Lara Menzies
Providing effective massage therapy in a supportive way by encouraging balance in life.
A proactive approach to connecting your mind, body and spirit.
About Me
My journey in the health and wellness field began in 2004, when I completed the Shiatsu program in Vancouver, BC. I worked in the spa industry for many years until I decided to open my own practice in the winter of 2011. After opening my business, I enrolled into the massage therapy program. I have been a practicing RMT since 2015. I am passionate about my career and helping my clients learn about their body, repetitive motions, weaknesses, and where they can strengthen. I explore with questioning using clinical assessment and hands on assessment, allowing me to get to the root causes of dysfunction. I combine shiatsu acupressure with myofascial massage and trigger point therapy. Breath work throughout the massage is a key factor in allowing the body to release. Gaining a healthy balance with massage therapy can only be supported with a home care regime (stretches, strengthening, and hydrotherapy). This is ultimately the key to your success. I will assist you in understanding what your postural patterns are by bringing awareness and giving you tips to improve your posture.
In my personal life, I have learned to be balanced, making sure my mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual areas of my life are addressed each day. I love being in nature as it nourishes, energizes, and grounds me all at once. I enjoy skiing, both on the mountain and in the back country, hiking, running, swimming, yoga, SUP, and golf. These are my yang practices! Cooking, reading, meditation, praying, and smudging are my yin practices. I am a life long learner. I truly enjoy spreading good energy, inspiration through action, and raising my vibration.
My Approach
Since my training began with Shiatsu, acupressure massage, I gained the skill to feel my clients QI or energy meridians. Applying pressure deeply and engaging the muscles is what sets my practice apart from others. Holding and releasing the myofascial trigger points is the corner stone of my practice. Guiding my clients to breath helps to release these “knots.” I like to provide a well-balanced massage, usually addressing the areas like the iliopsoas, quads, and pectorals in the front to relieve the pains in the posterior body. Often therapists tend to focus too much on the back and forget about the front. Most people are anteriorly rotated in the shoulders and pelvis. Therefore, massaging the short and tight muscles of the front as well as addressing the painful posterior muscles is my treatment plan. If a client needs a specific treatment to specific areas, then I adjust my plan accordingly. My massage is a deeper treatment, I like to couple that with adding other tools like hot stones or energy work. Please feel free to ask for these services at no extra cost. Before the massage begins, I will inspect your alignment and ask some questions to pin point your problem areas. I will inquire about your lifestyle and body positions to get to know where your weaknesses are and what needs to be strengthened. After the massage you will walk away with a couple lifestyle tips, stretches and strengthening exercises. I look forward to treating you soon.