Massage by Monique

Massage by Monique A holistic sanctuary from your busy life with alternative medicine for those seeking self-care optio Mask required to enter building

CBD is one of the most discussed wellness additions of the last several years and one of the most misunderstood. It isn'...
06/04/2026

CBD is one of the most discussed wellness additions of the last several years and one of the most misunderstood. It isn't psychoactive. It won't make you feel altered. What it does is engage your endocannabinoid system, a regulatory network present throughout your muscles, skin, and nervous system, to support inflammation reduction and tissue recovery at the cellular level.

When applied topically during massage, CBD works locally at the site of application. Research supports its role in reducing localized inflammation, calming hyperactive nerve responses, and deepening the tissue release that therapeutic pressure initiates. For clients dealing with chronic tension, post-workout soreness, or stress-related muscle reactivity, adding CBD meaningfully deepens the outcome.

This is a therapeutic tool with a mechanism, not a trend. It's one more way we personalize your care and help you get results that last.

Ready to add it to your next session? Book today at massagebymo.com

The figure-4 stretch is one of the most effective tools for lower back and hip tension — and all it requires is a few mi...
05/28/2026

The figure-4 stretch is one of the most effective tools for lower back and hip tension — and all it requires is a few minutes on the floor.

Here's why it works: the piriformis sits deep in the gluteal region, running directly adjacent to the sciatic nerve. When it becomes chronically tight, which is common in people who sit for long periods, it can compress the nerve. This then creates that deep, persistent ache in the lower back, hip, or buttock that seems to travel. The figure-4 stretch targets the piriformis and surrounding external hip rotators directly.

To do it: lie on your back, bend both knees, and cross your right ankle over your left thigh just above the knee. Flex your right foot to protect the knee joint. You should feel a deep stretch in the right glute. To increase intensity, gently pull your left thigh toward your chest. Hold 30 seconds per side, breathing into the stretch rather than forcing it.

Add this daily for two weeks and notice what changes. 💪

05/21/2026

Nurses, hairstylists, teachers, retail workers — if you're spending eight or more hours on your feet, you know the specific exhaustion that settles into your hips, knees, and lower back by end of shift.

Prolonged standing compresses the lumbar discs, shortens hip flexors and calf muscles, and creates chronic tension in the IT band and piriformis. Over time these patterns compound. What starts as end-of-day soreness becomes persistent tightness that rest alone won't resolve.

Deep tissue massage targeting the hip flexors, posterior chain, and lower leg muscles breaks the compression cycle. Combined with assisted stretch for the piriformis and IT band, this approach restores range of motion and reduces inflammation that accumulates from repetitive load.

Your job demands a lot from your body. Your recovery plan should match that demand. Book a session and let's get ahead of it. 💪

If you're bracing or holding your breath during a deep tissue massage, the work is almost certainly less effective than ...
05/14/2026

If you're bracing or holding your breath during a deep tissue massage, the work is almost certainly less effective than it could be and here's why.

When pressure is applied too aggressively, your muscles tighten in response. That's your nervous system's protective guarding reflex doing exactly what it's designed to do. And when tissue is guarding, it isn't releasing. Real deep tissue work uses slow, sustained, angled pressure that gives the muscle time to soften. You should feel intensity — not pain. There's a meaningful difference between those two sensations.

Understanding this helps you communicate clearly with your therapist and actually get the results your sessions are capable of producing.

Swipe to learn more about effective deep tissue work.

There's a ceiling to how far you can stretch on your own and it has nothing to do with effort or consistency. It has to ...
05/07/2026

There's a ceiling to how far you can stretch on your own and it has nothing to do with effort or consistency. It has to do with your nervous system.

When you push into a stretch solo, muscle spindles detect the change in length and fire a contraction signal. That's the myotatic reflex — your body being protective. It means every unassisted stretch has a built-in limit your nervous system enforces regardless of how long you hold it.

Assisted Stretch works differently. When a trained therapist guides your movement and provides external stabilization, your nervous system gets accurate information that the position is safe. Spindle activity reduces. The muscle releases to a genuinely deeper range — and that range is more likely to hold, because it was achieved with your nervous system, not in spite of it.

Especially effective if your tightness comes from compensation patterns rather than tissue that's genuinely short. Ready to find out what's actually limiting you? Book a session today. 💪

If you're lying in bed exhausted but unable to switch off, your nervous system hasn't gotten the message yet. The goal o...
04/30/2026

If you're lying in bed exhausted but unable to switch off, your nervous system hasn't gotten the message yet. The goal of an evening wind-down isn't relaxation for its own sake — it's giving your nervous system a clear physiological signal that the threat level has dropped.

