Email Puck@restforthewickedmt.com

(For business inquiries, partnerships, or other connections, please reach out to restingwickedmt@gmail.com.)

Bodies do a lot of things. Most of these natural things that they do--many of which we're shamed for by society--are expected. Smells, hair, fluids, fat, gas all happen naturally. So don't be embarrassed if you are on your period or have GI issues and may leak, came from work and couldn't shower, or would normally shave something and didn't. I am not offended by any of these things and I list the weight grades for my equipment in my health intake. I will thoroughly clean up after each client regardless of the situation in accordance with health and sanitation requirements.

If you are sick and possibility contagious, then you should communicate with me about rescheduling your appointment. This includes, but is not limited to covid and flu, mpox, ringworm, impetigo, lice, mites, or scabies.

There are other scenarios where you may not be contagious, but still should not get a massage. For example, if you have extensive sun burn, or a recent tattoo covering a larger surface area, then we should discuss whether the impacted skin is localized enough that we can work around it and you can still be comfortable or whether we should reschedule. (Having said that, please avoid scheduling a tattoo immediately before scheduling a massage.)

If you have chronic pain and are in a flare up, please let me know. Some folks in a flare up for various chronic illnesses can still derive benefit and relief from a massage. On the other hand, I do not want to add any stress to you during a flare up. It is my goal to make this as mutually compatible as possible. While we know that the parasympathetic state, or relaxation, induced by massage can be beneficial in preventing many types of flare ups, we also know that inducing stress during a flare up will not help. Please collaborate with me in helping you find relief where possible.

Being late and cancelling appointments is not ideal for my ability to support this business. In a perfect world, I as a healer would not need to make this a business to survive. Unfortunately, that is not the world we live in. Having said that, I understand that life throws up unexpected roadblocks and some of us struggle with chronic illness, neuro-spicy time management issues, and the demands of employment, transportation limits, or caring for family. In a perfect world, these circumstances would be well accommodated and you would never be "punished" for them, and while I can't provide you that world, I urge you to communicate your needs to me so I can support you to the best of my ability.

If you are going to be late for an appointment, please communicate with me (safely)! If it's a matter of a few minutes, this will probably have minimum impact on the session, but if it will be 10+ minutes it probably will.  Part of this will depend on my schedule and the type of appointment you scheduled with me. I want to be accommodating where possible. Having said that, I can't guarantee the same experience if you are late and may not be able to make it work. Again, communicate with me and we will see what we can do. The more I know and the sooner I know it, the better I can adapt to the situation.

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please do so with as much advance notice as possible. The most ideal situation is at least a week's notice. This isn't always possible, of course. If we are able to reschedule your appointment within a week please observe the following: 

• Cancellation with 48 hours notice or more and we reschedule the appointment when you notify me: No penalty. We'll simply reschedule.

• Cancellation with 48 hours notice or more but we do not reschedule the appointment when you notify me: Please communicate with me to reschedule the appointment within one week's time. If the appointment is not scheduled within that time, I will keep the deposit and you will need to schedule an entirely new appointment with a new deposit.

• Cancellation with less than 48 hours notice and we reschedule the appointment for a date within a week of the original appointment (when my schedule permits): No penalty, but please avoid doing this when possible.

• Cancellation with less than 48 hours notice and we do not reschedule the appointment for a date within a week of the original appointment: I will keep the deposit and you will need to reschedule with me.

Again, this has an impact on my income, so I ask that you respect my time and value what I provide. On the other hand, life is unpredictable and many of the folx in my target audience have experienced trauma that comes with comorbidities and neuro-spiciness to say nothing of employment, transportation, or caretaking issues. I don't want to punish you for that when you are coming to me for healing, so communication is key. Because at the end of the day, I want to continue to be able to provide my healing services for a long time!

You may be aware that this country was founded on various gross inequities and that we have preserved various of these today in similar or new ways systemically. I can't offer reparations to everyone who needs it, can't return land to all of those who have had theirs stolen (layers and layers of theft, usually), and I can't fix a lot of systemic problems when the system we live is functioning exactly as it was intended to. What I can do is try to make my healing science and healing arts accessible. (And do my best to support the coalitions and collaborative efforts to strive towards more justice and equity.) That's it. I don't want to turn someone away because they can't pay for my services. I am legally allowed to barter my services for equivalent value and I can offer discounts and a funky fee structure to make this work more accessible. I am happy to answer further questions about this asked in the spirit of curiosity and goodwill. I do not gatekeep who pays what option for my services. In recognition of why I am offering this, I ask both that you choose not to abuse the fee structure and that you also do not pay more than you can afford or simply choose not to seek out my healing services because you can't afford it. 

