I just had an incredible massage. It left me feeling relaxed, refreshed, super grounded, and in utter bliss. I used to get massages regularly as part of my wellness regimen, but then Covid hit, places closed, it seemed too risky— and the practice of getting massages just fell off my radar. Fast-forward to this amazing treatment at Being in LA, and I couldn’t believe I had waited that long. It’s like I had forgotten how deeply beneficial and healing massage is to one’s physical, emotional, mental, and our overall energetic well-being. 

Too often we reserve a massage for a special occasion, namely the point when we are completely out of alignment, when our back is screaming in pain, or we feel completely out of sorts. No one should wait until the stakes are THIS high. We ought to incorporate the healing power of massage into our regular wellness regimen like eating our fruits and veggies, exercising, and doing our skincare routine — namely BEFORE imbalances even occur, as a regular preventative measure.

My massage was a delicious combination of deep tissue, lymphatic drainage, and aromatherapy from the skilled hands of Being in LA’s brand-new resident licensed massage therapist, Shelby Peery. With her beautiful energy, demeanor and tremendous, intuitive skills, she was perfect. 

She asked me if there were any areas I’d like to focus on, and if I had any issues or pain and I just said: “I’m completely out of whack. I don’t even know if I can relax!” “No problem,” she said, and I slipped onto the comfortable massage table and soon drifted into luxurious relaxation. 

I had no idea that my forearms were so tight, they felt like rocks. I realized how much pain and grief I’d been holding in my upper back when I’d always thought that my low back was my weak spot. Shelby did her magic and my knots and pain just melted away. 

I have had the pleasure of receiving many massages. I’m by no means an expert but definitely an aficionado. I used to be a spa writer and have tried anything from hot stone and Thai massages to Ayurvedic Shirodhara and beachside massages under a gazebo. 

Shelby’s skilled combination of three modalities worked wonders, and in all honesty, I had never experienced aromatherapy and lymphatic drainage before. I know that my body accumulates a lot of lymph fluid that doesn’t drain well; that’s why my eyes are always puffy, and my legs frequently feel incredibly heavy. As Shelby worked on my lower limbs, I could feel them getting lighter and shifting in a nice way. My body felt both heavy in that delicious, deeply relaxed way, yet so light I could float. 

And my stress, worries, and grief evaporated to the point that my consciousness dropped deep into a grounded spot, like a pebble slowly sinking into a peaceful pond, leading to complete ease in my physical and emotional well-being. Ninety minutes passed fast, in a yummy dreamlike state, and it took me a bit to draw myself out of the nurturing embrace of my warm haven on the massage table. 

Shelby waited outside the room with a cup of tea. All I could muster was a deep-felt “thank you,” and right before I left, dressed and ready to take on the rest of my day, restored and refreshed, she spontaneously hugged me and said: “I just have to hug you. I feel like I know you!” 

And it’s true. She did know me! She had intuitively discerned everything that was out of balance with me and witnessed the stress and pain in my muscles and fascia, knowing exactly what I needed. I trusted her skill implicitly — and I vowed not to wait a couple of years until the next one!

More Than Relaxation! The Health Benefits of Massage

The health benefits of massage go far beyond relaxation. Sure, a quality massage will certainly relieve pain and ease muscle tension and stiffness. It’s great for reducing stress and blissfully sinking into a state of relaxed and replenished ease, but a massage with a skilled practitioner has the power to do so much more, from draining toxins and improving energy flow and blood circulation to boosting the immune system to fending off illness and more!

• Relieve muscle tension and stiffness
• Relieve pain
• Decrease joint inflammation
• Relieve stress and stress hormones
• Improve sleep
• Bolster the immune system
• Boost mood / ease anxiety / alleviate depression
• Improve circulation
• Up energy levels
• Lower heart rate and blood pressure
• Optimize the flow of chi / remove energy blockages
• Drain lymph fluids and toxins
• Improve skin tone
• Relieve old injuries
• Increase joint mobility and flexibility

4 Common Types of Massage

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is deeply relaxing and great for relieving muscle tension through long, soothing, kneading strokes.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage goes deeper into the fascia, tendons, and muscle tissue with firmer pressure to relieve tension and work out stiffness and knots.

Lymphatic (Drainage) Massage

Lymphatic drainage massage alleviates blockages and buildup in your lymphatic system and flushes out toxins and waste held in the tissues.

Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage incorporates essential oils to restore the body to health and wellness through the healing power of scent.

With Shelby, you don’t need to know what type of massage to choose. Her Well-Being Massage is a marvelous sensory escape, curated to your specific needs to heal your mind, body, and spirit from the inside out — with her precise and healing touch and the careful incorporation of aromatherapy and Jenette’s all-natural skin care products. 

Her offerings at Being in LA (www.beinginla.com) include Swedish Massage, Lymphatic, Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue, Pre and Post -Natal Massage, and Pregnancy Massage. Whatever your needs may be, Shelby is sure to alleviate stress and leave you feeling lighter and in better spirits.. So what are you waiting for? Call (323-741-8035) or email Being in LA today.