By Elizabeth Cloutman

Business Profile

Massage therapist emphasizes relaxation, taking care of yourself

People often lead busy, stressful lives and put little emphasis on taking the time to relax. The stress eventually shows up in the body as aches and stiffness. That’s a situation which Debbie Evans, a registered massage therapist, said she can help alleviate. She calls her business Down Time.

“Most people come in because they’re stressed out. They’ve got a sore muscle or they’re aching,” Evans said. “If I get people out of their heads … all of a sudden, they start to pay attention to their bodies and that’s when the healing and the relaxation start.”

Evans’ clients receive their massages in a softly lit room with the sounds of a miniature waterfall. “I don’t talk through the massage,” she said. “If (a client) doesn’t say anything and is totally relaxed, I assume I’m doing everything right.”

There are many types of massage, Evans said. She specializes in Swedish effleurage, massage, LaStone Therapy massage and Reiki. She explained Swedish massage as a deep-tissue massage using long, even strokes after applying creams or oils. The massage takes approximately one hour.

LaStone Therapy is a newer type of massage, developed by Mary Nelson of Tucson, Ariz. LaStone is the alternating application of smooth basalt stones, heated to about 20-30 degrees above body temperature and cool marble stones, combined with Swedish effleurage strokes. Different-sized stones are used on different parts of the body. “Marble stones are used separately for really sore and inflamed areas as heat could actually expand muscle.” A full-body stone massage takes about 90 minutes, Evans said.

Reiki is an ancient healing practice, believed to bring the body, mind and spirit into equilibrium while stimulating overall energy flow. Evans gently lays her hands over different areas of the body to encourage self-healing, she said. The client wears loose, comfortable clothing and is either seated or lying down.

Evans received the training to become a certified massage therapist at the Body Therapy Center in Palo Alto. She continues to take classes.

All Evans’ clients must fill out a medical form listing medications and medical conditions before receiving a massage. “If there’s any question, I call the physician,” she said.

Evans said she understands the feeling of stress well, having worked for 15 years planning trade shows and two more doing contract work after the birth of her daughter. Her new career has been personally rewarding for her, with daily experiences of clients saying, “You really did a wonderful job.”

Down Time is located at 4546 El Camino Real, Suite B6, in Los Altos. For information, call 229-8623 or e-mail Evans at downtimemassage@pacbell.net.