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Massage is Good Medicine
Today we’re speaking with Kimberly Hall, Licensed Massage Therapist at Hidden Springs Wellness Center in Ashland.
How did you choose massage as a profession?
I found my career path early, at the age of 23. It happened after I received Polarity body work sessions. Wow; I loved how that felt. In fact, I became so enthused that I began studying at the Polarity Institute on Orcas Island, WA. That opened me up to a whole new world of alternative healing methods. What I learned just made so much sense, that to be truly well, a person needs to combine healthy eating, cleansing/detoxing, exercise, and emotional/mental processes with some form of body work, including an environment of loving support from friends and like-minded coworkers. I was quickly sold on the idea of becoming a body worker myself.
Was there any one individual who particularly inspired you?
Yes. Dr. Stone, the founder of Polarity Therapy, even though I never met him in person, I did study his methods for years. He was passionate about his work in the healing arts and earned degrees in osteopathy, chiropractic, and naturopathy. He also studied eastern modalites such as Ayurveda and Alchemy. I was fascinated with how he traced everything back to its essence, to the underlying energy, to a place where spirit meets matter. This inspired me to seek the same in my work, and I still use Polarity Therapy techniques to sense where energy is flowing and where it is blocked. The intention is to re-establish an uninterrupted, steady stream from head to toe.
What other healing modalities do you use?
I use Swedish massage to palpate and assess the body, to coax muscles to release tension, and to restore a robust flow of energy, blood and lymph. I focus on stimulating movement in tight, knotted areas, where pain sits or in other areas that are numbed. I work with the Craniosacral rhythm to sense the condition of fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord, in order to enhance amplitude and balance. Information gathered this way can be profound, including revelations about where and how essence is merging with the physical.
So, do you feel athletes should have regular bodywork?
Absolutely! There is so much evidence that it is vitally important for all athletes to incorporate massage into their regular body care, for recovery of course, but also for preparation. As well, bodywork helps students cope with the stresses of school and life. As a parent myself, I’m passionate about care for our youth and I encourage early self-care by offering a student discount.
You’ve worked at Hidden Springs for many years; what’s that like?
So true! I’ve been working here 13 years now, right from the beginning, and it’s been wonderful. For starters, as anyone who has been here knows, it’s a physically beautiful environment. Just stepping onto the grounds affords such an immediate, serene experience of nature – with flourishing plants and water cascading into the Koi pond, where families of ducks and geese and the occasional blue heron or bald eagle can be spotted. Best of all, I love being a member of this healing community of practitioners. We each offer our personal talents but also support each other and work as a team. Besides our everyday interactions, we meet twice monthly as a group to check in personally and discuss business needs and goals. With the New Year approaching, we’re preparing for our yearly weekend retreat where we envision goals for Hidden Springs and our individual practices. I have so much gratitude for Rod and Brooks Newton who own the center, for their integrity and generous caring of staff and community.