A warm lavender compress over your eyes does two things simultaneously. The warmth triggers vasodilation, moving heat to the skin surface and lowering your core temperature — a process your brain uses as a sleep-onset cue. And lavender's active compounds interact with the olfactory system to reduce nervous system activation. It works with your biology, not around it.

Pair the compress with diaphragmatic breathing: slow inhales through the nose, longer exhales through the mouth. This activates the vagus nerve and shifts your body from sympathetic to parasympathetic mode. Five rounds is often enough to feel the shift.

Not a cure for serious sleep disorders, but a physiologically grounded ritual that consistently earns its place. Give it a try! 🌙

04/23/2026

New moms don't talk enough about what happens to their bodies after birth. You're nursing, carrying, bending over a bassinet, and doing all of it on broken sleep. Your upper back absorbs everything.

The rhomboid and levator scapulae muscles - the ones between your shoulder blades and along the back of your neck - take the heaviest strain from nursing posture and repetitive lifting. At the same time, postpartum hormone shifts create ligament laxity that makes your joints less stable and more vulnerable to strain. The exhaustion you feel isn't just from sleep deprivation. Your body is working hard to hold itself together.

Postnatal massage addresses the specific muscles under strain, supports nervous system recovery from the intensity of birth, and gives new moms something genuinely important: dedicated time for their own recovery.

You don't have to power through this. Book a session and let your body finally start to heal.

Massage won't straighten your posture overnight, and no single session is going to undo years of compensation patterns. ...
04/16/2026

Massage won't straighten your posture overnight, and no single session is going to undo years of compensation patterns. But that's not what massage is actually for in a postural context.

What it addresses is the muscular tightness and imbalance that's pulling your body out of alignment in the first place. A chronically shortened pectoral muscle will keep dragging your shoulder forward regardless of how much you consciously try to sit up straight. Tight hip flexors will continue pulling your pelvis into anterior tilt. These patterns don't resolve through awareness alone - the tissue itself needs to release.

When targeted bodywork addresses those holding patterns, it creates the space for better alignment to actually take hold. Combined with corrective movement, massage becomes a meaningful and necessary part of how posture genuinely improves.

The patterns holding your posture back aren't in your head, they're in your fascia.

Pregnancy asks a tremendous amount of your body. Your center of gravity shifts, your ligaments loosen to accommodate you...
04/09/2026

Pregnancy asks a tremendous amount of your body. Your center of gravity shifts, your ligaments loosen to accommodate your growing baby, your blood volume increases, and the muscles supporting your lower back and hips work overtime - all while you're navigating the emotional weight of preparing for a new life.

Prenatal massage is specifically designed to address what's actually happening in a pregnant body. We use side-lying positioning with supportive pillows so you and your baby stay comfortable and safe throughout the session. The work focuses on lower back and hip tension, sciatic discomfort, swelling in the feet and ankles, and the upper back strain that comes from shifting posture. We can work with you from week one through week 40, as long as your pregnancy is not high-risk.

Beyond the physical relief, prenatal massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system - your body's rest and recovery mode. Research consistently links maternal stress reduction to better outcomes for baby. Taking care of yourself is taking care of both of you.

Ready to feel supported? Book your prenatal session today.

Some soreness after a massage session is completely normal - especially after deep tissue work. Here's what's actually ...
04/02/2026

Some soreness after a massage session is completely normal - especially after deep tissue work. Here's what's actually happening: therapeutic pressure increases circulation to areas that may have been restricted for a long time, and your body responds the way it does after focused exercise. Metabolic waste products trapped in tight tissue get mobilized. That process can create a 24 to 48 hour window of mild achiness.

This is not a setback. It's part of the work.

What supports your recovery: drink more water than usual, since your muscles are in active repair mode and hydration helps clear what's been mobilized. Gentle movement is more effective than total rest. A warm shower or heating pad on sore areas helps relax residual tension. Avoid intense exercise the day of your session.

If soreness persists beyond 48 hours, mention it to your therapist at your next visit. Most of the time it resolves faster than expected. Your body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

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6060 Sunrise Vista Drive Suite #2180
Citrus Heights, CA
95610

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 8pm
Wednesday 11am - 8pm
Thursday 11am - 8pm
Friday 11am - 8pm

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