Serving This Special Population: Are Massage Schools in Step with the Times?
Hold still… do you feel it? There is a wave of change underfoot. It seems like EVERYTHING is changing– have you noticed? Most certainly theres a lot of change happening in our profession. I like to think of the changes as growing pains. A big change that we all are aware of is the aging of our population, with the fastest growing segment being 85 yrs and over. Lately I’ve been exploring this question: With so many elders emerging in the United States — are massage schools acknowledging this as an emerging market for our profession? After a little investigating it seems that the answer is mixed. The emphasis schools place on massage for those in later life stages ranges from simply showing a video (quite possibly outdated); to a few hours and visiting a local nursing home; to none at all. While I know there is value in giving massage students a taste of many different approaches I believe what is being overlooked is how important this special population is, and will be, to a successful career.
I want all massage therapists to succeed and have the career dreamed of when they decided to pursue massage school. I think it’s the responsibilty of schools to prepare students in skill sets that are in step with current societal trends and needs to give their graduates a fair shake at success. If more emphasis was placed on the growing need of an aging population, I think more massage therapists might feel a little more confident in reaching out to those potential clients. At the very least, students would understand that serving this special populationis a viable choice.
I’d like ask a favor of you. If any of what I’ve said resonates with you, join me in the conversation with our massage schools. Let them know this is important! If massage schools put just a little more emphasis on this special population we, as a profession, will be there to answer the needs of millions.
The other day I was talking with a friend about certain back issues he was having. When I suggested to him he get a massage he told me ” I can’t get a massage, they are for rich house wives.” My heart stopped and my jaw must have hit the ground because he had to ask me if I was ok. Of course I was, just in a little shock and very confused. How many other people thought this about massage therapy? A massage does not have to be this long, dramatic day to the spa with your friends. Massage is about healing and body working, which of course can be done in many different ways so find the one that works for you. Of course all massages should be relaxing but it should also be effective. If you want a spa treatment go to a spa, if you don’t, don’t go to a spa! There are plenty of other options out there for you so find the one you want. Please please please do not get caught up in the idea that massages are only for the wealthy. We are all human, we all get stressed out, work hard, face challenges and get aches and pains. We are all deserving of massage.
Going For Something Greater Than Yourself ? No Matter What
I am moved and inspired by recent remembrances of Ted Kennedy?s life and accomplishments. Something in the stories of who he was and how he lived has stirred something deep within me.
He was clearly a man who believed in redemption. He lived a full life ? full-hearted, full of mistakes. Yet he was also full of integrity, and the belief that the world could be a better place if he worked to make it so.
He was brought to his knees many times throughout his career, physically, emotionally and politically. Yet each time, his capacity to recover and come back better enabled him to go on.
He had more loss and responsibility placed on his shoulders than most people experience in three lifetimes. What?s more impressive is what he did in response.
Yes, he grieved deeply. But each time he chose to pick up the torch and go on, strengthening his commitment to what he stood for ? a better world where the voiceless get heard, where the poor are remembered, and where healthcare is universal and not a just privilege for those who can afford it.
Senator Kennedy was clearly a lifelong learner not afraid to try new things. With each mistake he made and each loss he suffered, he didn?t just endure them. He did not become more callous.
He grew from each experience no matter how painful, and he grabbed life more fully in the aftermath. His legacy of five decades of vital legislation and lasting friendships on both sides of the aisle bear witness to that fact.
He had another valuable trait that we all need to remember, especially now. He knew how to reach out for the resources he needed every step of the way.
His wife Victoria is credited with being a powerful resource that saved his life. The staff he trusted implicitly was a resource that made his work possible. Spending time on the ocean was a resource that renewed and healed him. Over and over, he connected with healthy resources that allowed him to carry on.
Someone shared that his generous spirit called those around him to higher ground, and to release their pettiness when there were differences between them. In story after story, I heard how he showed up for his friends, colleagues and family members in their own times of need and loss. He literally showed up at the door, called repeatedly, or used his presence to get them the help they needed.
Ted Kennedy was a man of tremendous presence, born from a family imbued with an essence that mandated them to ?do good? and create a better world. He clearly contributed to that. But what?s impressed me most was his hard work and unflagging persistence in ?staying the course,? day in and day out, for more than five decades in the Senate.
He used his gifts and he persisted. And his presence grew from that.
When all is said and done, Ted Kennedy?s hard work and daily commitment to what he believed in left us with a legacy like none other.
As bodyworkers, we have a tremendous amount to give in the ?do good? department. Now I?m even more inspired to make a difference in all ways, large and small, in my own world given my gifts.
None of us is perfect or even close. Ted Kennedy is a testament to that, too. But what we do supports health. What we do helps people relax and relieve themselves of pressure. What we do reduces stress and helps people manage their lives better.
We help them feel more at home in the incredible navigational system of their bodies. And living from inside their bodies leads to wiser decisions, better self-esteem, more creativity and more joy. That?s a vital role we serve in healthcare, now and in the coming decades.
So your mandate, should you choose to accept it, is to stay your own course. Grab life with both hands and live it. Grow from the adversity life hands you and learn from it all.
Learn to take care of yourself. People are depending on you.
And persist. Keep sharing your gifts. When the time comes, your eulogy will be filled with what you want it to say ? all the ways in which you made a positive difference in your world.
In 2007, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) surprised many in the massage and bodywork community with this announcement: Videos of any type could no longer be included in home-study and online courses unless NCBTMB-approved instructors offer one-day workshops to monitor and test home-study participants on the techniques presented in the videos. Furthermore, home-study reading material was restricted from displaying photos or diagrams of hands-on techniques without a one-day testing seminar. Bottom line: Continuing education credits could only be granted upon successful completion of the home-study program in addition to the one-day supervised workshop if any hands-on techniques were displayed in the material.
