Pain doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care about how old you are, what you do for a living, what you see in the mirror or who you love. It doesn’t give you a break when you’re doing the things you love, or when you’re with your most important people. In fact, pain is one of the most misunderstood, under diagnosed, under treated, and often times over-medicated problems that we face. And one of the most challenging roles of medical providers (massage therapists, acupuncturists, and alike) is to first, appropriately assess, and then treat the pain accordingly.
Give her 60 minutes and she’ll have your body decoded.
That’s the main message that came out of my time learning about and from Jessica Schaefer, a Board Certified massage therapist and bodyworker, who came to me in need of a website to share her very literal “hand” craft. A graduate of the Denver School of Massage Therapy, Jessica holds certification in: Human Movement Science, Massage Therapy, IASTM (Instructed Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) and Myofascial Cupping. Together, a quadruple threat against some of the most chronic pain.
As a former athlete and competitor herself, Jessica not only understands that every person has unique challenges and preferences, but can relate to specific wears and tears in the body because of certain muscle movements and patterns. She prides herself on being able to hone into her clients’ needs and pinpoint root causes of pain because she has literally walked that very same walk. In her care, clients can expect a thoughtfully tailored and intuitive massage, leaving them with a sense of grounding and peace as well as an increased range of motion and fluidity.
“Before I became a therapist, I loved massage. I thought it was helping me. But it wasn’t until I actually learned how the body functions that I realized what I had been doing to my body was not helping, but actually contributing to my pain. While some therapists don’t have a choice but to give what the client wants/thinks they need… my particular practice allows me to open up my clients’ minds to see themselves differently. To show them the imbalances in their bodies, the bad habits we create and the patterns that lead us to chronic pain.”
I was eager to take on this web design project for Jessica, who has been primarily finding clients via word of mouth. And while this trusted technique has given her a wide range of clients from all walks of life — from youth, expectant mothers and construction workers, to Fortune 500 CEOs, professional athletes and MMA fighters – Jessica felt it was ready to share her passions and skills with the world wide web. The final site which was deployed features a custom home page graphic; a three-part “About” section to capture Jessica’s mission and story; a detailed “Services” section complete with service descriptions + health benefits, and a comprehensive price chart; and finally, a fully integrated contact page to book appointments.
And naturally, because I believe in authentic hands-on research to best determine ethos and missions, I had to try a massage out for myself! I mean – it’s research right? With everything I knew previously about massage and what I learned from some of Jessica’s previous clients, I expected an ease in muscle tension. But that hour on the massage table seemed to reveal a lot more than just the stress that I initially wanted to soothe. “You like big purses…you’re a stomach sleeper…you text a lot…and you desperately need to change the way you sit at your computer.” So incredibly impressive and helpful, but I’d have to say the most astonishing bit was when she told me much of that was obvious to her just by observing my posture.
I’ve changed a few habits since deploying Jessica’s website, and reflecting on the entire introduction and project, I remain incredibly inspired. It’s rare to meet people so passionate about the healing arts, and working in selfless service to others. Beyond her knowledge and skill, it was clear to me that Jessica has a passion for understanding stress (and trauma) and its impact on the physical body. At the core of her practice, Jessica believes that massage can unlock a door to personal empowerment, and she’s dedicated to helping her clients find a renewed connection and acceptance of their body — and ultimately themselves.
In her words:
“It isn’t just about fixing the problem. It’s about educating and showing people, all people, how to live a pain free life and sustain that change so that they can pursue everything that makes them, well…them. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a client get off the table, move freely, and then see the relief on their face.”
To learn more about Jessica and her unique healing art, please visit Myokinn.com.
