Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Hallett.
Hi Will, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was 12 years old, I was having some low back pain and was ultimately diagnosed with an orthopedic condition called spondylolisthesis. Surgery was recommended, but then I contracted a staph infection. Another surgery was needed to treat that, followed by 2 more to attempt to correct complications from the infection. In the end, I was left in more chronic pain than I began with, and doctors had little treatment recommendations besides pain medication and more surgery.
Unimpressed with those options, I sought out natural ways to influence the body to heal itself, and found great relief with both physical therapy and acupuncture. These 2 modalities helped immensely to manage my chronic low back pain with little to no narcotic medication, and gave me an appreciation for integrating both Eastern and Western healing modalities.
When it was time to think of a future career, I considered massage therapy, and then discovered Traditional Thai Massage. This modality is often described as “having Yoga done to you.” It involves working on a floor mat with a client in gym/yoga clothes, and incorporating relaxing passive yoga-type stretches along with kneading and compression techniques done with hands elbows, feet, and knees. Thailand is 94% Buddhist, and there is a Buddhist medical philosophy behind the techniques. The main concept is that while pain is inevitable — we pull a muscle, roll our ankle, have an argument with a loved one — Suffering is optional. Often times it is the thoughts about the painful thing that is lingering and more painful than the thing itself. When this occurs. our nervous systems automatically go into a ‘fight or flight’ response. Being in this state for prolonged periods of time can cause pain to get stuck in “on mode,” among other negative health conditions. In order to get out of this pain cycle, the stressed out nervous system needs to be addressed along with the musculoskeletal system. This can involve some breath work and guided visualization techniques along with bodywork, and if any uncomfortable memories arise, I know some amazing talk-therapists I can recommend, if necessary.
This whole-body, person-centered approach literally caused my chronic pain to disappear. Turns out, the stress and trauma from the ordeal of 4 surgeries at such a young age was contributing heavily to the chronic pain I experienced. While not everyone in chronic pain has a story similar to mine and experience the relief that I did, it still surprises me how so many of my clients do.
Currently, I am getting my Master’s in Public Health, because this line of work has illuminated how stress and trauma is a major public health issue that is not being effectively treated by healthcare providers. This is not to discontinue Thai massage, but to help promote effective methods of treating clients like me, especially for those who have tried absolutely everything with no long-term relief.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been some challenges along the way. In 2017, I broke 2 fingers in a bicycle accident. I had to take close to a year off to recover, but discovered a passion for teaching and became an instructor at a massage school during that time.
Covid happened in 2020 which forced me to shut down my business. Opening up a business like mine where physical distancing is impossible brought it’s own set of obstacles. But I’m still standing.
All these challenges have fortunately opened up more opportunities. Sometimes the journey matters more than the destination.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Thai Massage PDX?
As mentioned earlier, stress and trauma has been recognized for a long time as a huge public health issue, but it has never been adequately addressed. For example, “Allostatic load” is a term that describes the damage chronic stress does to the body’s organs and tissues. “Weathering” refers to the damage to the body’s organs and tissues specifically due to the chronic stress and trauma of systemic racism, structural inequities, and daily micro aggressions that many people of color experience. Tension in the mind often manifests as tension in the body.
When this occurs, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) defaults to a constant sympathetic “fight or flight” state. Long term, his can cause numerous chronic health conditions, a common one being chronic pain. Often, it gets triggered by an injury or surgery and just never gets better, even long after the tissues have healed. While most therapeutic modalities — physical therapy, chiropractics, myofascial/ deep tissue massage, surgery, etc. focus on the musculoskeletal system, the autonomic nervous system is often overlooked. Working to bring the ANS back to a parasympathetic “rest, relax, recover” state is often the missing link to experiencing long-lasting pain relief.
Thai massage is deeply effective because the stretches and compressions help relieve tension in the tissues and enhance blood flow, among other therapeutic things. The rhythm of the bodywork, deep breathing, guided imagery (if needed), and my response to what the body and tissues are communicating to me encourages deep, SAFE relaxation in the nervous system. Sometimes, it becomes evident that a traumatic experience from years ago is connected to one’s present experience of chronic pain. I have received training in methods to encourage those memories to disconnect from the nervous system. If it seems like processing memories with a professional talk therapist would be beneficial, I know some amazingly gifted ones for referrals, if necessary.
Clients almost always feel great relief after 1 session, with noticeable, longer lasting benefits after 3-5. Ongoing, endless treatments are never required, but my clients feel the most optimal in body and mind when receiving 1 massage every 3-6 weeks.
I have a simple Thai massage studio in downtown, Portland, Oregon. I offer 60 minute, 90 minute, 2 hour, and 3 hour sessions. Everybody deserves a 3 hour Thai massage at least once!
My approach comes from years of training, learned intuition, personal experiences with chronic stress, pain, and trauma, and most importantly, listening. Before massage, I studied sports medicine in college. I received my bachelor’s degree in general science (pre-med), and am currently attaining my Master’s in Public Health. I have studied Thai massage extensively in Thailand (twice), Costa Rica, and locally. Because of my 14 year massage career, I have a deep appreciation for Thailand, its culture, and this healing modality that has been life-changing for me. I have much gratitude for my clients, many of which have been with me for 13 of my 14 years. I look forward to the next several years ahead!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Seek out education well beyond the schooling it took to get licensed. Be bold. Know when it’s time to think, and know when it’s time to turn off the brain and put one foot in front of the other. Seek out people who are doing what you want to do, and ask them a million questions. Practice what you preach. Question everything, especially what you learned in school to get your license/degree. Get out of your comfort zone. Hug people more. Breathe deep into your belly, and allow your exhale to be slightly longer than your inhale. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Pricing:
- 60 minutes – $150
- 90 minutes – $170
- 2 Hours – $250
- 3 hours – $300
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thaimassagepdx.massagetherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/will.hallett.lmt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillHallettLmt18758
