FAQS about Threshold healing

Threshold Healing is different from other local massage therapists in its ability to achieve deep pressure and address pain complaints while ensuring clients are being listened to and respected.  We use a multi-modality approach to shift pain patterns and trauma patterns in the body.  A session may incorporate fire cupping, trigger point release, energy healing, breathwork, deep pressure tissue work, and mobility, based on where the client is for that particular session.  Some issues take healing beyond shifting muscle patterns — they often require an emotional shift to start a new pattern.  We approach pain patterns from many angles relying heavily on intuition and client-centered listening to guide the best approach.

Trauma-informed massage therapy is an approach to massage therapy that incorporates client consent as the basis of the treatment.  It approaches massage from the perspective that the client knows what is best for their body and the therapist brings knowledge and experience but never pushes a client outside of their own inner intelligence and personal safety. This can include giving space for a client to leave any amount of clothing on during a massage, assuring the client knows what is happening before and during the session, the client can request areas not be worked on, and regular verbal consent during the session without excessively asking for reassurance.  As a massage therapist, it is putting power back into the client's hands to guide a session as they need and desire.

Japanese Meridian Therapy is a gentle, classical form of acupuncture that works with the body’s energy pathways, called meridians, to support balance and healing. The foundation of the treatment, or “root treatment,” is done using a teishin, a non-insertive classical tool. This style of acupuncture  emphasizes balancing and maintaining the qi (energy) that is already within a person’s system, rather than forcing change. It’s a deeply attuned approach that listens to what the body needs, helping to restore flow and harmony across the whole system: physical, emotional, and energetic.

Different from other forms of acupuncture, Japanese Meridian Therapy uses very fine needles and the lightest possible touch. Practitioners rely on palpation, using their hands to feel what’s happening under the surface, to understand how your body is communicating. Treatments are often subtle but powerful, using minimal stimulation to invite the body back into alignment. This approach is especially supportive for people who are sensitive, navigating chronic illness, and/or healing from trauma.

Sessions begin by talking about what’s happening for you that day and how you’ve been feeling. Then the practitioner will take your pulse to determine the pattern you are presenting with that day, and continue to take your pulse throughout to get feedback on which points are best for treatment. Root treatment is done with a teishin, and symptoms are further addressed with very fine, sterile needles in specific points as well as magnets . You’ll rest quietly while your system integrates the treatment. Sometimes treatments include moxibustion (warming mugwort), cupping, or gua sha, depending on what your body needs. Sessions are usually deeply relaxing; people often describe feeling grounded, calm, and more at home in their bodies afterward.

Somatic Experiencing Bodywork is a trauma-informed therapy that supports clients in connecting or re-connecting with their bodies & finding ways to greater nervous system regulation. It aims to address the physical effects of stored trauma in the body using a client-led combination of talk, touch and/or movement. Somatic Experiencing Bodywork can be particularly helpful in supporting healing around PTSD, chronic pain or fatigue, and anxiety.

This work can be supportive for people living with chronic stress, anxiety, pain, fatigue, dissociation, or the effects of trauma. It can also help those who feel disconnected from their bodies or emotions, or who want to cultivate a deeper sense of safety and presence.

Each session begins with conversation about what’s present for you that day. The practitioner may use gentle, attuned touch, movement, or guided awareness to help your system track sensations and shift patterns of contraction or overwhelm. The pace is slow and collaborative; you’re always in charge of how much or how little you engage. The goal isn’t to push through, but to support the body in finding safety, completion, and rest.

At Threshold Healing we aspire to work with folks that may feel like massage isn’t accessible to them because of fat-shame and external judgement. “All-size bodies” is used to include fat bodies, large bodies, and truly all sizes of body.

This means we have an extra wide (38”) table with a 600lb weight limit (as well as cushions for comfort modifications). Also all our seating places are arm-rest free and very stable, to allow everyone the ability to sit without worry of not fitting or breaking furniture. It also means we NEVER EVER encourage people to change the size of their body, ever. We do not judge the health of any individual based on the size of their body or the amount of fat tissue that body holds. We actively work to undo the body-shame, fat-shaming narratives we carry in our own bodies and treat every body as its own unique glorious self.

