Becki Curtis LMT, MLD-C

Remaining October Availability

Send a PM or text 540-359-5579 to schedule your next wellness visit in Locust Grove.

10/12 - 10am (1 hour)

10/20 - 4:30pm (up to 90 minutes)

10/27 - 2:30pm (up to 2 hours)
10/28 - 3pm (up to 90 minutes)

💧 Saturday Check-In 💧

Have you had any water today?

It’s easy to get busy taking care of everyone and everything else—and realize your water bottle is still full.

So take a moment…
Grab your water.
Take a few sips.
And keep it nearby as you go about your day. 💙

Staying hydrated helps your body regulate temperature, supports digestion, and keeps your body functioning well.

And what about electrolytes? These minerals, including sodium and potassium, help maintain fluid balance and support your muscles and nerves. Most days, water and regular meals provide what you need. If you’ve been sweating heavily for several hours during exercise or outdoor work, adding an electrolyte drink can help replenish what you’ve lost.

Today’s little act of self-care: refill your bottle, drink regularly, and give your body the attention it deserves.

Consider this your friendly reminder to take a water break. 😊

🍂 Saturday Wellness Check-In

Are you clenching your jaw right now?

Is your tongue pressed firmly against the roof of your mouth?

Are you wearing your shoulders as earrings? 👀

Stress has been running high for many of my clients lately, and this week I’ve been incorporating more jaw, anterior neck, and scalp work than usual. So many of you are carrying tension in these areas—sometimes without even realizing it.

If this sounds like you, take a few moments to pause and breathe.

Let your shoulders soften…

Let your tongue rest gently…

Release your jaw and allow a little space between your teeth…

Take another slow breath. 🤍

You don’t have to wait until that tension becomes impossible to ignore to make time for yourself.

Send me a PM, and let’s schedule your next self-care day. You deserve it.

When Relaxation Is a Main Goal, It Can Begin Before You Get on the Massage Table

When we sit down to talk about how you’re feeling, what brought you in, and what you need from your session, I’m listening for more than where your muscles hurt. I’m also learning how you want to feel during your time with me.

If you tell me you want to relax, or share that you’ve been experiencing high stress or anxiety, I may begin supporting that goal through how I speak.

I use what’s often called a hypnotic voice: a warm, soothing tone, an unhurried rhythm, gentle pauses, and softly extended words at the end of certain sentences.

Although this style of speaking is used during hypnotic induction, these vocal qualities can also support relaxation during an ordinary conversation, without conducting hypnosis or introducing subliminal messages.

During our conversation, you remain actively involved—sharing your symptoms, asking questions, and helping shape the session. My voice simply helps create a calm atmosphere where you can feel heard and begin to settle.

The goal is to give you a transition from the rush of your day into receiving care, while we discuss what your body needs.

The consultation is part of the care. Before you ever get on the table, I’m listening, planning your treatment, and creating space for you to exhale. 💜

🧠 Why do I ask you to show me where your pain travels?

When a client tells me, “I have sciatica,” one of my first questions is usually: Does the pain stay in your low back or glute, or does it travel down your leg?

If it travels, I may ask you to trace the path with your hand. Does it run down the back, side, or front of the leg? Does it reach your calf or foot? Do you feel tingling, numbness, or weakness along with it?

I’m asking because where you feel pain can tell me as much as how much it hurts.

Dermatomes are areas of skin associated with different spinal nerve roots. A pattern of pain or altered sensation can give us a clue that a nerve may be involved. But pain in the glute or leg can have other sources, too, and bodies don’t always follow a perfect chart.

As a massage therapist, I’m not trying to diagnose which nerve or disc is responsible. I’m gathering the details I need to work thoughtfully, understand when hands-on care may need to be adjusted, and recognize when a medical evaluation would be appropriate.

So when I ask you to show me the exact path your pain takes, I’m listening to what your body is telling us. 🤍

Take a Breath—and Support Your Lymphatic System

Deep breathing does more than fill the lungs. When the diaphragm moves fully, it creates gentle internal pressure changes that can help support the movement of lymphatic fluid through the abdomen and toward the chest.

Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system does not have a heart to continuously pump fluid. It relies on movement, muscle contractions, the natural pulsing of lymphatic vessels, and changes in pressure created by breathing.

You can practice gentle diaphragmatic breathing at home:

1. Sit comfortably or lie on your back.
2. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other over your abdomen.
3. Slowly inhale through your nose, allowing your lower ribs and abdomen to expand.
4. Exhale slowly and comfortably, letting the abdomen soften.
5. Continue for five to ten relaxed breaths without forcing, straining, or holding your breath.

The goal is not to take the biggest breath possible. The goal is to breathe slowly and comfortably while allowing the diaphragm and lower rib cage to move.

This simple practice may support lymphatic and venous return while also helping the nervous system transition from a state of alertness into a calmer “rest and restore” state.

Your breath is not the only force moving lymph—but it is an important part of the process.

Marconi Union - Weightless is making a comeback in the treatment room. This ambient music album was on my regular playlist almost 10 years ago and I had forgotten about it.

Scientific studies suggest that listening to the original track (2011) can reduce anxiety and physiological stress by up to 65%. If you’ve been feeling anxious and stressed out lately, sit down with your favorite warm drink, head on over to Spotify, and give it a listen. 💜