Dr. Mike and Oasis Massage
Oasis Massage and Bodywork opened its doors in 1999 and is owned and operated by former biology professor and research scientist Dr. Michael Hudgins (Ph.D.). Dr. Hudgins' has no particular office location since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Oasis Massage is not a spa. It is a professional service where you will find massage excellence via Dr. Hudgins' skillful hands, compassionate heart, diversely educated mind, and gentle spirit.
"Dr. Mike" is known in central Alabama for his work with difficult cases. He specializes in therapy for dancers and athletes, fibromyalgia, MS and Parkinsonism sufferers, pediatric scoliosis and hyperactivity cases, post-surgery, stroke rehabilitation and pain management issues, and worker's compensation injuries. He also works with people who have panic attacks, are highly stressed, or have experienced grief...by teaching them how to slow down and control their breathing.
Dr. Mike applies a variety of massage techniques within any one-hour therapy session. His philosophy and unique approach can be summed up as a "thoughtful integration of techniques" that have proven effective based on the feedback from his clients (an "evidence based" approach). Through 21-plus years of work...covering over 15,000 therapy sessions, he has found that a carefully chosen combination of techniques produces superior results, compared to the use of a single technique. Therefore, any therapy plan Dr. Mike develops is based on a person's unique condition and circumstances and not on the belief that one technique is the answer for all soft tissue problems.
Weekly massage therapy cannot totally undo all the body tensions and issues that accumulate between sessions, therefore, Dr. Mike's clients are fortunate to have access to the in-house knowledge and experience that Melinda Welch brings to her one-on-one tutorials or small yoga classes. Gentle yoga and stretching are excellent ways to build "body awareness" and strength before you develop a more strenuous self-care program.
Dr. Hudgins was professionally trained in massage therapy at The CORE Institute in Tallahassee, FL. CORE is one of the most respected massage therapy schools in the US. Its curricular emphases are medical and sports massage, and CORE Myofascial (deep tissue) Therapy. When he was attending CORE, Dr. Hudgins learned the intricacies of sports massage while working with several track and field athletes of the British Olympic Team. This opportunity to work with world class athletes set the stage for his work with many athletes, dancers, and performance artists in the Montgomery area.
Dr. Hudgins is a member of several professional and scientific organizations; these include the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), and Sigma Xi (a national, scientific-research society). Dr. Hudgins also is a Nationally Certified Therapist via the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
Before becoming a massage therapist, Dr. Hudgins taught human anatomy and physiology, and other biology courses, for 16 years. He was Senior Scientist at a consulting firm for 5 years, and served as an Associate Editor for a scientific research journal for 3 years.
Dr. Hudgins received his Ph.D. in 1983 from Auburn University, and is the author of several scientific publications. He became interested in massage therapy in his early twenties when it was used to help him recover from a severe low back injury.
In his work, Dr. Hudgins lives the following statement written by Auburn University professor George Petrie in 1943: "I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all".
Dr. Hudgins has lived on 25 acres in the country with his wife since 1984, and is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast. His hobbies include organic gardening, tree and bulb propagation, pond management, energy efficient home construction, and playing the harmonica. By way of example, Dr. Hudgins lives and promotes a lifestyle that contributes to "being younger than one's biological age".
