4 Ways Therapeutic Bodywork Sessions with Kate are Different (and AMAZING!)
Taking care of YOU is important.
When you’re in pain, it’s pretty hard to show up as your most grounded, aligned, and vibrant self. Reducing discomfort, increasing functionality and ease of movement, and processing your emotions from a body-based perspective isn’t just good for YOU, it’s good for every area of your life — your work, your relationships, your parenting, all of it!
But here’s the thing: Regular therapeutic bodywork requires an investment of your time, your energy, and your money. I’ve got a pretty tight budget and a jam-packed schedule myself, so trust me, I get it.
So what makes a therapeutic bodywork session at Little Dipper different than what you might experience elsewhere?
#1: Transparent pricing and no up-charges
Y’all, one of my least favorite things when scheduling a bodywork session for myself is trying to figure out if I should book a “deep tissue” session (complete with $15 to $35 up-charge) or just stick with a “regular,” Swedish-style session. And what about aromatherapy? If I do take the plunge and decide to pay the extra $10-15, am I basically just gonna get a whiff of lavender essential oil or a drop or two of frankincense added to the massage oil that the therapist is using?
Since I don’t love this kind of experience as a client, when I first started Little Dipper, I decided that all of my therapeutic bodywork sessions would be all-inclusive.
Need deep tissue work or like firmer pressure? Great, that’s included in the price of your appointment. Interested in having a personalized cocktail of essential oils incorporated into your session? Awesome — I’ll hand-pick several just for you (usually 3-8).
AND ****drumroll, please**** beginning on 10/1/2019, I will no longer be accepting gratuities. This change feels amazing for me and is much more in line with how I view the services I offer (as health and wellness sessions, not “treat yourself” or luxury-type appointments). Hopefully this change will feel good for you too.
#2: Values you can get behind and a local, small business you can feel good about supporting
Little Dipper’s core values are compassion, connection, and community. How does that show up in the way I run my practice? A couple examples…
I do my best to consider the environmental impact of the choices I make for Little Dipper. My business cards are printed on recycled cotton. The sheets I use for sessions are high quality, gently used, single sheets that I purchase second-hand and then “retire” after they’ve been in rotation for a few years.
I offer payment plans for Little Dipper yoga series to help make them more financially accessible for the community. I’m also expanding my sliding scale program for therapeutic bodywork sessions. If your financial situation makes it challenging for you to receive regular bodywork, please reach out — I have a limited number of sliding scale sessions available each week and would love to help you figure out if you qualify for reduced pricing. ❤️
#3: Clarity in session descriptions and durations
Ever heard of a “therapy hour?” Basically, it’s fancy talk for “your hour appointment isn’t ACTUALLY an hour long.” Typically, if you book an hour massage at a spa, chiropractor’s office, or franchise, your session will end up being closer to 50 minutes of actual time on the table.
Not the case when you come for a massage or therapeutic bodywork session with me.
On the Little Dipper website, my offerings are clearly labeled so you know exactly what to expect — “hour” sessions are generally 70 minutes long with 60 minutes on the table.
So what do we do with those extra 10 minutes? They’re actually super important — before you get on the table, we spend a little time talking about your specific concerns and I’ll likely ask you a number of questions to help me assess what’s going on for you and your body, what we need to work on, and how we can best use our time together. Then, after you get off the table, I’ll check in with you about how you’re feeling and what you noticed during the session and offer some homework suggestions for you to try out before your next appointment.
Keeping my schedule flexible and spacious (i.e. giving myself a little chunk of “down time” in between appointments) means that you get the time and space you need at the beginning and end of your session to transition, process, and integrate your experience.
#4: Knowledge, resources, and no BS
Real talk? I’m knowledgeable AF.
In what I lovingly refer to as my “previous life” (before I started Little Dipper), I was working on a master’s in biology and a PhD in science education. This means that: (1) I have a TON of anatomy and physiology knowledge that informs how I work with clients and the way that I teach yoga. (2) I’m super comfortable reading and evaluating clinical research and scientific literature relevant to the particular issues or injuries my clients and students are dealing with.
Sometimes, you might benefit from another approach in addition to or instead of therapeutic bodywork with me. You can trust the referrals I give you — I’ve tried just about every health and wellness modality under the sun and know and work with some of the best practitioners in the greater Grand Rapids area. Myofascial specialists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, life coaches, physical therapists, counselors, chiropractors… I’ve got a great network and a whole bunch of resources to connect you with if needed.
Lastly — and this MATTERS — I will always shoot you straight about how often you should come see me.
While I love my clients and enjoy seeing them, my intention is always for you to see me only as frequently as is truly necessary in order for you to maintain the results you’re looking for. That means that I’m not going to try to talk you into seeing me every 3 weeks if your body’s telling me you only need to come in every 6 weeks. Of COURSE, if you want to come in more often than that — because bodywork (and/or yoga) is an important part of your self-care practice, because you need to be able to just relax and let someone else take care of you a couple of times a month, or simply because it’s good for your spirit — I will absolutely fully support you in that decision.
Self-care, at its core, is giving yourself permission to do whatever it is that you need to be okay.
— Jen Gotch —
In addition to these four key differences, I like to think that the relationship I co-create with my clients is pretty darn unique too.
My holistic, heart-centered approach to therapeutic bodywork recognizes and embraces the mind-body connection. Ultimately, as we work together to address the physical or emotional issues or pain that you’re experiencing, my goal is always to help you learn how to spend less time distracted, confused, and overwhelmed by outside noise that’s not you.
To facilitate a deeper trust in the wisdom of your own body and heart and encourage you to align your life with YOUR true north.
Because that’s powerful stuff, friends. And it’s an honor and a joy to be part of my clients’ and students’ healing journeys and to witness them doing the brave, hard, beautiful work of connecting to their own wholeness and coming home to themselves.
With a heart full of gratitude,
Kate