The Massage Source

"Good for the body is the work of the body; good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other". -Henry David Thoreau Hello and welcome! My name is David Gammon. I'm a NY state Licensed Massage Therapist and a teacher of Mindful Living. I've been in private practice for 24 years helping people feel better in body and mind. My office is in Northport, Long Island. I also provide outcalls to residents of Long Island, Manhattan and Northern New Jersey. MASSAGE THERAPY: My style of bodywork is deeply meditative and precisely focused creating an experience of deep relaxation supporting the natural ability of body and mind to self-heal. The foundation of my work is a combination of Swedish massage, myofascial release and Trigger Point therapy, however, each session is unique and tailored to meet your body's needs in the moment for the most effective treatment. We work together through conscious dialogue to find the precise application of pressure and technique uniquely designed for you. As one of the oldest of the healing arts, Massage Therapy is a powerful resource for reducing stress, healing injuries and promoting wellness. When used regularly, massage is a highly effective way to promote, maintain and restore health, all of which aid in disease prevention. Research shows that in addition to feeling good, massage: - increases the circulation of blood and lymph - reduces heart rate and blood pressure - significantly reduces cortisol levels by as much as 40% (the hormone associated with stress) - significantly increases serotonin and dopamine levels by as much as 35% (the hormones that help produce and sustain feelings of well-being) - strengthens the immune system - relaxes tight muscle tissue - breaks up muscle fiber adhesion - decreases muscle spasms - improves natural joint lubrication and mobility On a deeper level, massage is a safe way to receive the healing energies of positive touch. Many of us have had negative experiences around touch. To be touched in a positive nurturing way is a basic human need. It's essential to our early development and a necessary form of nourishment throughout life. SELF-DISCOVERY/MINDFULNESS: Separate from my Massage Therapy practice, I'm also a mindfulness-based psychotherapist. Blending elements of Hakomi, Focusing and Non-Violent Communication (NVC), I coach my clients in self-awareness while incorporating movement, emotional centering techniques and conscious dialogue to help heal past wounds and transform limiting beliefs. These sessions are for the conscious-minded individual seeking a more integrative, body-mind approach to their process of personal growth and spiritual/emotional healing. Based in the Hakomi method of body-centered psychotherapy, these sessions help you to deepen your relationship with your body, mind and emotions through the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is the name for the awareness that arises when we pay close attention to our present moment experience in a compassionate and curious way. This open space of awareness allows us to observe the content of our inner world in each moment: thoughts, feelings, memories, images, sensations, impulses, etc. By understanding the relationship between thinking and emotion, we learn how to recognize the particular thoughts, beliefs, and stories we tell ourselves and how each story contracts or agitates our bodily sensation in specific ways. By practicing mindfulness, we become more adept at being 'witness' to our thoughts, emotions and reactive impulses instead of getting caught in familiar patterns of behavior. Through this lens of awareness, we can begin to unravel the entanglement of our own projections, limiting beliefs and the emotional responses that are rooted in childhood. "Many of us live so much in our heads that we intellectualize our emotions. We analyze, rationalize and explain them away so quickly that we don't actually experience them". -A Wise Unknown Suppressed emotions are often the root cause of physical illness and dis-ease. Whether you're aware of it or not, emotions can be first detected in the body. Many people are cut off from what their bodies are feeling, unaware of how their emotions manifest physically. From an early age, we learn habits about how or how not to show our emotions. Emotions such as anger, sadness and fear are often discouraged. Suppressing emotions may be the difference between being accepted by our parents, friends, and teachers or being punished, ridiculed or shamed. We might tense the muscles in our neck instead of frowning, hold our breath instead of crying, or clench our jaw instead of yelling. When patterns like this are repeated, emotional suppression becomes a habit, the unconscious mind takes over, and the body becomes a storehouse for unexpressed, unconscious feelings. When unconscious, this hidden material causes projections, conflict and disharmony within ourselves and in our relationships. Once conscious and directly experienced, these patterns are available for transformation and reintegration. With mindfulness, you can learn how to 'stretch' into new experiences with an attitude of curiosity and compassion. By using experiential exercises, we can engage awareness at the edge of your comfort zone, thus we're more able to examine and understand your "resistance" as it arises in vivo. The compassionate approach of mindfulness allows you to notice and gently transform the deeply held patterns of thinking and feeling that limit you in life. As a result, there's more joy, vitality and aliveness available for creating the life you want to live. Your life can become a more graceful unfolding as you consciously expand into new possibilities of joyful living. These sessions provide a space of safety, attention and support helping you to be more present with life's challenges as well as more compassionate with your self and others. The body is viewed as a doorway into the unconscious so instead of analyzing and problem solving we use self-inquiry to gain insight and release blocked energy. I'm a graduate of the Hakomi Method of body-centered psychotherapy and P.E.E.R. (Primary Emotional Energy Recovery) Counseling. I have over 12 years experience facilitating groups and working with individuals seeking emotional healing and developing the skill of Mindfulness. My life and work is also heavily influenced by the Abraham-Hicks Law of Attraction teachings. I'm passionate about conscious-relationship and enjoy a Holistic life-style. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please feel free to call or text me directly. Thank you for choosing my services. In service, David Gammon, LMT