Solid Ground Bodywork / Glenn Smith

Welcome to the webpage for Solid Ground Bodywork, my bodywork practice in Nevada City, California.  I am Glenn Smith, massage therapist, specializing in Orthopedic Massage, Lomi Somatic Therapy and general therapeutic massage.  I offer bodywork sessions of various durations focused on your needs and goals to feel and live better.  I would love to help you feel better and to help you to help yourself to feel better.  My work is gentle and supportive yet very deep, powerful and thorough. I have been in private practice since 1994, practicing Orthopedic Massage since 1997

Please scroll to the appropriate headings to learn more about my bodywork sessions, options and me. You might like to start at the last section with my brief narative bio and practice philosophy before coming back to read about the "nuts and bolts" of how I like to do things. I'm also happy to email you a more formal resume. If you have more general questions about massage and bodywork, my professional association, ABMP, has lots of info at massagetherapy.com

I welcome your inquiries about me and my practice. Contact me at:

• (530) 478-0770
• glenn@solidgroundbodywork.com

SESSION LENGTHS AND FEES:

• 20 minutes..................$ 55
• 35 minutes..................$ 70
• 60 minutes..................$ 100
• 90 minutes..................$ 130

Expect sessions to run a few minutes longer at times and at least 30 minutes longer for initial sessions.

Sliding Scale: available for those with limited income.

Series Package: complimentary 7th session if within 6 months and paid in advance installments.

Payment: Cash, check or PayPal preferred.

Scheduling: call, text or email 530-478-0770 or glenn@solidgroundbodywork.com. I will request a phone conversation before your initial session to hear what you are looking for.

MODALITIES:

Orthopedic Massage reduces pain and tension and assists in recovery from acute and chronic injury. It is effective for:

• soft tissue injuries
• joint conditions
• peripheral nerve entrapments
• everyday aches, tension and stress
• improving performance in work, music, sports, and all sorts of activities

My Orthopedic Massage sessions are thorough and deep as well as gentle and very relaxing. Easy stretches and movements are used on the table and suggested for self care.

I studied Orthopedic Massage with Thomas Hendrickson DC. His approach is based on the unique groundbreaking work of Lauren Berry PT, as refined and modified by Tom Hendrickson after extensive study of other advanced wellness approaches including yoga, Tai Chi, chiropractic, and osteopathic soft-tissue techniques.

Lomi Somatic Therapy is a meditative process of discovering and releasing patterns of tension and stress and their physical and emotional roots. Lomi work is a synthesis of eastern and western healing arts brought together with powerfully focused attention. Our joined attention opens the way for insight and change. Techniques in bodywork, breathing, movement, and vocal expression may be used.

My Lomi instructors, Richard Strozzi-Heckler PhD and Robert Hall MD, were two of the founders of Lomi. They were among the first westerners to study with Randolph Stone DO (the creator of Polarity Therapy.) Together or independently they also studied Gestalt (with Fritz Perls,) Rolfing, yoga, Tai Chi, Aikido, Sufi and Vipassana meditation and hold advanced degrees in Psychology and Psychiatry.

I also study and employ techniques of Eric Dalton's Myoskeletal Alignment and Til Luchau's Advanced Myofascial Techniques

Personal Coaching, as studied and practiced in Radical Therapy and Skills for Change, is employed in all my bodywork session, coaching sessions and instrumental music instruction. The basic tenent of which is that, though I offer observations and suggestions, your goals and perspectives are primary. You are in charge.

YOUR SESSIONS:

Initial Session

I ask that you fill out an intake form and a basic health history check list before our first session. I can email them ahead or you can fill them out in the waiting room. Depending on what you want, I request your initial session be at the 60 or 90 minute rate. And I ask that you have an additional 30 minutes or more in your schedule to discuss your history and goals. The actual bodywork (and coaching if desired) will be at least the length you pay for and there is no extra charge for the intake procedure. I like to explain basic principles of my work to de-mystify it before and during the first part of your initial session. There will still be plenty of silence for you to have a deeply relaxing and transformative session. I will really appreciate hearing from you a day or two after your first session and I may ask your permission to call you.

A Typical Session Description

It may help you get the most from your sessions by planning what you would like our focus to be. Together we structure each session considering your current situation, your goals and your history. Sessions generally begin and end with a short check-in and/or physical assessment. In addition to the hands-on bodywork, I employ comfortable passive stretches and movements on the table. And, if you are willing, I will request gentle, brief activities on your part that greatly aid in release of excess tension and tissue restriction. Most of the techniques employed will not require massage oil or lotion and if any is used it will be just a drop or two of unscented massage oil. Although my work is very effective through a light, soft layer of clothing, most people choose to at least partially disrobe for the longer session lengths. If you choose to disrobe, I will leave the room for you to get comfortable on the table under a clean sheet. Other than your head and neck, only your back, arms and legs will be uncovered while we work in those areas. In addition to sharing insights into our work together, I often offer ideas for self care based on my many years of study and practice of several mind/body disciplines. I recommend that you take things easy for a while after your session for maximum benefit from the session. Effects of your sessions will likely continue to develop over the next 12-24 hours and the benefits felt for days longer.

