Introducing Christopher Allen Neumann: a massage therapist and bodyworker located in Ashland, Oregon. With more than 15 years of experience and over 1000 hours of certified training, Christopher has distinguished himself as a practitioner of experience, grace, and skill. With additional training in Yoga, Tai Chi, and mindfulness, Christopher promises deep and attentive work to unlock deep-seated patterns. The results speak for themselves. In today’s interview, I talk with Christopher about his work and his passion for helping others to live their best lives possible.
Hi Christopher, thanks so much for speaking with us today and welcome to the LocalsGuide.
Hi Shields! I’m really excited to share my work with the LocalsGuide audience. And I feel proud to introduce the opening of my clinic here in town. I’m promoting my work rather passionately because I know how hard it can be to find a talented and skilled therapist… One who will give you an incredible experience and get real therapeutic results.
Christopher, please introduce us to your work and tell us a little bit about yourself.
Sure thing. I love helping people feel better in their bodies and hearing the huge effect it has on their lives. I think Professional Massage should be viewed as a basic human need rather than a luxury! It’s amazing how much can change with consistent care. Aside from 1000 hours of massage technique, I have also studied extensively with Physical Therapists, Trigger Point clinicians, Hanna Somatic practitioners, and Chiropractors.
The diversity of my training has forged me into a unique kind of massage therapist. I have acquired a deep and thorough understanding of not only the muscular system, but also the nervous, energetic, and structural systems as well. Because of this, I am able to solve people’s physical problems. I integrate my vast spectrum of knowledge into every treatment. I recently moved here from California with my fiancé, and am excited to offer my services in Ashland. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.
Christopher, what would say are your key areas of excellence in the work that you provide for your clientele?
My clients say that I’m like a heat-seeking missile, that I’m able to intuitively find the exact spots that release the root of their issues. I love giving relaxing restorative massages, but I’m passionate about deep work as well. I actually have a knack for blending both! It all depends on what someone needs. I excel in being able to tailor each session to the individual and consistently give people the treatment that they require. I get results every time. I find that I’m able to work effectively and efficiently with curiosity, collaboration, and fun.
Please give us an overview of your services.
I have three major services, and also naturally blend them depending on the circumstance. I do relaxing Swedish massage, but with an elevated perspective. Profound rejuvenation is the key component. It is restorative maintenance for hard-working people, athletes, students, and the elderly.
This is a whole body treatment that gives people the lift and physical renewal they need to help them stay feeling amazing.
The second branch is injury and pain-specific work. This is a particular skill often involving sensitive deep tissue and trigger point release. It is also emergency relief work for acute debilitating pain.
The third is reflexology. My foot work is a cornerstone for physical and emotional well-being. People usually blow over the idea that a foot massage would be of much value to them. But my clients swear by it.
Your work is very transformative. What do you observe happening with your patients?
People get used to feeling a certain way. Low energy and physical pain become the norm! They forget they can move with freedom. What often appears to be the effects of aging is actually chronic muscular tension. I love getting rid of that, and giving people back their active lives. My clients suddenly realize that they don’t have to stay stuck in old pain. Often those who have lost hope regain it and celebrate movement again. Scoliosis is cured, sciatica goes away, chronic headaches disappear, numb limbs are re-awakened, full range of motion restored, poor posture fixed, people return to their jobs and finally sleep through the night…. These are just a few things I’ve seen happen on my table over the years. It’s amazing to be a part of it, and I love being able to bring lasting change to people.
Can you please share a recent testimonial with us?
One of my more recent clients is a gentleman in his late fifties. A long-standing contractor who has worked on construction sites for decades, day in and day out.
His shoulder pain was intense, and he couldn’t even move it anymore. He was hopeless, sad, and had given up. Already having had surgery, he didn’t know what else to do. When he first came to see me, his neck, shoulders and back were like glaciers of ice. Immovable. I worked the tissue deeply and thoroughly, reaching places that hadn’t been touched by other practitioners before. The next time he came in, he told me that on the way home from our first treatment he had wanted to get out of his car and dance around because he felt so good! Although it’s a simple example, it encompasses the reason I do what I do. To be able to hear that someone felt the joy of being in their body again after decades gave me so much. He felt reset on a deep fundamental level, and his optimism had returned. He’s a regular client now because he wants to keep feeling that way. He consistently reminds me: “I haven’t felt this good in years.” And you know what? I hear that all the time. It’s humbling and rewarding to be able to provide solution where there wasn’t any before.
You are also working in reflexology. Please say more.
