Taylor has her fingers on acupuncture career, Q&A

By Phyllis Sides

Monday, January 23, 2006 2:02 AM CST

When Melissa Taylor moved to Wisconsin 11 years ago, the last thing on her mind was a career change. The 39-year-old Detroit native, with a background in chemistry, worked for a pharmaceutical company before she became a Shiatsu massage practitioner.

Shiatsu is the Japanese art of acupuncture without needles and deep-tissue massage that is used for pain relief. She is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association.

Although she has been practicing Shiatsu for nine years, about a year ago Taylor decided it was time to change careers.

"I don't regret the move at all," Taylor said. She practices at Lake House Health & Learning Center, 932 Lake Ave.

Taylor attended the Ohashiatsu Institute in Evanston, Ill., for four years to learn Shiatsu and hopes to study in Japan some day.

"As far as Shiatsu, I take classes even now, and I probably always will. I heard Ohashi (school's founder) say once that Shiatsu takes a

lifetime to truly learn. I think that continuous education to further refine my skills is

something I owe to my clients," Taylor said.

What is shiatsu massage?

It's actually "finger pressure" that's the literal definition in Japanese, it's acupuncture without the needles, I use the same pressure points, or Meridians as an acupuncturist. The school calls it "a

nurturing method of touch," which I think is pretty accurate.

How and why did you become interested in shiatsu massage? When I was pregnant with my first child, I used to get a massage every two weeks. The therapist I had told me about this great school in Chicago, I became very interested. After my son was born, I went there and enrolled in a class, after that I was hooked! What type of training does a shiatsu practitioner receive?

The particular school I attend is called Ohashiatsu Chicago. They have pretty stringent requirements. They have beginning, intermediate and advanced level classes, anatomy and physiology classes, Oriental diagnosis, so many hours of practice work, and they now have business and ethics classes, so it's quite a lot. They're very supportive of their students, no matter what level you are.

How is shiatsu different from regular massage? It's very different from regular massage. I love shiatsu because it addresses the root cause of a problem. The emphasis is on communication, listening to what my clents bodies tell me. Every person is unique, two people may have the exact same condition, but how we treat those two individuals may be completely

different.

Also, if the giver stays in balance while giving a treatment, it benefits the giver as much as the receiver. I never feel tired or wiped out at the end of a day of giving treatments. Are there any specific conditions that it is recommended for?

I can't think of any that I

wouldn't recommend it for.

How often should someone with one of these conditions receive a massage?

It depends upon the condition; some people feel better in one session, some may take several. There is no time frame if you are trying to improve your overall health.

How effective is it in helping to manage these

conditions? I think it's very effective.

I understand you make some of your own health and beauty care products for your practice. What products do you make and what are their uses? I make my own products mainly for home use, I don't use them in my practice, it's not really necessary, but I make skin cream in large batches because I get about one jar for myself now and my family and friends take the rest. I also make soap, which I love to do.

Why did you start making your own products?

I worked for a pharmaceutical company, and I soon realized that I could make my own for much cheaper and I could customize products to what I wanted. I have pretty sensitive skin and I found that some things I reacted to, this was just easier because then I knew what was in whatever I was using.

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