I am passionate about sharing my knowledge on how to maximize health, both mental and physical.
My name is Michael McGovern and I was born in Cape Town in 1973. Even as a young kid I was interested in how the body works and how to bring the best out of it. Later on, this curiosity evolved to include the relationship between mind and body. In 1990 after finishing high school I was conscripted to do compulsory military service in support of the apartheid regime. Declining to do this I left the country to live with my half brother in a Tibetan Buddhist Monestry in the borders of Scotland.
I lived in a monastry for 8 years and I was a tibetan buddhist monk for 3 years. My days were filled with meditation, yoga and working in the kitchen. In 2004, very interested in exploring the shadow side of spirituality in the context of a meditation practice I went to Salt Lake City, Utah, to study Big Mind, a Gestalt based facilitation process with Zen Master Dennis Merzel. During this time I trained in Byron Katie's cognitive behaviour therapy process called The Work. I also completed my massage training at Utah College of Massage Therapy in 2010. Today I find that my curiosity around how to maximise health, both mental and physical still burns brightly. I am passionate about sharing this knowledge and continuing to learn more.
Over the years I have been working for a diverse range of clients, from professional athletes to anyone who is looking a healthier way to relieve their stress and pain.
"I absolutely loved my massage with Mike. I felt well cared for and his broad skill set allowed for a really thorough assessment, massage and follow up exercises. Mike is warm and friendly and makes you feel really at ease too. I’ll definitely be back.""
"I highly recommend Mike's practice. I saw he got a lot of 5-star reviews before booking, and after having had 2 sessions with Mike I understand why people trust and rate him highly. I feel cared for and listened to and feel rejuvenated."
"I work as an acrobat for a touring circus company and Mike gives one of the best massages and overall services i have every had. He has strong firm hands, communicates well and is super knowledgeable, left me feeling healthier and able to move and perform much better. Plus he is a great guy."
"I recently went to see Mike, after a friend recommended him, and I found him to be welcoming, informative and skilled. He discussed with me what I wanted and throughout the session checked in with me for my comfort and listened to my feedback. The take away exercises were an added bonus. I definitely plan to visit again"
"I have been a regular client of Mike for 5 years for both sports injuries/recuperation and general physical and mental wellbeing. He is a complete professional always taking time to identify my needs and physical status then discussing therapies he believes will best match my desired outcomes. Mike’s delivery has never disappointed usually exceeding my expectations. His ‘Russian' massage is the best massage I have ever experienced almost inducing a trance state which was bliss! Cant recommend him highly enough. Thanks Mike."
"The Edinburgh Fringe is a assault on the nervous system, and I after 3 weeks producing a show I found that my body was feeling the effects of being on my feet in a high pressure environment. Mike was extremely kind, and was able to find my sore points while making sure I was completely comfortable. I went in feeling extremely anxious, and came out much calmer and softer. I wish I had gone earlier! Don't hesitate to book an appointment, particularly if you are up for the fringe. I wish I lived closer! Amy (Artists Collective Theatre)."
What a typical session with me looks like :
To find out about your injuries and your previous medical history, also what you do for a job, what sports you play and what is your dominant hand, etc. All of this tells us about the stresses your body deals with on a daily basis and gives clues as to how it might be trying to cope with them.
I encourage my clients to communicate with me so that we can figure out where the source of the pain is - often where the pain is manifesting is not the origin. This a large part of our work together, we are trying to find the origin, this involves systematically working through different muscles.
I start with gentle warming and kneading strokes and gradually work deeper, accessing which muscles are tight or overstretched. Using very deep strokes, Tapotement (tapping), Trigger point (finding a knot and placing pressure on it and then working the tension out of the fibres of the muscle). I use a technique called Myofascial Release which involves stretching the limbs and muscles to stretch the fascia (fascia is connective tissue that binds everything together in the body), reducing tension and restoring balance.
Communicating with the client I use a number scale to access the intensity of the pressure, there is nothing worse than a massage that is not deep enough or else one that is painful! Too much pressure is counter-productive because the body tenses to endure painful pressure as it struggles to protect itself and this also makes my work a lot more difficult as the muscles are tighter. Ideally we want our work to be as relaxing as possible! Part of what I do is help the muscle come back into alignment (they migrate during the course of our life, over-stretching opposing muscles). I use a method called Structural Integration, where using a fair bit of relaxed pressured I 'iron' the muscles back into place with pressure and very gradual movement, using either a soft fist or the forearm, its an unusual feeling, but really quite pleasant. Everybody's massage ends up looking different as we have varying needs.
I spend 5 minutes showing you what muscles I believe are affected and why, so you can visualise what is happening. Finally I show you a few stretches or strengthening exercises to help you continue your recovery.