Maya Abdominal Therapy

The abdomen is often described as the body's center. It is where digestion, breath, reproductive health, emotion, and the nervous system meet.

At East Flora, here in Charlottesville, Virginia, abdominal therapy is woven throughout the work as a way of restoring connection, encouraging circulation and mobility, and creating space for the body to soften and return to its natural rhythms.

Inspired in part by the teachings of Rosita Arvigo and traditional abdominal healing practices of Central and South America, this work is woven into East Flora's broader approach to restorative care.

Reserve Your Session

Hands resting gently on the abdomen during a Maya abdominal therapy session

This Work Is Often Sought For

  • painful or irregular menstrual cycles

  • fertility preparation and reproductive wellbeing

  • postpartum recovery

  • digestive sluggishness, bloating, and abdominal tension

  • perimenopause and menopause

  • abdominal scar support

  • navigating life with endometriosis, PCOS/PMOS, fibroids, adenomyosis, ovarian cysts, or IBS

  • lower back, sacral, and pelvic tension

  • nervous system regulation and stress-related holding patterns

  • reconnecting with the body after periods of illness, transition, or disconnection

A Different Relationship With the Body

Many people arrive seeking relief from a specific symptom.

Over time, they often discover something deeper: a renewed relationship with the body itself.

Whether you are navigating hormonal change, preparing for conception, recovering after birth, or simply seeking a deeper sense of wellbeing, abdominal therapy offers a gentle invitation to return to the body's center.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Abdominal therapy is woven into your session rather than booked as a separate modality. Sessions are typically 60–120 minutes, and the amount of time spent on abdominal work is shaped around what your body needs that day.

  • Abdominal therapy is not recommended during pregnancy. It is, however, commonly sought during fertility preparation and in the postpartum period, once you've been cleared to resume bodywork. If you're currently pregnant, let us know when booking so your session can be shaped accordingly.

  • You'll be draped throughout the session, with only the area being worked on uncovered. Loose, comfortable clothing to travel in is fine — you won't need to bring anything special.

  • Most people describe the work as deep but not painful — more of a steady, grounding pressure than anything sharp. I will always check in and adjust pressure to what feels right for your body.

  • Not at all. While many people come with a specific concern — cycle irregularity, digestive tension, postpartum recovery — just as many come simply seeking a deeper sense of connection and calm. There's no wrong reason to begin.

Available Within All East Flora Sessions

There is no need to select a specific modality when booking.

Simply choose the amount of time you'd like to receive, and the session will be shaped around what is most present in your body that day.

Reserve a Session

Wherever you're beginning from, there is space here to slow down,

listen inward, and return to yourself.