Utah Prenatal Massage…love your baby

To know my work, you need to understand my beliefs. I believe pregnant women in our culture suffer from a lack of touch, and this needs to be reversed. Typical prenatal visits involve clinical touch, but not touch intended to connect the mother to her growing child and to her own body and inner self. It is here in this space of quiet connection and inner knowing that a women comes into herself as a mother and finds the confidence necessary to fully embrace childbirth and motherhood. I believe pregnant women and their babies deserve nurturing touch as a regular part of this vital, irreplaceable time in their lives. We need to let go of the idea that massage is an indulgence or pampering; it is, rather, complementary healthcare.

I see many of my clients for the first time in their last trimester when they are in the grips of back pain or sciatica, or so uncomfortable they just want to speed labor along.  Certainly it is true that massage can and does provide enormous relief for such conditions. But what I hear women comment most on is the emotional relief they experience when the pain goes away. Women can actually relax and enjoy their pregnancies when they are pain-free and they are given the permission to actually be present with their baby instead of just getting through the nine months.

I believe our subconscious beliefs are the foundation for our conscious experience of pregnancy, birth, and mothering. Our culture has done a very good job instilling a host of beliefs that do not support smooth and easy pregnancy and labors. We get many of these beliefs from our own mothers and our best friends, especially if they had disempowering experiences themselves.  I now incorporate subconscious belief work, a kind of inner birth coaching, for those clients who wish to experience the shifts that can occur when this aspect of the birthing mind is addressed along with the physical and emotional aspects that massage addresses.

It is a privilege to be allowed into the intimate and sacred space of a mother and her unborn child, and I take seriously the responsibility that comes with that invitation. I allow time before your session begins for us to discuss your situation so that the massage you receive will be comfortable, safe, and appropriate to your needs. You will not feel rushed, and your session will be your time, quiet and uninterrupted, so that you may find that place of peace within yourself.

Education/Qualifications

• Primary Techniques: Pregnancy, Labor & Postpartum Massage; Swedish Massage; Thai Yoga Massage; Infant Massage Education.
• Utah Prenatal Massage Association co-founder.
• Vitalize Community & Healing Arts Studio co-owner (headquarters of UPMA).
• 2010 - present, Instructor of Prenatal and Postnatal Massage, Myotherapy College of Utah.
• 2011, Doula training; Member, Utah Doula Association
• 2008, Certified Infant Massage Educator, Infant Massage USA.
• 2008, Advanced Pre/Perinatal Massage Training, Carole Osborne.
• 2004, Certified- Pre/Perinatal Massage Therapy, Carole Osborne.
• 2003, State Licensure - LMT; Member, American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).
• 2002, Graduated - Myotherapy College of Utah.
• 1994, Secondary Teacher Certification, University of Utah.
• 1988, BA - Spanish, University of Utah.

Schedule an Appointment

Please contact Karen to schedule an appointment.

Testimonials

For my fourth and last delivery, at age 43, I wanted a smooth delivery, an easy recovery and no complications. I turned to hypnotherapy and massage to help increase —more—

Dads are not given much consideration when it comes to labor and delivery. The mother is the one having the baby, of course, but the dad experiences a lot of stress —more—

I was 36½ weeks pregnant with my second son when I started having some slightly painful contractions. I had been through childbirth once before and these contractions —more—

My first child birthing experience was dreadful. To prepare for my second birth, I met with Karen for a few prenatal massages and some consultation. —more—

Karen taught me how to do infant massage on my baby when he was only six weeks old. My whole experience of the pregnancy and delivery was —more—