Client Testimonials

Gregory Miller

A couple of years ago I was walking in our SE Portland neighborhood and saw the sign of a Wellness Clinic that offered massage. My current massage therapist at the time had moved even farther north requiring a long drive and I thought how nice it would be to walk to my massage. I went in and I was lucky enough that Marsha Hansen was in at the time. We talked and she was very laid back and genuine so I thought I would give her a try.

I am the sole proprietor of Gregory R. Miller Furniture Design . I design and build custom furniture as well as support a local interior designer when she needs design assistance or technical drawings produced on the computer. In addition to these activities, I also love to build guitars, which can require intense concentration and technical skill. So I often switch from sitting at the computer for hours, to bending over the workbench performing some detailed operation, to lifting plywood or delivering a piece of furniture that may weigh several hundreds pounds. All this can do a number on my personal “weak spots” in my back and neck. I try to stretch and keep healthy but sometimes a person just needs the healing power of the “magic touch”.

I was happy with Marsha’s approach from the beginning. I feel very comfortable with her and she always asks how I am doing and what she can focus on to help me. Recently, I had a specific muscle that was troubling me and she gave me some great stretches that reinforced what she was doing during our session. That issue was resolved in a couple of days. I have incorporated her suggestions into my daily stretching routine with great success.

I know massage is important for my physical health, but have learned that it is also a welcome mental break. When I arrive, I tell Marsha if any area needs special attention, make my music selection, and then I enjoy every second of the next hour.

When I learned last year that Marsha was moving her practice to Northeast Portland and I would not be able to walk to my appointment, I was disappointed, but the decision to remain her client was an easy one. The space at Numinosity is welcoming and she is definitely worth the drive!

Amy Drouin

Marsha’s caring and skillful treatment was instrumental in helping me through my recovery from a car accident last summer.

I was in my final term of nursing school and just beginning my internship, which required I work 12 hour shifts alongside my preceptor. After the accident, I was really worried that I wouldn’t be physically able to complete the hours in time to graduate.

I sought chiropractic care immediately following the accident, and that helped the symptoms to some degree. However, I was still making progress slowly.

Once I added Marsha’s care to my regimen, it proved to be the extra help I needed to recover fully. Not only did she coordinate her care with my chiropractor, she also handled all the billing directly through my auto insurance company. This was a huge relief, being one less thing I had to worry about while juggling my busy schedule.

Thankfully, I was able to make a nearly complete recovery as well as complete my internship and graduate on time. Now in my new job as a nurse, I continue to see Marsha periodically for “tune-ups” to help prevent further problems from developing. I feel certain that her excellent care is instrumental in helping me manage the physical (and mental) stress of my new profession. Thanks for everything, Marsha!

Michael Smith

I made my first massage appointment with Marsha about 5 years ago. She had set up her massage studio in a beautiful old house in inner Southeast Portland that had been remodeled by a friend of ours to create a home for a group of mental health care practitioners, including her own family counseling practice. Upon hearing that there was a massage therapist in the mix, I became curious enough to schedule an exploratory appointment with Bridgetown Therapeutic Massage. I have been going to see my “soft tissue detective” every three weeks ever since then.

I own and operate (since 1987) a woodworking facility at 923 SE Hawthorne Blvd. under the banner of Michael A. Smith Co. Fine Cabinetry . We design, fabricate and install hand-tailored cabinetry, built-ins, architectural woodwork and furniture in homes and businesses. I employ six very talented people in my Southeast Portland workshop and could not keep our enterprise thriving and our brand reputation strong without the skill and dedication they bring to their craft.

As an owner of a small business, I work long hours fulfilling the many administrative and management responsibilities to my customers and staff. I wear several hats in the course of running my business and there are physical demands on my body that my career dictates. And sometimes the mental stress of just not having enough hours in the day to fulfill my obligations is difficult to sustain.

I admit that I first began seeing Marsha for massage therapy in hopes that she would be able to ease some of the stiffness out of my neck and back brought on most liking by wearing too many hats on my head. I soon began to look forward to my massage therapy sessions with Marsha with her soothing demeanor, soft music, heated flannel sheets and extensive massage background and education. It also didn’t take many massage sessions to realized that was I experiencing mental relaxation, as well as physical well-being. I also soon became obvious that Marsha possessed a tremendous body of knowledge of muscles and other soft tissues in the body and extensive training in the physical manipulation of them. I now schedule my sessions six at a time to make sure I get the scheduling I want.

Massage sessions with Marsha always begin with her earnest inquiry as to how I am feeling and if there are any current aches and pains. She quickly creates a treatment program for the session and goes to work. I can cite several examples of when Marsha has made a significant contribution to the healing, and continued therapy of a particular muscle tendon or joint. Some sessions I just need to “go away” for an hour, sometimes I like to converse. Marsha is happy to accommodate either mode or anything in between.

Marsha always ends her sessions by saying: “Thank you for letting me work with you today”. It is I that am thankful for having such a knowledgeable and caring massage therapist at my disposal. Under Marsha’s care, I continue to consider massage as important of a part of my health and wellness regime as a proper diet and routine exercise. I will always benefit being under the hands of the soft tissue detective . The heated Snowman flannel sheets in December aren’t bad either.