
Please Note: Great Lakes Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Practitioners is *NOT* affiliated with any 3rd-party booking system.
Great Lakes Therapeutic Massage
& Bodywork Practitioners
4085 Seneca Street, Suite 2
West Seneca, NY 14224
(716) 725-0264
All New Clients: Surgical and/or Medical / Illness-Related
ALL first time clients *must call* our office so we may speak to you, Manual Lymphatic Drainage Clients:
gather your information, and address any questions or concerns you may have. If you are having a cosmetic procedure and will be in-need of lymphatic drainage
After speaking with you we will schedule your initial appointment, massage, PLEASE call our office and book your sessions prior to your procedure
(at a mutually-agreeable time), review our office policies as we book up very quickly (... because we're just that damn good & know our stuff!)
and appointment parameters.
~ Colleen has been a NYS licensed massage therapist since 1998 and she has been certified in
All clients are required to provide credit card or debt card manual medical lymphatic drainage massage since 1999, (one of only 3 in the WNY area).
information to schedule their appointment. This requirement is in-keeping Her knowledge and experience with a surgical / medical background prior to becoming a LMT
with many other medical / chiropractic / p.t. and massage practices. allows her more understanding of the body's lymphatic healing process, the mechanisms behind surgical
and disease trauma, and how the body copes when stressed.
Your card will not be charged unless you late-cancel or no-show
your scheduled appointment, thus not allowing us an opportunity ~ Nicole has worked with Colleen for nearly a decade and has received instruction on how to perform the
to fill your previously reserved session. current and correct method for both post-surgical manual lymphatic massage and disease-related manual
lymphatic massage. In 2022 she participated in a 10-day intensive training study, (both course-work and
Please see our late-cancel / no-show / no-call policy. hands-on and received her certification.
Please Note: We are unable to respond to e-mail or text contacts from All that said, we are extremely competent, experienced and knowledgeable in what we
*NEW* individuals seeking appointments. do and the sessions we offer; thus... our schedules book quickly.
Please call our office directly to schedule your initial session. Lymphatic Drainage Massage is not only for clients who have had surgical / medical
procedures, it is also beneficial for individuals with:
(716) 725-0264 ~ Heart Disease, ~ Kidney Disease, ~ Autoimmune Disease,
~ Chronic systemic idiopathic Inflammation, ~ Swollen Extremities, ~ Digestive tract / leaky-gut syndrome & associated issues,
~ Post-covid inflammation & sluggish immune system, ~ etc...
GREAT LAKES THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE:
~ Specialized Massage & Bodywork Sessions ~
~ Esthetic Services ~ Microblading ~
~ Psychic-Mediumship Readings ~
~ Classes ~ Workshops ~ Presenters ~ Special Events ~
Reading, understanding & adhering to our office policies and procedures, as well as
COVID-19 restrictions and mandates, is the client's responsibility.
Thank you for your compliance.
Please Note: A Few Things To Know When Coming For Your Massage:
We are a multi-practitioner facility with several therapists.
Each therapist works differently and has their own special style and gifts
that they bring to the session. Please communicate any concerns or questions
you may have to your therapist. If they are unable to answer
your questions or rectify a situation they have colleagues who may be able to assist.
Out of courtesy for all our patrons, we are unable to accommodate clients who have childcare issues.
If the client having the session is a minor or adult in need of assistance/aid, please speak
with us prior to the session and we will make accommodations.
Children cannot remain within the facility while the parent/guardian
is receiving their session. Should your childcare arrangements cancel, you will need to pay
the late-cancel fee and reschedule your session.
Our therapists are here for your appointment and ready to work.
Ideally, NEW clients should arrive 15-20 minutes prior to their initial session
to fill out our Medical History Form (required under NYS law).
Established patrons should arrive 5 minutes prior to their session.
If your appointment time is 1:00, that means we would like to have you
on the treatment table at 1:00.
If your appointment is at 1:00 and you arrive at 1:10 or 1:15, the therapist will have to
"shave" time off your session so as not to inconvenience the clients scheduled after you.
You are still responsible for your full session fee.
We ask that all patrons PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES upon entering the suite.
Absolutely NO TALKING on your cell phone within the treatment room.
We accept Cash, Credit/Debt Cards, FSA (Flexible Spending Account) & HSA (Health Savings Acct) cards.
For clients who have the BC/BS plan that covers massage, (Buffalo Firefighters, Teachers,
NFTA & Erie County Employees, Buffalo Police), we can see you as a "out-of-network provider."
You pay the full fee for the massage appointment, we give you a receipt, you
submit it for reimbursement and BC/BS reimburses you.
Gift Certificates are available in any amount, for any occasion!
Gift Certificate purchases are non-refundable.
*** Gift Certificates that are donated to charitable organizations do have
hard expiration dates stated on them that will be enforced as per NYS law. Thank you.
Please note:
There is a $35 late-cancel fee for 30-min, 1-hr & 90-min appointments.
There is a $65 late-cancel fee for 2-hr, deep tissue and hot stone session.
"Late-Cancel" is considered the day before by 5:00 p.m. / C.O.B.
*** Persons who call after 5:00 p.m. and leave a messaget will be considered
"same-day cancellations" and charged appropriately.
No-Show / No-Call clients & Same-Day cancellations will be charged their
full session fee for the missed appointment.
Future appointments cannot be booked until the fee is paid.
Additionally, clients who cancel often will have to pay for their session in-full when booking in the future.
There will be *no refunds* should you cancel or no-show that session. No exceptions.
For those whom may be wondering:
Unlike a physical therapists, chiropractic offices or medical offices, we are only able to see ONE client per hour.
We cannot see 6-10 clients an hour like other practitioners. If we set aside one hour specifically for you only, and you
don't keep your appointment, there is now a therapist who is at work, ready to see a client, but now not getting paid.
You will be UNABLE to reschedule until the fee is collected. Thank you.
MASSAGE MENU
A general massage session can include any of the following {specified ahead of time}:
Swedish Massage, Craniosacral Massage, Myofascial Release,
Lymphatic Drainage, {for those recovering from surgical procedures or who have health conditions}, Reflexology,
Reiki, Pregnancy Massage, Specific Injury Massage, etc...
Modality: Price:
30-min Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55.00
60-min Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90.00
90-min Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $120.00
2-Hr Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $170.00
30-min Deep Tissue Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60.00
60-min Deep Tissue Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $105.00
90-min Deep Tissue Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $130.00
We do not offer 2-hour Deep Tissue Massages.
* 60-min Hot Stone Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $105.00
* 90-min Hot Stone Massage: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $145.00
Hot Stone Massages must be requested in advance as it takes 60-90 minutes for the stones to thoroughly heat.
Cupping must be requested in-advance and with Nicole . (See below)
NEED a NAP?
(add a 15-min or 30-min snooze at the end of your session)
15 minute post-session snooze: $10 up-charge onto your session fee
30 minute post-session snooze: $20 up-charge onto your session fee
Please Note: This post-treatment snooze must be (generally) scheduled in-advance.
If you request a post-treatment nap when scheduling your appointment and then are
unable to stay, you will still be responsible for the fee as we had to schedule
the next client to accommodate your snooze.
No exceptions. Thank you.
* CUPPING with NICOLE:
Cupping can be added to any service with Nicole for an
additional $15.00 up-charge.
Cupping must be requested in-advance.
~ Service prices above (for any service) DO NOT include gratuity to your Therapist. ~
Questions are encouraged and welcome - so please call our office!
If we're unable to answer the phone please be sure to
leave your NAME and PHONE NUMBER
(slowly and clearly, or 2 times!!) so we may call you back.
If we're can't understand your message, or your voicemail box is full, we are unable to call you back!
Thank you. (716) 725-0264
~ On-Going Massage Specials ~
Book a 1-hour, 90-minute or 2-hour session *monthly*
and receive a courtesy $10.00 discount off your future sessions,
(first/initial session will be at full rate amount).
Please Note:
This discount on future appointments is being extended as a *courtesy* by our office to consistent, respectful clients.
If you have a history of late-cancellations or no-shows, we maintain the right to cease offering
this courtesy discount to you. Thank you.
~ For Lymphatic Drainage / Post Surgical Clients: ~
*** If possible, DO NOT WAIT until AFTER YOUR PROCEDURE TO CONTACT US!!! ***
As we are the only facility in WNY with multiple certified lymphatic drainage massage therapist/s, as such
our appointment calendar is generally booked 2-3 weeks in-advance. For optimum results, it is *imperative* that you start
lymphatic drainage massages as soon as possible and adhere to an appointment schedule.
- Clients who repeatedly cancel or no-show will be removed from the schedule and not allowed to re-book.
- If you paid in-advance and then no-show/late-cancel without *proof* of a family or personal emergency, you forfeit the paid session/s.
Post-surgical lymphatic drainage generally needs 2-3 sessions per week following your surgery
and while you are in recovery, however, every client heals at their own individual speed.
Our appointment calendar generally fills 2-3 weeks in-advance.
If you don't contact us *prior* to your procedure to schedule your sessions, there's
a chance we will not be able to immediately accommodate you.
Note:
Colleen Marx, BS, LMT, CLMT is one of the four certified Lymphatic Drainage Massage Therapist in WNY
who has training with both oncology, (cancer), chronic illness, (heart disease/kidney/liver disease) patients
as well as cosmetic / body augmentation patients.
She possesses a 15+ year surgical/medical background prior to receiving her massage licensure in 1998.
She has been a certified lymphatic drainage massage therapist since 1999.
Nicole Mendez, LMT, CLMT is one of the four certified Lymphatic Drainage Massage Therapist in WNY
who has training with both chronic illness, (heart disease/kidney/liver disease) patients
as well as cosmetic / body augmentation patients.
She began performing lymphatic drainage massage after training with Colleen and
became certified in 2022.
Lymphatic Drainage massage is NOT the same as Swedish or traditional/regular massage;
CLMT, (Certified Lymphatic Massage Therapists), should only perform manual draining, (use our hands).
Cavitation machines, devices such as wood bars, etc are *illegal* for a LMT to use in NYS, and
should not be used for post-augmentation massage as the practitioner could unknowingly be ripping, tearing, causing
adhesions, bruises, bleeds and damage under the skin as their hands are not on the body.
It is *impossible* to *feel* any damage the tool may be creating.
All LMTs working at Great Lakes Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Practitioners
have been trained in correct lymphatic drainage techniques by Colleen.
Proper lymphatic drainage massage is not relaxing, however we guarantee you will feel much, much better when you
get off the table. You can receive care by others, but your final results may not be optimal if they don't know what they're doing.
Please see the "Case in Point" under Lymphatic Drainage Massage description below.
(716) 725-0264
Prices subject to change without notice.
If a GC was purchased prior to a rate increase, you will be asked to
pay the fee difference in the session rate.
All No-Show / Late-Canceled Gift Certificates are subject to forfeiture.
*******************************************************************
~ MODALITY DESCRIPTIONS: ~
General Massage Session & Types of Massage:
A "general massage session," either 30-minute, 60-minute or 90-minute (or 2-hour available upon special request)
may include any of the following modalities as per the client's request:
Swedish Massage:
The most common type of massage in America. Long, full strokes of varying degrees of pressure, may involve some range-of-motion work to loosen joints. Clients can request a full body massage or only for certain problematic areas to be worked. It is not uncommon for our therapists to spend an entire session working on a client's back, or neck, etc. Again, we tailor the session to fit your needs.
All Practitioners Are Available.
Specific Injury / Medical / Sports / Myofascial Release Massage:
Any of these modalities can be incorporated into your massage session for you to achieve maximum benefit.
All Practitioners Are Available.
Craniosacral Therapy:
This particular modality assists in releasing spinal adhesions and promoting the flow of cerebrospinal fluid through the spinal column and cranium (head). Great for persons who have experienced concussion injuries and migraine/headache sufferers. This modality uses very, very little pressure.
Colleen Marx, BS, LMT is the *only* practitioner at our office who is certified/trained in CranioSacral Therapy.
All requested CranioSacral Therapies must be made with Colleen only.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage:
Both Colleen and Nicole are certified lymphatic drainage massage, two of four therapists who are certified in WNY.
