Philosophy

Modalities

Credentials

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.
~ Mother Theresa

Tammy McLendon, LMP, CST

I have been a Licensed Massage Practitioner in the state of Washington since 1989. I am also nationally certified and licensed in the state of Hawaii. My basic training was in Swedish massage; this provided the foundation for my advanced trainings and certifications.

Advanced certifications include:

~ Craniosacral Therapy
    ~ Embryology and Unfoldment of the Midline
    ~ Embryology II
~ Myoskeletal Alignment
~ Reiki
~ Trigger Point Therapy
~ Neuromuscular Therapy
~ Thai Massage, Level II
~ Pregnancy Massage
~ Hot Rocks Massage
~ Spa modalities: body wraps; herbal and detox


My Path to Massage

I’m curious about almost everything — except math. From the time I was a pre-teen, the subject of anatomy fascinated me. My mom’s big health book inspired me to spend my eighth grade summer memorizing all the bones of the body. Today my collection of anatomy books weighs hundreds of pounds — likely an unsafe amount to lift, by the way, even if you use your legs.

I would not say that I came from a particularly “touchy” family, but the moment I decided to touch for a living came from a family scene. My aunt has MS and one day she had an attack. These are frightening events, but her mother, my grandma, just put her hands on my aunt and soothed her with touch and words. And it was like magic. To me, no skill was more important than this ability to provide relief so sweetly and confidently with hands and voice. I use that picture when I give massage for relaxation.

My daughter, Ciera, was the recipient of many of my first massages. Her tiny feet taught me about appropriateness of depth, and her little fist showed me how touch could convey trust.


My Stones and Their Stories

I love rocks and strew them about my home and massage studios. They keep heat well and everybody looks forward to holding them and hearing the stories of where they came from. I spend wonderful days hiking on beaches with a backpack collecting them.

When I am out hiking in an unfamiliar place, the sight of a cairn is a wonderful and calming thing, so I make little ones for my studios and my home. To me, cairns symbolize being found, that things are going as they should. This is very calming to me and allows me to let go into the moment.

Hiking with my boyfriend is my favorite weekend activity. We often gallivant around, snapping pictures of our travels and placing plastic monkeys on mountaintops or other high, beautiful places for the silliness of it all. We like to look for rocks and fossils, and we usually have a batch of rocks tumbling away in the garage.


How I Care for Myself

Yoga and Yamuna have been indispensable modalities for my self care and healing journey. By developing a relationship with my body and keeping her pain free, I can more easily relate to the issues that my clients bring to me. I also schedule sessions of craniosacral therapy, Swedish massage and reflexology to take better care of my body. I studied tai chi and Pilates, and these methods of movement and strengthening help me work with better form so I am less prone to injuries in the first place.


Words from Tom about Tammy

I have a chronic liver disease called PSC and I am awaiting a liver transplant. During the “end stage” of this disease there are many symptoms that don’t respond well to medication and are very difficult to endure.

Tammy McLendon took the time to understand my chronic disease and created a plan for therapy. The results are incredible! Using a combination of massage techniques and craniosacral therapy Tammy has done what medication cannot do — provide an effective treatment that helps me sleep at night and lead a more normal life during the day.

I would highly recommend Tammy McLendon to be your massage therapist, especially if you have a chronic health condition and are exploring alternatives to medication.
— Tom