Mind-Body Medicine

Mind-Body Medicine focuses on the interactions between the mental and physical body. The goal is to reconnect the mind, body, and spirit for optimal wellness.

At Associates of Integrative Medicine, we use massage therapy, Reiki, biofeedback, infrared, and music therapy, to not just calm the mind but to activate the body’s internal mechanisms for healing.

Massage Therapy

Therapeutic Massage can offer:

  • Restored trust in your body’s internal ability to heal

  • The ability to sync your emotions with your experience

  • The ability to process traumatic triggers caused by medical intervention

  • The ability to relieve emotions, like grief, that get suppressed in efforts to “power through”

  • Biochemical and neurological benefits resulting in a healthier immune system

Our Licensed Massage Therapist, Angela, is a gifted practitioner with distinct skills in creating a safe space for vulnerable populations. She allows the muscle tissue to “speak to her” and gently, safely works with patients to achieve truly holistic health.

Rates:
60 minute massage, rate: $89/hour

90 minute massage, rate: $139/hour

Off site massage, rate: $179/hour

WHAT IS Reiki

The word ‘Reiki’ comes from the Japanese word ‘Rei’ meaning “Universal Life” and ‘Ki’ meaning “Energy”. It is a subtle and effective form of energy work to balance physical and emotional energies and facilitate an environment for healing physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When you come in for a Reiki treatment, we will schedule you for a one-hour session. I will tell you a bit about Reiki and answer any questions that you may have, then we will spend 10-15 minutes on a consultation where we talk about your concerns and goals.

We plan to use multiple healing modalities that have growing evidence that they fight cancer on a deep level along with our reiki sessions. Our intention is to introduce a parasympathetic response and calm the nervous system while achieving the following health goals:

  1. Restore Clarity of Thought

  2. Reduce Stress

  3. Reduce Anxiety 

  4. Cope with Grief and Loss

  5. Help release Resentment and Grievances

  6. Help with trauma and PTSD

  7. Help with systemic inflammation

  8. Restore sleep

  9. Reconnect and restore trust in the body and our internal ability to heal

How will we accomplish this?

We will prepare the space using aromatherapy individualized to your specific needs. Aromatherapy is a healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts medicinally to promote health and well-being. Data shows that aromatherapy can improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety levels, and has the potential for improving cognitive function.

We will integrate a sound wave therapy called binaural beats, which are tones of specific frequencies to encourage healing. Listening to binaural beats can significantly decrease sympathetic response and increase parasympathetic response, meaning they improve physical and psychological indications of stress. Certain frequencies may improve cognitive function, sleep, and anxiety.

Depending on your needs and with consult from our mental health therapist, we may instead choose a weighted blanket that has evidence that it helps with introducing a parasympathetic response for some and guided visualization formulated to fight cancer, optimize immune function, treat anxiety, or address PTSD. Guided visualizations have been shown to be highly effective in improving sleep, reducing stress, and helping to process resentment, grief, and trauma.

Our therapeutic bed will be equipped with infrared heat to increase circulation, lower inflammation, and soothe muscles. Our infrared mat delivers a therapeutic level of deeply penetrative heat that can induce a healing response. If you are unable to lay flat on a table, we can modify using a seated method. Our infrared mats deliver heat with crystals: jade and tourmaline. To enhance the meditative and energetic experience, you may choose a crystal that you feel drawn to, to hold, or to place on your body to direct your attention and focus. 

During the treatment, and with your permission, I will place my hands in specific placements over the endocrine glands and nerve plexuses, hovering about 1-3 inches above your body. As you know, the body is made of energy; from the atoms that make up our being to the chemical and electrical impulses that keep us alive, there is a constant flow of energy at work throughout the body. I am trained to focus positive, healing energy through this exercise to support your body’s natural ability to heal. Reiki helps to restore homeostasis within the human energy field to cultivate a healing environment for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Reiki can help lower pain, anxiety, fatigue, and has data in improving these specific to oncology patients.

During our session, you may feel a subtle vibration, heat, pressure, tingling, something like magnets, or nothing at all. You may have an emotional release. You may suddenly cry, laugh, or want to talk. These are all OK and quite common. The most common experience is a feeling of deep relaxation and release of stress and tension. 

It is important to drink a lot of water after your Reiki treatment to aid in the cleansing process. You will be offered a clean glass of water enhanced with a flower essence remedy before and after treatment. These remedies can help process deeper emotions that may surface through the sessions.

PMID: 27901219