Stress, Routines, and Massage Therapy

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

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I think stress is one the great inhibitors of how we choose to live. Because stress is what is perceived, stress becomes part of our routine. We develop physical reactions to our perceptions of stress, which controls how we carry out daily habits, usually by limiting our responses to events and situations and our feelings of control. We become irritable, unable to sleep well, become grouchy with coworkers and family members, and we often put off things such as taking care of ourselves.

Massage therapyís greatest tool is retraining the bodyís perception of stress. By unlocking the patterns in the body, we unlock the mind, and we become more informed about how we can use our bodies (and our minds) differently to create more ease, not just in movement in general, but in how we conduct ourselves at the office and in traffic, in conversion, and really in just being ourselves. We find that itís okay to breathe and be in our bodies not matter what situation.

As a massage therapist, of one my goals is to help you find support, integrity, and balance, because these are the building blocks for overcoming the perceptions of stress. Not only does massage therapy disengage those rigidifying patterns (tension headaches, low back pain, grinding teeth, clenched fists, etc.), it opens a window to choose a different way of being in the world. Massage can help with finding more routines that suit you.

 

John Williford, LMBT

 

John is one our massage therapists here at Empower Personal Training. You can contact him by email at john@becomepowerful.com or by phone at (910) 232 5126.

Empower Celebrates 5 Years in Business

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

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This September Empower will be celebrating 5 years in business. Jessica and I are so excited that we have achieved this milestone, and we are so thankful for our wonderful staff and clients that have made it possible. We are planning to celebrate the entire month of September with specials and promotions, but we will take a little time out on September 20 and 21 to honor you, our loyal and trusted clients for your support. More details will be made available in the coming days, but you can take a sneak peek and learn more about the 5 year celebration by clicking here.

Before we look forward to the future of Empower, I wanted to take just a few minutes to look back at the last 5 years. For those of you who were around in 2005 you may remember how it all started, but for those of you that have joined the Empower team in the last few years you may not know much about our history. So here it goes

The concept of Empower Personal Training is the long time vision of Jessica Bottesch and Ronda (Michaels) Williams. We started way back in 1993 as freshmen year suitemates at UNC (Go Heels) and we became fast friends and study partners. We used to spend late nights studying together and our study sessions would often drift to conversations about opening a sports medicine facility once we were out of school. Fast forward a few years ñ Jessica received her Masterís degree in Sports Medicine, and I went on to get my Masterís degree in Sports Management. In 2003 our vision really started to come together and we started to brainstorm having our own facility. By this time our experiences had taken us both in the direction of personal training and overall wellness so our concept shifted a little from an outpatient rehab facility to a studio environment that focuses on total health and wellness.

The next year or so we brainstormed names for our company and worked with a close friend to design our logo. Finally in early 2005 we got really serious about realizing our dream. We cranked out a business plan and began searching for an ideal location. We found our current location, and it immediately felt like the right fit for our business. We went through the process of lease negotiations and studio up fit and by Sept. 2005 we opened our 3000 sq. ft. studio with two employees ñ Jessica and me.

If you were around in 2005, youíll remember that Jessica and I did everything ourselves ñ we trained, we marketed, we answered phones and we even served as the cleaning crew (albeit for only one week). You might remember that we used to schedule appointments the old fashioned way ñ with good ole paper and pencil and date book at the front desk. My how things have changed and we are now able to leverage technology and provide online scheduling and billing services through our state of the art, industry leading software MindBody.

Slowly things started to pick up and we were in need of additional staff to handle the increased business. Let me just throw in a side note here, but Jessica and I personally think we have the best staff in the area. If it were not for our dedicated team of professionals we would have never made it this far, and we are eternally grateful for the loyal staff members weíve had over the years. At this point we have 12 personal trainers, 2 registered dietitians, 1 massage therapist and 2 group fitness instructors on our staff for a total of 17 employees.

At our two year mark in 2007 it started to become apparent that we were running out of space in our current digs so we expanded into the contiguous 1000 square feet. We added a few more pieces of equipment, but mostly what we needed was more space for our expanding client base. If you currently train at Empower you know that the long runway in front of the cardio equipment can seem endless if you are pushing the sled or doing inchworms or walking lunges the entire way. Again we owe it all to our wonderful clients for making the first expansion a reality.

Jessica and I are excited as we pause and reflect on Empowerís growth and success over the past 5 years. We thank you – clients, staff, family and friends for supporting us as we realize our vision to ìEmpower people and communities to lead stronger, healthier, happier lives.î

Stay tuned for more details about the 5 year Red Carpet Celebration and for more information about Empowerís plans for growth as we pass this milestone anniversary.

