Swedish vs. Deep Tissue Massage

Swedish Massage is a gentle, full-body approach that promotes relaxation, circulation, and overall well-being. While it can help relieve pain, its focus is more on calming the nervous system than deeply targeting pain points. I use hot stones and bamboo fusion to enhance the soothing effects.

For some people, Swedish massage alone is enough to relieve pain, even if the discomfort is strong. The key is focusing on body sensations while the techniques are applied, which can help the nervous system regulate and release tension naturally. Some people prefer not to have deeper pressure because they find that being able to fully relax into the techniques allows their body to let go of pain more effectively. Others may need deeper work because their muscles are so tight that a stronger, more targeted approach is necessary.

If you've never had a massage before, this is a great place to start, as deeper work can sometimes leave the body feeling sore the next day. Swedish massage can also cause some soreness, but typically not as much as deep tissue work. However, for a first massage, deeper techniques can be more intense on the body, making Swedish a smoother introduction to bodywork.

Deep Tissue Massage builds on the same foundation but targets specific areas of pain and tension with more focused techniques. In addition to the tools above, I integrate trigger point therapy, Thai massage, gua sha stone, and cupping to release deeper layers of muscle tension.

Deep tissue work is not applied to the entire body—it is a combination of Swedish techniques with deeper pressure focused on specific areas that need more attention. Usually, this means one to two areas of the body will receive deeper work, while the rest of the session remains at a more moderate pressure to maintain overall circulation and relaxation.

If the session is focused on specific areas rather than the full body, the same approach applies—deeper techniques are reserved for targeted areas while maintaining balance throughout the rest of the body.

My Unique Approach 

I also incorporate breathwork into trigger point work, guiding you to focus on breathing into areas of tension while tuning into any sensations like tingling, numbness, tightness, or referred pain. As I apply pressure, this allows your body to acknowledge pain signals, engage with the area through breath, and create small movements that signal your brain it is safe to relax into the discomfort. While deep work can feel intense, consciously focusing on these signals helps override tension patterns, retrain the nervous system, and make the release process more effective.

Combining Slow & Fast Techniques for Release

My approach combines both slower and faster techniques depending on what your body needs.

Slower techniques, especially during trigger point work and deep holds, allow the muscles to release tension more effectively by focusing on body scanning and breathwork. These longer holds help the nervous system recognize that it is safe to let go of stored tension.

Faster techniques are just as important for warming up the deeper layers of muscle. While heat from tools like hot stones can help, some deeper layers—especially those with scar tissue or chronic adhesions—need additional movement-based work to warm up and prepare for deeper release. By using quicker techniques before applying slower, sustained pressure, I help facilitate a more effective release while preventing unnecessary strain on the body.

In addition to faster techniques that warm up deeper muscle layers and slower holds that facilitate deep release, I also integrate progressive muscle relaxation techniques. This involves actively engaging and tensing the muscle before releasing it, which can help reset muscle function and improve its ability to let go of tension.

Additionally, assisted stretching and movement during massage can further enhance results. When I apply pressure while guiding a stretch, it shifts the muscle fibers into different positions, allowing for a deeper and more targeted release. This helps break up scar tissue and adhesions, improves flexibility, and allows muscles to absorb pressure more effectively without excessive strain.

By combining static pressure, movement-based techniques, and guided breathwork, I help your muscles release tension in multiple ways, making each session more effective for both pain relief and mobility improvement.

Recognizing & Managing Tension Patterns 

While the trigger point pressure I apply helps with what you might not be able to fully release on your own in the moment, the breathwork and body awareness techniques also help you start recognizing tension patterns that develop throughout the day. Many people unconsciously hold tension—raising their shoulders, clenching their jaw, or tightening certain areas due to habitual movement patterns or stress responses.

By becoming aware of how tension builds in your body, you gain the ability to consciously release it—whether it’s dropping your shoulders, softening your breath, or simply allowing your body to relax rather than maintaining unnecessary tension.

Some muscle tension comes from repetitive motions at work, daily posture habits, chronic pain from past injuries, or even certain medical conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic pain syndromes, and other disorders that affect the nervous or muscular system. When an injury or chronic condition has been present for a long time, it often requires ongoing management rather than a one-time fix. Massage can help improve mobility, manage discomfort, and prevent symptoms from worsening over time.

Even if chronic pain doesn’t fully go away, learning how to support your body, reduce unnecessary strain, and balance tension patterns can make a noticeable difference in how you feel day-to-day.

The Power of Pauses: Recognizing & Releasing Tension

Taking intentional pauses throughout the day is essential for reconnecting with your body and recognizing tension before it builds into pain or discomfort. The techniques you experience in my massage sessions—like breath awareness, body scanning, and directing breath to areas of tightness—can be carried into daily life as simple, mindful check-ins.

By pausing, even for just a few moments, you give yourself the space to notice what your body is feeling in real time. This awareness is especially important in intense moments, where unnoticed tension can build beneath the surface, triggering physical strain or stiffness. By consciously recognizing sensations as they arise—tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, a held breath—you gain the ability to respond rather than react.

