On December 4, 2016, Christi Brown was on her way to get some butter for her famous holiday cookies. An avid baker, she always loved giving treats during the Christmas season. As she turned left at the intersection before the grocery store, a semi-truck failed to stop at a stop sign. Christi’s pickup smashed into it, totaling her vehicle and shattering her windshield.
Luckily, neither of the drivers were going too fast; the crash could’ve been much worse. But Christi still walked away with lingering injuries that affect her to this day. After being officially diagnosed with a concussion, she needed to heal herself both physically and mentally.
“I knew at that point I needed to focus on myself,” Christi says. “I had never tried frequent massage therapy before, but thought it would be a great way to heal.”
Christi searched online to find the right massage clinic and discovered Still Life Massage and Float. From her first appointment, she knew she made the right decision. Their staff treated her like family, working with her to find specific treatment methods best for her condition.
At first, Christi was concerned that massage treatment might affect her adversely, as she also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. She battled the debilitating joint disease for 32 years and the accident significantly added to her pain.
Fortunately, one of Christi’s massage therapists had a son who also dealt with rheumatoid arthritis, so she knew how to tailor Christi’s massage treatment to heal both her concussion symptoms and arthritic pain.
After just a few visits to Still Life Massage and Float, Christi’s pain began to dissipate. Her concussion symptoms also began to disappear.
“Unfortunately, I can’t reverse all the damage that has been done due to the accident,” Christi says. “But I can heal it, and the staff at Still Life can help me do that.” For the first time, Christi has both the tools to heal her pain and hope for her future.
The treatments Christi received at Still Life Massage and Float even allowed her to phase off conventional medicine she’d been prescribed by doctors. The conventional medical professionals she worked with after her accident put her on a regimen of pain pills and prescription medications, but massage therapy worked just as well – and there were no negative side effects.
In addition to healing her body, Christi is also working to heal the mental trauma she suffered from the accident. “It took me the longest time to get the courage to drive through that intersection again,” she says. “And still, every time I’m on the freeway, I find myself planning an escape route when I approach a semi-truck.”
Christi had frequent nightmares about the accident and she avoided baking even simple recipes because it reminded her of that early December day. But with the help of massage therapy and a mental health counselor, all of these things are again becoming possible. The combination of the two therapies has allowed Christi to regain her confidence, and heal both her body and mind. It took her a great deal of time and effort, but she’s baking again.
Christi recommends massage therapy to anyone who thinks they may need it. She wants people to know it differs for everyone. Speed and manner of healing all depend on a person’s individual makeup. The staff at Still Life Massage and Float can determine how to best help you heal with compassion. Their personalized regimen will set you on the path to healing and tranquility.
“When I started, I said I needed to take care of myself,” Christi says. “And I believe the treatment I have received did that. It boosted both my physical and mental health.”
Still Life Massage and Float is located at 19 Bellwether Way #101 in Bellingham. Operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Stop by and see how they can help you heal.
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