“As for the body... it is the only vessel in
the world that can hold, in a mix of power and
sweetness: words, song, gesture, passion, ideas,
ingenuity, devotion, merriment, vanity, and virtue.”
- Mary Oliver
- Susan Stryker
“I envision my body as a meeting point, a node, where external lines of force and social determination thicken into meat and circulate as movement back into the world. So much constitutes me I did not choose, but, now constituted, I feel myself in a place of agency."
GROUNDWORK
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The Threshold is a place of immense potential. We are at an edge. We give ourselves permission to venture out. To heal, to grow, to cast off, to reintegrate, to emerge & to connect. The threshold serves as a reminder that we can turn toward (our healing, our bodies, our presence, our power) or turn away. Every moment requires us to choose. Here, I intend to invoke wellness and worth in every body that climbs onto my table. Welcome & Thank you.
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My name is hartley balderson and I am a massage and bodywork therapist licensed in so-called Portland Oregon. I acknowledge this region as the traditional homeland of the Chinook, Multnomah & Clackamas people, & recognize them as past, present & future caretakers of this beautiful land.
The intention at the belly of Threshold Bodywork is to help people feel empowered and embodied when it comes to their health. Rather than being a luxury or indulgence, bodywork can be elemental for building an enduring resilience within oneself and one’s social fabric. I fiercely believe that tending to oneself is tending to one’s community. In order for us to thrive, it is necessary that we nurture the ecology of everything. The center (self) is the circumference (society). Endeavoring to be in right relationship with community begins by being in right relationship with your home- your self. Everyone has a right to wellness. As we heal ourselves, we heal all that we are in connection with. We heal everything.
In collaborating with you as my guide, my work specializes in :
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soothing the nervous system
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rehabilitating chronic and acute injuries
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offering space &/or support to joints, muscles & connective tissue
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mobilizing stuckness by releasing what no longer serves you, nourishing what does, & reintegrating all aspects of your being
I utilize various modalities as potential gateways to embodiment & with your direction, offer bodywork that is tailored to you. Our integrated sessions may weave in aspects of deep tissue, myofascial release, neuromuscular & trigger point therapy, sports & swedish modalities.
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Sessions are offered in English and Spanish.
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​I aim to assist under-served communities to access tools that facilitate healing. Below is a layout of my sliding scale policy. If you are a person with access to wealth, I encourage you to ask me about how to give the gift of massage to others with limited access.
FRAMEWORK
I vow to strive toward being trauma-informed, body-positive, gender-affirming, accessible, intentional, compassionate, and client-centered. I aim to combat the systemic structures that make healthcare cost-prohibitive for most people in this society. Because of the legacy of racism & plunder enacted upon the lives of people of color in this country, I recognize that systemic inequality is the norm. To try to do my part in counteracting this reality, I offer at least four no-cost sessions per month to BIPOC (check instagram @thresholdbodywork for announcements on offerings). I also operate with a sliding scale model for my 60 minute sessions.
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60 Minute Sessions are valued at $100.
The sliding scale is $60-$130.
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90 Minute Sessions are fixed at $145
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120 Minute Sessions are fixed at $200
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I ask you to refer to the policy below & find a rate that feels right for you.
SLIDING SCALE POLICY
Consider paying between $60-100/hour if you:
• are a person who experiences racism directed at you
• have regularly occurring medical expenses not covered by insurance
• have mental health and/or addiction and/or chronic pain issues
• have immigration-related expenses
• are an elder with limited financial support
• are an unpaid community organizer
• are supporting children or have other dependents
• are a returning citizen who has been denied work due to incarceration history
• are descended from enslaved peoples or indigenous peoples
• are transgender and experience trans related discrimination and/or violence regularly
• are gay/queer and experience related discrimination and/or violence regularly
• engage in sex work due to limited access to other forms of work
Consider paying between $90-130 on the scale if you:
​​• benefit from race privilege
• have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
• travel recreationally
• have access to family money and resources in times of need
• work part time by choice
• have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education, gender privilege, racial
privilege, class background, etc. Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, I ask you to recognize this as a choice.
