Reply to comment

Massage Matters owner Rosa Tavares has been a borough merchant for nearly 12 years. Prior to becoming a certified massage therapist Tavares worked as a social worker for four and a half years, just at the time that acupuncture and massage therapies were gaining credence as complements to the traditional medical therapies.

Tavares, who had never had a professional massage before becoming a masseuse, said this sparked an interest in therapeutic massage in her. She liked working with people, but knew she needed a change, though at first she went back to social work for another year. But when she enrolled in Health Choices Center for Healing a year later she "never looked back."

Tavares said she chose Highland Park for her business because initially she was working out of her home office in borough. At first she worked at several different massage places in addition to her home office. Through word of mouth her business grew and much of her client base is from the borough area. In 2004, Massage Matters moved from Tavares' home office to its current location at 73 Woodbridge Avenue.

While many masseuses pick a population to cater to, Massage Matters is a family practice, treating everyone from parents and expecting mothers to children and college kids, as well as seniors.  This means that Tavares is not just working with one type of problem.

She said many adults come in with headaches and migraines, which are often caused by chronic neck tension from poor posture while working all day on a computer or at a desk. Today's children are worried about college earlier, starting around 7th or 8th grade, and they feel a lot of pressure to perform. Tavares explained that while kids and teens often come in with atheletic muscle tension in the back and legs, a growing number are suffering from general stress and can benefit from massage.

Massage Matters offers both relaxation and therapeutic types of massage. Therapeutic massages such as Neuromuscular therapy are a deeper massage, addresses specific trouble areas (headaches, chronic or acute nech/back/shoulder pain). Shiatsu (acupressure throughout the body, in the same Eastern modality as acupuncture), Reflexology (using reflex points in the hands and feet to address other systems in the body like the liver or intestines) and Aromatherapy are used to promote relaxation.

Tavares' philosopy of "meet people where they are" sees massage as a way to continue helping people. She also recommends people find their own relaxtion techniques, suggesting exercise, meditation or yoga.