Ilsa Wood

Education:
Arcata School of Massage, graduated 2007

Specialties or Training:
Esalen and Lomi-Lomi, Hot Stone, Chi-Nei-Tsang (Zen abdominal massage), Cranio-sacral and Hydro-therapy.

Favorite modalities:
I love many kinds of bodywork, but I feel my greatest strength is helping people relax deeply with a flowing, strong and nurturing full-body massage.

Philosophy on Healing:
As a massage practitioner, my two most important roles in healing are to provide a safe space and a soothing touch. If one can fully let go of physical engagement and enter into a parasympathetic state, the body’s natural healing power is activated, and many kinds of regenerative processes begin. These include auto-immune functions, tissue regeneration, fine-tuned musculoskeletal adjustments and digestion. Calming and clearing the mind also gives one a chance to release old thought patterns and open to a fresh perspective of life.

Exceptional Results:
From 2007 – 2020, I had the honor of working at Breitenbush Hotsprings, a retreat center in the Oregon Cascades. All of our sessions were 90 minutes, which really gave us a chance to connect with our clients through our work, and for them to slow down and receive the benefits.

One client I had was very quiet and exceptionally kind. She came to me about twice a year for relaxation massage over many years. She never spoke much after her sessions except to thank me and say that it was more than a massage. After 3-4 years, she gave me a card with a long letter explaining the profound benefits she had received while working with me… She had been raised by a single father with other siblings. Though her father loved and cared for her, he was busy working and had very little time to be affectionate, to hold and soothe her as a “mother’s nurturing” would do. Because of this, she had grown up without an understanding of how to receive that kind of affection and was in great need of it. She said that my touch and presence held her in a way that was so safe and loving that it began to wear away layers of guarding and she was finally able to feel more open in her body and heart in a way she couldn’t explain with words.

I felt incredibly honored for her trust and the opportunity to work together long enough to help make a real difference in her life.