi (“chee,” or vital life force) throughout the body, the emotions, and the Blood.
Many of us have mild to moderate constitutional Liver Qi Congestion.
Symptoms of this congestion are quickness to anger and irritation, depression, allergies, cold hands and feet, fatigue, and poor digestion, among others.
Acupuncture is a fine way to invigorate our Liver energy.
Come in for a Liver tune-up in May, an energetic Spring cleaning in preparation for the playfulness of Summer!!”
~ Craig Marble is available for appointments Tuesdays and Thursdays at Therapeia Massage.
Acupuncture 101
What is Acupuncture and how does it work?
The ancient Chinese believed that there is a universal life energy called Chi or Qi present in every living creature. This energy is said to circulate throughout the body along specific pathways that are called meridians. As long as this energy flows freely throughout the meridians, health is maintained, but once the flow of energy is blocked, the system is disrupted and pain and illness occur. Imagine rivers that flood and cause disasters or an electrical grid short-circuiting that causes blackouts. Acupuncture works to “re-program” and restore normal functions by stimulating certain points on the meridians in order to free up the Chi energy.
This article can be found here:
http://www.acupuncture.com/education/tcmbasics/whatisacu.htm
Acupuncture, A Brief Introduction
In this paper I will be dealing with the ancient medical art of Acupuncture. Today in most western cultures it is considered a “new alternative” medicine. In reality Acupuncture (and its related Moxibustion) are practiced medical treatments that are over 5,000 years old. Very basically, Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles, (sometimes in conjunction with electrical stimulus), on the body’s surface, in order to influence physiological functioning of the body.
The question arises, how does Acupuncture work? Scientists have no real answer to this; as you know many of the workings of the body are still a mystery. There are a few prevailing theories.
- By some unknown process, Acupuncture raises levels of triglycerides, specific hormones, prostaglandins, white blood counts, gamma globulins, opsonins, and overall anti-body levels. This is called the “Augmentation of Immunity” Theory.
- The “Endorphin” Theory states that Acupuncture stimulates the secretions of endorphins in the body (specifically Enkaphalins).
- The “Neurotransmitter” Theory states that certain neurotransmitter levels (such as Seratonin and Noradrenaline) are affected by Acupuncture.
- “Circulatory” Theory: this states that Acupuncture has the effect of constricting or dilating blood vessels. This may be caused by the body’s release of Vasodilaters (such as Histamine), in response to Acupuncture.
- One of the most popular theories is the “Gate Control” Theory. According to this theory, the perception of pain is controlled by a part of the nervous system which regulates the impulse, which will later be interpreted as pain. This part of the nervous system is called the “Gate.” If the gate is hit with too many impulses, it becomes overwhelmed, and it closes. This prevents some of the impulses from getting through. The first gates to close would be the ones that are the smallest. The nerve fibers that carry the impulses of pain are rather small nerve fibers called “C” fibers. These are the gates that close during Acupuncture.
In the related “Motor Gate” Theory, some forms of paralysis can be overcome by Acupuncture. This is done by reopening a “stuck” gate, which is connected to an Anterior Horn cell. The gate, when closed by a disease, stops motor impulses from reaching muscles. This theory was first stated by Professor Jayasuriya in 1977. In it he goes on to say:
“…one of the factors contributing to motor recovery is almost certainly the activation of spindle cells. They are stimulated by Gamma motor neurons. If Acupuncture stimulates the Gamma motor neurons, the discharge causes the contraction of Intrafusal Muscle fibers. This activates the Spindle cells, in the same way as muscle stretching. This will bring about muscle contraction.”
There are many diseases that can be treated successfully by Acupuncture or its related treatments. The most common ailments currently being treated are: lower backache, Cervical Spondylosis, Condylitis, Arthritic Conditions, Headaches of all kinds (including migraine), Allergic Reactions, general and specific use for Analgesia (including surgery) and relief of muscles spasms. There have also been clinical trials in the use of Acupuncture in treating anxiety disorders and depression. Likewise, very high success rates have been found in treating addictions to alcohol, tobacco (nicotine) and “hard’ drugs. Acupuncture can rid the body of the physical dependency, but can not rid the mind of the habit (psychological dependency). For this reason, Acupuncture treatment of addictions has not been fully successful.
