Curlie

Massage Therapy and Bodywork

This category includes all forms of massage and hands-on bodywork techniques. These techniques may have a range of aims. Some attempt to relax the client, others to relieve chronic pain or enhance the general state of well being.

Please submit sites to the appropriate subcategory, or this category if a combination of therapies is used or if the site is truly of general interest to massage therapists and bodyworkers.

All sites must be in English - other language sites belong in the appropriate category under World.

If a site is primarily concerned with treating animals, please submit to Animal/Alternative_Medicine.

STOP! PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE SUBMITTING

If you offer massage therapy and/or bodywork from a specific location do NOT submit here - this will only delay your listing. Instead, please submit to the appropriate subcategory in Regional.

If you submit your geographically specific massage practice here you will only delay your listing in the directory and bog down the editors.

Thank you.

Aquatic Bodywork

This refers to any type of bodywork one receives while floating passively in water. Sites here will describe techniques or offer services developed specifically for water work.

Please only submit sites that are concerned exclusively with bodywork in water. Sites for specific therapies that may be used for water work should be placed in the appropriate category for that therapy.

Associations

This category is for non commercial organisations that represent bodyworkers in English-speaking countries.

Do not submit commercial sites to this category, they will NOT, under any circumstances, be listed.

Sites that organise training courses should be placed under https://curlie.org/Health/Alternative/Massage_Therapy_and_Bodywork/Schools/.

Sites that sell products should be submitted to the appropriate subcategory under https://curlie.org/Shopping/Health .

Bowen Therapy

Bowen therapy, also known as Bowen technique, was developed by Tom Bowen in Australia in the 1960s. After his death in 1982 the method was more widely taught around the world.

In Bowen therapy the practitioner uses thumbs and forefingers to make gentle moves over the muscles, soft tissue and the nerves within the body.

Only submit sites here that are concerned with Bowen therapy at a national or global level. Location specific sites should be submitted under the appropriate Regional listing.

Cranial-Sacral Therapy

Non-medical form of massage engages a palpable rhythm called the primary respiratory mechanism, which has flexion and extension phases of varying amplitude and frequency. Non-physicians may use this osteopathic-derived technique to improve a client's sense of well-being and relaxation. This technique should be avoided in persons who may have an infection or a tumor, among many other contra-indications which have been noted in the osteopathic literature.

Education

This is a category for established schools of massage and/or other bodywork, preferably accredited in some fashion or other to a licensing body or authority. Training courses focusing exclusively on a single modality should be submitted to the appropriate therapy category instead of here.

Please include the location, or locations, where courses are taught.

Feldenkrais

The Feldenkrais Method began to be developed by Moshe Feldenkrais during the Second World War. He began teaching it publicly in Israel in the 1960s. The aim is to teach through movement how to improve an individual's capabilities to function in his or her daily life.

Feldenkrais called his individual work 'Functional Integration' and his group work 'Awareness through Movement'. The individual work incorporates touch by the practitioner to create new movement and awareness possibilities. In the group work the Feldenkrais practitioner verbally guides the class through a sequence of movement sequences.

Sites listed here will provide general information about the technique, and/or be of interest to users in more than one country.

Individual practitioner sites are not listed here, and belong in the appropriate Locality under Regional/.

Geriatric Massage

This refers to any type of bodywork whose main focus is improving the quality of life for elderly people.

Sites that sell products will NOT, under any circumstances, be listed here. These sites should be submitted to the appropriate subcategory under https://curlie.org/Shopping/Health .

Hellerwork

Joseph Heller originated Hellerwork in 1978 after studying humanistic psychology, Rolfing and Aston Patterning. Hellerwork is based on the assumption that every person is innately healthy. The client experiences a structured sequence of individual sessions designed to restore the body's optimal balance and posture.

Infant Massage

This refers to any type of bodywork whose primary concern is bodywork on babies, infants and / or pregnant mothers.