Lyme causes fascial issues for many people so massage is great for anyone with Lyme, though specifically, we recommend Manual Lymphatic Drainage with Morgan and acupuncture/Japanese Meridian Therapy with Ellis. We also recommend Fire Cupping because it creates movement at the facial level and helps the body to flush and relieve physical intensity caused by long-term Lyme.

The difference between massage and bodywork can be subtle and difficult to understand.  Massage frequently is used as an umbrella term for any style of touch that uses an oil on skin approach to tissue manipulation of the body.

Massage, as opposed to bodywork, typically refers to Swedish massage - a soothing touch approach that uses long strokes and tends to use light pressure.

Bodywork falls under the category of massage but often refers to a more holistic approach or an approach that is focused on shifting pain patterns and a specialized level of massage education.  Bodywork frequently uses a variety of modalities to address pain patterns and tends to address complex body issues.

Myo (muscle) fascial (fascia) is a massage that impacts the fascia and muscles.

However, it can refer to deeper pressure work or specific techniques to release fascia. Like cupping, skin rolling, and deeper pressure touch with mobilizing techniques to contribute to healthy blood flow in the muscles and specifically the fascia surrounding the muscles.

When receiving a therapeutic massage/table massage, frequently, the therapist will use oil on the skin to release and relax muscles. When deciding how much clothing to remove for your session, consider what clothing items would allow you to relax fully. Many people will consider if they want to continue to wear their underwear and/or socks. Some people are most comfortable with none of their clothing, while others want something like a shirt, bra, shorts, or pants on during their session. Any of these options are perfect. Note: Fire cupping requires access to the skin, areas may need to be uncovered to preform this service.

You are not required to make the same clothing choice for every session. You may decide to do something different for a follow-up session. Our practitioners are able to work around and with any item of clothing. If staying fully dressed feels best for you, you may consider booking a Thai Yoga Bodywork or Shiatsu session, as they are fully clothed modalities of bodywork.

Regardless of your choice, your privacy and private body parts will remain covered by a sheet throughout your session. At no point during your session will our practitioners touch or view your private body parts.

Please plan on using our sweet waiting room if you arrive more than 10 minutes before your session. All massage sessions start at the time they are scheduled. Our studio has a very nice waiting area that you are welcome to sit in while you wait.

If your appointment is on a Saturday or Sunday, or after 5pm, please plan on arriving no earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment as the front door is locked, and your therapist may be finishing with a previous client and not able to let you in sooner than 10 minutes before your appointment.

Wear loose-fitting or very flexible clothing to your session if you plan to receive Thai Yoga Bodywork and Shiatsu. Clothing that you would wear to a stretching class will be perfect. Plan to wear layers if the weather is cold.

The therapists at Threshold Healing always take a varied approach to healing any injury or dysfunction in the body. Our therapists often use each other as their first bodyworker when an issue arises in the body. Fire cupping and trigger point release are the modalities that generally effectively address problems quickly.

Other therapists they use are Colleen LaSota, acupuncturist, and any of the acupuncturists at Constellation Acupuncture. The people who work best for us might not be the therapists that work best for you. However, if you are interested in a referral to a different style of practitioner, or another massage therapist, reach out, and we will give some excellent recommendations.

Our approach to pain in a massage is "change can be uncomfortable, but pain causes injury and dysfunction."  If something is painful you will pull away, clench, hold your breath, and create more tension in the body. Pain during a massage will create trauma in the body and more protective muscle patterns.

Discomfort is the sensation that a client can breathe through and lean into or relax into.  Discomfort can be a feeling of "good hurt" or "scratching an itch."  Discomfort during a massage can be a sign of blood coming into a stagnant area of tissue or an area starting to release stored emotions.

Crying is one of the body’s tools for releasing stress and resetting emotional and physical pain patterns. Crying is a common response to the body releasing and resetting. As body-workers we see crying as part of the trauma/pain release pattern and is view it neutrally. If you cry we may check in verbally to assure you are in a comfortable release or offer a tissue. We will never shame or diminish an emotional release.

All bodies shift and release in different ways for different issues, this changes day to day for everyone. You may experience release in breath, sighing, body shifting, or subtle shifting. Crying is not the only way to release nor is it better than any other release.