Massage for Healthy Skin – Who Knew?

Friday, July 2, 2010

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It looks like Summer. It smells like Summer….and it definitely FEELS like Summer….With these sizzling temperatures comes spending lots of time kickin it pool side and soaking up those rays. Remember to apply tons of sunscreen with a high SPF.

Did you know that skin is the largest organ in our body? It is our external organ that protects our internal organs from the outside world. It plays an important role in our immunity by detecting foreign substances and fighting against infection. Keeping our skin healthy is very crucial in order to make it functional. Here are some skin health tips:

Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated.

Eat healthy foods to give your skin the nutrients it needs.

Avoiding harsh conditions (sun, wind, contact w/ chemicals).

Keep it clean.

GET A MASSAGE!

Hold up for a second did I just say … Massage? Right on! I wasn’t trying to be sneaky. Massage has great benefits for your skin. Massage increases blood circulation, which allows more nutrients to be carried to skin, it also increases skin cell regeneration which leads to less scar tissue. Massage increases sweat production, which aids in detoxification from waste. The oils, lotions and essential oils I use re-moisturize and soften dry skin. Massage can even help with some skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

So when youíre soaking up those sun rays..remember a massage or an exfoliating body scrub may be what your skin needs and deserves this summer. So go ahead and schedule your Empower Massage TODAY!

EMPOWERíS ONLINE SCHEDULING

Massage and Aromatherapy

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

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Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt relaxed, stress free, or a burst of energy because of a particular fragrance or smell a certain scent that triggered an old memory from the past even from your childhood? It is interesting how an aroma can evoke memories or just a whiff of a certain scent can make you feel good.

In today’s stressful, high pressure world, more and more of my clients are searching for natural ways to find peace and relaxation. Combining the physical and emotional effects of massage with therapeutic properties of essential oils can help you alleviate that stress in your world and even improve your mood. Adding Aroma therapy to a massage is a powerful way to activate the body’s self-healing ability.

Listed below are some emotions that can be addressed with the holistic healing approach of Aromatherapy/Essential oils.

Anger, Anxiety Stress

Basil, Bergamot, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress,, Geranium,, Jasmine, Lavender, Marjoram, Ylang-ylang

Insomnia

Basil, Chamomile, Lavender, Mandarin, Marjoram, Rose, Sandalwood, Thyme, Ylang- ylang

Memory and Concentration

Basil, Black Pepper, Hyssop, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary

Fighting Respiratory Infections

Benzoin, Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Marjoram, Tea Tree, Thyme

Easing Mucus Congestion

Benzoin, Birch, Cedarwood, Clove, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Thyme

Prevent Muscle Aches

Ginger, Eucalyptus and Peppermint

Here is a handy guide of commonly used essential oils, and some of the ailments or conditions they’re most often used to treat:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Many-Health-Benefits-of-Essential-Oils

How to use essential oils:

http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/aromatherapy/essential-oils-uses.htm

Call Jennifer Lantry, Licensed Massage Therapist at (919) 401-8024 and schedule your own aromatherapy massage or book online here.

Meet Empower’s New Massage Therapist

Friday, May 7, 2010

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Empower is excited to welcome Jennifer Lantry, our new massage therapist, to the team. It is our mission to integrate a variety of lifestyle wellness services together under one roof – and many of you know massage is an integral component! If it has been a while since youíve gotten a massage, if youíve NEVER experienced an Empower massage or if you are looking for the perfect gift for MOM – call Empower to inquire about our massage therapy programs TODAY! 919-401-8024.

Meet Jennifer:

Jennifer has been a Licensed Massage Therapist and a Professional Member of the Association Bodywork and Massage Professionals for over 5 years. She received her massage certification through a 1000 hour credited New York State Massage School.

Jennifer believes that education in massage is a lifelong process and has taken continuing education classes in deep tissue massage, pregnancy massage, Lomi lomi, Hot Stone Therapy. She is also a certified Pilates Instructor.

Before joining the Empower team she was the Massage Therapist Team Leader at Iatria Day Spa for over 4 years. She worked on a variety of different populations including women and men of all ages and backgrounds, cancer survivors, dancers, athletes, elderly clients and pregnant women.

She is a dedicated and caring massage therapist who works with each client to address his or her individual needs. Together, they work to come up with a treatment approach to relieve the impacts of stress, tension, injuries, and repetitive motion strains. In each massage session, she takes the time to listen and provide care for the whole person, and promote meaningful and long-lasting effects of the therapeutic treatments.

Jennifer other passions are salsa dancing, traveling, music and spending time with friends and family.