Infuse Yoga Spa

Why do you practice/study Thai Bodywork?
I came to Thai Bodywork on a referral from a friend – I was told that it was a good way to stretch, balance energy, and help with general wellness. I had no idea that it would be so much more than that.

With Thai Bodywork, I have been able to heal my old injuries and issues from years of dancing, stress, being a chest breather and more.  My posture has improved enormously.  It has helped me to become so much more aware of my body, to learn what my holding patterns are, etc.  I didn’t realize that any of this was possible when I first started learning to be a Thai Bodywork practitioner.  I continue to learn new things about this amazing, ancient art all the time. 

Why do you practice yoga?
Practicing helps me to see life with greater clarity and awareness. I have found that everything that happens in practice, on the mat, has a direct correlation to life. Yoga is a microcosm for all of life. Through yoga practice, you are able to expand your awareness, your heart, and your soul in a safe and supportive setting that can then be translated to life in general.

For example, through my own yoga practice, I noticed that I have a tendency to close my eyes while moving in and out of poses and when holding poses. Gradually, I began to see that I also tended to do the same thing in my life. That I was in some ways just going through the motions of life without my eyes fully open, allowing things to happen, just going along.

I practiced yoga with this idea for a long time, gradually working on developing my dristi, the yogic term for where your gaze is directed to a specific point during each pose. By doing this, effortlessly, my life also began to change. I began to move through life seeing more and more clearly, making decisions with more awareness, more and more of my whole being engaged.

Everyone comes to yoga, and to life, with their own gifts, limitations, or areas in which they seek change or improvement so these experiences will be different for everyone but the depth of self- knowledge, acceptance, and love that can be acquired through regular yoga practice is profound. It humbles me. 

How do you think Thai and Yoga work together?
A yoga practice can do wonderful things – it can strengthen, heal, and de-stress the body, mind and soul in many ways. For me personally, I practiced yoga for eight years before I tried my first Thai session. After that first session, I realized that I had places of stagnation in my body that I had learned to just practice around, avoiding poses that challenged these areas. 

For example, I discovered through bodywork that my left iliopsoas and my abdominals held a lot of stress and stagnation, and, what in Clinical Thai Bodywork (CTB), we call Trigger Points, areas in muscles that refer pain or other sensation to other parts of the body. I had struggled for years with certain yoga poses that required core strength such as headstand, handstand, arm balances.  I thought that I just wasn’t strong enough so I avoided these poses, thinking that I could never do them until I strengthened my core more.

Through Thai Bodywork, I learned that you actually can’t strengthen muscles that are overworked or have ropy fibers and most people have at least a few muscles with these problems!

In CTB, we combine Traditional Thai Massage with principles of Trigger Point Therapy, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Osteopathic Medicine. This allows the practitioner to address and ultimately resolve these problems which then liberates energy, removes pain and allows the muscles to become healthy so that they can then be used properly and finally be strengthened. 

What can I expect from a session with you?
To feel more relaxed, balanced, healthy and happy.  To feel less stiff, sore, achy, or painful.  Hopefully you can also expect to come away from the session knowing a little bit more about yourself and feeling empowered by that knowledge to help you create more harmony and alignment in your body and in your life.

What makes your Thai session unique?
My Thai Bodywork practice is informed by my knowledge of alignment, energy and breath work from yoga and my knowledge of movement principles from my background in dance.  I combine Traditional Thai Massage with the principles of Clinical Thai Bodywork which have the ability to achieve amazing results in the treatment of pain and dysfunction.

I enjoy working with clients who have chronic pain, injuries, or other restrictions they are trying to overcome.   For clients with specific pain issues, or posture complaints, I use a more clinically focused approach which is still integrated into the beautiful aesthetic of traditional Thai bodywork.

What is your wish for your clients during a session with you?
That their experience exceeds their expectations.  And that they leave feeling peaceful, renewed and empowered.

Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things. Mostly the simple things. Seeing the hard work that people silently put into life. Nature because she is all knowledge and her movement is so gentle and quiet at times and at others powerful and furious. Community – seeing people come together to help each other, laugh together, exchange goods and services with people they know by name. Friends and family. 

Favorite Thai or yoga pose/stretch:
For Thai it would be one of the back bending poses.  Either the pose where I return the client from seated to supine or the pose where I move the client into a backbend over my knees. They both help the client to experience surrender.  It is really hard to let your body stay relaxed and to let allow yourself to be completely supported by another human being. Especially one that you may not know all that well. 

For yoga, it would probably be sun salutations. I love seeing how my body changes day to day. It never feels exactly the same. That always amazes me. 

Least favorite Thai or yoga pose/stretch:
For Thai, I don’t really have any poses or stretches that I dislike.  Everything is done so rhythmically and within the range and toleration of the client so it all feels great!

For yoga, Dandasana or Staff Pose. It is soo hard! Which also kind of makes it my favorite pose, except that I can’t help but dread it. I did it for years half-heartedly and thought it was kind of pointless. But it does so much! There is so much to think about! 

It stretches the back of the neck, and the entire back line. It challenges the front of the neck to relax. Those are the fight or flight muscles and when I go into the pose, a part of me starts panicking every time. It is definitely a challenge to work with the breath to keep myself relaxed so that those muscles don’t engage.

Favorite Thai experience (either giving or receiving):
I love taking classes at Thai Bodywork School of Thai Massage in Evanston. All of the people that I have met and worked with there have been amazing! I can’t believe how much I have learned from all of them. They truly inspire me!

Birthday:
June 26th.  I am definitely a cancer.  

Hometown:
Oak Park and then Naperville, Illinois. 

What else do you do... besides Thai Bodywork & Yoga?
I also do consulting to restaurants and wine shops on sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines.  I have a website database that I have been working on for a few years now that will help people track down wines that are healthier for the people drinking them and for the planet.  It should finally be up and working shortly!  I also love cooking, shopping at Green City Farmer’s Market, growing herbs, reading, singing, playing piano, and having long, deep conversations with loved ones or anyone else who is willing!