Janine Ray doesn't believe in the saying "no pain, no gain" when applied to massage therapy.

"You shouldn't have to be biting the bullet to have a massage," said Ray, who owns North Austin Massage Therapy.

Ray's business specializes in medical massage and in helping people manage and relieve pain. Massage therapists specialize in the Crossfiber Corrective Muscle Therapy technique, meaning the strokes are across the muscle fiber instead of with the grain. Ray said this allows therapists to go deeper into the muscle without causing pain and brings fluid back into the muscle.

The facility has five rooms, each with its own theme, such as Garden of Light or Oriental Sunrise. The rooms are darkened and have a massage table and soothing music playing in the background. An education corner features posters that therapists use to inform clients about their pain.

Client Anthea Tripp has been visiting Ray for seven years and said she appreciates the focus on education and on exercises she can do at home. She said Ray always takes thorough notes and follows up on trouble spots before each massage.

"She knows exactly what is going on with my body," Tripp said.

Ray and her husband, Greg, opened North Austin Massage Therapy in 1984. They met in California while working in the food industry where a couple of massage therapists they knew convinced the couple they needed a massage to deal with the stress of working in a restaurant.

The Rays began trading food for massages and took interest in the industry. Ray's husband earned his massage therapy license first, and she followed. Ray officially took over running the business in 1998 when her husband retired.

"I had no idea I would love it and that it would come naturally to me," Ray said.

Ray took interest in the political side of the industry and was involved with the Therapeutic Bodyworkers of Austin that worked with a state legislator who helped craft the state's first legislative bill that requires massage therapists to register with the state and display their licenses. The bill was aimed at distinguishing legitimate businesses from those involved in prostitution and human trafficking. Ray also is the legislative chairwoman for the Texas Association of Massage Therapists and works with law enforcement professionals on how to identify legitimate massage businesses.

"There's a lot of history with massage therapy in Texas," she said. "It's been an evolution."

Types of therapies

• Swedish: This is the most common type of massage, and the strokes push circulatory fluid toward the heart. ($55–$165)
• Lymphatic drainage: The technique promotes healing in the lymphatic system and is helpful to cancer patients. ($55–$165)
• Myofascial release: This therapy is a mild and gentle form of stretching that helps elongate the muscle. ($55–$165)
• Hot and cold stone: The hot stones aid with increasing circulation, and cold stones decrease inflammation. ($130–$150)
• Cold laser/micro-current: In this treatment, a handheld low-level light laser provides micro-current electrical stimulation to the area with pain. ($15 for 15 minutes or $5 add-on)
• Facial: This massage includes the neck, arms and hands, and uses skin products with organic ingredients. ($85–$95)

North Austin Massage Therapy, 12741 Research Blvd., Ste. 506, 331-5922, www.northaustinmassage.com