Women's Massage Therapy
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Let's talk about Periods: Feminine Hygiene Products

11/3/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Having a period is a very normal, natural thing for women to experience.  It is shocking to me that so many people are still afraid to talk about it, and that so few people even know what a period is.  In my last post, I gave an introduction to menstruation that went over all of the phases of your menstrual cycle, and what is happening during each one.  In this installment, we will talk about your options when it comes to feminine hygiene products.  Most of us are aware of our disposable options (pads and tampons), and we will go over those very briefly, but for many the world of reusable feminine hygiene products is still a bit of a mystery.  For those of you who are looking for safer options to replace the disposables, looking for something greener, or looking to save some money in the long run, read on to learn about some of your options.


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What Kind of Headache do I Have?

10/16/2016

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Headache
When people tell me that they have or get headaches, the first question I ask is what kind.  Many people might wonder why I care what type of headache it is.  After all, a headache is a headache right?  Not exactly.  In fact one can argue that a headache isn't a condition at all, but merely a symptom of an underlying cause.  Headaches can be caused by a variety of different things, and each cause can present with different pain patterns and symptoms.  The reason why it is so important for me as a practitioner and even for you as the person with the headache to know what kind it is, is because it doesn't do nearly as much good to treat the symptom (the headache) without treating the cause.  Because of the variety of causes, each headache may require different types of treatment.  Today, I will share with you some common symptoms and patterns for a variety of types of headaches so that you are better able to determine what kind you have, and therefore better able to treat it effectively.


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Aromatherapy: Rose

9/14/2016

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Rose
Rose is one of the more commonly known and most recognizable scents, yet it often doesn't come to mind for many people when they think of aromatherapy. Roses are a pretty universally known flower know to most as flowers of love, friendship, or sympathy. Each color has a different meaning, and there is a whole language behind them. But how can the scent of roses be beneficial?

There are actually several wonderful benefits to using rose in aromatherapy including reducing depression, stimulating digestion, promoting relaxation, boosting sex drive, and it is fantastic for your skin and hair. It is important to note that rose essential oil should not be used during pregnancy, but is safe for use during labor as a means to improve mood and create an uplifting environment in the delivery room.

Rose essential oil is often very expensive, and not always pure.  Because of the high cost of production, and the amount of rose petals required to produce even a small amount, it is most common to find rose oil that is already mixed with a carrier oil.  When selecting essential oils, always remember to avoid anything that says "fragrance" anywhere on the bottle, as this means it contains artificial fragrances.  Some terminology you may come across with rose is rose otto, or rose absolute.  Rose otto (or attar) is generally very expensive, and uses a steam distillation method.  Rose absolute is derived from a solvent distillation method.  Many aromatherapists feel that rose absolute is inferior, but it has been shown to have many of the same benefits, and is often a little easier for people on a budget.  Luckily, although it is often already diluted in a carrier oil, it still produces a strong aroma meaning that a little bit goes a long way.  You shouldn't need more than a drop or two for any given use.


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Let's Talk About Periods: Introduction to Menstruation

8/8/2016

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period
Ah, the period.  We have been taught that it is something to be ashamed of, to hide away, perhaps even to fear.  For many young women, the time leading up to her first period is full of excitement and anticipation as she awaits the arrival of "womanhood".  After that (perhaps not so) glorious event, she is very quickly taught that you don't talk about your period and it is best to try and avoid anyone finding out you have it.  Today, we are going to break the taboo surrounding periods.  (Did you know that the word taboo is actually derived from the word tapua which literally means menstruation?)  Today we are going to talk about it.

I have found that far too many women do not know anything about their periods or their menstrual cycles.  Even the words seem to be a jumble as many are not sure which terms mean which things.  (Is the egg what comes out when we have a period?  Is ovulation the same as menstruation?  What are all of those anatomy terms?)  Instead we cover it up with innuendo and (not so) cute nicknames like Aunt Flow, the curse, or "that time of the month".  So, instead of perpetuating the mystery of menstruation, lets talk about the basics.  What is your period?


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8 Things Every Massage Client Should Know

7/7/2016

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Massage
After having some rather interesting conversations with clients about previous sessions with other massage therapists, I have found that there is a bit of a lack of knowledge about your rights as a client. There are several things about receiving massage that you may or may not know. Anytime I see a client who is new to massage, I walk them through what they need to know before the session begins, so for those of you who do not have massage therapists who did the same for you, here is my list of things that every massage client should know.


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Migraine Survival Kit

6/16/2016

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Migraine Survival Kit
I have been a long time sufferer with migraines.  I started getting them when I was fairly young, and they have continued and changed as I have gotten older.  At my worst, I was getting 3-4 migraines a week, but now I have them mostly under control.  I say "mostly" because I still get the occasional migraine like I did on Sunday night.  That is what prompted me to write this post to share my "Migraine Survival Kit".  Because I have dealt with hundreds of migraines over the years, I have developed a routine for dealing with them.