Other things to consider:
Consider paying less on the scale if you feel as though multiple sessions will benefit you. I want to provide a service that is accessible enough financially for folks to receive massage and ongoing management instead of a one-time ‘treat.’ As stated above, I believe our mutual healing depends on our individual well-being, & bodywork is a vital tool for stabilizing & strengthening collective resilience. Also please note that I do not expect the same amount of payment every session, as I understand that situations change.
When I pay more, I know that I am helping the therapist & less privileged clients support themselves.
When I pay in the middle, I know I am helping the therapist cover costs.
And when I pay at the bottom, I know I am letting my community hold me and support me.
All of these are acceptable ways of participating.
(I offer a big thank you to Nasrene Kordani for proceeding me in this work & being my guide in bodywork therapy that aims to combat oppression. Sliding scale model adapted from Nasrene Kordani, Ride Free Fearless Money, Little Red Bird Botanicals and Pronia Coaching. If you would like to use this model, please credit these organizations and me)
I look forward to working with you! Please contact me below with any questions, concerns or bookings.
COVID PROTOCOLS
I'm doing what I can to keep myself and my clients safe during sessions. I am observing all mandatory guidelines and some futher guidelines for our collective health. Here are some of the measures I am taking:
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An air purifier with a high grade HEPA filter runs in the room before, during, and after each session
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The practitioner and client wear masks throughout. Practitioner has a face shield to use in addition to the mask, at client's request
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Via a wellness prompt provided prior to the session, the practitioner and client assess that the likelihood of being an active covid-19 carrier is low
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Clean linens are stored alone in airtight containers
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All linens are laundered & used solely for one client. After use, linens are placed in a sterile, airtight bag & secured until laundered
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All surfaces that client or practitioner contact are pre-sanitized with hospital grade sanitizing spray
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Practitioner washes hands up to elbows for at least 20 seconds immediately prior to & after each session
CANCELLATION POLICY
I ask folks to give 24 hours of notice if they need to cancel. I understand emergencies happen, and therefore all clients benefit from one fee-free last minute cancellation per year. After that, cancellations have a fee of $40 for a missed one-hour appointment, $60 for a missed 90 minute, and $80 for a missed 2 hour appointment. I intend to be more lenient with my clients who struggle with chronic pain or illness and may need to cancel on the day of an appointment. As Threshold Bodywork is my main source of income, I thank you for honoring my cancellation policy, and supporting me in this way.
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Clients who do not inform me ahead of time, & do not show up to their appointments are subject to a fee of $40 for a missed one-hour appointment, $60 for a missed 90 minute, and $80 for a missed 2 hour appointment.
NO-SHOW POLICY
HOW TO FIND ME
WHEN
Monday - Thursday
By Appointment Only
Book Below
WHERE
1829 NE Alberta St
Portland OR 97211
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On instagram
@thresholdbodywork
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Via e-mail
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HARTLEY BALDERSON
LMT #25917
BOOKING
New clients, click the Intake and Client Comfort buttons below to fill out the forms. Then, feel free to book online. If you do not submit your intake forms prior to our appointment, you will have to fill out forms in the office & have a shortened massage. Know that available appointments will likely be at least 2 weeks out as I am booked up until then.
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Returning clients, head straight to the "Online Booking" button.
REVIEWS
Hartley is the epitome of intuition meets education. They know when to release/apply more pressure, what your body needs, and therefore how to get rid of all your aches and pains while providing a safe and comfortable environment.
I have requested deep tissue and I have requested relaxing bliss. I have had specific spots that need worked out. I have gone in clueless and overwhelmed with arthritic pain. I have had a 60 minute. I have had a 2 hour (which was consistently incredible for those 120+ minutes... and honestly, how does one even do that?).
Hartley listens. They welcome feedback, adjust if needed (which in my experience is rare), and is willing to offer advice and knowledge regarding your body's discomfort and pain if you have questions. I always leave with the bodywork I needed (even when I wasn't sure WHAT I needed), feeling better than when I walked in the door; whether I was in need of pure relaxation or in dire need of pain being soothed.
Best. Massage. Ever.
Every time.
