Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work

Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work Helping you release stress, anxiety, and pain through massage, Reiki, and energy work. Find calm and balance with Hazel Leaf Massage & Energy Work. Hi!

I’m Craig Antley, licensed massage therapist and founder of Orange Blossom Massage and Energy Work, located in Gainesville, Florida. This city became my home after moving here in early 2020 and falling in love with the culture, nature and beauty. I am no stranger to anxiety and depression. By the time I was 18, I had had 3 major depressions and compounding anxiety that sent me spiraling down a dark and winding path. My body felt so uncomfortable to live in. I couldn’t sleep, my thoughts scattered like a million trains going in every direction and nothing seemed right nor ok. I didn’t feel like myself. I started to feel true loneliness and alienation from what was happening to me; at times wondered if I would make it. Both these afflictions sent me on a path to find my own healing journey. After learning how to do inner work with the help of mental health specialists and through my own path, I came to the outer work of massage, having work done from the outside in. Massage truly helped me. I felt I could finally relax, take a breath and see with a calm heart and open eyes. My stress levels went down and I started feeling like myself, not just trying to survive the onslaught of a never ending hurricane. I know massage can help many others too. This is what I have to give and offer back to our community. It’s my purpose and passion to help people feel more at home in their bodies, to free up trapped energy, and to provide relief from the physical symptoms of anxiety and depression. I know the heaviness of depression and how debilitating it can be in relationships, careers, and in daily life. I know how an anxiety attack can become traumatizing causing more anxiety around it happening again, growing into a chronic anxious web. Whether you want to ease stress, more restful sleep, feel more comfortable in your own skin, experience freer flowing energy, or to just be able to finally take a breath, I am here to help. Outside of practicing massage, my favorite things are spending time with loved ones, playing guitar, writing and producing music, hiking, running, and exercising my mind by reading and learning almost anything. I look forward to hearing from you and connecting with you soon!

Do your shoulders stay tight… even when you try to relax?You stretch.You roll your shoulders.You try to “just relax.”But...
04/07/2026

Do your shoulders stay tight… even when you try to relax?

You stretch.
You roll your shoulders.
You try to “just relax.”

But the tension stays.

By the end of the day, your neck feels tight again…
your shoulders feel heavy…
and maybe even a headache starts creeping in.

It’s not because you’re doing something wrong.

It’s because your body has been holding stress all day—
and it hasn’t had a chance to fully release it.

This is something I see all the time in sessions.

People don’t realize how much tension they’re carrying until it finally lets go.

Small shift:
Place one hand on your shoulder right now…
and just notice how tight it actually is.
Awareness is the first step to releasing it.

https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/why-sitting-all-day-causes-neck-and-shoulder-pain-gainesville-massage

Your body doesn’t just “get tight” for no reason.When you sit all day or stay stressed for long periods, your body adapt...
04/06/2026

Your body doesn’t just “get tight” for no reason.

When you sit all day or stay stressed for long periods, your body adapts.

Your shoulders slowly lift.
Your neck tightens.
Your breathing gets shallow.

Over time, this becomes your “normal.”

Even when you try to relax, your body doesn’t fully let go.

That’s because your muscles have learned to stay slightly contracted.

Massage helps interrupt that pattern.

It gives your body a chance to reset…
so your shoulders can drop, your breathing can deepen,
and your body can remember what relaxed actually feels like.

Small shift:
Next time you notice tension, don’t force relaxation—
just gently exhale and let your shoulders drop a little.

https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/why-sitting-all-day-causes-neck-and-shoulder-pain-gainesville-massage

Sometimes I can tell within the first few minutes.Your shoulders are up near your ears.Your breath is shallow.Your body ...
04/02/2026

Sometimes I can tell within the first few minutes.

Your shoulders are up near your ears.
Your breath is shallow.
Your body feels like it’s been holding something all week.

And you’ve probably tried to relax…
stretching, resting, even telling yourself to “just calm down.”
But your body doesn’t always listen right away.

That’s not because you’re doing anything wrong.
It just means your body has been under stress for a while —
and it needs the right kind of space to finally let go.

When that happens…
your shoulders drop
your breathing deepens
and everything starts to feel a little lighter again

That’s the shift most people are really looking for.

Gainesville, FL

Helping your body release tension so you can relax, breathe, and feel like yourself again.

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/how-stress-gets-stored-in-the-neck-and-upper-back-and-why-it-won-t-let-go

You try to relax…You stretch your neckRoll your shouldersMaybe take a hot showerAnd it helps… for a little while.But the...
03/31/2026

You try to relax…

You stretch your neck
Roll your shoulders
Maybe take a hot shower

And it helps… for a little while.

But then the tension comes right back.

Your shoulders tighten again
Your jaw starts clenching
Your body feels wound up all over

This is something I hear from clients all the time.

It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong—
your body just hasn’t fully let go yet.

When stress builds up over time, it gets held in the body.