Communication

You are the expert on what you are wanting and feeling. Please let me know immediately if you would like something different or if anything is uncomfortable or doesn't feel right even if you're not sure why. Also, I am very open to communication between sessions about things related to our work.

SCHEDULING AND POLICIES:

I appreciate the opportunity to work with you! Please review these policies to help our communication and understanding. I am open to altering these terms if you make advance requests. Please ask if you would like anything different!

Scheduling Appointments

To schedule a session, call or text 530-478-0770 or email glenn@solidgroundbodywork.com. I will request a phone conversation before initial sessions to hear what you are looking for. Please leave a message with your desired session length, and a couple of day and time options.

I schedule bodywork sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays and possibly other days by request.

Schedule Changes
I understand that unanticipated events happen occasionally in everyone’s life. In my desire to be effective and fair to all clients, I request you agree to the following policies:
Late Cancellation: Please give me as much notice as possible if you must reschedule or cancel an appointment. This allows the opportunity for someone else to schedule an appointment. Except in emergencies (snow, etc.) with less than 24 hours advance notice you are asked to pay a $30 cancellation fee and if you miss a session with no notice, I ask that you pay for that session.

Late Arrival: If you are running late, please text or call and leave message as I may leave the office if you are more than 15 minutes late. If you arrive late, your session may be shortened in order to accommodate others whose appointments follow yours without reducing the fee for your scheduled appointment.

At Your Sessions

Please wait in the waiting room with out knocking. I ask that we take care of scheduling and payment transactions at the beginning of each session. We will generally begin and end sessions with a brief verbal check-in. Please notify me if you must leave at a certain time as sessions will sometimes run a little long.

Hygiene

To reduce the chance of spreading illness, please bring a mask to wear during your session or I will provide one. (I have clients with comprimised immune systems and don't want to get them sick.) I wash my hands before and after every session. High touch surfaces are sanitized between clients as are impermeable table and pillow covers. Air purifiers are running in the waiting and treatment rooms but if you prefer to wait outside or in the hallway until your time, great effort is made to be ready at your time. The HVAC for the suite is maintained with regularly changed MERV 13 filters.

BIO AND PHILOSOPHY:

Bio
My fascination with how the body works, and how the mind works with and through the body, began in the mid 70’s with my career as a classical trumpet player and teacher. Early problems in my trumpet playing, periodic bouts of severe low back pain and a desire to help my students had me delving into subjects of posture, body mechanics and the psychology of movement. I received various styles of bodywork and began practicing yoga. I also studied with two music teachers world-renowned for helping musicians overcome injuries and mental/physical blocks. I find the careers of music and bodywork complimentary, mutually inspiring and very rewarding. Along the way, I studied personal coaching in the work of Radical Therapy and it's more body-oriented off-shoot, Skills For Change. I use coaching skills in my bodywork practice, personal coaching sessions and music instruction.

I began my professional bodywork practice in early 1994 with certificates in Lomi Somatic Education and Massage Therapy and earned my certification in Orthopedic Massage in 1997. I continue to study advanced bodywork modalities including Myoskeletal Alignment Technique and Advanced Myofascial Techniques.

Philosophy
In every session I ask what you would like. Your goals, general and specific, are the starting point release current or chronic pain, tension and habit-patterns that may keep you from living, working, playing and feeling better. I want to know how best to be of service to you so information and feedback from you is very much appreciated. In addition to designing each session to achieve your goals, I can offer a multitude of ideas for learning and self care. In this, I see my role as a coach, empowering you with new ideas and support for better self care. I love helping people feel better and I love helping people to help themselves feel better. My support is very non-judgemental, creative and compassionate. I really understand the mystery and frustration of not feeling as well as you'd like and how hard it can be to try new things especially when you may feel confused, helpless or like you've tried so much already.

I maintain and promote an open compassionate desire to understand and accept your discomforts and difficulties in any way that makes sense to you. I like to start with the material level (your body and experiences) and then bring in other levels of understanding as they arise (emotional, metaphorical etc.) Our combined compassionate attention then becomes a powerful, direct and graceful means to greater comfort, vitality, and wholeness.