Even if you feel like you make to much or normally could afford to pay more, I want to stress that you should not let debt or an inability to pay more "right now" be a reason not to use the accessible fee. I do no want to turn someone away because they can't afford massage therapy when they need it. That's the whole point. If you can't afford the other rate at the time of your massage, then pay the accessible fee. I want to stress that I won't go back and check the fee you paid, nor do I require you to disclose which fee you're planning to pay unless you are requesting a free massage through the mutual aid options (follow the link more about using or contributing to free massages for those that cannot afford them).

• Physical accessibility to the space: The space is only accessible from outdoors via a short flight of stairs. We are situated in a historic Baltimore rowhome with limited options for correcting the space. Please let me know if this is a concern for you and we can explore our options, including a potential house visit.

• Physical accessibility within the space: The bathroom is small and shares space with the HVAC equipment. One walks through the salon to access it. It would be difficult if not impossible to accommodate a walker. If the interior door to the foyer is too narrow, we can open the second door which should easily accommodate mobility assistance devices. The door into my practice space is a sliding pocket door and should be able to accommodate some walker designs; the chair for my clients is immediately to the left inside the door. There is a step stool to assist if needed to get on the table that has a non-slip surface. Please let me know if this is a concern for you and we can explore our options, including a potential house visit.

• Weight accessibility: My table is 65 inches long by 28 inches wide, and rated for 550 lbs. The client chair is rated for 800 lbs. The step stool that is available (to assist with getting shoes on and off or getting on and off  the table) is rated at 600 lbs.

• Covid and other communicable disease considerations: The waiting room is a shared waiting room with Charm Cult Craft Salon. While it is rare for my clients to need to wait in the waiting room because of how I stagger my appointments, there is the possibility of sharing the space with others who may not be masked. I will wear a mask regardless of whether you wear one or not. In my practice space, I will also have a HEPA filter running continuously. After each client all sheets, towels, blankets, and face covers that were used are changed out and washed. The surfaces, including the table, bolsters, and my stool are also sprayed down with disinfectant. The client area is sprayed down as well, including a fabric disinfectant spray for the chair.

• Accommodations for clients within the practice space: 

  • There is space for you to sit and to put your belongings. At your preference, you can put your items in/on the tub, on the chair, or use the small table. 

  • The massage table is set up on sliders to make it easy for me to move the table at need by myself and to protect the anti-fatigue flooring. Please be aware of this when you climb onto and off of the table. You are also welcome to use the step stool if you need assistance getting on the table.

  • I have a couple of bells that you can hold and drop to get my attention if you are hesitant to communicate discomfort verbally during the massage. 

  • Additionally, there are some supplies available in the tray underneath your table, including pads, tampons, first aid supplies, candy, teas and hot chocolate, and condoms. You are welcome to any of these. 

  • If you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the session, there are robes (sizes M/L, XL, & 4XL) and 2 different sizes of slippers available. Simply let me know, and I will step out while you put on the robe and slippers and exit the practice space to use the restroom.

• Shop dogs! We have two Boston Terriers that belong to my colleague, Bethany of Charm Cult Craft. If you love dogs, great! You're welcome to say hi! If you don't like dogs or do not feel safe around dogs, please don't hesitate to let me know! We are both committed to making our space a welcoming and safe place and we have options including keeping the dogs in the back behind a gate or even arranging for them not to be on the premises for your appointment. I do have a filter running in my space if allergies are the concern. The dogs do not come in on Mondays and may not be in on Fridays depending on when your appointment is scheduled.

Teenagers? Generally, yes. Children? Maybe. There are reasons where I might opt for caution and not work with someone prepubescent. Anyone under 18 has the option to request a parent or guardian be in the room with them. (Any client may opt to have a second person with them in the room, but I am explicit about this in the case of children.)

No. No, you only need to look at your budget on the day of the massage and decide that you can’t afford to pay the standard rate. It’s not based on your salary or your housing, or your household income; it’s based on your ability to pay on the day of the massage. If you need a massage, you need a massage. This is for your health and I am doing everything I can to remove the financial barrier for what should be the most accessible form of healthcare and not the luxury item it has become. That’s why there’s the pay-it-forward option so folx can purchase their massage at a higher rate for my clients who may need the accessible rate and an option to pay for an someone else’s massage entirely with a digital gift card.

Absolutely not. “Hurt so good” hedonic pain is totally acceptable if you like it. But pain is 1) distressing and we are hoping for de-stressing, and 2) it frequently causes you to seize or flinch which generally undoes the work we’re trying to achieve. Also if we’re getting to a point of real pain during the massage, then you can 100% expect to feel crappy the next day–some discomfort the next day is possible even without that, but with it? No good.

