Not Sure What Kind of Massage You Need? Here's How to Decide
By Doug O'Connell, LMT | 27 Years Experience, 25,000+ Sessions | Westchester County, NY
People call and text me a version of the same question all the time: "What kind of massage should I get?" It's a completely fair question. The honest answer is, it depends on what you're actually looking for that day — and you don't need to know the technical terms to figure it out.
Whether you're searching for an in-home massage, a mobile massage therapist, or just a great massage near you, here's a straightforward way to think about it.
If You Just Want To Relax
Some days you don't need deep work — you just need an hour where nothing is expected of you. That's a completely legitimate reason to book a session, and it's not a lesser version of what I do. Lighter, Swedish-style pressure is available anytime you want it. You're still getting the benefit of 27 years and 25,000+ sessions of hands-on experience — it's just applied with a gentler touch.
If Something Actually Hurts
If you're dealing with a specific problem — a stiff neck, a nagging shoulder, sciatica, an old injury that flares up — that's where deep tissue work comes in. My approach is what I call Lengthen, Release, and Lock It In: finding the muscles that are tight and stuck, releasing them, and helping that change actually hold instead of fading by the next day. This is more intensive than a relaxation session, but it should never feel like pain for its own sake — just productive discomfort that resolves as we work through it.
If You're Active Or Training
If you play a sport, train regularly, or just push your body hard, sports massage is built for you. I'm an athlete myself — tennis, pickleball, platform tennis, golf — so I understand what repetitive strain actually does to a body over time, and how to work with it rather than just generically loosening things up.
Not Sure? Just Ask.
You genuinely don't need to self-diagnose before calling. Tell me what's going on — even if all you know is "my shoulders are always tight" or "I just want to feel better" — and I'll tell you honestly what I think will help most. I don't use an online booking system specifically so this conversation can happen first, before anything gets scheduled.
What Every Session Includes, No Matter What You Choose
Regardless of which direction we go, every session is in-home — I come to you, wherever that is, so there's no waiting room and no drive afterward. And every session, light or deep, comes with the same thing: real attention, and 27 years of knowing what a body actually needs, not a routine applied the same way to everyone.
Ready To Book, Or Still Deciding?
Call or text me at (914) 523-0116 — texting is preferred, since I'm often with a client and keep my ringer silenced, but I check messages between every session and get back to you quickly. If you're not sure what to book, just say that. That's what the conversation is for.
Serving Bronxville, Eastchester, Scarsdale, White Plains, Harrison, Chappaqua, Tarrytown, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Ardsley, and throughout Westchester County, NY.