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How To Meditate

6/2/2016

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Meditation
Today I was scrolling through Pinterest when I stumbled across an infographic about the proper way to meditate.  It was a very well put together infographic with great pictures and bullet points.  There were pictures breaking down the proper meditative pose for everything for you legs, to your hands, to your head, as well as suggestions for what to focus on while meditating.  One thing was a bit off for me though.  There is no "proper way" to meditate.  There are a lot of people with a lot of ideas about how to meditate, and while their ideas may work for them, they don't work for everyone.  Not everyone can sit in lotus pose and focus on filling themselves with a bright white light (which is what the infographic instructed), so I decided to write my own post about the "correct way" to meditate.


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How Often Should I Get A Massage?

5/26/2016

10 Comments

 
Wellness Massage
One of the most common questions that I get asked is "How often should I receive massage?". This is a great question, and one that I really cannot give a direct answer to. There are many factors that go into deciding how often to get a massage, which makes the answer different for each person. When trying to figure out the best frequency for yourself, there are 3 basic questions that you need to ask.  First: What are you coming in for?  Second:  What is your budget?  Third:  How open is your schedule?  In this post, we will explore how to answer each of these questions, and with that information, you should be able to make a better informed decision as to how often to come in.


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Aromatherapy: Sandalwood

4/22/2016

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Sandalwood
This month, I would like to continue the aromatherapy series with one of my personal favorites; sandalwood. The reason I haven't written about sandalwood yet is that I was hesitating due to its low availability and high price.  Sandalwood essential oil is steam distilled from the sandalwood tree.  Trees used for essential oil production need to be 40-80 years old, with the oldest trees producing the most oil.  The best, most beneficial variety comes from India, followed by trees found in Hawaii, and finally a variety found in Australia.  Indian sandalwood is extremely expensive because the trees are nearing extinction, and the ones that are left are being illegally poached leaving fewer and fewer for legal harvesting.  The Hawaiian trees are also dwindling and Hawaiian sandalwood too, is expensive and hard to come by.  The Australian variety is less expensive and more readily available, but it is not as beneficial.  Sandalwood is very versatile and can be used aromatically, internally, or applied topically.  It is recommended that if you use it topically that it should be diffused in a carrier.  Sandalwood is safe for both pregnant women and children.  So what are the benefits of sandalwood?


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What You Should Know About Cesareans

3/28/2016

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Cesarean
When it comes to birth, there are 2 ways that your baby can come out; vaginally or via Cesarean. The best outcomes for mother and baby tend to come with a vaginal delivery, and because of this, Cesareans can sometimes get a bad reputation. This is unfortunate because sometimes there is a bit of a stigma placed on women who have a Cesarean delivery. Sometimes it is placed on them by other people (especially with a planned Cesarean), and sometimes women place that stigma on themselves (particularly with an unplanned Cesarean). As with most interventions, Cesareans are there for a good reason, however like other interventions they are also very overused. I have heard some very good reasons and some not so good reasons for surgical birth, but regardless of the reason, there are a few things you should know about Cesareans before going into your birth.


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    Amanda Tarver, LMT, CEIM, PES, CD(DONA), RMT

    Meet the Author

    Amanda Tarver, (LMT, CEIM, PES, RMT) is a massage therapist and birth worker in the Chicago area.  She is dedicated to using a combination of bodywork and education to help people live a better quality of life.

    Amanda opened Women's Massage Therapy in 2011 and has enjoyed bringing quality services to people in Chicago's North Shore ever since.  In 2020, she debuted a series of virtual services to help bring those services to people around the globe.

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About Us
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Overview

Women's Massage Therapy has been providing quality services to people and families in Chicago and the North Shore since 2011. Come in for a relaxing massage therapy or Reiki session, or develop a treatment plan to target specific concerns. New parents and pregnant individuals can choose between pregnancy, labor, and postpartum massage therapy options, find a birth doula, take infant massage classes and more!  NEW virtual options available for all services.

All sessions done by appointment only.  No walk-ins please!


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Services

Massage and Reiki 
Birth Doula Services 
Infant Massage Course
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Location

1818 Dempster St. Rm 110
(Located inside of the Heartwood Center)
Evanston, IL 60202
312.607.3194

Hours of Operation

Office hours:
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
​
Virtual hours:
​Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
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  • Home
  • About
    • About WMT
    • Meet The Owner
    • Office Policies
    • Cleaning Practices
    • FAQs
  • Massage Services
    • Therapeutic Massage
    • Virtual Massage
    • Fertility Massage
    • Prenatal Massage
    • Labor Massage
    • Postpartum Massage
    • Japanese Reiki
  • Birth Doula Services
    • Birth Doula Services
    • Virtual Doula Services
    • Doula Client Resources >
      • Lending Library
      • Birth Wishes
      • Referral List
      • Articles
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Infant Massage Course
    • Infant Massage Course
    • Infant Massage Resources >
      • Class Handouts
      • Suggested Reading and Media
      • Infant Massage Instructional Videos
  • Prices
  • Contact
  • Blog