SIDE “A”FFECTS
Don’t be stymied by Side-Lying massage!
With Sandy O’Brien, CLT, LMT
This course is designed to dispel the myth that side lying massage is just for pregnancy. This course will address proper positioning and draping of side lying and body ¾ side position and will teach techniques and tips for fantastic side lying massages. This class is intended to instill confidence in therapists who are uneasy about positioning and ways to work the body in side lying positions.
• Participants will learn pathologies, conditions, complaints and contraindications that prohibit a client from lying prone or supine, therefore needing a side lying massage.
• Participants will learn how to bolster and support a client for a comfortable side lying massage.
• Participants will learn proper draping techniques for side lying massage.
• Participants will learn which areas of the body are neglected in a prone or supine massage.
• Participants will learn effective massage techniques for side lying massage.
• Participants will feel the effectiveness of certain muscle groups being better worked in a side lying position versus a prone or supine position.
• Participants will learn proper body mechanics to perform side lying massage.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:
As a long time massage recipient, Sandy O’Brien utilized massage to help with chronic back pain and migraine for over twenty years. After a bout with breast cancer in 2011, Sandy decided to learn more about the modalities that brought her so much comfort through uncomfortable times. Graduating from Cortiva Institute of Massage Therapy in 2014, Sandy opened a massage studio in Conshohocken where she practices numerous types of massage and energy work. Modalities include Thai Massage, Deep Tissue, Gua Sha, Mu Xing (hot bamboo), Pre-natal, Manual Lymph Drainage, Sports Massage, Medical Massage, Reiki, Trigger Point Therapy, Active and Passive Release Techniques, and the tool box just keeps growing as Sandy’s passion for massage keeps her wanting to learn more whenever she can.
As part of her practice Sandy also helps clients through crisis. Having survived cancer, divorce, tragic loss, and other life altering misfortunes, Sandy learned not only how trauma affects the body but how to stay positive and manage a way through to a better circumstance. Often times this included fear, doubt and lonely moments as well as physical discomfort and pain. Modalities and conversations are used to help clients achieve releases within their bodies. She is a resource for clients who need a body worker, a healer, friend, hand to hold, while transitioning through a rough patch. This is a way for clients to learn to navigate their own emotions and affects on their bodies, to become more aware of the mind-body connection and to find comfort in knowing they are not alone.
Always looking for a positive spin, a silver lining, the better of two evils, stems from Sandy’s optimistic view of rain, which she calls “Liquid Sunshine!”