Interview with Matt Risk our Shiatsu Healer

Today we had in our Shiatsu healer Matt. Matt is a great Shiatsu practitioner with good intuitions, skill and learning. Having a Shiatsu massage from him feels like the knots in your body and the blocked up energies and tensions are melting away leaving your muscles and energy patterns free to flow naturally. He managed to get rid of some of my oldest knots in just one half-hour session!

Here is an interview with Matt to explain what Shiatsu is all about.

What is Shiatsu?
Shiatsu is a Japanese healing methods. Incorporating principles similar to massage, acupressure and a few other similar methods. Shi means finger and atsu means pressure. I use my thumbs hands and elbows to apply stationary pressure to the client's soft tissues which triggers a relaxation response and melts pain and tension from the body.

What is the difference between massage and Shiatsu.
Swedish massage uses oils and works on naked skin generally with rubbing. Shiatsu on the other hand uses stationary holding pressure so I work through the clothing without any nakedness. No muss, no fuss! I am also using a lot of acupuncture theory but treating with my thumbs instead of needles.

What is acupuncture theory and how does it work?
About ten thousand years ago Chinese doctors marked out a pattern of energy flow pathways called meridians. They discovered that certain points on these meridians effected the internal organs in certain ways in order to heal disease. By manipulating these points the energy flow in the body can be manipulated, regulated and brought into balance.

What made you want to become a Shiatsu therapist?
I was interested in learning a healing modality and in particularly was drawn to the Chinese method through the chi kung I was already doing.

What is the history of Shiatsu?
Although similar to a lot of traditional oriental massage techniques Shiatsu was invented in the 1940s by Tojiro Namakoshi. As a child he treated his mother's arthritis by pressing on her limbs. He later grew up to form the Tokyo Shiatsu School which now has students all over the world and many styles that have stemmed out of that. But from its inception Shiatsu has incorporated this concept of motherly love.

Why do you like the Shiatsu method more than others?
I find that the pressure is deeper and more relieving; that you can let go of pain without having to re-experience it.

Matt Risk: Our Shiatsu Healer at Melange
Matthew Risk has been practicing Zen Shiatsu since 2003 when he graduated from the Shiatsu School of Canada’s 2200 hour professional program. He is a Reiki master, a musician, and a writer. He has practiced Shiatsu in Toronto, Halifax, Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary and now Montreal.

Matt does shiatsu at Melange on Tuesdays from 11am - 5pm
Call 514-938-1458 to book an appointment.

Note: Melange Magique does NOT recommend that you use Alternative Healing instead of seeing your doctor or health professional. Instead we maintain that Alternative Healing should best be used in conjunction with regular allopathic medicine.