MIDDLEBURY — Earlier this year, Roger Schmidt turned his part-time massage therapy practice into a full-time endeavor under the roof of Middlebury’s Clara Zeno House at 31 Court St. Roger’s Relaxing Massage Therapy is now in full swing, offering clients myofascial release, deep tissue, shiatsu, and Swedish massage opportunities.
Practicing massage therapy since 2006, Schmidt has maintained a clientele over the years working out of the Zeno House and other locations. After quitting his job this January, Schmidt has expanded his business in an effort to accommodate more customers.
Schmidt’s specialty is a myofascial release approach, which he began studying in 2010. The specific type of massage is designed to relax muscles and increase blood flow.
Schmidt says that the most notable benefit of the myofascial release is its long-lasting effects.
“A regular massage is good, but the next day it’ll start to wear off and two or three days later it’s basically gone,” he said. “With myofascial release, we find that you get up and you feel good for a couple of weeks.”
While the practice is growing slowly, Schmidt says that most customers seem to be open to this technique. Most seek his services for back pain, which Schmidt says is caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
“Most of the time, people have tried seeing a chiropractor, or doing physical therapy. They’ve done all kinds of things that maybe give them temporary relief, but not a lasting solution,” he said. “I look for the cause of the pain, not just the symptom of the pain, to get much longer-lasting relief. That helps the body begin to heal.”