Thinking back on the handful of therapeutiuc appointments I have had, several years ago, I can honestly say I’ve never really had a *bad* massage. I mean, if someone is going to rub my knotty, gnarly back for an hour, how can I complain? A friend with recent bad massage luck(BML), however, has made me a little cautious – make that borderline afraid – about finding qualified massage practitioners. After telling me about her massage experiences with an incompetent, a weirdo(speaking tongues at her abdomen – I kid you not), and a pervert, I figure I’m good to go if I can find a wall edge to use on my trigger points. Fast forward to 2006 when I injured my neck in a scary accident: I jerked my head too quickly when looking for the time display on my alarm clock in the middle of the night. I told myself the neck pain would go away, as most injuries do. I kept telling myself that. Two weeks later I had an appointment with my naturopath about an unrelated matter. I must have been rubbing my neck because she asked me about it. I told her about the horrible nighttime accident I had, and admitted that yes, I was in a bit of pain. She asked if I were interested in massage. Gulp. Massage? What if I get… BML? I decided I would give massage a try. My doc gave me Lori Nelson’s name and I contacted her. She rang me back, we set up an appointment, and… …she was GREAT! Lori is certified in Hellerwork therapy, a deep tissue mode of treatment that I believe involves fascia manipulation to help with body realignment. The practice also includes verbal interaction, and Lori has a very professional, friendly, non-weird manner that makes the conversation flow quite easily. Not only did she help me with my neck, but she also helped fix my overly tilted pelvis and a strained quadratus lumborum. Exciting!(Actually, for me it really was.) Another exciting piece of information? Lori accepted my insurance plan. As long as Lori is around, I am convinced I will never have to worry about BML again.