We don’t think that footwork can be transformational, but the way I work them… it actually is. Feet are the foundation of movement. We are on our feet all the time, yet they don’t get the depth of attention they need. It’s a part of the body that’s rarely addressed. But when they are supple and open, it changes how we feel in such a dramatic way. Taking care of the feet affects the entire body. In such a small area, I can create so much change. People are both calm and alive after this kind of focused treatment. If you’ve never had a real reflexology session, I encourage it.
Christopher, you take great pride in your ability to listen to your clientele and not follow a script in administering care to them.
So true. It takes care, presence, and attention to stay out of an idea of what I think someone needs. I’ve learned to understand the individual. And have come to realize that each session is unique. There is an element of unplanned discovery each time. That’s what makes a massage full of life, and not some scripted routine. I have to be attentive to what’s needed in the moment, and that changes from case to case. Even if there is a set treatment plan, I have to be willing to prioritize what’s showing up in someone’s body over the plan. And that degree of moment to moment receptivity is what ensures success. Listening is the key to bodywork. All my trainings, failings, and experiences have taught me that.
How do you work hand-in-hand with other practitioners?
I find that partnering with other health professionals ensures holistic care for the individual. Collaborating with another person’s expertise and abilities helps people achieve the full level of wellness they seek. Chiropractors, PTs, Trainers, Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, M.D’s, and more rely on me to clear chronic muscular pain conditions for their patients. Vice versa, and I enjoy sending clients to trusted specialists who can also give them the appropriate care. I think the age of the isolated therapist in their own little treatment room is over. We have to work together and think in an interdisciplinary way in order to meet the diverse needs of our community.
Talk about how you view your job as a primary health care practitioner?
When I say I consider myself a primary care health care practitioner, I mean that the muscular system is a fundamental structure of the body that either dictates well-being or limits it. It moves bones, shifts the spine, houses our nervous system, stores emotions, and holds vital energy currents. To say the least! The muscles should be working together in harmony. And if they aren’t, it really causes problems. Addressing them through massage is primary. When we are relaxed we feel alive, clear, and capable of pursuing our life. When we are tight we feel old, tired, and depressed. I see it all the time. The standard of massage I deliver is an essential component of health care. I’m not just giving a massage, I’m actually addressing deep seated issues which completely changes a person’s everyday functioning. It’s transformational bodywork.
Tell us about the emergency relief work that you offer.
At a certain point in my career, I realized that I could use massage to really fix serious conditions. I began to look at what I do in a new light through my own direct experience with clients. It was becoming a go-to for pain relief! Massage Therapy never quite had that ring for me before. But I started understanding how to affect nerves, trigger points, and the roots of muscular contraction during my advanced training. Now I can (CAN) resolve complex conditions that have built up over years: 5, 20, even 40+ years. Sometimes it only takes one treatment, and sometimes it may take a series of sessions to resolve completely. It’s endlessly eye opening that major complaints like headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, hip pain, arm pain, foot and leg pain can be eliminated with massage therapy alone. That’s why I consider a bulk of the treatments that I do emergency relief for people.
Why do people choose to work with you?
I really pay attention to my clients. I value them and take my work seriously. I consistently get feedback that people have wasted money on massage until they found me. And I can understand why. People need relief.
I go in there and really work. I work thoroughly, no matter what kind of pressure I’m delivering. Whether it’s Swedish or Trigger Point, I meet the client’s needs every time. I solve problems. And people really appreciate that. I also work with sensitivity, and create a supportive space for people to relax and reset their bodies. I genuinely enjoy connecting with my clients. We have fun, and the work is professional and sincere.
Christopher, tell us about your life outside of work.
I just started getting into marathon training, which I’m really excited about. I also love the outdoors, soccer, and my family whom I spend a lot of time with. A perfect day for me is hiking on Mt. Ashland (come rain or shine), having great sessions at the clinic, and going to dinner with my fiancé and friends. I really love what I do, and am constantly learning to become a more proficient therapist with continued education. I’m also currently working on a movement video series which addresses chronic pain, and will be available online soon.
Finally, how can we learn more and what are the next steps for starting to work with you?
I am a phone call, text, or email away, and treatment is by appointment only. You can also visit my website for more information. Setting up a discounted first time treatment is probably the best way to get a feel for what I can do for you and yours.
Christopher, thank you very much for speaking with us today. Do you have any more thoughts you might like to share?
Thanks Shields! It’s been a fun and exciting adventure building a beautiful clinic in Ashland, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to spread the word with you here.
Learn More:
CAN Therapeutics Massage Clinic
545 Lit Way, Ashland
www.cantherapeutics.com
541-631-1751
