- Second in a series of occasional articles about health and wellness.
Murphy After the holidays, many people try to work their bodies in new ways to meet new year’s resolutions, wanting to re-energize themselves or slough off extra holiday pounds. However, often they ignore the body’s stressors or even cause injury with a new workout routine. They may even have lingering aches and pains, which we’ve been taught to alleviate via exercise, but there’s another way to make ourselves well in the new year.
With a bent toward therapeutic massage and bodywork, Jessie Massey of Massey Massage offers a variety of techniques to help overcome injury and stress. Massey’s services also provide healing aspects for a variety of ills within our bodies.
“Deep tissue works can help with the body’s lymphatic system flow, helping to shed toxins from our bodies,” Massey said.
Massey’s diminutive stature, honey-blonde mane of hair and irresistible smile put her clients at ease, ready to be detoxed.
We all need touch
Massey explained how important touch is to human beings.
“Touch is your very first experience as a human, or at least it should be, and as such it’s so important that we are able to experience human connection,” she said. “The services I provide can help people overcome stress and injury, and that is so vital to our overall well-being.”
That touch comes in the form of the various massage methods Massey provides at her small practice.
“I feel there’s such a large community of healers and artists here in our area, and we’re all drawn to these mountains,” she said. “This area is such a melting pot for creative people, and I enjoy being part of that community.”
When asked why there are so many massage therapists in such a concentrated area, Massey is quick to cite that it’s partially because of the program at Tri-County Community College, where she obtained her education and certification.
“It’s such an asset to the community,” she said. “I feel blessed to have been part of such a wonderful program.”
Rotting behind a desk
Massey’s massage journey began with a deep-seated unease working a desk job.
“I had a job as an insurance agent, and I felt it was very fear-based and didn’t enjoy working behind a desk,” she said. “After a couple of years of that, I went home one day and said to my husband, Kyle, ‘I am rotting behind this desk,’ and I need to find something that feeds my soul.”
That soul food came after a car accident left Massey with a whiplash injury. She sought out a massage to help ease her pain.
“From that one massage, that one time, really helped me, I never had that pain again. That pain that had kept recurring was gone, it was amazing and left a big impression on me,” she said.
“So I started getting massages here and there, and I decided to change careers because of it. It was a huge jump. It was pretty magical how it all came together for me to start the program and, with Kyle’s support, I studied everything I could in the program.”
Completely rejuvenated
Massey recalls her entering the program in 2015 as a magical time, even though the study was rigorous.
“I felt completely rejuvenated. The program was amazing to me, and I was really enjoying just being in school and studying everything about the muscles, muscular systems, pathology, anatomy and physiology. It was like muscle boot camp: you learn about so much of the body,” she said.
“The origins and insertions of muscles, the circulatory system, the lymphatic system and its importance in our overall well-being. We even learned about the digestive system and its relation to our health. It was completely absorbing and amazing to think that just by touching people, I could work with all the body’s intricate systems.”
After completing her program, Massey knew she wanted to start her own practice, rather than working in a resort, spa or larger practice.
“You don’t have be an intern for anyone or do anything like that. You get licensed and then you can start your own business and I knew that was for me,” she said.
“I operate as a sole practitioner and, because we did a lot of clinicals in the program, I felt I was ready to be on my own.”
Massey describes the process as ongoing. She lists essentials like yearly continuing education credits, which allow therapists to stay current on trends and other modalities within the field.
“You can focus on areas like pre-natal massage or reflexology, or even pediatric therapies for children with musculoskeletal issues,” she said. “There’s such a variety of methods to study, so you’re always learning something new for your clients.”
That client base has only grown over the several years Massey has been in practice. She is quick to mention referring clients to other massage therapists if she’s booked to capacity, which is often the case.
“I’m already booked through April this year and was completely booked all of last year. Typically, I book three to four months out, and I could easily book out the entire year because I have several clients who would prefer to insure their appointments,” she said.
“I love that freedom to have people make their appointments when they want to, and that allows us both the freedom to schedule those visits.”
