Hi there! My name is Heather Alison Cook and I own Yarrow and You Therapeutic Bodywork. I’ve been practicing licensed massage therapy for over 11 years now. I’m located in downtown Aurora, just a hop and a skip from to Hubbard, Oregon. I really enjoy helping people to feel better in their bodies… And who doesn’t want that? I specialize in Myofascial/Structural bodywork, Massage Therapy, Cupping, Craniosacral Therapy, and Hot Stone Massage. 

Let’s talk therapy. Not “talk therapy” but massage therapy. Why is it called therapy?

This is what I’d like to clear up, right off the bat, “The woman with hands of gold that gets the knots out of your aching back is called a “massage therapist,” but for a long time “masseuse” was acceptable.” from Vocabulary.com. Please, Please don’t refer to us (well I should speak for myself) as “masseuse” any longer. Thanks! Winking emoji entered here. This term is outdated and not preferred for many reasons. We are now referred to as massage therapists or even therapeutic bodyworkers now. The definition of therapy is “a treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.” This is what I do. As a licensed massage therapist I cannot diagnose but I can help relieve what may be bothering you. Sometimes massage therapy/therapeutic bodywork doesn’t even need to address physical symptoms. Getting bodywork can help us get into our bodies, and connect us with another human being who is trained in safe and therapeutic touch and this can be immensely stress relieving and healing.

Science shows that touch is a basic human need.

Touch from another human being can be deeply comforting. Touch activates the orbitofrontal cortex which is associated with emotion and reward. Soothing touch can activate the oxytocin hormone a.k.a. the love hormone” (which is why hugs are hugs!)  Safe and therapeutic touch can help us feel appreciated and encouraged. In his essay “Hands on Research: The Science of Touch,” Dachner Keltner describes the following, “Pro basketball teams who touch each other win more games, people who get a pat on the back in certain situations were more likely to cooperate than those who didn’t receive that touch, autistic children who generally hate being touched, some actually like being massaged from a parent or therapist.” And then there are all those studies from orphanages in different countries that have also shown that babies deprived of human touch do not thrive, fail to grow, and have behavioral issues. Instead, we should take note from the animal kingdom; Primates spend 10-20% of their time grooming each other!” Touch is important!

Getting a massage is good for your physical body but consider how it affects you in these other ways.

Touch therapy is being studied to be incorporated into more fields and as AI(Artificial Intelligence) becomes more prevalent as we may need more human touch than we realized! I mean, robots? Sure those chairs and foot massagers can relax the muscles but science shows that we can sense in our bodies when another human being is caring about, listening to, and helping your body unwind what is needs to. This, in my opinion, will always be needed. 

Are you English or American? If so you may need bodywork more than you think! Also, according to a study Keltner did where they watched people at cafes in different countries; “Puerto Rican friends touched each other 180 times, French 110 times, Americans twice, and the English zero! So book yourself a massage! Therapeutic touch is helping you stay connected to humanity!

Book a Therapeutic Bodywork Session at Yarrow and You Therapeutic Bodywork. Hope to see you soon in downtown Aurora. Happy Spring!