My Mission

How a person enters the world has a profound effect on the rest of their life.   As a baby leaves the cocoon of its mother’s womb, what are his or her first impressions?  Is he met with low lights, quiet, calm, love, and respect?  Or is he met with bright lights, loud voices, alarming noises, and unnecessary separation from his mother? Whatever it is, it forms a limbic impression in the baby’s psyche and body that can remain with him for the rest of his life.  Is the world a safe, loving place for him to confidently explore or is it an unsafe place of fear and separation?  Babies need three things when they are born:  warmth, nourishment, and love.  All three of these needs are met when the baby is allowed a long uninterrupted time with its mom immediately after birth.  Sometimes there is an urgent medical reason that a baby is separated from its mother soon after birth.  Far too often, however, babies are prematurely separated from their mothers for the convenience of the hospital’s staff.  Administration of antibiotics, vitamin K injection, and weighing the baby (all routine interventions in the first minutes of life) can wait at least one hour.  Yet these interventions routinely interrupt the irreplaceable mother/baby bonding time and contribute to the baby’s sense of fear, separation and uncertainty in his or her new life.  This first impression can be modified by the environment in the early years, but the limbic imprint of fear or love remains.  To raise compassionate confident human beings we need to begin at the beginning.  With the deepest respect for mothers and their babies, and with the hope of real and lasting peace on earth, it is my honor to offer loving therapeutic pre-natal massage, HypnoBirthing® classes, and instruction in infant massage.

Prenatal massage

Prenatal massage is a valuable addition to a mom’s preparation for childbirth.  Not only are physical ailments (e.g., sciatica, back pain, lower leg edema) addressed and remedied, but the expectant mom is able also to relax deeply mentally and emotionally.  This deep relaxation is beneficial not only for the mom, but also for the baby, who is very aware of and reactive to his/her surroundings.  The stresses of everyday life can cause a mother to release stress hormones (e.g. cortisol) and these hormones pass through the placenta to the baby.  Massage is a very effective way of relieving stress for both mother and baby, and Joan’s deep, gentle, and intuitive approach allows mama and baby to connect and heal on many levels.

If requested, Joan will incorporate into the massage instruction in a deep meditative breath and visualization, which have been shown to be very helpful during labor.

One hour house call:  $100

75 minute house call:  $120

One hour session in my home (Tamarac):  $75

75 minute session in my home:  $90

hypnobirthing®

HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method is based on the belief that childbirth is normal and that the vast majority of moms can give birth calmly and with confidence, knowing that their body and baby know just what to do.  To that end we use hypnosis, music, visualizations, massage, and certain breaths to allow a mom to relax and experience her baby’s birth more comfortably.  Every day the mom listens to conditioning cds and practices self-hypnosis and breathing. The dad/partner can be quite involved.  

There are five 2 ½ hour classes generally given at weekly intervals.   I teach mainly private classes to individual couples (and occasionally just moms).  This is because I like to get to know my clients well and personalize the class for them.  The last class I usually teach in the parents’ home a few weeks before the estimated due date (time permitting). This is to make sure that the mom is on course as she approaches her birthing time and to make suggestions for laboring comfortably at home.  Most couples start the classes about the 6th or 7th month of pregnancy, but I have taught them as early as 4 months and as late as 8 months. The cost for the five private classes, HB book, and two cds is $400 (payable in two or three installments if you like) at my studio in Tamarac. I am also available to teach private classes in your home ($525).

For more information about HypnoBirthing® visit www.hypnobirthing.com.

infant massage

Joan is delighted to be able to offer moms and dads instruction in infant (1-6 months) massage.  Touch is the first sense that is developed in utero and infants are very receptive to massage. Not only is it a wonderful remedy for many common baby ailments (e.g., gas, colds) but it also helps increase oxygen and nutrient flow to cells and enhances sensory and body awareness.  Loving touch is essential nourishment for babies, more important than even food, and without which they fail to thrive. Massage provides all of the essential indicators of intimate parent-infant bonding: eye to eye contact, touch, voice, smell, movement, thermal regulation.  It helps parents feel more confident and competent in caring for their children and provides them with one-on-one quiet time with their little ones, which is especially helpful for working parents.  In premature infants regular massage stimulates the release of the growth hormone, which helps with weight gain.  Infant massage gives new parents an enjoyable way of interacting with their babies while strengthening their unique bond.  

Infant massage classes are given in a series of four 1-hour sessions, usually with a group of 4-8 babies and parent(s).  Private sessions are also available.

Series of four 1-hour group  classes:  $100

Private class:  $50/hour