Brett Kane Bodyworks

Excited to start this seven week journey with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and her 'Embodied Touch as Transformational Practice' course. First one down and 🤯🤯🤯

After three years of intensive study and practice, I'm proud to announce that I'll be offering my first series of mindfulness classes here in Grand Rapids. This four week course taking place every Tuesday starting April 18th and running through May 9th is perfect for meditation-curious folks as well as more seasoned practitioners looking to touch up on the fundamentals in a warm and encouraging environment.

It will be hosted at Benji Salon and Spa's event space on Lake Michigan Drive (near the Standale Meijer). All of the details are below in the flier, with more on the website (link in the comments).

If you want to hop on board, shoot me a message or contact me via the details on the flier.

Hope to see you there!

Hiya everybody, I was recently interviewed by Voyage Michigan to share my story of coming to massage therapy and meditation. It's a juicy one that really has its roots in my upbringing. If that kind of thing interests you, consider checking it out!

Inspiring Conversations with Brett Kane of Brett Kane Bodyworks/ 21st Century Vitalism - Voyage Michigan Magazine Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Kane. Brett, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? My life began in a small town across the state called Bay City, which can be found in the crook of the thumb, a little north of […]

Introducing my full weekly schedule! I added Sunday and Wednesdays to the mix to ensure that there is plenty of offerings available for folks with different schedules. I look forward to serving you this winter and beyond :)

Book now over at bkbodyworks.net

A warm towel for the face is a wonderful way to end a session and create some heat as we plunge into another Michigan winter.

Book your session now at
bkbodyworks.net

This weeks featured review!

"As a Registered nurse, the last two years have been extremely stressful! With Brett's high quality, professional technique, he knows exactly where I carry my stress and he's able to release the tension and relax my muscles and ease the knots in my body. His holistic approach has helped me from getting " burn out" which a lot of healthcare professionals are experiencing. I highly recommend the 90 minute session! You'll feel really rejuvenated when he's done!"

-Christine B.

"I believe that the unity of mind and body is an objective reality. They are not just parts somehow related to each other, but an inseparable whole while functioning. A brain without a body could not think."

-Moshe Feldenkrais

Founder of the Feldenkrais method, Ukrainian-Israeli engineer and physicist was a pioneer in the alternative health scene. His primary contribution was that we could expand human functioning and self-awareness through movement practice.

This quote to me encapsulates a core tenet of my bodywork practice that the work we do on the table is not merely for your tense body but also for your tense mind. It also serves as the connective tissue between my offering of Mindfulness and massage therapy. To inject space into the mind, creates space within the body, and vice versa.

Come join me November 12th and the 13th for the virtual course on 'Buddhist Visions of Leadership' being put on by Upaya Zen Center. This will be the second course I've taken from Upaya's abbot and social activist, Roshi Joan Halifax and the Buddhist scholar, Dr. John Dunne. They're an incredible duo who is sure to leave you feeling inspired and motivated to incorporate more embodied leadership into your daily practice.

https://www.upaya.org/program/buddhist-visions-of-leadership-online-2022/?id=2437&fbclid=IwAR1ibsz7Vvjux4enOZEVvaBCGXn-GKfa_6llrW_fbWkvA2L95H4G0qu11DU

Buddhist Visions of Leadership (Online 2022) - Upaya Zen Center If you are already registered for this program, please access the RESOURCE PAGE here. Description: Over the course of this special weekend, Upaya’s Abbot

Forearms are a wonderful way to administer deeper pressure while protecting the important joints in the wrist and fingers. It's also a broad and unique sensation for the client to experience.

Book your session today at bkbodyworks.net

This weeks featured review!

"Brett’s understanding of contemporary pain theory and broad knowledge of different massage techniques makes him an incredibly thorough and talented therapist. You can tell her genuinely listens and cares for you in every interaction. I highly recommend his service!"

-Jessica F.

"Go around the problem; get the system sufficiently resilient so that it is able to change, and it will change, It doesn't have to be forced. It's that forcing that you have to avoid at all costs." - Dr. Ida Rolf

Ida Rolf was a pioneer in the realm of manual therapy. She revolutionized the way millions of therapists approached pain management and created one of the most interesting and integrative bodywork modalities we have today, Structural Integration.

Many of the principles I've come across in my studies of S.I are incorporated into my massage therapy practice. In regards to the quote above, I feel that it encapsulates my approach to working with tension in the body. I'd make the bold claim that it's not the therapists job to beat muscle tissue into submission as much as it's to create an environment in the nervous system which allows the body to reclaim it's own inherent relaxation.

Tension is a result of an activated nervous system trying to defend against potential tissue damage. If we can remind the system that it is safe and there are other possible configurations of movement, maybe we can create the conditions for more flexibility, ease, and pain free movement.

Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend studying with the world renowned yoga teacher, Desiree Rumbaugh () at From the Heart Yoga Center here in Grand Rapids.

Yoga is a big part of my life these days since it acts as both continued education for my bodywork practice and as a means to harmonize my mind, body, and spirit. This weekend was incredible in deepening my understanding of the practice and strengthening the ties of our community.

I strongly encourage everyone who's interested in this work to come check out From The Heart; the resident teacher, Behnje Masson is a really incredible human who has a lifetime of experience and a masterful way of guiding you into the world of yoga.

(Picture is me being guided into being a pretzel.)

The second part of my series on pain science is now live over on my blog. If you're someone who struggles with chronic pain then I encourage you to check this out. It's also helpful for anyone curious about how massage therapy works as a pain management practice.

bkbodyworks.net

When addressing a painful point in a client, I find it beneficial to work with the entire structure that point is a part of. Most often people will guide me to work on their shoulders since that's where we often hold our stress. In order to properly treat this common area, it's important to address the muscles that are likely playing tug of war to compensate for this tension. Whether it's shortened pectoralis muscles, a tight teres major, or strained lower trapezius; long lasting relief is only possible by treating the entire region.

