Cynthia Jones, LMT

Swedish and Deep Tissue massages are great, but they’re not for everyone! Since I've started my practice in New Haven, I've started the only practice dedicated to Thai Massage in the city. But w hy might you consider trying a Thai massage if you don’t like other styles of massage? You don’t want to get undressed. This is so important if you are at all uncomfortable getting partially or fully undressed for a massage, even though you’d be modestly draped with a sheet and blanket. In Thai massage, you stay clothed the whole time. Just remember to wear loose or flexible clothing (like athletic pants) so you can move freely. You don’t want to feel oily afterwards. Often clients are returning to work or other activities after their appointment and don’t want the feeling of oil lingering on their skin or hair. Thai massage uses static pressure instead of gliding pressure over the skin, so there’s no need for oil. You want more assisted stretches. While there may be some stretching in ...

  I’ve been returning  to my thoughts around interoception, or the internal felt sense. Interoception has a lot of definitions, but one way to think of it is the sensations deeper than our skin - internal rather than external stimuli and experiences. It includes sensations such as your heartbeat, breath, hunger, thirst, digestion, and urge to eliminate. It also encompasses experiences like the release in a good stretch, a hip with a dull ache, lightheadedness, or a feeling of smooth movement in a joint. Interoceptive sensations can be things we enjoy, don't enjoy, or that we feel neutral about. They also can be information about areas of our bodies that could return to homeostasis, or balance. They may be an invitation to various actions or activities, such as intentional rest, eating a meal, helpful movement, or, my favorite, a massage. For years I've been working on a list of interoceptive words, and much like I've used a feelings wheel to explore my emotions, I've us...

If you've been following me, you may have seen when I posted earlier, but I am happy to finally announce I'll be working out of The Breathing Room in New Haven CT! I'll be offering Thai Massage at the studio Monday- Friday. Most of my sessions include a blend of Thai styles, but I tailor sessions to your needs and goals. I offer Thai Stretch Sessions, Dynamic Thai Massage, OsteoThai, and Thai Abdominal Massage. Stay tuned for other offerings once I get settled, such as partner Thai classes, restorative yoga and Thai massage workshops, and massage CEUs.

Last week I graduated a client! What does this mean? Clients come to me with many different goals. Some are looking for specific pain relief. Some want regular self care. Some start Thai massage to support their mental health. Some of these goals are ongoing and simply become a part of the clients regular routine, but when these goals are specific and we reach them, the relationship changes. A client had been coming every week or every other week for over a year. They started because they needed pain relief and intentional stretching, but they also began to notice the mental health benefits of regular self care. As their pain has subsided and they've found motivation to start working with a personal trainer, they don't need Thai massage as often. So the relationship changes. I often see my regulars more frequently than I see some friends, so I'm always sad to see them less. BUT, I am SO happy to see my clients moving forward with their goals and feeling better in their bodi...

  "Ok, Cynthia, I'm here to get stomped on!" This is how one client describes her Thai massage. Her husband, sons, and daughter all know not to call during her weekly session when Mom is "getting stomped on." But while I do use my feet when I'm giving Thai massages, I PROMISE I'm not stomping on my clients! My intention is to never let my clients leave feeling like I beat them up, and very few clients report back saying they felt sore the day often their massage. The whole time I'm working, I'm noticing how your muscles are responding to the pressure, and I adjust accordingly. Sometimes your muscles need deep, broad pressure, like the kind of pressure I can give with my feet, and sometimes your muscles need shallower pressure moving at a faster phase along the energy lines. I can often tell when the pressure is too much, but sometimes I can't, and that's when I need you, my client, to let me know! If you're tensing up against the pres...

Did you know I started a newsletter? I'm still getting the hang of it and I've been bad at publicizing it so far, so please forgive my lack of communication! I started a newsletter because I've been posting most of my updates on Instagram, and wanted another avenue to keep people in the loop. I would LOVE to be less dependent on social media, and I've got plenty of clients and students who don't use it at all. Email seems to be the most universal way to keep in touch. So far my newsletters have had a little bit of newsy stuff about my practice, Thai massage appointment openings in New Haven, and class schedules. If that's something you want in your inbox, sign up here ! If you get enough in your inbox already, it's all good. I unsubscribe from most email lists, and I don't want to be in your inbox unless it's actually valuable to you. Either way, I'll keep you all updated here or there!

I hadn't thought much about how to care for my Thai mat, but it was getting less comfortable. I realized it was pretty similar to a Japanese futon mattress, and the Japanese have practices to keep their mattresses comfortable and clean. In particular, they air out their futons on sunny days, hanging them over balconies and out of windows when the weather is nice. I decided it was time I did the same, and I took some of my coworker 's mats out too since I had it all set up. Since I'm in the second floor, the roof was the easiest place to take them, so I opened the window and hauled them all outside.  The roof wasn't clean enough for me to feel comfortable leaving them flat, so I gently draped them over some folding chairs for the afternoon Airing out the mats in the sun not only allows the cotton fibers to breathe and release moisture, the sunlight also disinfects the mat! Since I sunned the mat it feels fluffier, and my room smelled fresher for days after. Another way t...

I moved to New Haven in the Fall of 2023, following my partner here when he started a Masters program, but it's not my first time in the Northeast. I was born in Bridgeport, and most of my family lives in Connecticut. My parents moved us to Pittsburgh, PA when I turned 3 and I moved to Knoxville, TN for college, but 30 years later I've circled back to home.  After college I felt a strong call to holistic healthcare and earned my massage certificate from the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga. After graduation, I found my home within the massage therapist community at Glowing Body, a yoga and massage studio in Knoxville. One of the studio owners, Kelly Scott, taught Thai massage, and I was immediately drawn to her teaching and the modality. After two years of offering both table and Thai massage, I decided to go all-in and offer Thai massage exclusively. My clients received much better results with Thai massage, and it came more naturally to me. I've since continued learni...