Unsighted Massage

I have an opening for a massage tomorrow for either 60 minutes or 90 minutes at 2:30 PM or 3:00 PM. Leave a comment here or send a message to snag the spot!

Fall is here, and for a lot of people that means more than pumpkin spice and cooler weather.

September, October and even November can bring seasonal allergies, especially ragweed pollen and outdoor mold. For some people, that can mean congestion, coughing, sinus pressure and just feeling like breathing isn’t quite as comfortable as it normally is.

Something I like to incorporate into certain massages is focused work around the rib cage and intercostal muscles.

The intercostals are the muscles between your ribs, and they play an important role in how your rib cage moves when you breathe. When those muscles and the surrounding tissues are tight or overworked, working with them can help encourage more comfortable movement through the chest and rib cage.

This isn’t about treating the allergy itself. It’s about working with the muscles involved in breathing and helping your body feel a little less restricted.

So if fall allergies have you feeling congested, tight or just plain uncomfortable, your next massage might be a good time to talk to me about adding some focused rib cage and intercostal work.

Sometimes a little more attention to the muscles we don’t think about can make a pretty big difference in how we feel.

Massage availability for the week is limited, so don’t procrastinate! I have a combination of 60 minutes or 90 minutes on Wednesday, September 23 in the morning and early afternoon starting at 11 o’clock. Thursday evening availability starting at 4:30. Feel free to leave a comment, text, or leave a message for your spot! First come, first serve!

🎉 SAVE THE DATE! 🎉

Our Nicole Richards Salon and Spa Open House is almost here, and there’s a lot to look forward to!

Come enjoy food, drinks, goodies, coupons, and a FREE raffle ticket for your chance to win one of our many gift baskets. You’ll even get to choose which basket you want to enter!

You’ll also get to see everything Nicole Richards Salon and Spa has to offer, from hair, facials, waxing, nails, lashes, spray tans and massage to what’s NEW and coming later this fall.

And that includes Unsighted Massage! I have some new services and offerings in the works that I’m really excited to share with you.

Come grab your goodies, meet the salon family, and find out what we’re all about and what’s coming next!

📅 October 17

Have openings for massage today for 60 or 90 minutes starting at 1 o’clock. Call the salon directly to book! First come first serve as always… 708-532-4247 

Have you ever had a headache and thought, “My neck and shoulders are so tight. That has to be why.”

Maybe. But it might not be that simple.

There are a lot of muscles that can play a role in headaches. The muscles at the base of your skull, upper traps, SCM, levator scapulae, muscles around your shoulder blades, and even your jaw muscles can all contribute to pain that you may actually feel in your head, temples, forehead or behind your eyes.

And sometimes the muscle that is contributing to the pain isn’t even where you feel the pain.

But there is something else I think is really important to understand.

Not every headache or migraine is caused by tight muscles.

Migraines are much more complicated than that. Things like stress, sleep, hydration, food, caffeine, hormones and your nervous system can all play a role. Neck pain can even be part of a migraine instead of being what caused it.

So when someone comes in to see me because they have headaches, I don’t want to just say, “Your neck is tight. Let’s loosen it up.”

I want to understand what is actually going on with you.

Where are you feeling the pain?
How often does it happen?
What does it feel like?
Are you clenching your jaw?
How much time do you spend sitting or looking down?
Are your shoulders constantly tense?
Are there muscles that are referring pain somewhere else?

Massage isn’t a cure for migraines, and some headaches absolutely need to be evaluated by your doctor.

But when muscular tension, stress, posture or other soft tissue issues are part of the picture, massage can be one helpful piece of the puzzle.

That’s why education is important to me.

I don’t want you to book a massage just because you have pain and expect me to magically make it disappear.

I want you to understand your body better and understand why I’m doing what I’m doing.

Your best interest comes first. Always.

Sometimes I look at what I’m doing today and have a hard time believing it’s actually my life.

Losing my eyesight changed everything. There was a point where it was very easy to look at my future and wonder what I was going to be able to do, what kind of life I could build, and whether I would ever feel independent in the same way again.

I’d be lying if I said I never felt like something had been taken away from me.

But somewhere along the way, I stopped focusing on what I had lost and started figuring out what I could still build.

That’s where Unsighted Massage came from.

Today, I get to make a living doing something I genuinely love. I get to put my hands to work, help people feel better, listen to their stories, build real relationships, and create an experience that is completely my own.

And there’s something incredibly meaningful about being able to say that I built this.

As a solo practitioner, I’m able to keep my prices fair and competitive without relying on memberships or contracts. I can take the time to listen to each person who walks through my door and customize their session based on what they actually need.

But the biggest thing I’ve gained isn’t just a business.

It’s a sense of purpose.

I don’t feel like I’m simply working because I have to. I don’t feel underappreciated or like I’m giving everything I have to something that doesn’t give anything back.

I feel fulfilled.

I feel proud.

And I feel incredibly fortunate.

