The Massage Technique That Feels Like Traveling to Another Dimension

At the end of April, Olivia and I had the amazing opportunity to attend the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Conference here in Colorado. It was three days packed with learning, connecting, and deepening our passion for providing exceptional massage therapy for pain relief and mobility — and we can't wait to bring everything we learned back to you, our Align community.

Conferences like this are so special because you get to meet and make new friends, reconnect with familiar faces, and immerse yourself in the energy of others who are just as passionate about healing through massage as you are. For me, it was wonderful seeing colleagues I had worked with before — and it was Olivia’s first professional massage conference! (And she crushed it.)

New Skills to Help You Heal Faster

On Day 1, we dove deep into pelvis, hip, and sacrum mobility — key areas that impact how you move, how you feel, and how your body holds tension. Improving these areas can dramatically reduce chronic pain, restore balance, and prevent future injuries.

The next two days, we had the honor of training with Dawn Lewis — a leader in the massage therapy field, owner of a massage school, national educator, and a licensed massage therapist with over 30 years of experience. Under her guidance, we studied and became certified in a powerful new bodywork technique: SMRT (Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique).

What is SMRT Massage Therapy?

Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique (SMRT) is a specialized approach to pain relief massage therapy that works with your body's natural holding patterns and the nervous system.

Unlike traditional deep tissue massage, which focuses primarily on muscles and may work by forcefully breaking up tightness, SMRT targets ligaments and joints — the body's stabilizing structures — to unlock restrictions at their source.

Using specific positioning and light compression, SMRT encourages your body to self-correct, leading to immediate pain relief, greater range of motion, and a deeper sense of physical freedom. This makes it ideal for clients seeking chronic pain relief, injury recovery, and improved mobility.

What You Can Expect During SMRT Massage

When you receive SMRT techniques during your massage at Align, you may notice:

• A sense of euphoria or deep relaxation

• Feeling like you're "traveling" or experiencing a vivid visual journey

• Waves of release that spread across your body

• Lightness and ease without needing aggressive pressure

SMRT sessions can range from very gentle touch to more intense therapeutic work, always guided by what your body needs.

Because SMRT works with the nervous system and soft tissues so intuitively, many clients describe feeling like they "melt" into the table or like their body is "resetting" itself during treatment.

Honing the Art of Perception

One of the most powerful things I took away from this training was sharpening my perception skills — the ability to palpate and feel subtle layers of the body (bones, muscles, ligaments, joints) that are imperceptible to the untrained hand.

We also learned how to detect the therapeutic pulse — a subtle internal signal that indicates when the body is actively responding to the work being done, even if there are no visible changes yet.

This deeper listening allows us to customize each session with greater precision, giving you more targeted results with less discomfort.

How SMRT Enhances Your Massage Experience at Align

Adding SMRT techniques to your session can:✅ Accelerate healing from injuries or chronic conditions✅ Ease stubborn tension without aggressive force✅ Improve joint mobility and overall range of motion✅ Help release old holding patterns stored deep in the connective tissue

At Align, we can either blend SMRT seamlessly into your regular therapeutic massage or completely customize your session for maximum SMRT benefits. Whether you're seeking relief from neck pain, lower back tension, headaches, or overall body stiffness, SMRT can help you feel better, faster.

What's Next?

I was so inspired by this experience and by Dawn’s teaching that I immediately enrolled in her 10-week Full Body SMRT Program!(Don’t worry — it’s only one day a week, so I’ll still be working with clients and running Align as usual.)

This advanced training will allow us to bring even more specialized, full-body pain relief massage therapy options to our clients.

Curious to try SMRT?Mention it during your next session, or ask when booking!We’re so excited for you to experience this next level of healing and relief.

Here’s to growing, learning, and feeling better — together. 💛

BOOK MY NEXT MASSAGE NOW