Wendy Elmore has recovered from both fibromyalgia and a disabling stroke. Massage was instrumental in helping her recovery from her stroke, so she understands the healing power of touch. From experiencing long-term severe pain and being disabled, Wendy has decided to dedicate her life to helping other people recover from pain or disability, as she has done.
Wendy completed her massage training at ASHA School of Massage (ASHA = Academy of Somatic Healing Arts) in Norcross, GA, in December 2008. There, she became certified in Swedish massage, Sports massage, and Neuromuscular massage in a 840-hour program.
Wendy loves learning and craves knowledge. She is always looking for new things to learn that will help her clients. She has taken extensive continuing education courses in the years since she graduated from massage school (see her education page). She has learned many advanced techniques, both conventional and less well-known, that she now successfully integrates together in every session she does to clear many pain problems from her clients.
Before becoming a massage therapist, Wendy was a software engineer. This is another reason she gravitates towards pain-relieving therapies, which are all about problem solving. She is still solving problems, just using a different tool set to solve a different set of problems.
When a client comes to the office, wishing to be relieved of pain, Wendy analyzes the client’s pain patterns, posture, range of joint motion, etc., and asks a lot of questions to get feedback from the client before and during the session. Then she synthesizes all of this to determine the most effective solution and the most effective therapy techniques to alleviate the problem. Wendy enjoys solving these puzzles and rejoices when the client leaves feeling much better.
More on Wendy's Healing Journey with Massage
Wendy understands first-hand the potency of the power of informed touch. She had a stroke in February 2007. It disabled her entire left side. Physical therapists worked with her and helped her relearn to walk and use her left arm and hand. They successfully restored her FUNCTION, but they were not able to restore her FEELING. Although she could use her left side, she could not feel it. A year after her stroke, she started massage school. After months of touching and getting touched often, she regained the feeling in her left side. She can again discern pressure, temperature, and texture with her left hand. She can again feel the deep muscles in her left leg. She can now even feel the trigger points and other anomalies beneath her fingers during a massage session - a level of sensation she never expected to achieve! Physical therapy restored her function, but it took TOUCH therapy to fully restore her to normal.
Without proper sensation, due to lack of feeling, distorted feeling, or pain, it is difficult to have full movement and coordination. Your muscles simply don't want to work properly. It is amazing how many small everyday tasks can be difficult when you suffer from pain or from a disability. Wendy's ordeal made her realize how much proper sensory input is just as important to normal functioning as motor abilities are. It also made her aware of the potency of the power of touch. It improves the circuits in your brain, puts you in an emotional state to better allow healing, and improves the coordination between the muscles and the brain.
It is interesting to note that Wendy's feeling in her left hand probably improved to the point she has BETTER sensitivity to the client's tissues and energy than if she had started massage school with normal function. During school, she was very aware of her disability; she worked so hard to consciously over-ride it that she wired her brain even stronger.
As you can see, Wendy has a lot of empathy for people who are in pain or are disabled. She is dedicated to enabling your wellness. If you, too, need the healing power of informed touch, you really should make an appointment with Wendy. It will be a great investment in your well-being!