Welcome
A Few Words About Me
Shiatsu Massage
Take some time to rejuvenate body and mind with a full Ahh-Shiatsu massage session.
- 2 hours $195
- 1 hour $100
- 30 minutes $50
Shiatsu Touchpoint System
Over the years I’ve developed shortcuts for issues I see often. Shiatsu and acupressure work by stimulating your bodies own healing and it’s reasonable to expect gradual improvement over several sessions. However, when it comes to shoulder, neck, back, and wrists; sometimes these shortcuts can have you pain free in minutes.
3-Month Shiatsu Packages
Make a plan to feel good with one of these three-month packages.
- The Smart One (1/2 hour every other week) $270 @ $90 per month
- The Wise One (1 hour every other week or 1/2 hour every week) $540 @ $180 per month
- Samurai Warrior Repair (1 hour every week or 2 hours every other week) $1020 @ $340 per month
- The Sage (90 minutes every other week) $810 @ $270 per month
Testimonials
What My Clients Say
“I hurt so badly, I thought ‘Why not try a chair massage with Joshua?’ The night after he first worked on me, I slept for six hours straight without the use of sleeping pills. This was the first time in 11 years. The next day was even better—I was me again.”
Debra Durgin, Farmers Insurance Agent
“Joshua is a master body worker. He has kept me healthy and happy when my very busy work schedule threatened to take me down. As a yoga therapist I am very pleased to have a practitioner of Joshua’s caliber to whom I can refer my patients.”
Shy Sayay, Owner of Yoga One
“After suffering with a constant headache for weeks, one session with Joshua and the pain was gone.”
Theresa O'Connor, CPA, Petaluma
“I went from having fear that I would have a heart attack or stroke from stress to peace and feeling like I am going to be around till I’m 100.”
Caroline Hegarty, Real Estate Investor
“I went in to see Joshua with a 5 day neck ache. Within one hour of Joshua session I was able to move my neck and head in all directions. It is amazing work.”
Robin Fett, Hyponotherapist
“Amazing! Not only one of the best massages I’ve ever had, that was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”
Elizabeth Dorin, Massage Therapist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shiatsu massage?
Shiatsu, which can be translated as finger pressure, has been described as needle-free acupuncture. Shiatsu is a manipulative therapy developed in Japan and incorporating techniques of anma (Japanese traditional massage), acupressure, stretching, and Western massage. Shiatsu involves applying pressure to special points or areas on the body in order to maintain physical and mental well being, treat disease, or alleviate discomfort.
This therapy is considered holistic because it attempts to treat the whole person instead of a specific medical complaint. All types of acupressure generally focus on the same pressure points and meridian pathways, but may differ in terms of massage technique. Shiatsu, which can be translated as finger pressure, has been described as needle-free acupuncture.
Do you offer sliding scale appointments and accept gratuities?
I endeavor to do one appointment per week at a sliding scale fee for those who have a hard time getting massage regularly at my normal fees. The lowest I will slide the fee is $55 per hour. I do not do more than two sliding fee appointments per week but these appointments regularly go unfilled so don't hesitate to ask for one of these slots if you need them.
This is a private therapeutic massage practice; I don't share my fees with a boss. So, while I love and appreciate gratuities, they aren't socially required for this type of practice.
What is the purpose of shiatsu massage?
Shiatsu can be used to relieve muscular pain or tension, especially neck and back pain. It also appears to have sedative effects and may alleviate insomnia. In a broader sense, shiatsu is believed to enhance physical vitality and emotional well being. technique. Shiatsu, which can be translated as finger pressure, has been described as needle-free acupuncture.
What preparations should I be aware of before my massage?
Before shiatsu treatment begins, the therapist usually performs a general health assessment. This involves taking a family medical history and discussing the physical and emotional health of the person seeking therapy. Typically, the practitioner also conducts a diagnostic examination by palpating the abdomen or back for any energy imbalances present in other parts of the body.
What are the origins of Shiatsu massage?
During the twentieth century, shiatsu distinguished itself from anma through the merging of Western knowledge of anatomy, koho anma, ampuku (abdominal massage), acupressure, Do-In (breathing practices), and Buddhism. Based on the work of Tamai Tempaku, shiatsu established itself in Japan and worldwide. The Shiatsu Therapists Association was founded in 1925 and clinics and schools followed. Students of Tempaku began teaching their own brand of shiatsu, creating branch disciplines. By 1955, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare acknowledged shiatsu as a beneficial treatment, and licensing was established for practitioners.
Shiatsu and other forms of Japanese acupressure are based on the concept of ki, the Japanese term for the all-pervading energy that flows through everything in the universe. (This notion is borrowed from the Chinese, who refer to the omnipresent energy as qi or chi.) Ki tends to flow through the body along special energy pathways called meridians, each of which is associated with a vital organ. In Asian systems of traditional medicine, diseases are often believed to occur due to disruptions in the flow this energy through the body. These disruptions may stem from emotional factors, climate, or a host of other causes including stress, the presence of impurities in the body, and physical trauma.
The aim of shiatsu is to restore the proper flow of bodily energy by massaging the surface of the skin along the meridian lines. Pressure may also be applied to any of the 600 or so acupoints. Acupoints, which are supposedly located just under the skin along the meridians, are tiny energy structures that affect the flow of ki through the body. When ki either stagnates and becomes deflected or accumulates in excess along one of these channels, stimulation to the acupoints, which are sensitive to pressure, can unblock and regulate the ki flow through toning or sedating treatment.
Western medicine has not proven the existence of meridians and acupoints. However, in one study, two French medical doctors conducted an experiment at Necher Hospital in Paris to test validity of the theory that energy is being transported along acupuncture meridians. They injected and traced isotpes with gamma-camera imaging. The meridians may actually correspond to nerve transmission lines. In this view, shiatsu and other forms of healing massage may trigger the emission of naturally occurring chemicals called neurotransmitters. Release of these chemical messengers may be responsible for some of the therapeutic effects associated with shiatsu, such as pain relief.