Oasis Staff Spotlight: Linda

Oasis Staff Spotlight:
Linda

Meet massage therapist, Linda Myers! Linda has been practicing massage therapy for 25 years.

What does wellness mean to you?

We are each unique in what makes us tick; it is why the world is so complicated and exciting. There isn’t a one size fits all regime, whether it be physical exercise, proper hydration or psychological and spiritual balance. For example, many will be happy to promote a particular exercise class or the latest machine, but it may not be the right fit for everyone. Some reduce stress through meditation; others find strength in hiking among the trees. What works for you?

  • Center: ground yourself and listen to your body.
  • Be Flexible: know who you are and what truly works for you. Does this particular food I crave make my body happy? Cultivate health consciously. Don’t follow the crowd or the latest whim. Partner with yourself bodily, emotionally and spiritually. We all seem to be a little hard on ourselves in striving for perfection which comes in many shapes and forms.

If this pandemic teaches us one very important thing, I hope it is the awareness that we all affect the other, our environment, our collective health and the necessity for positive, corrective connection. It starts with each one of us. Connect with yourself; love yourself and let that wellness within you translate to all.

Why did you get into Massage Therapy?

I entered the Swedish Institute NYC wearing a neck brace because my scalene (neck muscle) attaching to Cervical 4 was almost completely severed. I respect Chiropractic work, but a chiropractor did great harm to me by twisting my neck while it was in acute spasm. I left his office and within hours was unable to move my neck without excruciating pain. I worked in the theatre at that time and waited tables. I carried heavy trays of food. I had no health insurance. For five years I tried to heal my poor neck with no success. A Chinese co-worker advised me to go see Mrs. Zhou, a renowned Chinese doctor who invariably healed my neck using Chinese acupressure and physical therapy. It was well over a year of massage work that healed my badly torn muscles. I had flirted with the idea of becoming a massage therapist, but this experience showed me the vast value of massage. Mrs. Zhou assured me that I would be able to practice massage therapy as I studied wearing my neck brace. It was a leap of faith for me, but after 25 years of practicing massage therapy, the magic of massage healed me and I continue to help others heal. It has been a great blessing.

What is currently your favorite treatment at Oasis and why?

I love the Deep Tissue Muscle Meltdown Massage. The Muscle Meltdown consists of hot clay packs placed on the back and neck allowing deep heat to penetrate muscles which may be particularly constricted. Chiropractors use them to release muscles before adjusting and, as a Massage Therapist, I find I can get deeper work done more quickly when using the hot packs. Plus, they feel great, especially when applying a mentholated gel after the packs, before the deep tissue massage work begins. It’s a great massage!