Sites that sell products will NOT be listed here. These sites should be submitted to https://curlie.org/Shopping/Health/Children_and_Adolescents/Baby .

Medical Massage

Massage conducted in a medical setting, medical massage treatments, insurance billing, medical massage marketing, and related professional topics.

STOP!

Read these instructions carefully before submitting

Submit listing requests for clinics and individual medical massage practices to the appropriate geographic category (for example: Regional: North America: United States: South Dakota: Localities: S: Sioux Falls: Health: Alternative). If you add such listings here it will only delay your opportunity to be listed.

Submit here only sites that provide general information, products, or services related specifically to medical massage. Certification programs and courses focusing solely on medical massage are appropriate for this category; submit other massage schools and programs to Health: Alternative: Massage Therapy and Bodywork: Schools.

Neuromuscular Therapy

Neuromuscular Therapy is the utilization of static pressure on specific myofascial points to relieve pain. This technique manipulates the soft tissue of the body (muscles, tendons and connective tissue) with the aim of balancing the central nervous system.

Orthopedic Massage

Massage therapy that addresses orthopedic conditions, typically consisting of orthopedic assessments, use of multiple massage modalities and injury-treatment techniques, and patient self-care instruction.

STOP!

Read these instructions carefully before submitting

Submit listing requests for clinics and individual orthopedic massage practices to the appropriate geographic category (for example: Regional: North America: United States: South Dakota: Localities: S: Sioux Falls: Health: Alternative). If you add such listings here it will only delay your opportunity to be listed.

Submit here only sites that provide general information, products, or services related specifically to orthopedic massage. Certification programs and courses focusing solely on orthopedic massage are appropriate for this category; submit other massage schools and programs to Health: Alternative: Massage Therapy and Bodywork: Schools.

Polarity Therapy

Polarity Therapy was developed by Dr. Randolph Stone, who had travelled widely often in search of medical insights from other cultures, his motto being, "Whatever works, works!". In the 1960s his work attracted more widespread attention in the United States.

Polarity therapy consists of verbal interaction with the client together with soft contact of hands on the body, aiming to stimulate the body's energy and achieve balance.

Only submit sites that contain information about Polarity Therapy.

Structural Integration

Structural Integration refers to a system of body education and physical manipulation developed by Dr. Ida P. Rolf. Practitioner work with the body's system of fascia (the supportive wrapping of muscles and other tissue), to release and free the chronic tightness, restrictions, and compensations that have built up over time. By doing so in a systematic way, the goal of Structural Integration is to balance the client's body more efficiently in gravity and allow their body to work in an easier, more natural and comfortable manner. The terms Rolfing and Structural Integration are often (and incorrectly) used interchangeably. Structural Integration (SI) is the generic term for the entire field. The terms Rolfing and Rolfer refer to graduates of the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, which is one of several schools that teach SI.

Appropriate submissions include informational and educational content about the topic, and training centers and schools.

Practitioners should submit their sites to the subcategory Structural Integration/Practitioners.

Thai Massage

Thai Massage can be traced back 2500 years to its introduction from India. Often described as "yoga massage" it is performed in a choreographed series of techniques, much like a martial arts kata or form, on a mat, with the participants wearing loose comfortable clothing.

Please submit sites dealing specifically with Thai massage here. Sites that deal with a number of therapeutic disciplines will not be listed here - incorrect submission will delay the consideration of your site.

Workplace Massage

This service is provided at the customer's place of employment. It may be a chair massage, where the massage is given through the clothing, using no oils or lotions. Alternatively the practitioner may bring along a massage table for a standard treatment.

Sites selling products should NOT be submitted here - they will not be listed. Go to https://curlie.org/Shopping/Health/Alternative/ and look for the most appropriate category from there.
Note that sites offering services only in the United Kingdom belong in Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/Health/Complementary_and_Alternative/Massage_Therapy/Workplace_Massage