Why I No Longer Believe Deep Tissue is the Only Answer: My Journey to the Align’d Approach
RMT Hélène June, RMT at Pür Balance in Cambridge demonstrates an abdominal-pelvic-lumbar alignment treatment using the Align’d approach.
Author: Hélène June, RMT at Pür Balance in Cambridge
When I first became a Registered Massage Therapist, I believed what many in our profession are taught: that deep tissue massage was the only way to truly “fix” the body and resolve pain. If I pushed harder, went deeper, and really dug into the muscles, I thought results would follow.
And for a while, it seemed to work. But as time went on — and as I lived in my own body — my perspective shifted.
Learning Through My Own Pain
I experienced injuries and strains, both physical and mental, that challenged the way I understood massage. The deep work I once relied on no longer felt supportive. Instead, my body started telling me something new: less can be more.
When I began exploring lighter pressure techniques and manual therapy, I noticed a surprising change. The persistent aches and lingering discomfort I once chalked up to stress started to fade. My body responded better to gentler, more precise treatment. That’s when I began to truly listen — not just to my clients’ bodies, but to my own.
The Body is Math
One of the most transformative ideas I’ve learned through the Align’d Approach is that the body is like math: a system of balance, measurement, and recalibration.
It’s not just about feeling for tight muscles — it’s about assessing, measuring, treating, and then measuring again. Is what I’m doing creating measurable change in the body’s structure and function? Am I helping restore balance in a sustainable way?
That’s where the Align’d Approach made all the difference.
What is the Align’d Approach?
The Align’d Approach is a method of manual therapy designed to restore stability and symmetry from the base of the body upward. Instead of forcing tissue with aggressive pressure, this approach creates space for the body to naturally return to alignment.
This work has reshaped the way I practice. It allows me to assess more clearly, treat more effectively, and create lasting changes without relying on deep pressure. It has also opened the door to supporting clients who:
Live with chronic pain that hasn’t responded to traditional deep tissue massage
Are recovering from injuries or surgeries
Experience nervous system sensitivity, trauma history, or anxiety
Want to feel more connected to their body instead of just “less tight”
From “Fixing” to “Facilitating”
Perhaps the biggest shift for me is moving away from the idea of “fixing” someone. Massage therapy isn’t about forcing a body into compliance. It’s about facilitating balance, reminding the body what alignment feels like, and gently guiding it back to that state.
The Align’d Approach has given me a new way to meet each client where they are and support them in returning to where they’re meant to be.
Backed by Research
This isn’t just intuition; research supports it. Studies show that manual therapy works through multiple mechanisms, including biomechanical, neurophysiological, and psychological pathways (Bialosky et al., 2018; The Mechanisms of Manual Therapy, 2025).
This means the work isn’t only happening in muscles — it’s also influencing the nervous system, brain, and overall sense of well-being.
Is It Time for a New Approach?
If you’ve been struggling with pain, tension, or imbalances, and deep tissue massage doesn’t feel right for you, it may be time to try something different.
Book your session at Pür Balance Massage in Cambridge today, I’d love to work with you using the Align’d Approach. Together, we can create more ease, comfort, and connection in your body.