When I started the Center for Alternative Medicine, one of my goals was to create a truly multidisciplinary clinic, a collection of independent yet collaborative health care professionals. And while Dave Pavlick, of EEG Neurofeedback fame, has been here virtually since the beginning, the office up front has too often remained empty. I have actively sought someone in a complementary discipline, with impeccable bona fides and a patient-centered ethic to match the spirit and mission of the Center.
I am very pleased to announce that our search has ended, as massage therapist Christine Decarolis has joined us. Christine is a graduate of the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, and holds both a national certification and Connecticut licensure (CT license #006339). She is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association, serves the needy and those in crisis as part of the Connecticut chapter's Community Massage Team, and on top of all that, Christine participates in events sponsored by the Sports Massage Team.
Christine got into massage the same way many of us find our life's calling: She fell into it.
"I had just lost my job due to 'restructuring,'" she said. "It was the fourth time I'd been out of work, I was tired of bouncing from job to job and realized I had a decision to make. Did I want to continue going from job to job and never settling anywhere or did I want to go back to school and follow my heart?" she added.
"I'd been a Reiki practitioner for two years at this point and made the decision that whatever I did next had to include Reiki. Massage kept popping up either in conversations or in the media. I figured after the third time, the Universe was trying to tell me something. Two months later, I was in massage school," she said.
Christine's experience and training gives her the ability to provide a wide variety of massages, she said. "I've been trained in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Trigger Point and Myofascial Massage. I don't have a particular favorite although I do use Swedish techniques the most."
"Every massage is tailored to the specific needs of the client and so I almost never use one type of massage exclusively. That is why I charge a flat rate for massage and not by type of massage or by benefit. Massage for stress reduction and for pain relief could be nearly identical or vastly different," she added.
Outside of the massage studio, Christine is the President of the Thomaston Ladies Choral Club. And she teaches sewing through the continuing education program at Litchfield's Education Connection.
I think this summary of Christine's skills gives you some idea of why I am very glad to have Christine at the Center. To get more information about this outstanding woman, check out her Facebook page. If you are interested in scheduling a massage, give Christine a call at 860-796-2571. Or email her at atouchofwellnessct@gmail.com.
Dr. Avery Jenkins is a chiropractic physician specializing in the treatment of people with chronic disorders. He can be reached at alj@docaltmed.com or by calling 860-567-5727.
