La Vida Massage Therapy
Holistic and Restorative Therapies

Practitioner Bio


Cheryl Vasquez
Certified and Licensed Massage Therapist

Credentials & Professional Affiliations


I have always been interested in natural therapies because I was raised by a grandmother who had an intimate knowledge of medicinal herbs and food as medicine. Everyone in my neighborhood knew something of folk medicine and most of us utilized the skills of the Sobadoras and Curanderas from Mexico, if it were not for these dedicated and knowledgeable men and women, I am sure I would not be here today.


Cheryl Vasquez


Forty-one years ago when I began working in this field, no one had ever heard of holistic therapies or alternative therapies. Pharmaceuticals had replaced many of the traditional foods and remedies used as medicine by our ancestors. Some of these were passed down orally and not recorded. In some cultures that found a new home in the West, natural therapies/remedies still had credibility and because they work, are still used today. But because new immigrants were encouraged to come into the “modern age” and abandon the wisdom of their ancestors, we are not so connected today to the natural world, that seems to be changing. People are wanting healthier and safer alternatives and requesting organic foods, non-gmo, locally grown produce and in some communities have started community gardens. There is a trend to return to the ways of our ancestors. Over time, my clients began to show interest in a pro-active approach to health and were looking into preventative ways to maintin wellness. This helped shape the practice that I have today.

Over the years, I’ve sought out teachers and schools that had a bent in the direction of nutrition, foods and natural therapies as ways to maintain health, like Dr. Bernard Jensen, to whom I will be forever grateful. It was under his instruction that I learned about the science of iridology and nutritional programs to detoxify, and rebuild the body.

Then in 1988 I was invited to study natural healing remedies, botanicals and spa therapies, “the water cure”, as it is known throughout Europe, at the Kneipp Institute of Natural Therapies in Bad Worishofen, West Germany. The Kneipp “water cures” are well-known throughout Europe and utilized at many clinics and spas today. This experience crystalized the path I would take as a practitioner. It is based on simplicity, effectiveness and practicality. While there, I was introduced to the Vodder Method of Manual Lymph Drainage at the Dr.Vodder Schule, in Alpenbad Walchsee, a clinic for natural healing remedies in Austria.

It is a well-established fact that stress is a key factor in why and how we age. Stress comes in many forms. Dr. Hans Selye was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his research into the cause of aging and disease. He found that unmanaged stress accelerated the aging process and contributed to the degeneration and disease process. Stress can actually distortand twist thebody posture. It can createstrain and imbalances in muscles and disruptthe normal function of many systems in the body. One of the most common complaints that I hear from my clients is that they suffer from stress and anxiety. Some from known sources and in some cases the source is elusive. It can affect one’s ability to obtain restful sleep and in time affect overall health. They are looking for a drugless, natural way to alleviate the harmful effects of stress and to re-establish the natural sleep rhythms. I try to provide a therapeutic support to these issues.

I offer various massage therapies and body work techniques that induce deep relaxation and many that address injuries and pain relief. Soothing music, soft candlelight, aromatherapies, add to the atmosphere that say “slow down, you are now in the relaxation zone”.   B R E A T H E . . .

I am also a Certified EPFX/SCIO Biofeedback Technician. This is a computerized software program that is specially designed to address stress detection and stress reduction. Through the utilization of stress management techniques we can actually slow the aging process down and in some cases reverse its affects and contributes to a better sense of well-being.

Pain relief, detoxification and weight management are subjects that my clients often express interest in, so I offer therapies and information that address these as well.

When we feel good about ourselves, it has a positive effect on our health and sense of well-being. Our face is the first thing that people notice when we enter a room. We want to make a positive impression and be filled with confidence. We want to feel comfortable in our clothes and know that we can reshape areas that have been problematic for us. I saw that the Beautiful Image Micro-current Unit addressed these very issues. A series of these treatmentsare both restorative and confidence building.For those who have begun to show the effects of aging and damage from the elements, such as lines, loss of tone and elasticity in the skin, I offer a series of treatments utilizing the “Beautiful Image Facial and Body Sculpting Unit”, which is performed through exclusively designed conducting wands which emit Micro-currents. The current penetrates through the layers of skin through specific acupuncture points, encouraging increased production of collagen and elastin, which smooths and softens lines and wrinkles on the face and body and tones and firms. Circulation is increased and lymph carries away many of the impurities in the skin layers. And I might mention that most people fall asleep during the treatment because it’s action is gently massaging the face in a way that allows one to release all tension.

Be the best you can be. Discover the power of you.Please know that it is my sincere desire that you experience the highest level of health, balance and well-being that you desire. I hope that I can assist you in achieving these goals.

Be Well, Flourish, Thrive and Prosper,

Cheryl


CREDENTIALS:
Strom-Berg Institute of Massage
Touch for Health Foundation
Human Ecology Balancing Sciences
Iridologists International
Transpersonal Hypnotherapy
Health Optimizing Institute
Namaste Institute
Sebastian Kneipp Schule, Germany
Vodder Manual Lymph Drainage, Austria
BioSonics
Southern California School of Massage
IMUNE & Academy of Energetic Sciences
Auriculotherapy - NCBTMB Approved Provider

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
California Certified Massage Therapist
California Massage Therapy Council

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Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals