Kathleen Gates, LMT
I speak the following languages:
- English
Modalities Offered (Click to view description)
- Massage
Massage is a scientific method of manipulating the soft tissues of the body to have specific effect. Its objective is the restoration of function, release of tension and the re-establishment of the contours where this is desirable.
Therapeutic massage can beneficially affect the muscular, skeletal, digestive, elimination, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic, endocrine, emotional, mental and nervous systems. It can alleviate physical, mental and emotional ailments, promoting stress relief and relaxation. The practice dates to the Chinese in 3000 BC. - Acupressure
Acupressure is a practice that originated from Chinese medicine. Pressure is applied to specific points of the body to stimulate meridians, the energy pathways, to enhance the flow of energy to organs and throughout the body. This process has been used to restore balance in a variety of ways, such as treating diseases, addictions, infertility, decreasing pain, and promoting overall wellness. Acupressure can be applied in different forms; it may be manual manipulation, or by creating suction, or placing heated herbs above specific acupoints. Typically, acupressure treatment does not cause the patient pain or discomfort.
- Ear Candling
Ear Candling is a natural, non-intrusive procedure that may help alleviate the painful effects of chronic headaches or sinus conditions, ear infections, allergies or vertigo, as well as minor hearing loss due to excessive earwax build up.
Ear candles are cones of unbleached cotton or linen strips dipped in paraffin and allowed to harden. One end of the cone is passed through a plate that has a hole in the center and then set in the ear. Heat, or sometimes heated herbs are burned at the other end of the cone that is away from the ear, sending smoke and warmth inside the ear that may create a vacuum effect to loosen buildup of wax and other debris. - Healing and Therapeutic Touch
An energy-based therapeutic approach to healing. Using hands-on and energy-based techniques to balance and align the human energy field. Hands do not touch body, but perform smoothing and soothing movements above the body 'massaging' the human energy field surrounding body; involving mind, body, emotion and spirit.
- Myofascial Release
Myofascial Release is a form of soft tissue therapy which includes, but is not limited to, structural assessments and manual massage techniques for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, the integumentary system, muscles, and bones.
Techniques are applied with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and balancing the body. The fascia is manipulated, directly or indirectly, which allows the connective tissue fibers to reorganize themselves in a more flexible, functional fashion. In addition, Myofascial release may be considered a general manual massage technique any 'lay person' can use to eliminate general fascial restrictions on a living mammalian body. - Reiki
Reiki is a healing practice that originated in Japan. These practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above the person receiving this modality, affecting natural healing energy flow with the goal of facilitating the person's own healing response.
Reiki promotes a rapid relaxation response which is easily learned. It can be used for self-care or on others. It has been used to promote overall health and well-being, provide relief from disease-related symptoms, provide relief from side-effects of conventional medical treatments, add relaxation and lower stress and pain from post-operative procedures.
A 2002 national survey by the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) on adult Americans' use of CAM found that, adjusted to nationally representative numbers, more than 2.2 million adults in the United States had used Reiki for health purposes at the time of the survey.
Conditions Addressed (Click to view description)
- Stress
Stress is a condition that develops when the demands on an individual begin to outweigh the capabilities and resources available to that individual. In other words; what is expected of you is putting too much pressure on you because you don't feel you have the "tools" to perform the task. A few examples of these "tools" are emotions, energy, physical strength, and mental ability. Stress can be related to things both inside and outside the body. Some examples of things outside the body that cause stress can be related to a job, home life, and interactions with others. Things inside the body that affect a person's stress level can include the availability of proper nutrients, the proper functioning of the parts of the body, the emotional state of being, and the abundance or lack of sleep per night.
The most common view of stress is a negative one; however, there are positive biological reasons for a "stress state" that help us handle stressful situations. A problem arises when there are too many of these situations occurring and the mind becomes emotionally over whelmed, the body becomes biologically overly stimulated and the person is in a general state of over reacting.
If a person remains in this over reactive state medical conditions can develop. Every person is different from another and displays stress differently; however, there are some common symptoms of negative stress such as sleep disturbances, muscle tension, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, and fatigue. Emotional and behavioral symptoms that can accompany excess stress include nervousness, anxiety, changes in eating habits including overeating, loss of enthusiasm or energy, and mood changes.
If a person in an over reactive, negative stress state does not get help when these symptoms appear, more severe problems and disease states can occur. These can be psychological disorders (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder), maladaptive behaviors (aggression, substance abuse), cognitive impairment, and physical disorders (cardiovascular, thyroid disease).
Anyone in any age group can experience negative stress. Some common groups of people that experience increased negative stress due to life transitions are children, teens, working parents, and seniors. If you feel that you or someone you know is in an over reactive, negative stress state, please seek care. There are many different healthcare workers that are available to help you. - Back Pain
Each year, up to one-quarter of U.S. adults experience low-back pain. Most people have significant back pain at least once in their lives; often, the cause is unknown. Back pain varies widely. For many people, it lasts only a few weeks, no matter what treatment is used. But for others, the pain can become chronic and even debilitating. Low-back pain is a challenging condition to diagnose, treat, and study.
Overall, studies have shown that spinal manipulation can provide mild-to-moderate relief from low-back pain and appears to be as effective as conventional medical treatments. In 2007 guidelines, the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society include spinal manipulation as one of several treatment options for practitioners to consider using when pain does not improve with self-care. - Birth Defect
One of every 33 babies is born with a birth defect. A birth defect is a problem that happens while the baby is developing in the mother's body. Most birth defects happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Some birth defects can cause the baby to die. Babies with birth defects may need surgery or other medical treatments, but, if they receive the help they need, these babies often lead full lives.
A birth defect may affect how the body looks, works, or both. It can be found before birth, at birth, or anytime after birth. Most defects are found within the first year of life. Some birth defects (such as cleft lip or clubfoot) are easy to see, but others (such as heart defects or hearing loss) are found using special tests (such as x-rays, CAT scans, or hearing tests). Birth defects can vary from mild to severe. - Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy refers to a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and to maintain balance and posture. It is due to a nonprogressive brain abnormality, which means that it does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person's lifetime.
People with cerebral palsy have damage to the part of the brain that controls muscle tone. Muscle tone is the amount of resistance to movement in a muscle. It is what lets you keep your body in a certain posture or position. This is why people with this condition have difficulty controlling their body movements. - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity. Persons with CFS most often function at a substantially lower level of activity than they were capable of before the onset of illness. In addition to these key defining characteristics, patients report various nonspecific symptoms, including weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and/or mental concentration, insomnia, and post-exertional fatigue lasting more than 24 hours. In some cases, CFS can persist for years.
In addition to the primary defining symptoms of CFS, a number of other symptoms have been reported by some CFS patients. The frequencies of occurrence of these symptoms vary from 20% to 50% among CFS patients. They include abdominal pain, alcohol intolerance, bloating, chest pain, chronic cough, diarrhea, dizziness, dry eyes or mouth, earaches, irregular heartbeat, jaw pain, morning stiffness, nausea, night sweats, psychological problems (depression, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks), shortness of breath, skin sensations, tingling sensations, and weight loss.
The cause or causes of CFS have not been identified and no specific diagnostic tests are available. Moreover, since many illnesses have incapacitating fatigue as a symptom, care must be taken to exclude other known and often treatable conditions before a diagnosis of CFS is made.
A great deal of debate has surrounded the issue of how best to define CFS. In an effort to resolve these issues, an international panel of CFS research experts convened in 1994 to draft a definition of CFS that would be useful both to researchers studying the illness and to clinicians diagnosing it. In essence, in order to receive a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, a patient must satisfy two criteria, 1) Have severe chronic fatigue of six months or longer duration with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis; and 2) Concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration; sore throat; tender lymph nodes; muscle pain; multi-joint pain without swelling or redness; headaches of a new type, pattern or severity; unrefreshing sleep; and post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours.
The symptoms must have persisted or recurred during six or more consecutive months of illness and must not have predated the fatigue.
Risk Factors for CFS include being a woman. They are affected at four times the rate of men, and being a person in your 40s and 50s. Although CFS is much less common in children than in adults, children can develop the illness, particularly during the teen years. People of every age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic group can have CFS.
Symptoms and their consequences can be severe. CFS can be as disabling as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure and similar chronic conditions. Symptom severity varies from patient to patient and may vary over time for an individual patient.
People who suffer the symptoms of CFS must be carefully evaluated by a physician because many treatable medical and psychiatric conditions are hard to distinguish from CFS. Common conditions that should be ruled out through a careful medical history and appropriate testing include mononucleosis, Lyme disease, thyroid conditions, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, various cancers, depression and bipolar disorder.
CFS affects each individual differently. Some people with CFS remain homebound and others improve to the point that they can resume work and other activities, even though they continue to experience symptoms. - Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is pain that lasts beyond the expected time for healing (it can be weeks, months, or years) and interferes with normal life. The injury has healed, but the pain continues. Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system. The pain message may be triggered by muscle tension, stiffness, weakness, or spasms. The pain may be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it may be constant. You may feel pain in one area of your body, such as your back, abdomen or chest or you may feel pain all over, such as when your muscles ache from the flu.
