# The Stretch Loft > The Stretch Loft is a practitioner-assisted stretch therapy studio in Lanham and Bethesda, Maryland. We calm the nervous system first, then open the body. The Stretch Loft is Black-owned and LGBTQ+ friendly and independently owned. Founder: Benjamin Atanga ("Ben the Baptist"). Insurance is not billed; HSA and FSA are accepted. Prices are shown at booking. Stretch therapy here is not a medical service and does not diagnose. ## The method 1. Assess: We map your stress, sleep and energy, and where your body is actually holding. A read on what your system is doing today. 2. Downshift: Long, guided exhales move you out of fight-or-flight. Breath is the remote control; a calmer system stops guarding. 3. Release: Slow, breath-paced, hands-on assisted stretching on the patterns holding your tension, working with your body instead of against it. 4. Integrate: What we found, why it is there, what changed today, and a plan for keeping it. No pressure, no contract. New clients start with the Nervous System Evaluation + Reset: A 60-minute first visit that calms the system first, then opens the body. (https://thestretchloft.com/services/nervous-system-reset/) ## Who comes to us, and why From 1,739 first-visit requests (March to October 2026): - The most common places people feel tension: hips, shoulders, neck, lower back. - 63% describe what they feel as both physical and emotional (stress, grief, pressure held as tension). - 76% have already tried two or more approaches; 70% stretch on their own and 64% have had massage. - 67% rate their own mobility 3 or lower out of 10. - 46% want to come in within the week. - Topics: Assisted stretching, Stretch therapy, Tight hips and hip flexors, Lower back tightness, Neck and shoulder tension, Stress held in the body, Mobility and flexibility, Nervous system regulation, Breathwork, Recovery for runners and athletes. ## Studios ### The Stretch Loft (Lanham, Prince George's County) - Page: https://thestretchloft.com/studios/lanham/ - Address: 4200 Forbes Blvd, Suite 108, Lanham, MD 20706 - Phone: (240) 502-0449 - Book online: https://thestretchloft.zenoti.com/webstoreNew/services/097a15fd-6dc3-4fef-8f29-f44336891641 - Google rating: 4.9 from 477 reviews (2026-10) - Serves: Lanham, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Washington, DC, Largo, Greenbelt, New Carrollton, Glenarden, Hyattsville, Laurel, Clinton, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Oxon Hill, Fort Washington, Waldorf - Getting there: In the Forbes Boulevard business park in Lanham, minutes from Route 50 and the Capital Beltway: an easy drive from DC, Bowie, Upper Marlboro and Largo. Free parking at 4200 Forbes Boulevard. We are in Suite 108. - Hours: Monday 9am–8pm; Tuesday 9am–8pm; Wednesday 9am–8pm; Thursday Closed; Friday 9am–8pm; Saturday 8am–6pm; Sunday 8am–6pm ### The Stretch Loft Bethesda (Bethesda, Montgomery County) - Page: https://thestretchloft.com/studios/bethesda/ - Address: 4853 Cordell Ave, PH1, Bethesda, MD 20814 - Phone: (202) 897-1013 - Book online: https://thestretchloft.zenoti.com/webstoreNew/services/1331260a-93a8-4e4d-a03e-114f3e03cb24 - Google rating: 4.8 from 18 reviews (2026-10) - Serves: Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Washington, DC, Silver Spring, Rockville, North Bethesda, Potomac, Kensington, Takoma Park, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Arlington - Getting there: On Cordell Avenue in the Woodmont Triangle, a short walk from Bethesda Metro on the Red Line: a quick trip from downtown DC, Silver Spring, Rockville and Chevy Chase. Walkable from Bethesda Metro. Public garages on Cordell and Woodmont. We are in the penthouse, PH1. - Hours: Monday Call to confirm; Tuesday 9am–8pm; Wednesday 9am–8pm; Thursday 12pm–8pm; Friday 9am–8pm; Saturday 8am–6pm; Sunday 8am–6pm ## Services - [Nervous System Evaluation + Reset](https://thestretchloft.com/services/nervous-system-reset/) (1 hr, new clients; Lanham and Bethesda): Your first visit. A regulation evaluation, a breath-led downshift, guided hands-on reset work and a written plan you keep. - [Full Body Stretch](https://thestretchloft.com/services/full-body-stretch/) (1 hr; Lanham and Bethesda): An hour of head-to-toe assisted stretch therapy, paced with your breath, for range of motion, muscle tension and recovery. - [Express Relief Stretch](https://thestretchloft.com/services/express-relief/) (30 min; Lanham and Bethesda): Thirty focused minutes on the areas that need it most. Quick release for the neck, shoulders, hips or low back between full sessions. - [Founder Sessions with Ben the Baptist](https://thestretchloft.com/services/founder-sessions/) (1 hr 30 min / 2 hr / 4 hr 30 min; Lanham and Bethesda): Long-form, high-touch resets with the founder of The Stretch Loft. Ninety minutes, two hours, or a four-and-a-half-hour intensive. ## Frequently asked - Q: What happens on my first visit? A: Your first visit is a full hour: an intake and assessment, a breath-led downshift, guided hands-on reset work, a short integration, and a written plan you keep. - Q: I feel tight everywhere and don't know where it starts. Can I still book? A: Yes. Many people tell us it is "all over" or "all of the above". Your first visit starts with an assessment, so you do not have to work out where it starts on your own. Most people find it in the hips, shoulders, neck and lower back. - Q: What if my tension