History
Laura has been a DC-licensed certified massage therapist since 1986 (PMTI), and expanded her skills with a certification in structural integration from Anatomy Trains Structural Integration in 2017. She also received trainig in pre-natal massage. To provide more holistic support for clients beyond bodywork, Laura acquired advanced personal training and conditioning certification from NSPA in 2005, and certification in healthy lifestyle coaching from WellCoaches in 2009.
Specialties
Laura Henschel offers a number of related and supportive services: structural integration, massage therapy, personal training and healthy lifestyle coaching. Structural integration (aka Anatomy Trains or Rolfing) is a type of bodywork that releases areas of tight fascia that contort the relationship between your postural muscles and joints to restore the balance between them and to improve your body's alignment and the ease with which you move. Fascia surrounds all the muscles and joints and protects us by providing support, absorbing shock and energizing our movements through elastic recoil. It tightens when we do not move or stretch enough, or through injury, weak muscles, pronation, scoliosis, etc. Tight fascia can be more easily injured during quick movements or prolonged stress, so it is important to correct any imbalances. Manual or massage therapy helps your muscles recover from exercise and overuse and reduces tension caused by myofascial conditions. Pre-natal massage techniques help you, when pregnant, to gain relief from some of the physical stress that occurs as the baby develops. Exercise and healthy lifestyle coaching help you develop more strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance, resulting in better alignment and movement. Small changes in diet and behavior make a big difference in the way you feel. In any session Laura will give you suggestions that you can use at home to help maintain and improve on the positive changes you have attained.