Steven T. Sugai
MSPE LMT (MAT-1392) CKTP
Founder & Owner
Steven Sugai is the founder & owner of Shiatsu Therapists of Hawaii. Steven began his practice in 1984 as a part time business while teaching physical education for the Department of Education. Opening a small clinic in the back of his mother's barber shop in his hometown neighborhood of Nuuanu, Steve has worked tirelessly to perfect his technique. (more...)
Jonathan R.T. Sugai
LMT (MAT-6298) CKTP
Jonathan Sugai began his massage training in 2000 and began working with his father Steve in 2001, earning his massage license in order to have a flexible part time job, good pay & the ability to set his own hours. (more...)
Amy A. Sugai
LMT (MAT- 7132)
Amy Sugai joined her husband Steve and son Jonathan in 2003. Amy chose in to the business because she thought it would be fun and had already spent years practicing on her husband whenever he needed a massage. (more...)
Joelle M. Sugai
LMT (MAT-10176)
Joelle Sugai is the ideal combination of soccer player, soccer coach, & licensed massage therapist. Joelle began her training in 2006 just after graduating from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelors in Marketing and after a full scholarship for the UH Women's Soccer Team. (more...)
Established in 1984 by Steven Sugai LMT (MAT-1394), Shiatsu Therapists of Hawaii is a leader in combining the most effective massage therapy techniques and has a reputation of delivering fast pain relief and consistent results. The clinic is a family run business and has grown over the years to include Steve's children, Jonathan (MAT-6298) and Joelle (MAT-10176), and Steve's wife Amy (MAT-???).
The Sugai family are innovators in combining new techniques and finding more effective treatment methods that address the cause of soft tissue aches, pains, & injuries. They are highly experienced with every day stiff necks & shoulders to acute low back pain & sports injuries.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu is an accupressure massage technique that originated in Japan. Literally translated as: "finger pressure," Shiatsu utilizes the traditional acupuncture points of Oriental healing and finger pressure through the use of thumbs. Shiatsu concentrates on unblocking the flow of life energy and restoring balance in the meridians and organs in order to promote self-healing. The accupressure stimulates the body's pain relief mechanisms.
Links:
Aisen Shiatsu School (Honolulu, HI)
Shiatsu (Wikipedia)
Myofascial Release & Structural Balancing
Myofacial Release is an advanced technique that addresses the release of tension in the fascia or connective tissue in the human body. Fascia is a soft tissue that is everywhere in the human body and connects muscles to muscles, skin to muscle, surrounds the organs, and plays a major role in posture, stability, and range of motion.
Structural Balancing involves assessing a client's posture by examining the positioning, relationship, and balance of the soft tissues of the feet, legs, hips, torso, head, & arms. The assessment allows us to more fully understand the postural causes of chronic pain and injuries. A more effective and thorough treatment strategy is implemented to restore balance to the soft tissue fascial structures of the body that have become unstable, resulting in dysfunctional movement patterns that result in injuries.
We use Myofascial release techniques & Bodyreading postural assessment inspired by the book, Anatomy Trains, written by Thomas Myers.
Links:
Anatomy Trains
Soft Tissue Release
Soft Tissue Release is a powerful injury treatment technique developed in Europe. The technique involves precise pressure through a specific stretch done in a harmonic fashion. The technique works well on acute injuries, sports injuries, and RSI's such as Carpal Tunnel.