Access the full article here:
Our Building: The Historical Ties
Many people have asked us about the unique building that houses Therapeia, and we thought it would be great fun to share what we knew. :)
Our business resides in the 10,000 square foot space that is the bottom floor of what is currently the Healing Arts Center at 1801 Bush Street. The lot of land covering the block between Bush and Sutter Streets has an extremely colorful history that is tied to one of the most defining times of San Francisco’s past and to one of the most enigmatic figures in our City’s history - Mary Ellen Pleasant.
Much is contested about the details of her life because she was at once private and controversial, and therefore misunderstood by many. Below is a story we have culled from word of mouth, urban legend, and a bit of research.
Mary Ellen came to San Francisco around 1850 in the midst of the wild Gold Rush. In the beginning of her time here, she worked as a housekeeper and a cook, and was quite well known among the City’s upper crust for her superior culinary ability. It is widely believed that she was a brilliant woman, and her positioning among the City’s elite made her privy to inside information where she was able to make her fortune by speculating stock and money markets.
She was a savvy investor and a real estate magnate. Mary Ellen is known to have lent money to various business men for their own investments, charging an impressive 10% interest! She owned a string of laundries, multiple apartment buildings, and opened what is believed to be the first of many boarding houses in the City. A few sources we found insist that Mary Ellen was also a madame and capitalized on the shortage of women during the influx of miners to our City. This is, as far as we know, unsubstantiated.
Mary Ellen was also an abolitionist and is credited with being one of the strongest defenders of equal human rights. She played a key role in repealing a law banning black testimony in courts, and she also staged a streetcar sit-in protesting her right to ride…a full 100 years before Rosa Parks protested her own right to ride her city’s buses.
“Pleasant became an active philanthropist who used her money to help bring blacks to San Francisco and get them started in new homes and new jobs. She came to the aid of free blacks who were enslaved illegally in California - a free state since 1850 - by hiding black fugitives in her home or in the homes of wealthy whites.”
“Mammy Pleasant’s House of Mystery” used to sit on the plot of land where the Healing Arts Center now resides. It became known as the “House of Mystery” after Thomas Bell, the man who owned the building and who Mary Ellen was allegedly working for (although many sources claim that she was the actual owner of the mansion and adjacent land) mysteriously fell to his death from an upper floor window. Teresa Bell, Thomas’ widow, asserted publicly that Mary Ellen pushed him.
Although never convicted of Thomas Bell’s murder, Mary Ellen was forced at age 85 to move out of the Bell estate, despite her continuous assertion that the property belonged to her.
When she fell ill toward the end of her life in 1904, she received numerous well-wishes from the San Francisco community that she had been a part of for over 50 years. Her protracted legal struggle had little impact on the City’s willingness to acknowledge her for her contribution. Regardless of the controversy that surrounded her, it is clear that what she accomplished during her life is nothing short of amazing.
The “House of Mystery” burned down in 1925 and was replaced in 1927 by Greens’ Eye Hospital - a thriving ophthalmological center, which became San Francisco Eye and Ear Hospital, then Cathedral Hill Medical Center, and eventually became the Healing Arts Center it is today.
1801 Bush Street is also home to the smallest park in San Francisco. The six eucalyptus trees along Octavia street are all that remain of the original twenty that Mary Ellen Pleasant planted herself, and the area where they still stand was designated a memorial park, landmarked by the City of San Francisco.
So the next time you come and see us at Therapeia, know that you are stepping onto and into a small and amazing piece of San Francisco history.
Our Therapists: How they are different…
Five clients in the last 2 weeks have asked our front desk staff how it is that we find so many amazing Massage Therapists. We’ve definitely been asked that before, so this wave of questions and comments prompted us to write a little something about the process.
First off, we look for massage therapists that above and beyond exceed the training hours needed for a license in San Francisco… Our city’s requirement is only 100 hours! Just for some perspective, one can take a 100 hour certification course in only 2 short weeks. Currently, massage licensing is not federally regulated. California is one of about 10 states that do not have a state law mandating hours of training; each city in our state can decide how they want to go about licensing. A majority of other states require 500-750 hours of training. In New York, the requirement is 1000 hours and considered an associate’s degree! So, long story short, one of the first things we look at is where our candidates received their training hours.
Next, we put each potential therapist through the interview wringer…. ;)
We conduct two phone interviews before even considering having someone in for a practical table session. It’s essential that who we decide to bring on board can demonstrate more than just a superior “hands-on” massage. We hear from a lot of potential candidates that they “let their hands do the talking…” Let me put it bluntly; we don’t bring those people in for the practical.
At Therapeia, we purposefully choose people who can and want to discuss the cumulative physical and holistic benefits of bodywork with their clients… People who understand, and believe, that massage therapists are - in part - health educators who have the responsibility to speak effectively and accurately about the state of their clients physical bodies.
Most importantly, that this work is fluid! It can bring relief instantly that will stay with you for a day, or it can take time - months, years - to bring about change to structural issues that have taken years to develop. At Therapeia, part of our mission is to help people enjoy their lives more through the use of this tool, Therapeutic Massage. If our therapists don’t do their part to communicate the value of committing to long term bodywork, then we are missing the point.
When someone does make it to the practical portion and we are receiving a sample of their work, we try to put ourselves in the position of both the first time client and the person who has received 200 massages in their lifetime. Could we feel comfortable putting both of these kinds of clients with this potential therapist? That said, we look for folks who have a variation of skill sets, in both the way they interact with clients and in the way they actually perform massage. This way, we are able to pair different clients with different therapists since everyone’s situation is unique. We want a range of personalities as well as skills.
One last thing…we hope you have noticed that we truly are a relationship-based business. We know that our success is based on the personal relationships we cultivate. We strive to hire the best therapists, maintain connections with the clients through dedicated customer service, grow our membership and most importantly, remember that the relationships the therapists create with YOU, the clients, is what keeps us around. :D
Thanks for reading, and…Enjoy life more!
Lauri and Stephanie
NY Times: Massage benefits are more than skin deep
We love this article!! A self-proclaimed massage skeptic is the author and the findings even excite her! This research proves exactly what we’re trying to accomplish at Therapeia.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/health/research/21regimens.html
Therapeia: What’s in a name?
Welcome to the Therapeia Massage blog!
We are so excited to have our social media outlets up and running. Each one (Blog, Twitter and Facebook) will share different tidbits formatted for the respective platform.
The blog is likely where the dedicated will come. We want this to be a place where our friends can hear a little bit more of our voice…get a sense of who we are, what we stand for, why we are here and how much we care about helping you enjoy life more. :)
Let’s start with our name: Therapeia: “ther-a-pay-a”
What the heck does that mean??? Literally and figuratively? How do you even pronounce that, much less spell it??!! Trust us, we hear that a lot. And if we had a quarter for every time we heard it pronounced incorrectly, we wouldn’t be writing this blog right now! But seriously, the simple way to say it is: Ther-a-pay-a. Spelling it is not so easy. Most people leave out the e, “Therapia,” yet, curiously, they say “ther-a-pee-a.”
So, what DOES it mean? Therapeia is of Greek origin:
Directly translated it means: to care for, provide service to, and to aid in total body health; to seek complete balance in life and health, through mind, body, and soul.
To us, the word Therapeia embodies our mission as a company. We strive to provide exceptional services that help to restore your health and your peace of mind.
We want to help you enjoy your life more, on a daily basis, by incorporating bodywork into your health and wellness regime. We focus on the art and science of massage therapy…and we do believe that both disciplines are key! If a practitioner does not know the anatomy, kinesiology, and technique of massage one cannot fully express the art form that is therapeutic massage. Yet one who has studied every book written on the technique of deep tissue, the trigger point manual, or memorized the trail map to the human body may not be able to reach their client if they cannot access the creative side of bodywork. Finding a balance between the two sides is what makes us unique.
We are not a spa.
We are not a doctor’s office.
We are somewhere in between…we attract every client on the spectrum from those who run ultra marathons to the person who may never have had a massage but has chronic neck pain and is looking for relief. We can and do work with anyone who has an interest in learning about, and connecting with, their body. Whether it be the person who can name every muscle in their thigh, or the person who doesn’t know their calcaneus from their occiput, we want to help you enjoy life more and feel better more often… physically, mentally, and spiritually.
At Therapeia, it really IS about you, the client, and what your body needs that day. You’ll never get the same cookie cutter massage twice…but what you will get is a superior service, from customer service to skilled bodywork, every time.
Enjoy life more!
~Lauri and Stephanie
