Hi, I’m Sam.
My Approach
I came to massage first as a client and now as a practitioner simply because it makes me feel better. While there are various and more specific reasons to have a massage, for me this is the core reason to incorporate massage into your life. Feeling better is worth it.
Because I mix traditional Swedish relaxation massage with sports massage techniques, in a single session clients may find themselves drifting off or being coached on breathing while I work through painful knots and adhesions. If you think sports massage is about aggressive painful deep work, it’s not. If you think massage is just a feel-good spa treatment, it’s not. In my view, these approaches are far too limiting. Often, the relaxing work (triggering a parasympathetic nervous system response) prepares the body for and complements the deeper work. For this reason, I don’t offer sessions shorter than 60 minutes. Most of my clients say they have disliked shorter massages and felt the work less effective - I’m not surprised!
My Training
I first studied massage at the Swedish Institute in New York City in 2014-15. Because of hip dysfunction (FAI / labrum tear) that I was treating non-surgically with physiotherapy and functional training, I wanted to learn about anatomy and physiology. My academic background was in literature and the Humanities (i.e. old Greek books), so this was a whole new path for me.
In the UK, I have the following qualifications (certificates available upon request):
Level 3 Sports Massage (ActiveIQ)
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports Massage (ITEC)
As a therapist, I bring awareness and empathy from various areas of my active lifestyle to my clients:
Gym training — mostly a mix of power lifting and functional movement, along with a wee kettlebell obsession.
Hillwalking and hiking.
Recreational sports and activities. If you like to try new things, you probably get all kinds of surprise soreness, strains, and “knots.” Let massage keep you ready for whatever new activity is around the corner.
I also bring experience from my own rehabilitation (from ankle and hip injuries). If an injury gives you lurking chronic pain, I know first-hand how challenging it can be to focus on other areas of life and break the cycle. Massage can offer relief that is felt beyond the injury, improving your emotional state and increasing your belief that you can get past the injury/pain. However, massage alone cannot increase strength, mobility, stability and flexibility. I strongly support working with physios, trainers, and even mental health professionals in order to achieve your goals and realise your potential.
Please do take a moment to review the terms and conditions of treatment before doing so. You can always reach out to me via email with any questions.