A Workout RPG is a workout that blends a narrative storyline with your workout. The Workout RPGs I offer most resemble solo RPGs in style and I am inspired by a number of different games and systems (all of which receive due credit within the respective individual workout). Sometimes you may choice about the storyline and sometimes randomization via a deck of cards, dice roll, or tarot deck will direct you in a particular direction in the storyline. The events of the storyline inspire the selection of different workouts I've provided you, tailored to your goals, including smaller activities that are not full workouts, but allow you to maintain a streak by doing something--not everyday is a full workout kinda day. It isn't rigid, you are free to make adjustments or shift things, but a storyline is there to increase the enjoyment of the exercise. Likewise, many solo RPGs have optional prompts that you can choose to answer and journal as you complete the storyline, and you will have similar prompts following each scene before you get to the recommended workout. You can answer these in your head while you do your workout, or add them to your journal provided in the workout.

No. If you have equipment, we can certainly incorporate it into your plan, but having equipment is not required--either at home or with a membership. 

Body weight exercises can be adjusted for greater intensity and difficulty. Sometimes DIY equipment may be handy (this could include turning old socks into a myofascial ball and making a "foam" roller out of old towels, or using a tote with books as a kettelbell and a full water jug in lieu of a medicine ball), but it's never required.

That'll be up to you, ultimately. Certainly training with a friend can make a physical training plan more appealing for some folks, but obviously not everyone enjoys that. 

I will host field days 1-2x/month which could include a range of activities like hiking together outdoors, visiting a museum, attending a market or craft show, and similar. Ideally, each field day will cater to a variety of skills and activity levels, but all will be accessible to daily-living-activities mobility programs.

I do not. Our muscles do take damage in the strength-building process and our bones grow stronger in response to impact (one of the reasons it's important to workout in multiple planes--even bone growth!). So this is a natural part of the workout process, but cramping and over-working are not gains--just pains. Especially if you are participating in a program to improve movement following injury, forced rest, a persistent pain that has prevented movement, and/or have a chronic condition that can result in flares, we want to make sure that we are building strength and endurance without compromising your progress or triggering flares and set-backs.

You might; I can't really say. That's not something I will specifically work on with you. 

Aside from the fact we have both pathologized and moralized fat and weight for specious reasons with little evidence (especially independent evidence that isn't directly tied to a product or some other way of making someone rich), it isn't usually relevant in movement and mobility and even when it is diet plans and nutrition are outside of my scope except for general information. 

I can help formulate plans with you to make sure your physical training coincides optimally with your eating schedule, because energy for training is critical, but I can't ethically recommend minimizing intake or restraint in eating habits. That would be irresponsible with the history of disordered eating in this country. 

No, a nutritional plan is outside of my scope of practice. I can provide general information about nutritional and energy needs for safely exercising, but if you want professional guidance about food, food safety, and food health I can recommend some options that are Queer-friendly, safe even for folks with a history of disordered eating, and has counselors to support folx who are neurodivergent. I will emphasize that it is important to have enough fuel for your activity and it is critical for your body to stay hydrated. I will also discuss when you want to fuel to make sure your body has what it needs to act. Again, unless we feel like it would be helpful for combating being tired or running out of fuel to complete your plan, then my emphasis will not be on what you're eating, though I am happy to discuss food in the context of a potential obstacle (i.e. being able to get adequate energy around the time you have available to workout or adjusting our plan to better coincide with when you do have energy), but not as a weight loss plan.

Then we probably need to adjust the plan. Either we need to make it more appealing, or source some ideas for making it more accessible with your life and needs. We can do this proactively--anticipating what might be obstacles and brainstorming how they can be overcome--and we can do it on the fly as you encounter difficulties. Remember we'll have a shared document for building and tracking your plan. Ultimately, if you aren't following your plan, then the fault probably lies with the plan more than you, or there is an aspect of the plan that conflicts with your other needs and time demands. I'm happy to help you identify what isn't working and suggest alternatives and I will do it with complete transparency and collaboration.

These are communal movement sessions held online, designed to provide community and movement with modifications and adaptations available. Out of the hour, the first 15 minutes or so are spent on community building, while the next 45 minutes focus on movement. You are encouraged, but not required, to share during the community building portion. Similarly, you do not need to be on camera during the session, though I obviously can't comment on form if you are off camera.

Field Days are movement days around Baltimore that include options for guided movement or doing your own thing with the opportunity to get together in community with others for movement and encouragement. This is meant to provide fun and support mobility work while exploring our local region.

I can! It might require some research on my part to be sport-specific--I have my own personal sports faves and experiences--but we can absolutely work towards optimizing your sport-specific movement goals.

Yes. That is something we can absolutely work on, with the caveat that if you have a more severe injury I may refer you to a specialist. Otherwise, this is a big part of what I do as a massage therapist who is also a physical trainer.

I almost certainly can, especially if you've already made progress in your PT program, we can easily continue to build on that work and find ways to make the ongoing work accessible and accommodate your schedule and accountability needs without the continuous PT appointments you had previously.