Colleen has a 15-year medical/surgical background prior to receiving her massage licensure and has been a licensed, practicing massage therapist since 1998. She is certified in Lymphatic Drainage Massage, (Chigon Institute, 1999), Adhesion Reduction Methodology & Visceral Manipulation I & II (Upledger Institute, 2000).
Colleen has been an instructor at both NYIM and Trocaire College's Massage Therapy programs. She has taught her co-workers how to effectively and correctly perform lymphatic drainage massage.
After being trained by Colleen and providing manual lymphatic drainage massage for several years, Nicole received her certification as well. Both therapists have spent numerous hours and studying/training to properly relieve lymphatic build-up and stimulate the lymph beds located throughout the body.
Lymphatic Drainage massage *is not* "Swedish" massage and if you are seeing a practitioner who is not correctly trained, your end results may not be what you were hoping and anticipating.
Additionally, "wood/bar," "cavitation," etc are NOT LEGALLY APPROVED in NYS for Licensed Massage Therapists to be using.
Case In Point:
In March of 2021 we saw a client who had "wood/bar" massage performed on her (at home by a "therapist") 3-4x prior to coming to our office.
She relayed to us that she was extremely swollen and hard, (which is 100% normal post-surgery) but she also said she had a "funny smell."
In her 1st session with us, the client's incision ruptured 3-4" and she drained an enormous amount of puss, lymph & blood.
The incision rupture and ensuing infection were directly due to where the other "therapist" had been grinding on her incision
with the wood bar, causing the sutures to split and tear the underlying tissue, and for an infection to set-up.
THIS IS WHY WE ONLY USE OUR (very clean & sanitized ) HANDS as per NYS law.
Cavitation machines are also not within the *legal scope* of massage therapist practice & licensure in NYS.
Her internal stitches had been ruptured because the "therapist" could not feel what she was doing through the wood bar.
Colleen cleaned her, bandaged her and sent her to the ER.
After 5 days of antibiotics and a re-suturing at ECMC, (at the client's expense), we commenced the *correct lymphatic massages*
on her and she is finally healing beautifully, and hopefully will not need an incision revision due to the infection and suture rupture
caused by the other practitioner.
You are well within your right to receive treatment anywhere you chose, but please ASK your therapist WHERE they
received their training/certification in lymphatic drainage massage.
It is NOT the same as traditional massage.
Lastly, we are *not* allowed to "drain" you or remove your drains. Drains and Lymph is considered MEDICAL WASTE and needs to be
disposed of properly. We do not ask client's about their hepatitis, HIV, etc status - therefor we cannot properly dispose of medical and/or
bloody, lymphatic gauze, etc. Additionally, re-opening puncture wounds to "drain" lymph can potentially lead to a bacterial infection. Your wounds
sealing is your body healing. Don't slow or regress the process by "draining" what you perceive to be excess fluid. Your body is putting it
there for a reason ~~~~~ HEALING.
Please contact our office, if possible, BEFORE your procedure as we generally
have a 2-3 week waiting period for new appointments.
New Updates:
If you have traveled outside on NYS for your procedure, you must follow current CDC/ECDOH guidelines.
*** As per NY State Health Codes, a licensed massage therapist is unable to perform drainage of any drain tubes or removal of drain tubes or sutures. Any body fluid, (blood, urine, plasma, lymph, etc...), is defined as "medical waste," and as such it must be disposed of properly per medical and sanitation codes and guidelines at a properly licensed and certified medical facility. *** (Note: the *only* reason we drained the client above is because her incision ruptured on our table and we could not allow dripping blood and puss throughout our facility.)
We can perform lymphatic drainage massage on areas where the incisions/puncture wounds have sealed. Our office consistently offers medical lymphatic drainage massage to individuals who have had either medically necessary surgery or elective body augmentation enhancement, (i.e. - cosmetic surgery). We cannot perform massage directly on areas/incisions that are not healed, sealed or scabbed over; however, we can gently work the tissue around the surgical incision site to assist the body in removing excess fluid build-up in the tissues under the skin.