Essential and categorized
Like many small businesses, Massey’s business took a hit during the COVID lockdowns, with her office being closed for three months.
“It was very hard because the government didn’t recognize massage therapists as essential health care. But after three months, we were reclassified as essential workers since many health-care plans offer massage as a dedicated and covered therapy,” she said.
“So at least I was able to get back on track for my clients. I called each one individually and let them know that we’d be shut down, and then when we were able to reopen to let them know I was here for them.”
When asked about how her protocols changed during the pandemic, Massey said nothing changed for her, because being in such close contact with bodies every day requires intense sanitation and cleansing.
“I use a lot of steam anyway when cleaning and sanitizing my laundry. I use steam to sanitize my tools, and I want to make sure people understand everything is safe and secure,” she said.
“When you’re handling people’s most precious asset, which is their body, you want that sense of safety and security. While we’re not inspected like cosmetologists, there is a high standard for sanitation and cleanliness.”
That safety and security also led Massey to specialize in working with referrals from chiropractors for those experiencing chronic pain, who didn’t want to pursue conventional medication or other traditional approaches to dealing with their body’s aches and pains.
“I had a client with severe sciatic pain,” she said. “I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced it, but it’s a muscular issue, and I was able to help that client with massage, offering tips for hip flexor exercises and assisted stretching, and many times we’re able to open up pathways so that sciatic nerve isn’t constricted anymore.”
While she’s not a certified yoga instructor, Massey often offers clients advice on her personal routine, which keeps her limber for performing massages on her clients.
Massey’s routine to stay in shape includes utilizing a foam-roller technique for assisted stretching as well as eating healthy and using essential oils to provide a relaxing and wonderful aromatherapy atmosphere in her office.
“I always thought of massage as a luxury until I started getting regular ones and felt much better physically, waking up with less overall physical pain and aches. I don’t get migraines anymore,” she said.
“Massage is the way to healing your body, wholly and healthfully, and I’m glad to both have experienced that as well as being able to provide that others. I love to get massages from others because the techniques are so different, and you’re always learning something.”
I walk on people
One of the most unique offerings in Massey’s wheelhouse is the Ashiatsu massage, where the whole body is used as the massage tool with the bare feet substituting for the hands.
“I walk on people, basically. Some people can get a little weirded out by it, but a lot of people really enjoy it,” she said. “It’s a deeper tissue experience than the gentler Swedish massage, and typically most people can’t tell the difference between the hands and the feet most of the time.”
The Ashiatsu is utilized as a more broad-based massage to aid in correcting structural damage to the body. It also helps open the lower back and provide quicker relief for pain in the sacral area, helping with the body’s alignment.
Massey preps clients with warm towels, different massage oils to aid in the process, while there’s low tones of Asian-inspired music and a strong blend of aromatherapy oils diffusing throughout the room.
This massage style is achieved by Massey suspending herself above her table with a kind of harness that looks to be attached to an upside-down iron and wooden sled of sorts bolted to the ceiling.
That sled-like contraption was conceived and custom made by Paul Garrett, a local blacksmith, and installed by Garrett and Massey’s husband, Kyle. The rack has poles that Massey uses to steady herself as she “walks” along the client’s backside. The harness allows her to engage at different pressure points while also stabilizing her once atop the table.
“I love to provide this service to clients because it’s sometimes easier to get them fast relief from any back pains and it’s something I just enjoy,” she said. “Of course, it’s not for everyone, but many of my clients enjoy and benefit greatly from it and only want this service.”
Massey added that her personal efforts for all of her clients are geared toward utilizing her bodywork skills to offer a pain-free life. The relationship with her clients is also essential to their health and well-being.
“There’s such an energy transfer when you’re working with someone,” she said. “There just are no words for that exchange, and I love that I get to help people work on their bodies and feel that energy within our most sacred human vessel.”
Massey does accept new clientele, but only by appointment. There is no walk-in availability.
Details: 1285 U.S. 64 W., Murphy, NC 28906; 828-541-2098; facebook.com/masseymassage.