Every appointment, referral, review, share, recommendation, and kind word has helped me get here. You may see it as supporting a small business, but I see something much bigger.

You’re supporting a blind man who decided that losing his sight wasn’t going to mean losing his dreams.

And for that, I will always be grateful.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me.

If your “lymphatic drainage massage” feels like deep tissue…STOP. That should raise a red flag.

I’ve read one too many stories from people who were told they were receiving Manual Lymphatic Drainage, only to describe the experience as something comparable to a deep tissue massage.

That is NOT what MLD is about.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is incredibly intentional. The repetition, the extremely light and superficial pressure, the direction of the movements, the stimulation of specific lymphatic pathways, and even the order in which different areas of the body are addressed all have a purpose.

This isn’t about digging into your muscles or using as much pressure as possible to “push the fluid out.”

It’s a specialized technique that requires proper education and training. And while there are different approaches and methods to MLD, the underlying principles matter.

That’s why I strongly encourage you to make sure the person performing your MLD is actually trained and certified in the technique.

I’m incredibly proud to have received my MLD certification from the wonderful Misty at SoderWorld Wellness Center & Academy. My training gave me an even greater appreciation for just how precise, gentle, and purposeful this work really is.

Your body deserves more than someone simply adding the words “lymphatic drainage” to their service menu.

Do your homework. Ask about their training. Ask about their certification. And make sure the person working on you actually understands the work they’re performing.

When it comes to your personal care, don’t settle for someone who just says they can do it.

Find someone who actually knows how.

Today marks ONE YEAR of Unsighted Massage inside Nicole Richards Salon and Spa!

When I took that leap of faith one year ago, I’m not going to lie… I was scared. Really scared. There was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknowns, and a whole lot of wondering whether I was making the right decision.

Looking back now, it is one decision I would not change for the world.

I decided to fully invest myself into Unsighted Massage, into my clients, and into building something that I could truly be proud of. And I can honestly say that it has paid off in ways I could have never imagined.

To every single client who has come across my table over the past year, thank you. Thank you for trusting me, supporting my business, telling your friends about me, coming back, trying something new, and allowing me to be part of your self-care journey. I am so incredibly thankful for every person I have had the opportunity to meet and help.

I would not be where I am today without all of you, and I certainly could not do what I do without you.

But perhaps one of the most meaningful things that has happened over this past year is that I have truly found a home and a family inside Nicole Richards.

Being fully blind, uncertainty can be one of the most terrifying things. Walking into something completely new and not knowing exactly what to expect can be intimidating. But from day one, I was welcomed with open arms. I have been made to feel safe, supported, protected, and genuinely cared about.

To all of my salon sisters and moms, thank you for accepting me, looking out for me, putting up with me, laughing with me, and making this place feel like home. I appreciate every single one of you more than you probably realize.

Here’s to the first year of Unsighted Massage at Nicole Richards, and to everything still ahead.

I’m excited for the next year, excited for all of the clients I haven’t met yet, and most importantly, excited to continue helping all of you take some time for yourselves.

And if you haven’t had the opportunity to stop in and experience Unsighted Massage yet, or check out one of the many amazing services offered throughout the salon, I hope you’ll consider supporting us. There are so many talented women under this roof offering services that can help you feel better, look better, relax, recharge, and simply take a little time for yourself.

Self-care really is about more than just pampering. It can bring wellness, confidence, connection, and those wholesome interactions that we sometimes don’t get enough of.

And don’t forget about the Nicole Richards Salon and Spa Open House on October 17!

Come out, meet the service providers, learn more about everything the salon has to offer, enjoy some great food and drinks, and of course, there will be plenty of giveaways!

One year down.

I’m just getting started.

Thank you for making Unsighted Massage what it is today.

There are some updates coming to the services at Unsighted Massage, and I promise, this is a good thing!

One thing I’ve learned since becoming a solo massage therapist and running my own business is that every therapist does things a little differently. There is no one-size-fits-all way to practice massage.

One thing that will never change for me is the time you actually spend receiving your massage.

If you book a 60-minute massage with me, you get 60 minutes of hands-on massage. When you’re on the table and we begin, your time is yours. I don’t believe in taking 10 or 15 minutes out of your massage for getting undressed, getting dressed, or paperwork.

My massage has always been centered around intuitive touch, feeling the tissue, paying attention to how your body responds, and letting my hands guide the session. That is a huge part of what makes my work different.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t add a few more tools to the toolbox.

Over the next few months, I’ll be introducing some new enhancements and services at Unsighted Massage, including hot stones, heated bamboo sticks, and some new options focused specifically on hand and foot care.

I’ll be sharing more information about everything on October 17th at the Nicole Richards Salon & Spa Open House.

Whether you’re already one of my clients or you’ve never experienced a massage with me before, this is a great opportunity to come meet me, learn more about what I do, and get acquainted with some of the new things coming to Unsighted Massage.

I’m excited about what’s coming, and I think you’re going to like it.