Send us Fan Mail Pregnancy and postpartum clients need more than careful positioning—they need massage therapists who understand what they may be experiencing physically, emotionally, and socially. In this episode of the Handcrafted Therapy Podcast, Julie Alexander speaks with massage therapist and educator Marissa Emery about providing confident, compassionate massage care during pregnancy and postpartum. Marissa shares how her own experiences with motherhood and postpartum depression shaped her specialty, Mama Needs Massage, and inspired her to educate other massage therapists. Julie and Marissa discuss first-trimester massage, client communication, safe positioning, postpartum recovery, perinatal mental health, and the importance of listening without judgment. They also explore how massage therapists can build a pregnancy and postpartum specialty by connecting with parent groups, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, pelvic-floor therapists, and other trusted community providers. Topics Discussed How massage therapists can confidently support pregnancy and postpartum clientsFirst-trimester massage, positioning, draping, and client communicationThe physical and emotional realities of postpartum recoverySupporting perinatal mental health through listening, validation, and trusted resourcesBuilding a pregnancy and postpartum massage specialty through community partnershipsCreating referrals with doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, and pelvic-floor therapistsMore About Marissa Emery Marissa Emery, LMT, has practiced massage therapy since 2009 and specializes in supporting clients through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and motherhood. Her personal experiences with pregnancy, birth, postpartum depression, and massage therapy inspired her to create Mama Needs Massage and dedicate her work to perinatal care. In addition to her massage practice, Marissa provides continuing education for massage professionals. Her training helps therapists understand the physical, emotional, mental, and social realities of pregnancy and postpartum life while developing the communication, positioning, and hands-on skills needed to serve clients safely and confidently. Connect With Marissa Website: https://www.marissaemerylmt.com/On-Demand Classes: https://www.marissaemerylmt.com/on-demand-classesMassage Services: https://www.marissaemerylmt.com/get-massageContact me for a free sample:email - info@handcraftedtherapy.com text/call - 972-658-7722 Order it online: handcraftedtherapysupplies.com Visit our store:3303 North Central Expressway #240Plano, TX 75023 Contact me for a free sample:email - info@handcraftedtherapy.comtext/call - 972-658-7722Order it online: handcraftedtherapysupplies.com Visit our store:3303 North Central Expressway #240Plano, TX 75023 Check out our Tales from the Table Book (coming soon) or Submit a story here Connect with Julie Alexander and Handcrafted Therapy Join our email list! https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/HKY9uFv To learn more about Julie Alexander, LMT, and Handcrafted Therapy Events and Wellness Center, head over to www.handcraftedtherapy.com Join the Handcrafted Therapy Facebook community at: https://www.facebook.com/handcraftedtherapy Or on Handcrafted Therapy’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@handcraftedtherapy