And it usually shows up right where you feel it most:

Your neck
Your shoulders
Your upper back

Massage helps your body actually release that tension
instead of just managing it for a moment.

And when your body lets go…
everything starts to feel different.

If your shoulders always feel tight,
your body might just need a deeper reset.

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/how-stress-gets-stored-in-the-neck-and-upper-back-and-why-it-won-t-let-go




After a long day…your body still doesn’t relax.Your shoulders stay tight.Your neck feels heavy.Your upper back feels lik...
03/30/2026

After a long day…
your body still doesn’t relax.

Your shoulders stay tight.
Your neck feels heavy.
Your upper back feels like it’s holding something.

Even when you finally sit down.



Most people think:
“I just need to relax.”

But it’s not that simple.

Your body has been holding stress all day…
and it doesn’t always know how to let go on its own.



That tight feeling in your neck and shoulders?

That’s not random.

It’s your body staying in “on” mode for too long.



Try this for a moment:

Let your shoulders drop.

Not forcefully—just gently.

You might notice they don’t fully relax.

That’s okay.

It just means your body has been carrying a lot.



Massage helps your body do what it’s been trying to do all along:

Let go.



Your mind isn’t broken.
Your nervous system just learned a pattern.

And your body can learn something new.

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/how-stress-gets-stored-in-the-neck-and-upper-back-and-why-it-won-t-let-go








Most people try to relax…but their body doesn’t follow.That’s because stress isn’t just mental.It gets stored in your bo...
03/23/2026

Most people try to relax…
but their body doesn’t follow.

That’s because stress isn’t just mental.

It gets stored in your body.
In your shoulders.
Your neck.
Your breathing.

Massage helps your body slow down
so you can actually feel relaxed again.

Try this today:
👉 Notice your shoulders right now
👉 Let them drop just a little

That’s where it starts.

Learn more here
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/massage-for-stress-in-gainesville-fl-why-your-body-feels-so-tight-and-how-to-fix-it

One thing I notice in almost every session…People don’t realize how tight their shoulders are until they finally relax.A...
03/19/2026

One thing I notice in almost every session…

People don’t realize how tight their shoulders are until they finally relax.

At the start, it’s usually:

“My shoulders are always tight.”
“I can’t get them to let go.”

Then something shifts.

Their shoulders drop.
Their breathing slows down.
Their whole body softens.

And they say:

“I didn’t realize how much I was holding.”

That moment never gets old for me.

Because it’s not just about muscles—
it’s your body finally letting go of the stress it’s been carrying all week.

— Craig
Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/massage-for-stress-relief-in-gainesville-fl-how-to-finally-relax-your-body












Do your shoulders stay tight no matter what you do?You stretch.You try to relax.You take a break.But your neck still fee...
03/17/2026

Do your shoulders stay tight no matter what you do?

You stretch.
You try to relax.
You take a break.

But your neck still feels stiff…
Your shoulders still feel heavy…
And your body just won’t let go.

Most people I work with say the same thing:

“My shoulders feel like rocks.”
“I can’t relax.”
“My body just stays tense.”

That’s not a failure.

It’s your body getting stuck in a stress pattern.

Massage helps your body break that pattern—
so your shoulders can finally drop and your body can actually relax.

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/massage-for-stress-relief-in-gainesville-fl-how-to-finally-relax-your-body












Most people think stress is just in the mind.But your body feels it first.It shows up as:• tight shoulders• a stiff neck...
03/16/2026

Most people think stress is just in the mind.

But your body feels it first.

It shows up as:
• tight shoulders
• a stiff neck
• headaches that won’t go away
• feeling like you can’t fully relax

Over time, your body starts holding that tension all day… even when nothing stressful is happening.

That’s why stretching or “trying to relax” doesn’t always work.

Your body needs help letting go.

Massage helps your muscles soften, your breathing slow down, and your whole system reset.

Not by forcing relaxation—
but by giving your body a chance to finally feel safe enough to release.

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/massage-for-stress-relief-in-gainesville-fl-how-to-finally-relax-your-body












One thing I notice often during massage sessions is how much stress people carry in their shoulders.Many clients come in...
03/12/2026

One thing I notice often during massage sessions is how much stress people carry in their shoulders.
Many clients come in saying the same thing:
“My shoulders are always tight.”
Then about halfway through the session something shifts.
Their shoulders drop.
Their breathing deepens.
Their whole body starts to relax.
That moment never gets old for me.
Helping the body release that built-up tension is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.
If your shoulders have been carrying stress for too long, massage therapy in Gainesville can help your body finally unwind.
— Craig
Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work

Learn more here:
https://hazelleafmassageandenergywork.com/blog/why-your-shoulders-stay-tight-even-when-you-try-to-relax










Address

1002 NW 23rd Avenue
Gainesville, FL
32609

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 1pm
Saturday 11am - 8pm
Sunday 11am - 6pm

Telephone

+13523635885

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Hazel Leaf Massage and Energy Work:

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram