"I wanna dance.  I wanna win.  I want that trophy."

TODAY, October 4th, is the LAST DAY to vote for Best of the Boat!  A giant THANK YOU to everyone that has voted, and a pretty please to those who haven't!  (Besides, midterms are coming up.  Practice your voting so that when it really counts, you'll be ready!)

Voting is easy-peasy!

1. Go to www.bestoftheboat.com
2. Register your email address.
3. Vote!
   Professionals category -> Best Massage Therapist -> Erica Olson
   Business category -> Best Spa (yeah, I know, but this is as close as they got) -> Heartfire Massage
   . . . An' if'n you want to do my darling Greg a solid, hit him up (Fireside Catering) for Best Caterer in the Food section.

Thank you!

A little mud season lurve
As a little lagniappe for our locals (who have to put up with us year-round!), we are once again including a FREE On the Rocks upgrade with all massages booked in October and November.  On the Rocks is our mini hot stone upgrade - essentially, instead of using warm basalt stones over the entire body, you can pick your favorite "I'm in need!" part for us to focus on.

Upcoming events
Just to give y'all a heads up, I will be gone for most of October.  I'll be spending a very intense three weeks up in Jackson Hole finishing my yoga teacher training.  I'm really looking forward to being able to incorporate my new knowledge into working with all of you.

Further out on the timeline is our upcoming yearly client appreciation party!  This year, we will be holding it the evening of Wednesday, November 14.  More details will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars now!

The loveliest time of year
I hope everyone is enjoying their cozy sweaters, apple cider, and pumpkin spice everything.  The leaves were a little late this year, but they're peaking now and the colors are glorious.  The geese are migrating, and many second homeowners returning to more favorable climates--or, at least, more pressing commitments and obligations. 

Voting is now OPEN!
Ladies, gents, and those of fluid or non-binary gender identity, NOW IS THE TIME.  For the last seven years, your generous support has helped me land solidly in the top three slots as Best Massage Therapist in Steamboat's annual survey, Best of the Boat.  It's been a few years since I hit the top mark, though, and I'd LOVE to get there again this year.

You don't have to live in Steamboat to vote - all you need is internet access and an email address.  Voting is open from Sept 20 - Oct 4.

Hit us up for Best Spa (Business and Community section) and Best Massage Therapist (Professionals section).  (If you're feeling extra generous, please vote for Fireside Catering under Food: Best Catering Service!)  Clickie the linkie here to vote!

Fall teaser
In just a couple of weeks, we'll have hit that blessed down time that all the locals look forward to:  MUD SEASON!  As a thank-you to all the locals who help support us year-round, we've got a couple of little goodies coming up in October and November.

First, we have a complimentary mini hot stone upgrade (aka On the Rocks) available for any of our appointments in those two months.  Second, Sarah will be offering an exquisite lomi lomi special for those who want to relax and get away, but can't quite make it out of town.  Lomi lomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage that is best known for its long, flowing strokes.  We are very excited to be able to offer this modality; I haven't found another place in Steamboat that provides this experience.

Making the yogas
Last but not least, I will be out of town from October 7-27, finishing up the second half of my yoga teacher training.  As my work in massage has branched out into further education regarding posture and movement, I am eager to begin offering one-on-one customized yoga sessions after your bodywork.  I'm not sure if I'll teach classes anywhere, but I am looking forward to giving y'all another tool for self-care.

And on that note . . .
Methinks it's time to head outdoors and savor the beauty of our gorgeous autumn leaves.

Parents across the land, REJOICE!
You know what time it is.  Non-parents may have forgotten their origins, but you clock the seasons with baited breath, aching for the onset of late summer and early fall.  For many of you, this is " target="_blank" style="color: #336699;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">the most wonderful time of the year. 

(Trust me, you want to click on that link.  Unless you don't like BatDad, in which case you are dead to me.)

And we're only a month away from even MORE rejoicing!
Those of you who regularly see Chelsea may have a one-up on the situation, but for others, here's the news:  CHELSEA IS GETTING MARRIED NEXT MONTH!!!!!

Saturday, September 15th is the big day! Thank god we're closed on Sundays, because there's a good chance I'll be nursing one mother of a hangover.  I can't wait to see these two get hitched. <3 <3 <3

I know there's a LOT of you that Chelsea's done right by and I've had a couple of clients ask if she's got a wedding registry they can contribute to.  The answer is YES, absolutely!  If you make the clicky on this link here, it'll take you to said registry, including their "Camper Life Fund" in preparation for their spring walkabout.

Wait, whadda ya mean "walkabout"?
Okay, technically, it's a driveabout.  Come spring, Chelsea and Derek plan on leaving the 'boat for Grand Adventures - they will be spending a good six months or so traveling the US.  They intend to return to Steamboat for the long haul, but you know what they say about roads and good intentions.

Either way, consider this your warning shot across the bow:  if'n you love Chelsea's work (and you damnwell should, because she rocks), get in while the getting's good.  Because, of course, there have also been some . . .

Schedule changes
Many of y'all know that Chelsea has also been getting her health coaching practice up and running.  (Upcoming website at www.chelseabeers.com!)  In order to help facilitate that, she's dropped her hours down to Tues, Weds, and Fri, 10-6.

However, not to leave everyone in the lurch, Sarah is now up and running and ready to go.  She's gotten a couple of days at the office under her belt and hasn't run off screaming yet, so I think she's a keeper.  Sarah will be available Tues/Thurs/Sat from 1-7:30pm, allowing those of you who work Normal Day Jobs to get in after work.

Want to book a session with any of us?  Head on over here and we'll do our best to set you right.

In the meantime
Enjoy the excitement of new binders, the smell of fresh erasers, and the start of the oncoming autumn season.  The leaves are just starting to turn, but I'm hanging out on the deck on this lazy, hazy day, watching the goats be goats and reveling in the hummingbirds.

This one is short and sweet today . . .

Announcement #1
After the build-out that had no end, I am pleased to announce that my new office is up and running!  I've been working out of it for the last few weeks, and every day I fall more and more in love with my space.  The view from the table is unbeatable.  I've got just a wee bit of touch-up paint left to do - and then moving the rest of my stuff in - but I'm going to call it Done Enough.

Announcement #2
I have hired a new IC, Sarah Miller, who will be starting in about a week and a half.  More details about her later, including an announcement when her schedule goes live, but the skinny is this:  Sarah is the bomb.  She went to school in Ontario, where massage there is a proper full-on four-year college degree.  As such, she graduated with 2500+ of education; in contrast, Colorado only requires 500 hours.  She has been an MT longer than I, taught in Hawaii for three years, and specializes in orthopedic, perinatal, and equine massage.

I am totes excited to have her on board.  My squee is enormous.

(Yes, Chelsea is still working for me; she has her own office space downtown at 10th and Lincoln, and it's lovely.)

Quick reminder
August is right around the corner, which means that Steamboat often gets an influx of visitors and second home owners from places where it is Too Hot elsewhere.

So, if you are going to be around in August and want to get a massage, I strongly suggest scheduling your appointments sooner rather than later.  I am currently booked almost solid for the next two weeks, and Chelsea's schedule is rapidly filling as well.  Since Sarah will be coming on board, Chelsea is decreasing her hours with me in order to focus more on her health coaching practice (spiffy new website coming!).

And with that, I release you!
Go forth, do good things, and make someone smile today.

Take a "gander" at this  . . . is not quite ready, but we're getting there.  I am seeing clients over at my new location, but in a spare room rather than my office.  It should be ready to go in another week, and I'm really excited about the whole thing.  Chelsea also her own new digs, over behind Brooklyn's Pizza.

To all the fierce mothers
A few days ago, I was watching a video of Oprah interviewing Trevor Noah.  I think Noah is an amazing man, funny and smart and very well-traveled.  He was talking with Oprah about growing up as a bi-racial child in South Africa during apartheid, where it was illegal for a black woman and a white man to get married, much less procreate.

Noah spoke about his childhood and how his family would hide him, and he noted, "Most people would have a sign to protest government oppression.  My mother had me." 

I grew up with an amazing mother, strong and compassionate and smarter than she thinks.  She's in her 70s now, and works on the landscape at my parents' house, ride horses, does tai chi, and volunteers as an educator at a local nature center.  My mom is the person that got me into biology as much as she got me into reading and learning in general, and I am so damn lucky to have grown up with her as an example.

So, yeah.  This Mother's Day, I want to give a shout out to all the mamas out there, whether through childbirth or formal adoption or mentorship or furbabies.  My heart to the mamas of angels and desire, and to the children who did not have a good relationship with their mamas.

Mother's Day Specials
I'm seriously feeling the mother love right now, so I decided to put together a couple of Mother's Day specials.  We won't be open on Mother's Day itself, but we'll have online gift certificates available for when it sneaks up on you and you realize you haven't gotten Mom anything.

We've got two specials going on:  a deep tissue/sports package called the Mountain Mama, and a relaxing, spoil-me-rotten one called the Queen of Sheba.  Or, if you have it together with her schedule, you can book your favorite mama an appointment just by going online.

Facebook giveaway!
I wasn't the child of a single mom, but I have friends who are, and I cannot even imagine the amount of hard work it takes.  I know that single mamas so often go without in order to provide for their littles, so we're giving back to them this year. 

Nominate a single mama (including yourself, if applicable!) for a FREE 90 MINUTE MASSAGE by commenting with her name on our Facebook post. Nominees accept by liking the comment with their name, and the winner will be drawn on Mother's Day.

Enter as many names as you like and feel free to share! (Winner must be local to the Steamboat area or be able to get here easily.) Open to moms, mommies to be, and mommies of angels, and I gotta say I am so. damn. pleased to see so many women lifting each other up out there.

And now for something completely different, as Monty Python would say.
Two somethings, in fact.

The first something is that Chelsea is moving into her new office over the next couple of weeks.  She's at 57 10th Street, right behind Brooklyn's Pizzaria on 10th and Lincoln.  She's got some pretty sweet digs, so make sure to read your confirmation emails for directions to her new pad.

The second something is quite a bit more personal.  As many of you know, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in my teens--30 years ago this fall, in fact.  I had a very severe case of it and nearly died multiple times in the first 10 years.

However, this Wednesday, May 9th, marks the 20 year anniversary of the surgery that saved my life.  At 24, barely scraping by and tipping the scales at just over 100 lbs, I had an ileostomy.  This permanently removed my large intestine, where the worst part of the disease was, and quite literally gave me my life back.

I've celebrated May 9th as a second birthday for years--I refer to it as my "phoenix day"--but 20 years is a big one, and I wanted to share it with all of you.  Thanks for being there, for coming along on this wild and magnificent ride.

Once again, Heartfire Massage is on the move!

Backstory
Back in mid-February, we discovered that Rocky Mountain Remedies, one of the local dispensaries, wanted to take over our building.  This would result in the displacement of the dozen or so small businesses in the building; although our landlord never talked to anyone directly, we were told that we would have 45 days to GTFO after the measure passed City Council on April 3rd.

There was a mad scramble and a lot of hustle, but we finally managed to lock down some new spaces.  As it turned out, the measure to allow RMR to take over the building was voted down, but I'd already been given my marching orders. 

This was likely due to me having gone to the city planning meeting at the end of March:  I spoke up against the proposed exemption (mainly due to the horrible traffic pattern), unaware that my landlord was at the meeting, and received my termination of occupancy notice the next day.  (Yes, I was the only one in the building to get such a letter, and yes, since we'd no lease it was totally legal.)



Moving forward
It's an ill wind that blows no one any good, they say, and all of this upheaval is not without its silver lining.

Chelsea will be moving into a space of her own starting May 1st, and I will be taking over the loft space at Kinetic Energy Physical Therapy in June.  I have referred many clients to Kinetic, and they to me, so we are all looking forward to me being on the premises.  Additionally, Fhysical Elements personal training has opened a second location in the back of Kinetic's space with the ever-awesome Jessica Collier as the trainer on site.

In the meanwhile, from now until the end of May, I will be using a darling one-bedroom condo generously on loan from one of my clients.  It's off of Burgess Creek, and there will be some construction in the area starting in the next few weeks, so make sure to leave plenty of time to get there.

Locations
Chelsea, starting May 1:
57 10th Street, the office building directly behind Brooklyn’s Pizzeria on the corner of 10th Street & Lincoln Ave.

Erica, now until May 31:
2800 Burgess Creek Storm Watch #204, the second left after turning on to Burgess Creek (make sure you include the "Storm Watch" bit if you decide to map it yourself).

Erica, starting June 1st:
1585 Mid-Valley Drive, Ste 15, in the loft at Kinetic Energy (behind the Emergency Care center and next to Soda Creek Pizza).

We will be updating our website and confirmation emails, so keep an eye on those for more specific directions.

Warm days, cool nights, and bluebird groomers everywhere can only mean one thing:  we are rounding the corner on winter and staring full-throttle down the throat of spring.  Or, as I like to call it, ACL season.

Why ACL?
The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is the most commonly torn ligament in the knee.  Along with the posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL, it helps form a front-to-back X shape inside the knee joint.

ACL tears can happen a number of different ways, such as the result of a sudden twisting motion, landing incorrectly from a jump, or through direct contact or collision.  There are three grades of tears, but most common is the complete rupture of the ligament.  A brace or PT can help maintain the stability of the knee, but a fully torn ACL won't heal without surgery.

Note:  There's a saying in Steamboat that you're not a local until you've blown a knee or a shoulder; please note that we do not advise going this particular route in the name of fitting in.  Trust me, there's easier ways to make friends.

So what does all this have to do with massage?
Once the mountain closes in April, a lot of locals who have hobbled through the ski season on their knee braces finally suck it up and go under the knife.  Massage can be extremely beneficial during the acute post-op phase to decrease swelling and associated pain.  We can also apply kinesiotape to continue to reduce swelling and bruising over a period of several days.

But what about when the swelling goes down?  How can massage help me then?
If you've never spent any time on crutches, consider yourself blessed.  As unpleasant as the knee surgery itself can be, it's the recovery that's the real PITA.  Being on crutches changes your posture and gait, often resulting in whole-body aching and soreness.  Massage helps to ease that discomfort and stiffness and make the recovery process much more bearable.

In addition, massage can help speed the healing process by increasing blood flow to the injured area.  Collagen fibers in ligaments are arranged crossways like plywood, creating a structure with a minimal amount of blood flow.  Increasing the blood flow helps bring in oxygen and nutrients to the injured tissue, fueling the recovery and diminishing one's down time.

Massage can also aid in keeping the muscle tissue and fascia supple in the surrounding area.  This can help speed recovery of range of motion in the joint as well as decrease or prevent adhesions from scar tissue forming.  Many people will also work with physical therapists during this phase of the injury; massage is a wonderful compliment to PT.

Not just for knees
So the next time you're dealing with some sort of injury that may well require surgery, keep massage in mind as a tool for your healing arsenal.  (That metaphor really doesn't parse well, does it?)  Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, swing on in and see how much better we can make you feel.

All the yoga:  Jackson, WY
I am pleased and proud to announce that I will be out of the office for most of April.  I will be in Jackson, WY for ten days at Teton Yoga Shala, completing the first half of my yoga teacher training. 

I came across the studio a couple of years ago when Greg and I were on our way to Sun Valley, and I was pleased with the classes I took there and the knowledge that was evident.  I have another trip planned for October, which means that I will be fully certified to teach yoga by the end of fall.

I don't know if I will be teaching any classes, but I plan to combine it with my massage practice to better help my clients.  My goal is to have someone come in for massage, then roll right on in to a yoga session afterwards.  Muscle tissue and fascia will be looser and more pliable, allowing me to perform more effective assisted stretches and muscle activation techniques.  I will also be able to offer short, fully customized routines with my clients that they may videotape and take home.

All the yoga, pt II:  Grand Junction
At the end of my travel, I will spend another four days in Grand Junction for a yoga immersion weekend under the guidance and tutelage of my friend Jamie Elmer.  For those of you who have been following along, this will make the fourth anatomy-and-alignment based immersion workshop I've taken with Jamie. 

She's a former ballet dancer, a fellow anatomy geek, and an all-around badass chica.  I highly recommend her online yoga subscription for anyone who desires a home practice.  Check out her YouTubechannel for an idea of what her teaching is like.

But don't panic!
Never fear, Chelsea will still be here to tend to your massage needs, whether that's ACL surgery, gardening, or getting back to the summer triumvirate of biking, hiking, and golf.  I've also got a couple of days open at the beginning and end of April, so make your appointment now.

Yep, she does.

So does he.

So do they/them/zie/hir or any other pronoun used by folks outside the gender binary.

In short, massage gift certificates are for EVERYONE and EVERY BODY.

They're easy to wrap, contain zero calories, and are AVAILABLE ONLINE any time of day or night.  You can get them by dollar amount or by service.  If you plan ahead, you can even get pretty paper ones from our office.

Be a hero twice - once when they receive the gift certificate, and again when they redeem it.


What if you know what you want but your Dearest Heart needs a clue?  We gotcha covered with our handy, helpful "Hint, Hint!" card.  Print this sucker out, check the appropriate heart-shaped box (yes, that was totally a Nirvana reference), and do something unsubtle like tape it to the bathroom mirror.

We've even included one below in order to make it easy for you.  Want to learn more about the services listed?  We've got a guide to our sweet Valentine specials. 

Even Cupid would be envious.