is emotional as well as physical? A: That is common: most people who request a first visit tell us it is a mix of both. Stress, grief and pressure often show up as tension in the hips, shoulders, neck and jaw. We work with the body and the breath. We are not a substitute for counseling or mental-health care. - Q: Is stretch therapy the same as massage? A: No. Massage works the tissue while you lie passive. Stretch therapy here is assisted stretching paired with breath-led nervous-system work, aimed at changing how your body holds tension rather than only feeling good for an hour. - Q: Does it hurt? A: No. The work is slow and paced with your breath, and your practitioner stays within what your body allows on the day. - Q: What should I wear? A: Gym or yoga clothes you can move in, and clean socks. Come hydrated and, if you can, not straight after a heavy meal. - Q: Do you take insurance? Can I use my HSA or FSA? A: We do not bill insurance. Most clients can pay with HSA or FSA funds; ask the front desk for an itemized receipt. Check coverage with your plan administrator. - Q: Do I need to see a doctor first? A: Not usually. If you are currently under the care of an orthopedist, chiropractor or physical therapist, check with them before booking. - Q: Can I book if I have sciatica, a herniated disc or arthritis? A: Often, yes, with your doctor’s OK. Tell us about any diagnosis when you book so your practitioner can adapt the work and stay within what your body allows. We do not diagnose or treat medical conditions. Sharp, shooting or worsening pain, new numbness or a recent injury needs a medical professional first. - Q: Can I come after surgery, during pregnancy or during medical treatment? A: Talk to your doctor first, then call the studio before you book. We will tell you honestly whether a session is right for you now, and plan it around your doctor’s guidance. - Q: How is this different from physical therapy or chiropractic care? A: We are not a medical practice and we do not diagnose. We take a whole-body approach: where it hurts is often not where the problem starts, so we work the whole system. - Q: What is your cancellation policy? A: Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your appointment at no charge. Cancellations inside 24 hours carry a late-cancellation fee, paid before your next booking. A deposit holds your spot. - Q: Can someone help me book, or get me in this week? A: Yes. Call either studio and we will find a time with you, including this week when there is space. You can also book online in about two minutes. - Q: Do you work with runners and athletes? A: Yes. Runners, lifters, former athletes and people training for a goal come to us for hips, hamstrings, calves and lower backs that stay tight through training, and for recovery between hard blocks. - Q: Where do I park in Lanham? A: Free parking right at 4200 Forbes Boulevard. We are in Suite 108. - Q: Is the Lanham studio close to Bowie, Upper Marlboro and DC? A: Yes. The studio on Forbes Boulevard is minutes from Route 50 and the Capital Beltway, a short drive from Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Largo, Greenbelt and Northeast DC. Clients also come from Laurel, Clinton, Waldorf and Baltimore. - Q: Where exactly is the Bethesda studio, and is there parking? A: We are at 4853 Cordell Ave, PH1, in downtown Bethesda, walkable from Bethesda Metro, with public garages on Cordell and Woodmont. - Q: Is the Bethesda studio easy to reach from DC, Silver Spring or Rockville? A: Yes. It is a short walk from Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, which runs to downtown DC, Silver Spring and Rockville. Clients also come from Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg and Arlington. ## Journal - [Assisted Stretching vs. Massage: Which One Do You Need?](https://thestretchloft.com/journal/assisted-stretching-vs-massage/): Choose massage when you want to relax and ease sore tissue for a day or two. Choose assisted stretching when the same areas keep tightening, your range of motion is slipping, or stress seems to live in your body. Massage works on the tissue while you lie still; assisted stretching works with your breath and nervous system to change how the body holds tension. - [How Often Should You Get Assisted Stretching?](https://thestretchloft.com/journal/how-often-assisted-stretching/): Most people do well with assisted stretching every two to four weeks, plus a few minutes of stretching at home on most days. Book closer together, around once a week, when you are working through a stubborn pattern or a heavy training block, then space sessions out once the change holds. - [Why Your Hips Stay Tight No Matter How Much You Stretch](https://thestretchloft.com/journal/why-your-hips-stay-tight/): If your hips feel tight again a day after stretching, the muscles are usually guarding rather than short. Under ongoing stress the nervous system keeps the hip flexors and deep hip muscles switched on to protect you. Stretching harder rarely changes that; calming the system first, then stretching slowly with long exhales, usually does. ## More - [About and founder](https://thestretchloft.com/about/) - [Client stories](https://thestretchloft.com/stories/) - [The Stretch Loft Academy](https://academy.thestretchloft.com/): Stretch therapist training and certification in the Stretch Loft method, taught by founder Benjamin Atanga.