Ashley Cotugno, RMT

✨ SNAPSHOTS OF THE WEEK ✨

1. jays games
2. cupping treatment
3. Bronze in Barrie Community Votes 🥹
4. laundry laundry laundry
5. mobile set up
6. Halloween shirt for a day of treatments
7. Clinic front desk with all the business cards

✨ TIPS TO PROLONG YOUR MASSAGE CAREER (physically & from a business standpoint)✨

👉🏼 TREAT THE PATIENT NOT THE CONDITION/AILMENT: every patient will respond differently to different types of treatment - pressure & techniques will vary. Focusing on what each patient responds well to will keep people coming back.

👉🏼 DEEP PRESSURE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER: don’t go full throttle if you do not need to - save your thumbs, hands, wrists and shoulders whenever possible.

👉🏼 LEARN PROPER BODY MECHANICS: your posture matters - use your legs, lean with your body weigh, adjust the table height, and try to avoid overusing small joints

👉🏼 STRENGTH TRAIN: mobility & strength = career longevity. Your body is your business asset.

👉🏼 DO NOT OVERBOOK YOURSELF: go big or go home doesn’t not work in this industry, build a schedule that you can realistically sustain long term.

👉🏼 UTILIZE YOUR MASSAGE TOOL-BELT: cupping, hot stones, IASTM, forearms, bolsters, etc - they exist for a reason. Protecting your hands isn’t lazy, it’s smart.

👉🏼 SET BOUNDARIES WITH PATIENTS: burnout ends careers more than anything else - be firm with your schedule, when you answers emails and messages, working through injuries, staying late.

👉🏼 DIVERSIFY YOUR TREATMENTS: doing the exact same deep tissue treatment 30x a week is a lot on the body, mix in relaxation, prenatal, TMJ, sports, stretching, etc.

👉🏼 TAKE YOUR OWN SELF CARE SERIOUSLY: hydrate, massage, chiro, stretch, rest & sleep before your body forces you to. Don’t ignore the aches and pains .

👉🏼 PROTECT YOUR MENTAL ENERGY: emotional burnout is very real, holding space for other people can be exhausting; you need both physical and mental breaks

👉🏼 BUILD A LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK: do not let being a massage therapist your entire personality - have hobbies, exercise, hang with friends & family, and rest to prevent any resentment towards your career.

The goal isn’t to get through massage school or the first two years of practice, it’s to still love the career 10 years later and still be able to do it.

✨SNAPSHOTS OF THE WEEK ✨

1. pre treatment set up
2. kpop album during treatment for a young patient
3. the hat you will see me in for the foreseeable future
4. nail date with my little
5. new sign for the treatment room
6. admin admin admin
7. my holy grail
8. mobile set up
9. park date with my girl

✨ SORE AFTER A MASSAGE? HERES WHY ⬇️✨

👉🏼 your muscles were actually WORKED on - muscles, fascia and trigger points were manipulated, kind of like a workout for tissues that haven’t moved properly in a long time.
👉🏼 they were already sore, you just never noticed until they started to loosen up
👉🏼 your body is adjusting - your posture, muscle tension, movement patterns are affected by what was treated so your body now needs to readapt
👉🏼 pressure matters - deep pressure 🚫 better; too much pressure can leave you feeling more tender and sore, especially if your body isn’t used to it
👉🏼 hydration and recover are important too - just like after exercise, your body needs water, rest, movement and recovery after a massage

I always remind my patients that it is normal to feel mild tenderness and/or feeling bruised without actually having bruises (you should not be bruised after a massage) after a treatment, and it should only last 24-72 hours. It’s like working out for the first time in a while and your body is like wait what was that, and why does every thing hurt? lol

✨mobile appointment are now available again for online bookings ✨

PSA 📣 if you are a new patient - you still will have to contact to book a mobile appointment! Online booking is only available for those who I currently see as mobile patients

happy booking :)

✨WHY I BECAME AN RMT✨

Through many years of sports & injuries leading to countless physiotherapy appointments - I knew I wanted to pursue a career where I can help people feel better. 

But after 6 years as an RMT, I’ve realized being a massage therapist is so much more than making people feel better

It is also:
✨helping people recognize how important taking time for yourself is
✨a flexible schedule for my family, so my little can play do sports or activities and I don’t have to miss a single game or practice
✨the opportunity to be your own boss, create your own hours and wages and fully have the creative freedom of running your own business
✨not a desk job, it’s a job that allows you to be more “active” in your work day. You aren’t always in the same spot all day, and sometimes you are in different environments all day if you choose the mobile route
✨building relationships with patients, who become people you care about more than just how their back is feeling; you wonder if they got the promotion, how their dog is, you celebrate the wins and comfort them during the losses. It’s so much more than a business relationship when you get to truly know people when they are on your table
✨providing people with a safe space to heal & unwind
✨providing relief someone hasn’t felt in years
✨listening to peoples concerns & finding the best route to help them - even if it may be referring out to another professional
✨ the opportunity to always learn something new

6 years in, and I am so happy that I chose this career path 💕

✨BEYOND THE MASSAGE TABLE EPISODE 1: ABOUT ME ✨

A new series coming to my page — BEYOND THE MASSAGE TABLE - where I will cover a lot of the things behind the scenes of being a massage therapist.
Up first a little updated ABOUT ME 🙋🏼‍♀️

1. I am 31 years old & a cancer ♋️
2. I am the youngest of 3 girls ( & definitely the favorite daughter of the 3 of us, duh)
3. I have been with my fiancé for 7 years, and engaged for 3 - still no wedding plans yet 🤣
4. We have a sweet, goofy little girl & we are each others emotional support person (iykyk)
5. We have a pup named Sophie, and recently got a fish for our girl, named Blue
6. I played rep hockey and soccer up until I went to university
7. From said hockey and soccer (& other wild incidents) I have had one too many concussions, hence the insane amount of migraines 🤯
8. Belieber for life - watch for more hours coming soon so I can pay for this apparent upcoming world tour 🤗
9. If it is not an ICED coffee, I don’t want it
10. Besides my own child ofc, my nieces and nephews are my favorite people on this planet 🥰
11. My love languages are: receiving words of affirmation & quality time and giving is gift giving
12. I love a good thrifting trip. Especially for toys & games for my toddler
13. I watch Gilmore Girls on repeat
14. If you can quote She’s The Man, there’s a good chance we will be besties
15. Still holding out hope for an NSYNC reunion tour

what muscle do you think my patient was talking about?

✨ THE HARD TRUTHS ABOUT BEING A WORKING MOM ✨

the last few weeks between day care closures, toddler sickness & my own sickness - really had me reflecting on being a working mom & always having to be “on” even on the days you truly want to be “off”

I’m sure so many working mamas out there can relate ✨ we truly are real life super heroes

✨WHAT YOUR RMT WHO SUFFERS FROM MIGRAINES WANTS YOU TO KNOW ✨

when I say I get it, I really do get it. Migraines are a b***h 🫠

Sometimes I try to fit through them, other days I choose to tap out and rest & reschedule so you are paying for a massage that is actually worth your time!

To those who suffer from migraine: god bless
To my patients who I reschedule or treat through a migraine: god bless

It’s rough out here & I appreciate yall understanding when I reschedule - especially in the winter to spring transition when it’s almost a daily occurrence