You are not just the parts of you that hurt, you are an entire body and we have an opportunity to remember that through massage therapy.

Book your session now at bkbodyworks.net

This weeks featured review:

"Brett's Ideas, beliefs, methods & research of his practice is inspiring and comforting . He has a unique and effective approach to massage. He listen attentively to what I am looking for and what my body needs out of each session. His Myofascial Release technique feels incredible and is SsOo relaxing. I have been working with Brett for about 4 sessions now, with lower back and hip pain that runs down the side of my leg from a very old injury. His new modalities and learning that he brings to the table has created so much pain relief in my hip and legs that I am back to trail running with no pain at all. I would highly recommend Brett to anyone! Communicate with him before and during a session and you would get the results that you are looking for out of each session."

- Amanda S.

Amanda's communication is probably the best out of any of my current clients and because of this, we end up making a lot of progress on whatever she's moving through that week. My favorite sessions are ones where it feels like a collaboration and I can begin to map out what that individual body is needing.

Pressure is one way to measure depth in massage. Another way is 'neurological richness'. Do our strokes have relevancy in regards to the client's experience of pain? Are we moving slow enough for their nervous system to receive the stroke completely? Are we creating enough fascial traction to affect the deeper structures underneath the top layer of muscles?

Brute strength can be wonderful, but it's better used as a spice rather than the main course. With the combination of appropriate tempo, oil, and intention; I promise I can deliver a more profound and deep massage than if I were to simply drop my elbow into a spot that hurts (though I can do that too).

Enjoying a rainy Saturday morning at the office.

This weeks featured review:

"I’ve been to so many therapists and Brett is sincerely the BEST therapist I’ve ever been a client of. My experience with him is impossible to put into words but I’ve never experienced such an incredible massage before meeting him. His techniques are fluid with the body and he genuinely cares about his clients and their experiences. Each massage you receive is unique and tailored to any issues you are having.

I recommend Brett very highly. No matter how far you are, you must see him. You won’t want to go to anybody else."
-Mick W.

Thanks Mick! Your communication mid-session is a huge help with dialing in your unique pain patterns. It's one thing to receive a relaxing massage and drift off into a state of deep rest; it's another to collaborate with your therapist on what is working and maximize those strategies to ensure the best experience for your body.

Book your session now at bkbodyworks.net

Sticks and stones may break your bones...but they can also be relaxing! It's a free addition for any service to request some hot stones and bamboo. They provide more pressure, muscle relaxing heat, and novel stimulation for tense tissues.

Book your session today over at bkbodyworks.net

I wanted to extend a huge heartfelt thank you to Big Fam Music & Arts Festival for inviting me out to share the practice of Mindfulness Meditation. It was an honor to introduce friends both new and old to this beautiful technique that I've been working with for the past two years. What a wonderful art community we have brewing here in Michigan.

For those of you interested in learning more about this ancient and incredibly relevant practice, please feel free to reach out to me through direct messaging or my website. I offer 1 on 1 training as well as group classes. I've received my certification through Dharma Moon and Tibet House US and am actively learning more each and every week.

📷Benjamin Ripley

Music has always been an important part of my life, and because of this, I find it to be an important part of massage. To celebrate this, I've created 20+ lovingly hand crafted playlists to guide my clients through the journey of their session. Each playlist represents a different theme and has wildly different tonal atmospheres, from ethereal soundscapes to sounds of nature to oceans and nostalgia.

Your session is guaranteed to have a relaxing and unique auditory accompaniment every time.

Still feeling inspired after my time spent in Port Huron at the Lakewood School of Therapeutic Massage learning from the one and only, Massage Sloth. During this weekend long massage intensive, we learned how to incorporate Myofascial Release Technique into our Swedish flows. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this evolved my practice dramatically. Many thanks to both Ian, and the organizers who made this happen.

(This is my game face)

New Blog Post!

What exactly is happening in your body when you experience pain? Is it possible that learning the science behind this phenomenon can actually help us manage our symptoms? Check out the article on my website to find out.

https://www.bkbodyworks.net/blog-1/what-is-pain-and-why-is-it-important-to-understand-for-massage

Hey everybody!

I have some exciting news, starting this month I'll be launching my monthly massage giveaway program. Here's how it will work: I'm going to take half of my tips and put them aside in a separate pool and once it reaches $100, I'll run a social media contest where a winner will be chosen via random number generator.

I'm passionate about the benefits of bodywork and feel that more people should have access to this wonderful therapy. This program allows me to give back to the community and invite new people into the practice. Make sure to follow this page and keep your eyes peeled for future posts with further directions.

I hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Some big news for everyone, we've found a new home! I'll now be hosting my private practice at .

Booking portal is still in the works so if you want to reserve your spot for a massage, please reach out to me through here.

We also have some price changes (with some future opportunities to save coming down the pipeline)

30 min - $50
60 min - $100
90 min - $145
120 min - $190

This weeks book dive is now live!

Today we dive into the hugely influential meditation manual by the esteemed Buddhist teacher, Pema Chodron. Complete with a guided 10 minute practice session!

If you want to continue learning with this technique, reach out to me via FB, IG, or the email [email protected] to secure a consultation and potential one on one studentship!

Episode can be found on any major streaming platform you would normally find podcasts.

Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to like the page and leave a review! There are some pretty big things in the works, namely that I'm working on a website which will have an active blog I'll be maintaining. On it, I'll be sharing my offerings and writings on all things massage and meditation!

As always, if you wish to book a session, head on over to
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=41987&stype=-9 and get yourself in the books. :)

I'll keep this page updated as the website gets released.
Be well friends!