Short version. Swedish is flowing, moderate-pressure work across the whole body. Deep tissue is slower and firmer, spending most of the hour on two or three stubborn areas. Shiatsu is clothed, compression-based pressure-point work from Japan. Thai is clothed, mat-based work built around assisted stretching.
Swedish vs deep tissue massage is the question we hear most, and the honest answer is that neither is a separate line on our menu. The Full Body Massage is what most guests mean by deep tissue, and deep-tissue pressure is a $10 to $15 add-on to it. We do not offer shiatsu or Thai. If what you want from Thai is the stretching, that is built into Sports Massage & Stretch Therapy.
Below: how the four styles differ, what to book here instead, and what everything costs at our Flower Mound and Colleyville spas.
The four styles, side by side
| Style | Pressure and pace | Best for | At High Stone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swedish | Light to moderate, continuous, whole body | General tension, a first massage | Yes — book a Full Body Massage |
| Deep tissue | Firm and slow, most of the hour in a few spots | Knots that keep returning, desk posture | Yes — Full Body Massage plus the deep-pressure add-on |
| Shiatsu | Firm rhythmic compression, clothed, no oil | People who prefer not to undress | No — closest is a Therapeutic Massage |
| Thai | Compression plus stretching, clothed, on a mat | Mobility, hips, hamstrings | No — closest is Sports Massage & Stretch Therapy |
That last column is the useful one. People ask for a style by the name they happen to know, but what decides whether you enjoy the hour is pressure, pace and where the time goes.
Swedish vs deep tissue massage: the difference that actually matters
It is not really about pressure. It is about coverage. A Swedish-style hour travels across your whole body at a steady pace, at a pressure you could hold a conversation through. A deep tissue hour spends forty of its sixty minutes on your right shoulder, because that is where the problem lives.
Choose Swedish-style work when you are generally wound up, new to massage, or want to feel settled rather than fixed. Choose deep tissue when you can point at the problem: the shoulder that clicks, the low back after a long drive, the neck that arrived with your job.
Deep tissue should be intense, not painful. Pain makes you brace, and bracing works against everything the therapist is doing. A good therapist stays at the edge of what you can breathe through and no further — but nobody can feel that edge from the outside, so tell them where it is. More on pressure and next-day soreness on our deep tissue massage page.
What “deep tissue” means on the High Stone menu
This is where bookings go wrong, so here it is straight. There is no line on our menu called Swedish and none called deep tissue. The Full Body Massage is the service most guests are describing when they ask for either, and your therapist sets the pressure with you at the start.
Want genuinely deep pressure? Ask for it and add it: deep-tissue pressure is a $10 to $15 add-on to a Full Body Massage. If the session is really about two or three stubborn areas, the Therapeutic Massage is the tier built for that, and hot stones are included. A 60-minute Full Body Massage is $80 in Flower Mound and $100 in Colleyville; the Therapeutic Massage is $100 and $130. Aromatherapy is a separate $15 add-on.
Shiatsu and Thai massage: what to book here instead
We do not offer shiatsu, and we would rather say so than sell you something under the wrong name. Shiatsu vs Swedish massage is a real difference: no oil, no undressing, compression instead of gliding strokes. If that is the appeal, book a Therapeutic Massage, say “I like shiatsu” at intake, and your therapist will know what you mean.
We do not offer Thai massage either. But the part most people want — being stretched by someone else, into ranges you cannot reach alone — is on the menu. Thai-style assisted stretching is built into Sports Massage & Stretch Therapy: $125 for 60 minutes and $160 for 90 in Flower Mound, $149.99 and $189.99 in Colleyville. For stretching only, Express Stretch is 25 minutes for $55. You do not need to be an athlete for any of it — “sports” describes the technique, not the clientele.
What is a holistic massage?
There is no licensing-board definition, which is why the phrase gets used loosely. In practice it means the hour is planned around you rather than around a script: the therapist asks about your sleep, your work, your training and your old injuries, then builds from the answers.
That is how we work, and it explains the unusual spelling in our name. Holistic massage is not a technique you book — it is what a proper intake conversation turns any of the styles above into.
Types of massage on our menu, and what each one costs
Colleyville runs a little higher across the board. Couples pricing is per couple, with two therapists working side by side, not per person. Times below are in minutes.
| Service | Flower Mound | Colleyville |
|---|---|---|
| Full Body Massage | 30: $45, 45: $59.99, 60: $80, 90: $110.99 | 30: $55, 60: $100, 90: $139.99 |
| Therapeutic Massage (hot stones included) | 30: $55, 45: $75, 60: $100, 90: $135 | 30: $65, 60: $130, 90: $160 |
| Sports Massage & Stretch Therapy | 60: $125, 90: $160 | 60: $149.99, 90: $189.99 |
| Medical & Orthopedic Massage | 55: $149.99, 90: $189.99 | 55: $149.99, 90: $189.99 |
| Prenatal & Postnatal | 60: $100, 90: $135 | 60: $130, 90: $160 |
| Lymphatic Drainage | 30: $65, 60: $135 | 30: $65, 60: $145 |
| Cupping Therapy | 60: $125, 90: $160 | 60: $149.99, 90: $189.99 |
| Couples Massage (per couple) | 45: $110, 60: $189.99, 90: $210 | 60: $189.99, 90: $259.99 |
| Pure Scalp Relaxation | 30: $55 | 30: $55 |
| Chair Massage | Not offered | 20: $20, 30: $30, 45: $45 |
Three routing notes. Medical and orthopedic massage is the assessment-led option, for when the same thing keeps coming back. Prenatal and postnatal massage uses side-lying positioning and should be cleared with your OB or midwife first. Lymphatic drainage is very light and very slow, so book it deliberately. The rest of the menu is on the massage page, and the first visit page covers what to expect when you arrive.
Worth saying once, plainly: massage supports relaxation, comfort and general wellbeing. It is complementary care, not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. If you are pregnant or managing a medical condition, check with your physician before booking, and tell your therapist at intake.
Frequently asked questions
Is Swedish or deep tissue massage better?
Neither is better — they answer different questions. Swedish-style work covers the whole body at moderate pressure and suits you when you are generally wound up, or new to massage. Deep tissue spends most of the hour on two or three areas at firmer pressure. If you can point at the problem, choose deep tissue.
Does High Stone offer shiatsu or Thai massage?
No, neither is a line on our menu. For shiatsu-style firm, focused pressure, book a Therapeutic Massage and tell your therapist what you like. For Thai-style assisted stretching, book Sports Massage and Stretch Therapy, which includes it, or Express Stretch at $55 for 25 minutes if stretching is all you want.
How much is a deep tissue massage at High Stone?
On the menu it is the Full Body Massage: from $45 for 30 minutes up to $110.99 for 90 in Flower Mound, and from $55 up to $139.99 in Colleyville. Deep-tissue pressure is a $10 to $15 add-on on top. A Therapeutic Massage costs more, includes hot stones, and covers fewer areas in more detail.
Will I be sore after a deep tissue massage?
Often, mildly, for a day or two — not unlike the feeling after a hard workout. Drink water and take the evening easy. Soreness that is sharp, severe, or still there after a couple of days is not typical: mention it so we can adjust, and see a physician if it concerns you.
What should I book for my very first massage?
A 60-minute Full Body Massage at moderate pressure. It covers the whole body, gives your therapist a read on where you actually hold tension, and costs $80 in Flower Mound or $100 in Colleyville. Go firmer, longer or more specific next time, once you both know how your body responded.
If you know which one you want — or you know enough to describe it at intake and let your therapist take it from there — book a massage online at either spa.
