There are a lot of massage therapists out there.  With so many, how do you know you are choosing the right one?  Each therapist works differently, and while many of us have similar styles, none of us is exactly the same.  Whether you have received a lot of massage, or are hoping to book your first, finding the right therapist can make or break the experience for you.

Here are a 5 tips for selecting a massage therapist to work with.

Color is all around us.  It has a profound effect on our emotions.  Most of us have a favorite color or colors.  Wearing those colors or surrounding ourselves with them make you feel a certain way that is pleasing to you.  Maybe your favorite color makes you feel relaxed, or happy, or energetic.  Maybe it reminds you of a specific person or event in your life.  

It is no coincidence that we use colors to describe emotional states.  "I'm feeling blue", "She was green with envy", "He's red with anger", etc.  This tendency speaks to our deep emotional ties to color.  Psychologists have found that since certain colors affect our emotional states in different ways, painting or decorating different institutions in different colors can promote or detract from the work that needs to be done there.  Therefore, some schools, offices, homes, etc. are designed with specific color schemes in mind.  So, how can we use color to help us in our every day lives?  First we will take a look at each color, the effect it has, and how you can use it to your advantage.

For the next installment in the Benefits of Massage Therapy series, I am going to talk a little bit about massage therapy for people who have been placed on bed rest.  

There are many reasons that a person may be placed on bed rest.  Usually it is for a medical condition which may be exacerbated by activity, an injury that shouldn't be moved too much at first, or when someone is under observation for a possible condition.  Some people are put on full bed rest and aren't allowed to get up, while others are placed on a less strict bed rest where they are to restrict their movements and not get up too much.  Some people are required to stay in a hospital or medical facility, while others may remain at home.  Regardless of the reason for and amount of bed rest, or where it takes place, some form of touch therapy is a good idea for anyone who has to restrict their movement.

One of the most common questions I get when I have tables at events is "What is Reiki?"  Many people have heard of it, or know someone who gets Reiki treatments, but they don't really know anything about it. Today, I want to share a little bit more about what Reiki is and what it can do.

Basically, Reiki is a form of energy therapy.  The Reiki practitioner helps to facilitate your healing by affecting you energy and energy centers rather than manipulating muscles and tissue like in a massage therapy session.  Reiki originated in Japan, and has since spread all over the world.  Reiki is pronounced like "ray-kee", and comes from the Japanese Rei- meaning spiritual and Ki- meaning energy.  The kanji pictured at left are how the Japanese write the word Reiki.

It seems like I have been seeing an increasing number of posts talking about not being allowed to do things as a patient in a hospital, or the idea that hospital staff may place certain restrictions on you.  I wanted to take some time this week to talk about informed consent, it's definition, and what it means.  

Writing as a doula, a lot of my experience comes from working with laboring mamas, but informed consent is something that applies to everyone.  Anyone who is having any medical or alternative treatment done should know about informed consent.