Our first goal is to help our client's swollen and/or bruised tissues to return to a more normal state. Our second goal is to work the incision site, once it has sealed, to reduce the amount of adhesions/scar tissue, leaving a much less visible and palpable scar.
*** For persons who have had cosmetic surgery, (breast reduction/enhancement, lipo, tummy-tuck, BBL, etc), post-surgical lymphatic drainage massage is highly recommended to speed the healing process, prevent adhesions, minimize scarring and prevent keloids from occurring, (keloids: irregular, raised or lumpy tissue around the incision/scar. It can be minimal, or it can be extremely prominent and may have to be surgically corrected after several months).
For Lymphatic Drainage Massage: All Practitioners Are Available.
Reflexology:
Reflexology follows the Eastern medical hypothesis that the sole of the foot (or palm of the hand) is a reflection of the body's general function. The sole is "mapped out" and certain areas correlate with certain organs or areas of the body. The practitioner works the feet to help stimulate health and healing in the body.
All Practitioners Are Available.
Pregnancy Massage:
All of our therapists are trained in pregnancy massage, however, we do subscribe to the idea that massage is contraindicated for the first trimester (~ less than 12 weeks of pregnancy). Please inform us that you are pregnant when you call so that we can obtain more information. *** IF you have experienced any complications during your pregnancy, (including, but not limited to: hospitalizations, pre-term labor, eclampsia/pre-eclampsia, etc), you will be contacted and asked to provide a script from your medical practitioner releasing / giving permission for you to receive massage. We want the best for both Mom and baby. NO EXCEPTIONS.
All Practitioners Are Available.
Reiki:
Reiki is a Eastern (Japanese) energy modality that does not utilize massaging strokes or pressures. Reiki is extremely light-handed, sometimes not involving physical touch at all and the practitioner will instead tap into the body's energy (aura). Reiki is done with the client fully clothed. The fundamental belief with Reiki is that it assists in balancing the body's energy (Ki or Chi) and will help disperse areas of too much energy or promote energy in areas that may be weak or lacking. Reiki works with the body's chakras in restoring harmony and balanced energy. Please note that Reiki is extremely helpful for those who may be experiencing an illness or medical condition that does not allow for comfortable touch (i.e. - certain cancers, elderly, acute migraine sufferers, etc).
Colleen Marx, BS, LMT & Nicole Mendez, LMT are available for Reiki sessions.
Hot Stone/LaStone Massage:
Hot Stone Massage is exactly that - massage that uses heated basalt (volcanic and smoothly polished) stones to massage and manipulate the muscles. Think of hot stone massage as having your tense muscles melted into a state of relaxation. Therapists are trained to avoid moving too deeply over joints or bony areas. Approximately 35-50 stones are used per treatment.
Hot Stone: All Practitioners Are Available.
LaStone Therapy is the originator of all stone-using massage techniques on the market. The founder and creator of LaStone Massage, Mary Nelson, said the modality came to her in a series of dreams over several months. As with hot stone massage heated, polished basalt stones are used, however what makes LaStone Therapy unique is that polished, cooled stones are also incorporated in the treatment. Our set happens to be beautiful jade stones from Japan. The cool stones allow the therapist to truly work very deep without causing any discomfort to the client. They also allow inflammation to be from an injured area with the coolness. And when used in conjunction with the heated stones there's a whole "fire n' ice" element that takes place that is extremely unique.
Approximately 60-80 stones are used per treatment.
Colleen Marx, BS, LMT is the *only* practitioner at our office who is certified/trained in LaStone Massage.
All requested LaStone Therapies must be made with her only.
NOTE:
~ With all hot stone massages, the stones are thoroughly washed and disinfected after use, and when they are prepared for a treatment, tea tree oil, a natural antiseptic, is used in the water bath.
~ For: Hot Stone Massage and Cupping there is prep-work involved on our end. Equipment needs to be set up and stones heated, (60-90 minutes), therefor these services have to be requested in-advance. Thank you.
NO-FAULT MASSAGE & WORKER'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE MASSAGE:
Our practice ceased accepting Worker's Compensation Clients in January 2017.
Our practice is accepting No-Fault (MVA) clients on a *limited* basis. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.