Somewhere between doomscrolling, deadlines and deciding what’s for dinner again, many of us forget what it feels like to fully power down. Not “I lay on the couch while answering emails or bingeing a series” down. I mean real, uninterrupted, nervous system off-duty rest. The kind where your phone is nowhere near you and the only thing on your to-do list is breathing.
Back to Bodywork
It had been more than two years since I had a massage. Not because I don’t believe in bodywork, but because the kind and talented woman who had worked on me in Eugene for nearly 10 years had passed away unexpectedly (rest in peace, Serena Christian). Over that decade, we developed a trust and an understanding of my body that no health care professional had ever unlocked before. My massage therapist worked with me through sports injuries, spinal issues, insomnia and a car crash and was instrumental in helping me get back in touch with my body when a stroke blindsided me in my mid-20s.
A recent move to Portland and a reprioritization of wellness pushed me to dive back into the modality of massage. While flipping through the pages of our own magazine, I came across PDX Healing Massage’s ad and was intrigued by their call to our canna community. As one of the few non-Cannabis businesses featured in the magazine, it quickly caught my attention. It turns out it wasn’t just dabbling, but offering Cannabis massage in a thoughtful, compliant and accessible way.
Mary’s Best Kept Secret
In Oregon, licensed massage therapists have been allowed to use Cannabis topicals since 2016, though many people still don’t realize it. CBD and hemp topicals under 0.3 percent THC are treated like standard massage products. Higher-THC topicals are permitted under stricter rules, including 21-plus application, standard state-mandated product testing and written consent from the Oregon Board of Massage Therapists.
Cannabis topicals are offered at PDX Healing Massage at no additional charge. So, if budget is a burden and you’re already saving for the session, it’s an excellent opportunity to inexpensively try out topicals.
Fifteen Years of Thoughtful Touch
Founded in 2011, PDX Healing Massage is marching into its 15th anniversary. The Portland location sits at 7337 NE Fremont St. and is owned by licensed massage therapist Neesie Steinke. There is also her sister’s sister practice (you read that correctly) in Northern California called Laguna Healing Massage. The Fremont space is staffed by seven licensed massage therapists with 60-minute sessions (and more) starting at $114.
Steinke, a graduate (and former teacher) of East West College of the Healing Arts, came to massage through her 28 years of hospice volunteering. There, she witnessed something special: “I noticed how just the smallest touch, a hand on someone’s shoulder, would result in so much comfort. The client would take a deep breath. Sometimes, things like symptoms from dementia or Alzheimer’s would ease.”
With something sparked in her soul, Steinke sought massage instruction and the rest is history. Today, she still carries the ethos that healing happens when people feel safe and seen. Touch facilitates and the body does the rest.
A Soothing Space
If the idea of massage makes you nervous, PDX Healing Massage’s environment will soothe you before the session even begins. Steinke shared that the goal is to make the client as comfortable as possible, ensuring that the massage plan is outlined beforehand and that any areas off-limits due to trauma or pain are clearly communicated. “It’s completely customized to the person and their wants and needs,” Steinke said.
From the locked entry to the friendly check-in, the space feels secure, spotless, and genuinely soothing. Stepping into any one of the massage rooms only solidifies the feeling. They’re clean and cozy, offering the cushy comfort of recently upgraded massage tables, the enchanting aroma of your favorite essential oils (selected upon booking) and the cool crooning of mellow music. Warm, welcoming hands await, holding ancient healing knowledge. Throw in the power of the plant and you have a potent plan for protecting your peace and wielding the full potential of wellness.
An Hour to Exhale
Cannabis topicals are introduced here with clarity, consent and questions encouraged. Currently, PDX Healing Massage stocks High Desert Pure for CBD-focused relief and Sacred Herb Medicinals for a broader cannabinoid blend. No intoxication; just targeted, fast-acting localized support. I opted for Sacred Herb Medicinals’ Extra Strength Cannabis Massage Oil infused with 15 herbs and essential oils that may aid with inflammation and more.
My session was with the skilled Hailey Hartford, LMT, whose work blended Swedish, deep tissue, myofascial release and Thai Tui Na techniques. She was magically gentle yet fiercely targeted, gliding seamlessly from head to toe. Every inch of movement and touch was with intention, while pieces of pain moved around and out of the body as if pulled through the tips of my toes. Applied directly to focus areas, the Cannabis oil worked quickly and without distraction, dulling the defenses of age-old aches as Hartford’s hands danced delicately through knots of tension.
A Cannabis-enhanced massage isn’t just bodywork. It’s a full-spectrum reset and an invaluable tool in your wellness kit. Pairing massage’s proven physical and mental benefits with careful Cannabis use ramps up relaxation, quiets the noise of constant connection and turns a single hour into something rare and restorative. This is where wellness stops feeling like a task and starts feeling like a gift.
