Massage in Gardner

Sounds of breaking waves mingle with the crackling of a fireplace in this ocean-themed studio that owner Veronique Clement turned into an idyllic haven for massage. The licensed massage therapist rubs the skin with organic oils, and soothes tension and stress with a primary focus on light and medium strokes. Her nine massage services include cold stone, aromatherapy, and bamboo, a massage designed for plants with rigid stalks. She also offers refreshments and snacks such as gourmet tea and chocolate.

After graduating from the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, Jason Morin set out to craft custom treatments for highly trained athletes, the elderly, and all men and women in between. Today, he strives to provide those relaxing remedies through clear communication with patrons. He combines holistic methods with Western techniques, such as trigger-point therapy, acupressure, and myofascial release. Through these methods, Jason works to ease aches and pains after athletic injuries or attempts to break the world record for rollerblades left carelessly on stairs.

Marie Loranger takes on aches and pains with a pair of well-trained hands. Her deft fingers deploy modalities ranging from the gentle kneading of Swedish massage to the intense pressure of deep-tissue massage, depending on the needs of the client. Marie also handles other healing traditions, such as ear candling and stretching, the latter of which incorporates stretching and pressure on the whole body.

Although Marie currently works inside a room at Exotic Image Tanning and Massage Spa, the inspiration for her business name comes from her plans to take her massages on the road. Soon, she will be pulling into home driveways or office parking lots where she can perform her massages in a dimly lit, temperature-controlled room.

Somewhere in her more than 15 years of experience, licensed massage therapist Jennifer Johnston learned how to listen. Before applying her intuitive hands to muscles, she lets her clients explain what they hope to gain from the massage, discussing special concerns such as past injuries or stress. Clients decide the level of pressure as Jennifer applies deep-tissue, Swedish, or trigger-point techniques, keeping the lines of communication open all the while. Jennifer coordinates with patients’ medical providers and doctors to create more effective treatments or find out where to get unlimited popsicle sticks.