A Little Bit of Paradise at Balance Bodyworks

Every body is unique, but one thing is for sure: we all carry around tension in our muscles.

Working at Patch offers a lot of nice flexibility: as editors, we work all around the community each day, holing up with our laptops in local coffee shops, libraries, even on our own couches. But all of that varied workspace had done a number on my upper body, building up tension in my neck, shoulders and arms. Never mind the fact that covering the news causes its own rise in stress levels.

Needless to say, I felt long overdue for a massage. It'd been years, and the penny-pincher in me had avoided making an appointment for far too long. That's why I jumped on a February Groupon for , located in the No. 9 building at the Rumford Center. The daily discount offered a half-price full-hour massage with certified specialist Paula M. Francis LCMT — a perfect excuse for a little R&R.

This was no typical massage, though. Francis specalizes in "Body Memory Recall" massage, a special approach that promises to activate the healing abilities in the body. No oil is used, which means that the massage therapist is able to get a better grip on the dry skin.

"Body Memory" is the stress — both physical and emotional — that's built up in your body. On her Web site, Francis states that she studied the method under Jonathan Tripodi, founder of the approach. She also received massage and bodywork training from the Cortiva Institute in Boston.

Before we began our session, Francis asked me a few questions about my health and where I most often felt tension in the body. She reminded me that the massage would differ from those I'd had in the past, explaining that she'd let my body guide her as she went along, "listening" to the areas that demand the most treatment.

Francis started by spending a few long minutes with her hands resting around the back of my head. Stressful thoughts of the day were still racing through my mind and as she continued to focus on my head, I started to wonder if she could sense the stirring happening within. Was that why she was spending so long there? Could I will myself to relax, so that she'd move on already to the other parts of my body, the parts I was convinced needed more attention?

Maybe that was the trick. Francis eventually moved on, working her way onto my neck and then my arms. Still, I remained surprised by just how slow the process was. There was not a lot of deep kneading, like I'd experienced in previous massages. Nor did she spend equal time on every angle of the body.

Instead, Francis seemed to move as she felt guided, as she'd advised me she would do. Each movement was slightly different, some gentler than others. Occasionally she would spend moments pushing deep pressure into certain points — areas I assume where tension was at its height.

I noticed that I became more relaxed as the session proceeded. Then, just when I had reached the ultimate state of relaxation, Francis whispered "all set" and left the room. Why do all good things end so soon?

I walked away wondering just how powerful the "Body Memory Recall" technique had been. I still had work to do, after all, and I was curious how quickly the stress would return. But as I left her studio at the Rumford Center and began to finish our site's video, I was humored by the difference I could hear in my voice alone. As I recorded our news roundup, I noticed that the hurried, direct tone I usually employ had been replaced by one that was more even, more steady, more relaxed. A pleasant feeling remained all over for the rest of the evening.

Because everybody's needs are different, Francis states that each "Body Memory Recall" massage experience will be different as well. She also suggests that your own experience may differ each time, depending on how your body changes from one session to the next.

While in the end I think I prefer a traditional massage, I can say I enjoyed walking away more at ease. Now if only I could convince myself to pay for such a treat more often ...

Sessions at Balance Bodyworks are available by appointment only. For more information, call Francis at 401-480-3367.