Special Needs Massage

I have been working with the special needs community for 31 years. In my previous vocation I was an Equine therapist, teaching individuals with special needs horsemanship skills. Along with learning how to ride a horse my clients would master many other skills both cognitive and physical. For many there was a focus on muscle control, encouraging muscle elasticity, and developing muscle strength. Becoming a massage therapist and applying that knowledge along with the knowledge I gained through my training was a natural progression.   

I am working with clients with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism, and Rhett Syndrome to name a few. My approach to any client with special needs is adaptation. I can apply healing techniques to individuals that are wheelchair bound, that have an aversion to physical contact, that have severe muscle hypertonia and many other conditions through extensive observation of my client’s physical strengths and limitations. It will typically take one or two sessions to fully understand what goals we should be striving for together and how to meet my client where they are at. For my clients with special needs, I suggest regular therapy sessions for best results. Because of this I have reduced my hourly rates. I will also provide a free in-person consultation so that I can better understand the needs of a potential client. To qualify for this rate there must be a diagnosed condition such as the ones I listed above. While I understand there is a large spectrum of different types of diagnosis, this modality is limited to what would be considered profound disabilities.