These micro-moments of awareness help prevent tension from accumulating and train your nervous system to release unnecessary holding patterns. The more you practice, the more naturally your body learns to soften and let go, supporting long-term relief from pain and stress.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a thin, connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and organs, creating a continuous web throughout your body. It supports movement, distributes tension, and helps muscles glide smoothly. When fascia becomes tight, dehydrated, or restricted, it can limit flexibility, reduce circulation, and contribute to pain. Massage, cupping, and movement-based techniques help restore fascial mobility, reducing tension patterns and improving overall function.

How Muscles Work & Why They Tighten

Muscles contract and relax to create movement, but stress, repetitive motions, and inactivity can cause them to hold excess tension. When a muscle is overused or stays in one position too long, it can shorten, become stiff, or develop knots (trigger points). Massage improves circulation, releases tight muscle fibers, and restores mobility, helping your body move more freely.

What Are Micro-Tears & How Do They Affect You?

Micro-tears are tiny muscle fiber tears that occur during activity, especially when muscles are stretched suddenly or worked harder than usual. This is a normal part of muscle repair, but if recovery is rushed, or the muscle isn’t properly warmed up, excessive micro-tearing can lead to stiffness, pain, and inflammation. Massage helps improve circulation, speed up healing, and prevent excessive scar tissue buildup, allowing muscles to recover more efficiently.

Scar Tissue & Muscle Adhesions

When muscles heal from injuries or repetitive strain, scar tissue can form, making the area feel tight or less flexible. Over time, these adhesions can restrict movement and contribute to discomfort. Massage helps break down dense scar tissue, realign muscle fibers, and improve overall mobility, making movement smoother and pain-free.

Postural Adjustments & Uncovering Hidden Tension

As we release certain muscles that have been holding tension due to posture or repetitive movement patterns, other muscles may suddenly have to engage in ways they weren’t before. This shift can create temporary tightness or fatigue in newly activated muscles, as they have been underutilized for a long time. Weak muscles fatigue quickly, and as your posture starts to correct itself, these muscles must strengthen over time to maintain proper alignment.

Additionally, pain in one area can sometimes mask discomfort in other areas due to Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM)—a neurological process where the brain suppresses pain signals from less intense areas when a stronger pain source is present. This means that after releasing one area of tension, you may become aware of other areas of discomfort that you didn’t notice before because the stronger pain was blocking them out. This is completely normal and is part of the body’s process of realignment and rebalancing.

Furthermore, certain movements or postures at work can contribute to muscle tension. Starting a new job or activity without adequate muscle conditioning can lead to overuse injuries, as the body is pushed beyond its current capabilities—if the body isn’t prepared, some areas may be overworked while others remain underdeveloped. Massage can help relieve some of this initial strain and allow a more gradual and balanced muscle adaptation, so you can build strength without overloading certain areas too quickly.

How Often Should You Get a Massage?

If pain has been persistent for a long time—even without being classified as chronic pain—it can take multiple sessions to fully work it out, especially if you have multiple areas that need attention. The body naturally holds onto tension over time, so progressive release and consistent care are often necessary to reach deeper layers and prevent pain from resurfacing.

However, progress can also be impacted by what you're doing outside of massage. If certain movements, postures, or habits—like repetitive motions at work—are contributing to the issue, it will take longer to heal unless those factors are also addressed.

This is why, when dealing with long-term pain or very tight areas, I often recommend more frequent sessions at first, especially if you're new to massage. If possible, weekly appointments for at least a month (or longer, depending on severity) can help break through the tension faster. Some people may need a few months of weekly work, while others may improve with less frequent sessions. But if weekly sessions aren’t possible due to budget, time, or other factors, that’s completely okay—any amount of massage is still beneficial, it just may take longer to see results.

Self-Care Between Sessions

Using self-care tools between massages can speed up progress and help you maintain results longer. Tools like a lacrosse ball (trigger point ball), S-hooks for deep trigger points, massage guns, foam rollers, and even self-cupping sets can help break up scar tissue and adhesions that contribute to pain, as well as stretching and staying hydrated, nutrition and other holistic therapies. 

Incorporating these tools, even for just 5-10 minutes at a time, can help maintain muscle pliability and prevent excessive tightness from building back up. Of course, not everyone has the time, physical energy, or knowledge to effectively apply all of these self-care techniques right away. But over time, as you become more familiar with your body and pain signals, you’ll be able to recognize where tension is forming earlier on, before it becomes overwhelming.

As I’ve described throughout this process, developing body awareness through breathwork, recognizing pain patterns, and pinpointing problem areas over time will give you more control over your own body. Incorporating self-massage techniques with the tools I mentioned can further enhance these benefits.

Most people only seek massage once their pain is at its worst—by that point, it has likely been building for a while. This is why it can take time to fully release the tension and recondition the body to relax more easily. But whether you’re working on pain relief, injury recovery, or general relaxation, massage combined with consistent self-care will help you stay ahead of it and feel better in the long run.

Each session is tailored to what your body needs—let me know what you’re looking for, and we’ll find the best approach for you!