Whatever the cause of chronic pain, feelings of frustration, anger, and fear can make the pain more intense. Chronic pain can affect all areas of your life and should be taken seriously. Your response to pain is determined by many factors, including your emotional outlook. For example, depression seems to increase a person's perception of pain and decrease her or his ability to cope with it. Often, treating the depression treats the pain as well. Sometimes chronic pain is due to an ongoing cause, such as cancer or arthritis. Sometimes the cause is unknown. A healthcare professional can help you evaluate your pain and its cause. Fortunately, there are many ways to treat pain. Treatment varies depending on the cause of pain.
Pain can be helpful. Without pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that needs treatment. Once you take care of the problem, pain usually goes away; therefore, it is important to seek appropriate care when you are experiencing pain. - Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. People with fibromyalgia have chronic widespread pain, as well as 'tender points' on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs, which hurt when slight pressure (about 9 pounds) is applied.
People with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as; trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches, problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called 'fibro fog'), Irritable bowel syndrome, and depression. Women with fibromyalgia may also have painful menstrual periods.
The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, but problems with the nervous system could be involved. It is estimated that fibromyalgia affects as many as 1 in 50 Americans. Most people with fibromyalgia are women, and most are diagnosed during middle age. However, men and children also can have the disorder. - Headache, Tension, Migraine, Cluster, Sinus
Headache, Tension, Migraine, Cluster, Sinus
Simply put, a headache is pain in your head. However, a headache can be a sign of a more serious condition and should not be ignored if it is extremely intense, lasts for many days or begins after a hit to the head.
Many people suffer from what is referred to as a tension headache. This type of headache can occur due to tightness in muscles of your neck or shoulders and also those that move your jaw or your scalp. You may experience this if you are under stress, or feeling depressed or anxious. Lifestyle changes that can usually help tension headaches.
Migraine headaches are very severe headaches that may be debilitating and keep people bedridden for days at a time. Most people with a migraine are very sensitive to light and need to be in a dark room. Some people experience what is called a "prodrome" with their migraines. A prodrome is something that happens consistently just prior to the onset of the headache. It could be a certain smell, a flashing of light, a particular feeling, or any other sensation by that particular person. These types of headaches are more common in women than men.
Another type of headache is called a Cluster Headache. These headaches are very excruciating and begin quite suddenly usually in the front/side of the head, or near the eye. These headaches are more common in men than women. A person experiencing this type of headache is in severe pain and may thrash about not knowing what to do because the pain is so bad and nothing seems to help take it away.
Sinus headaches are very common among both men and women and can occur more frequently with the change of seasons, with allergies, or colds. These headaches may feel like someone is squeezing your head tightly and there is a lot of pressure. Touching the face on either side of the nose can be painful because these are the most common sinuses to be involved.
Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) practitioners can offer multiple options for treating the many different kinds of headaches. - Multiple Sclerosis, MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects the nervous system including the brain and spinal cord.
It damages the myelin sheath, the material that surrounds and protects nerve cells. This damage slows down or blocks messages between the brain and body. Symptoms of MS can include visual disturbances, muscle weakness, trouble with coordination and balance, sensations such as numbness, prickling, or 'pins and needles,' and thinking or memory problems.
The cause of MS is unknown. It may be an autoimmune disease which happens when your body attacks itself. Multiple sclerosis affects woman more than men. It often begins between the ages of 20 and 40. Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak or walk. There is no cure for MS but medicines may slow it down and help control symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy and some Complementary and Alternative therapies may also help.
Common Ailments Addressed [ Show ]
Contact Information
Name: Kathleen Gates
Gatesway Health & Massage
Click to visit this practitioner's website.
P.O. Box 5123
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: 518-461-4871
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Qualifications
Degree: BA in Sociology and Criminal Justice, Massage Therapy Degree
Schools Graduated:
- The College of Saint Rose, 1992
- The Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, 1999
Certification Programs:
- Sports Massage, 2001
- Myofascial Release, 2002
- Reiki Level I, 2003
- Infant Massage Instruction, 2006
Professional Association Memberships:
- American Massage Therapy Association
- International Loving Touch Foundation, Inc.
Years in Practice: 6 - 10
Financial Information
Average Cost per Initial Visit: $51 - $100
Average Cost per Session: $51 - $75
Credit Cards Accepted? yes
Insurance Accepted? no
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