-Ashley
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I started seeing Hartley a few years ago and from the start I appreciated the space they held for receiving trauma responsive touch. They are great with creating a space where consent is at the heart of the experience, and I felt very safe, heard and respected. In terms of technical skill, Hartley knows their stuff and many times after I have gone to them for bodywork, I have noticed profound changes in the long-term aches that live in my body. During the time that I've been coming to Hartley for bodywork, I got pregnant and was really worried about finding someone as talented to provide prenatal massage. When I shared my fears with Hartley and asked if they would be willing to keep working with me, they were very supportive and took it upon themself to get extra mentorship and deepen their study of prenatal massage. Their work has been crucial to surviving the physical discomfort that's come with this pregnancy. I had terrible plantar fasciitis in my left foot for a few weeks that impacted my ability to comfortably walk, and after two sessions with Hartley it was gone! I can't express how much of a game changer that has been for me as I'm navigating my 8th month of pregnancy and still have a need to be very mobile! Please do yourself a favor and book with them if you want a truly healing experience. They offer sliding scale but honestly, their bodywork is worth their full rate if you can swing it-- it's absolutely worth it!
-MR
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Hartley is an amazing bodyworker with a very knowledgeable approach based off anatomy while also including holistic and emotional aspects. I've been going to them for months now and they are able to tailor our sessions to my specific needs each and every time.... varying from pure relaxation to really working out tension and tightness with a wonderful variation of pressure and a beautiful mindful presence throughout the entire massage. They send me on my way with helpful advice as to how to continually manage trouble spots and any insight into the different imbalances or causes of my chronic pain and discomfort. I can't recommend them enough!
-Molly
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I have lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 5 years. In that time I have never gone to anyone to receive bodywork to help relieve my pain and spasticity and the result has been worse pain and worse spasticity. The main reason being that it has been an incredible challenge finding someone who does bodywork that truly understands navigating queer bipoc bodies, especially queer disabled bipoc bodies. Hartley has been a great friend for 5 years and has always allowed me to feel comfortable in their presence. This is important to feel safe. To feel heard. To feel cared for. They are so good at what they do and the environment they build with you and energy they bring is well worth the time you are sharing. I highly suggest, for any bipoc that has been searching for a safe and understanding bodyworker, to reach out to Hartley and give them a shot. It will be worth your time.
-Sula
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Threshold Bodywork is the best! Hartley is my favorite massage therapist, and I can't recommend them enough. I am not comfortable with most people touching me, but they always made me feel so safe, and I knew they were open to any feedback I might have. Their presence is so calming, and there's a lightness to them that makes it easier to breathe through even the crunchiest spots. They are very talented, intuitive, and knowledgeable. I love getting explanations about what muscle groups are connected to which, and felt more embodied and stronger after working with them. They always listened to what I wanted, helped me relax, and created a really peaceful environment for healing. Working with them, I learned so many things about my own body, where I hold tension, how strengthening certain muscles can relieve pain in other places. I am seriously coming to visit Portland once it's safe just to get more massages from them. 100% recommend!
-Max
Hartley has given me the best massage therapy I’ve ever received in my life. They give a truly magical massage- respectful, aware and deep. Over the past year and a half I've received massages from them throughout their massage school education and after. Their technique, while honestly very wonderful even from the beginning due to their respect for the body and client comfort and safety, has turned a corner as they continue to learn more about body mechanics, anatomy and complex massage technique. I have never believed more in someone’s ability - Hartley is continuously curious about the body and individual healing and it shows in the massage they give.
I do landscaping and gardening and they helped with my neck, back and lower back tension so significantly I prioritized getting regular massages. I mentioned wrist pain in an initial session and when they didn’t know what to recommend for long term relief they came back session after session with new research and ideas (even while I myself had forgotten I asked them). They are curious about the body, create a lovely atmosphere and damn amazing with their hands.
-Cameron
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Best massage I've ever had, bar none! Hart's sweet and professional nature puts you at ease and allows you to get the most out of the session. It's clear they care deeply about their work and their clients. The results speak for themselves. My neck finally feels unburdened by pain and discomfort. A truly healing experience!
-Brandon
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Hartley is an excellent massage therapist! Top notch. I got a 90-minute deep tissue massage after hiking 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail, and it was the best massage I’ve received in my life. Hartley is educated, knows their stuff, and can apply their skills to help your musculoskeletal system. I would highly recommend them to anybody!
-Stewart
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