I remember being in the backseat of my parents' station wagon--windows down...my mom's doo-rag waving in the wind... the filter of a Marlboro smoldering in the ashtray-- on a trip that never seemed to end. I remember mustering the courage to pose those four little words in the form of an impatient question. ...Then jumped … Continue reading Are We There Yet? →

After New Jersey's non-essential businesses were forced to shut down back in March, the bāsalt Studio put a lot of thought into it's decision to re-open on August 1, 2020. In the back of my mind, I knew that it was entirely possible that operations may need to be halted once again. However, I had … Continue reading The Last Session on 8th Street… →

An atrocity occurred recently. Unless you were privy to a series of Executive Orders, signed by New Jersey's Governor Murphy, that were meant to address and outline the steps in which "personal care businesses" were to re-open after the shut-down caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic, you may never have known. This has sent many therapists … Continue reading The (pär-lər) Controversy →

Uncertain times have a tendency to curl one into the proverbial fetal position. One starts to crave the comfort of the familiar--doesn't normally seek out more mystery in life. Sometimes this leads one back to old and undesirable habits. But it doesn't have to. Revisiting the familiar, but for further reconciliation; Shifting awareness...and willingness--on a … Continue reading The Only Constant… →

Compassionate massage therapists and bodyworkers forced to examine their personal and professionial framework have encountered an emotionally charged ethical dilemma filled with more than one paradox.  I have discovered the irony in my thinking that I could escape the stressors of being a nurse by starting a relaxing career as a massage therapist. Attempting to capture data … Continue reading The Work. →

"NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana, produced images of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) on its scanning and transmission electron microscopes on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. " If you are adhering to social distancing to avoid infection and/or wearing a mask in an effort to reduce your risk of inadvertent transmission-- … Continue reading Are You Concerned? →

Recently, bāsalt, along with all massage and bodywork establishments in New Jersey, has had to re-think how we book our clients' sessions in a way that adheres to new and evolving standards of care. The timing and method in which each massage establishment implements change may be slightly different, but we should all have a … Continue reading It’s a process… →

On March 9, 2020, a public health emergency and a state of emergency were declared by NJ Governor Murphy to combat the well-established fact--a novel and fast-spreading virus was having a devastating affect on the lives of New Jerseyans. In an effort to combat the spread of the virus, social distancing requirements with an emphasis … Continue reading And….here we are. →

According to Governor Murphy's Executive Order 154 that allowed massage therapy establishments to re-open effective June 22, 2020 at 6:00 a.m., all that needs to be done in order for bāsalt to re-open is the following: install physical barriers; utilize floor markers; reconfigure the premises; utilize contactless payment options; establish an isolated area for delivery … Continue reading “Is bāsalt open?” →

The Earth has spoken. For some, she is speaking in tongues. May is upon us. The Beltane has just passed. I think of my own mother. I wish I could go back in time before I was born and whisper goodness in her ear--prepare her for motherhood. Now, I wish I could infuse another lifetime … Continue reading Expectant Earth Mothers →