Inside a Yomassage Class

  After years of focusing solely on massage therapy, finally it is time to add something new to Evolve. I am so excited to announce that I will now be offering Yomassage!
   Yomassage combines Mindful Breathing, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Massage into one relaxing experience. This is a class for everyone- you don't have to be flexible or experienced in yoga or meditation. The only requirement is that you are able to get up and down from the floor with relative ease.  
  But what exactly is Yomassage? What can you expect from a typical session? 
  Let me walk you through a typical 1 hour class. 

  Each Yomassage class begins with a mindful breathing exercise. This is to help calm the mind, leave outside stressors at the door, and encourage you to be present in the moment. Many classes have a theme, they vary from an oceanside theme, to one focused on healing. (I LOVE the idea of themes and am currently working on developing some of my own. I will soon post about September themes, so stay tuned!)
  Once the mind is calmed, it is time to relax the body. I will guide you through a series of 4 to 5 restorative yoga postures. In each posture, you will be fully supported by blocks, blankets, and various props. These postures will all allow for a mild stretch, but ultimately the goal is for the body to be completely comfortable. Each of these positions will be held for about 10 minutes. 
  While in each position, I will come around and massage different areas of the body, depending on which pose we are holding. In a group class, I will be working with up to 4 people, so I will be sanitizing my hands in between each client. I will also continue the themed meditations and breathing exercises throughout. The massage will usually be a light to medium pressure. Unlike traditional massage, we won't be focusing on "trigger points" or working the "kinks" out of tight muscle. The purpose of the massage is to provide therapeutic and safe touch, and just enough pressure to feel good without activating pain sensors. 
  Once we are finished with each pose, we will end in a final, relaxation posture, where we will again bring our attention back to our breath before concluding. 
   The goal of our Yomassage session is to turn off the stress response and activate "feel-good" hormones, like serotonin and oxytocin. The three principles of Yomassage- Breath, Stretch, and Touch- have been shown to effectively decrease stress. You will leave each session not only feeling relaxed, calm, and present, but truly being happier and healthier. 

  Are you ready to sign up for a class? Sign up online here or give Evolve a call at 315-717-6192

  Classes begin September 2nd! I look forward to sharing this new experience with you!

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