BENEFITS OF MASSAGE

While a single massage session can provide immediate relief and relaxation, the benefits multiply with consistent care. Each session builds upon the last, creating a cumulative effect that improves both short-term and long-term health.

Consider massage therapy like a fitness routine—sporadic workouts won’t deliver the same results as regular exercise. Similarly, consistent massage strengthens your body’s ability to heal itself, alleviates chronic issues, and prevents future problems from arising.

Benefits include:

Reduced muscle tension • Improved circulation • Stimulation of the lymphatic system • Reduction of stress hormones • Relaxation • Increased joint mobility and flexibility • Improved skin tone • Improved recovery of soft tissue injuries • Improved sleep • Heightened mental alertness • Reduced anxiety and depression • Reduced headaches • Improved posture • Reduced pain

Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on approach that supports the body’s natural healing processes by releasing tension in the central nervous system. This therapy involves subtle manipulations of the skull, spine, and sacrum to improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, helping to reduce pain, alleviate stress, and enhance overall well-being. Craniosacral Therapy is known for its ability to address a range of conditions, including migraines, chronic pain, stress-related disorders, and post-traumatic stress.

Craniosacral Therapy is beneficial for various conditions, including migraines, chronic pain, stress and anxiety, PTSD, sleep disorders, and nervous system imbalances. It’s also commonly used for general relaxation and mental clarity. Please note this treatment also has an optional TMJ Intraoral component to relieve jaw tension and pain.

Craniosacral therapy uses small manipulations of the skull and sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to circulate the cerebrospinal fluid. The gentle movements can greatly impact tension and stress on the body caused by compression. Many clients find the therapy extremely relaxing both during and after treatment. 

The practice of craniosacral therapy was originally developed by Dr. John Upledger in 1975. While researching the craniosacral system and cranial osteopathy, Dr. William Sutherland discovered movement in the cranial bones (the bones of the skull). Using this information, Dr. Upledger tested his theory that selective pressure and manipulation of the cranial bones and sacrum could promote the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the spinal column. From this, CST was born and is now a highly sought-after alternative therapy. This can be sure billed as massage therapy.

The John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Approach® is considered to be the ultimate mind/body therapy that is safe, gentle and consistently effective in producing results in reducing pain, headaches, fibromyalgia symptoms, and increases range of motion and function.

**This treatment can be direct billed as massage therapy if you have insurance benefits. Please wear or bring a sports bra and shorts or a bathing suit to wear during the session. Karin Lefsrud trained with John F. Barnes in Sedona, Arizona in March 2025 and completed MFR I & II and Unwinding.

Trauma, inflammatory responses, and/or surgical procedures create Myofascial restrictions that can produce tensile pressures of approximately 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain sensitive structures that do not show up in many of the standard tests (x-rays, myelograms, CAT scans, electromyography, etc.)

The medical approach is to drug patients so they temporarily are free from pain, but does nothing about the “straight-jacket” of pressure that is causing the pain. Traditional physical, occupational and massage therapy treats the symptoms caused by the pressure of the “straightjacket” of the Myofascial system, but does nothing about the “straightjacket” of pressure that causes and perpetuates the symptoms. This is why so many patients only have temporary results never seeming to get better with traditional therapy. Only Myofascial Release treats the entire Myofascial mind/body complex eliminating the pressure of the restricted Myofascial system (the straitjacket) that causes the symptoms. This approach helps treat:

Back Pain
Cervical Pain
Chronic Pain
Headaches
Scoliosis
Fibromyalgia
Spasm/Spasticity
Geriatrics
Carpal Tunnel
Neck Pain
Pediatrics
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Rehabilitation
Head Trauma
Neurological Dysfunction
Sport Injuries
Pudendal Nerve Entrapment
Jaw Pain (TMJ)
Restricted Motion

Spinal Flow® Technique is a technique that was developed by Dr. Carli Axford, a Chiropractor. Spinal Flow® works on the Central Nervous System which consists of the brain and the spinal cord. Every nerve coming out from the spinal cord through the body’s spinal column supplies every organ and cell of the body. These nerves come out in 1 of the 7 areas of the spine, the Spinal Gateways. When these areas are stuck, not moving, inflexible, the nerves become blocked and this causes dis-ease and affects our health.

Full movement and flexibility in each Gateway of the spine is important so that the energy may flow out to supply every organ, gland, tissue, cell and blood vessel of the body, reminding our body of its true ability to heal, and allowing the body to go back to what it already knows, its natural wisdom.

Pain and symptoms are the body’s way of telling us to stop and pay attention, to look deeper into what’s happening in our life. Spinal Flow is used to heal our bodies physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually by identifying the source of the problem.

The access points along the spine are used in order to make a connection to the Gateways; a message is sent to the brain, and then the brain comes in to make a shift in the body towards more ease and expansion. When our posture is in alignment, our nervous system is vibrating intensively and in connection to our soul’s deepest calling.

The shape, position, tension and tone of our spine is in direct relation to the shape, position, tension and tone of our life. The Spinal Gateways are the mirror between how we perceive ourself and how we perceive the world.

Spinal Flow® is a non-invasive technique, using light finger pressure and gentle traction on areas of tension, working with energy fields to clear and unblock blockages in the body’s energy flow. A modality bringing balance into areas where the energy flow meets and supports the structure of the whole body’s health and self-healing, finding ways to break old patterns and to overcome obstacles.

Dis-ease occurs when the body or mind are unable to successfully self-heal and respond or recover from a physical trauma, emotional stress or chemical toxicity.

Gateways along the spine, when activated, cause the body to suddenly breathe, move, stretch, awaken and release trapped energy, traumas, mental and emotional stress, giving the body the space and support it needs to self heal.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR FIRST SESSION:

You must book one of the Initial Visit Options with or without massage. Initial Visit includes consultation and treatment plan, assessment, spinal flow session and home care. For children’s sessions, parents must also be Spinal Flow clients. For more information on the initial visit requirements and Spinal Flow® generally, please visit the Spinal Flow section of the website www.pineconewellness.ca.

Karin Lefsrud certified in Spinal Flow® Technique in June, 2023 with Dr. Carli Axford and was the first practitioner in northern Alberta. She was also a member of the “green team” assisting with the practitioner training in Honolulu, Hawaii in November, 2023.

Spinal Flow® Technique is energy work that may be claimable under some Health Spending Accounts depending on your Insurance provider. Check with your insurance provider as we do not direct bill for Spinal Flow® unless massage is combined with it. Spinal Flow® Massage can be claimed as a massage through your health benefits provider.