Aaron?s Active Isolated Stretching will address neck, shoulder, and extremity pain & Erik?s Myoskeletal Alignment will teach SI joint, scoliosis and low back corrections.
Geo writes: ?I can?t wait to work with you and Mattes in Costa Rica this May?what is the focus of the work you guys will be presenting??
Geo, I can only tell you that the workshop description posted on my website says that Aaron will be focusing on neck, shoulder and extremity problems and I?ll be covering low back, scoliosis and sacroiliac pain. However, when we get together it?s impossible to predict what?s going to happen or where we?ll end up. Most people who?ve studied with Aaron are familiar with his contagious energy, passion and boundless knowledge, but few realize what a prankster he is.
Aaron and his wife Judy have been close friends with Teri (my wife) and I for many years. At one point, I worked in Aaron?s original clinic in Sarasota. I?ll never forget that experience. I was really into tennis and he was working on all the stars of the time including Sampras, Agassi and my personal favorite Monica Seles. Monica was just rehabbing from the knife wound to her right ribcage at T4-5 sustained after a match with Steffi Graff. Aaron, knowing I had ?star-fever? for her, secretly arranged for me to work on her two days after I arrived.
The paranoia in her training camp from the stabbing created quite an odd therapeutic situation. It was really tense (and quiet) during the sessions with her Dad watching every move. Additionally, I felt uneasy and nervous performing Aaron?s Assisted Stretching routines on such a high profile person?especially one he?d worked on for years. Nevertheless, against my will, he insisted I take her through two-hours of stretching each day. He was really getting a ?kick? outta? watching me sweat while he glared over with a big grin plastered on his face. He further humiliated me one day when I returned from lunch 10 minutes late. In a loud voice (in front of ten other therapists working in the room) he proclaimed that ?those Okies just run off a different clock than the rest of us?. I wouldn?t have minded if I were getting paid but this was pure harassment.
Because my anxiety was so obvious, I finally admitted to Monica that I?d only been practicing Aaron?s stretching for a few months and that my background was Rolfing, osteopathy and a new method I?d just developed called the ?Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques?. Once I came clean about my insecurity and past training, she completely relaxed, opened up, and began telling me about her experiences with some Rolfer from Germany and how much he?d helped her back problem. Anyway, Aaron gave me a lot of grief those weeks at his clinic and I absolutely plan to get back at him when we get on my Costa Rica turf.
Geo, didn?t you attend the 2007 Costa Rica Retreat with Mr. Anatomy Trains?Tom Myers? Great guy huh? What I like about co-teaching in Costa Rica with prestigious educators such as James Waslaski, David Kent and Tom is that all the teachers and teaching assistants come together in the same room at the same time to help assist the primary presenter. Of course, this opens up a great arena for communal dialog which greatly enhances the learning experience. Personally, I always take home a tremendous amount of information from assisting these renowned instructors. I think the 2008 Retreat will be ?jam-packed? with the same energy and excitement and I?m proud to be hosting this event with the legendary Aaron Mattes?.ERIK
Health Care vs, Health Food ? Where Should the Dollars Go?
If the topic of health food is about getting healthy through nutrition while health care is about managing sickness, doesn?t it make sense to spend more money on quality nutrition than on medical insurance? Some health conscious people do spend more on quality health food in a month than they do on insurance. These are usually the healthiest individuals who need insurance coverage the least.
Others, who base their food choices on cost while ignoring nutritional value, are often those who consume the least quality nutrition. When a double cheeseburger costs less than $2, a family of 5 can eat for $10. Unfortunately, unhealthy food like that has been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Of course, food is a necessity while health food and health insurance are more like luxuries these days. No one wants to be without coverage if medical treatment becomes necessary, but everyone wants to avoid ever using it. Food, on the other hand is something that people use every day. If everyone consumes quality health food, that could be a deciding factor in the level of health for Americans.
The problem is that if we all get healthy, then how will insurance and drug companies make money? What if we need fewer medical treatments and drugs? Would insurance companies focus on paying more for preventative care such as health food, rather than medical tests and procedures? Would pharmaceutical manufacturers focus on creating health food instead of medicine? The only way to know for sure is to either get sick and use the insurance coverage, or buy the best health food and see how life develops.
With the untimely death of actor Heath Ledger, the issue of what to call ourselves in the massage profession comes up again. The news media continues to prefer the term masseuse, as evidenced by the many uses of the term in referring to the woman who discovered Mr. Ledger’s body. A few news reports did use the term massage therapist.
In my experience, many people still use the word masseuse, even when referring to a male massage therapist. Masseur and masseuse are French words, and French nouns are gender-specific. Here in the USA, we?ve gone more and more to gender-neutral terms, like massage therapist, wait-person, administrative assistant, etc.
Although most of us prefer the term massage therapist, not all in our profession like that title. What do you call yourself? Do you correct clients, or potential clients, when they use the ?wrong? title for you?
As the days grow shorter and the holidays approach, I notice that everyone around me seems to be speeding up, to get it all done before they cross the finish line to the New Year.
In times like this, having the ability to slow down and drink in the joys of this season is a skill well worth the effort. As I go about my days, I am taking time to rest, to ground myself, to soak in a warm tub, to walk in the cold air wrapped in many layers. My favorite activity is making time to contact the people in my world that I am especially grateful for – the people who have made a difference in my life. It is so easy in today’s busy world to forget to give thanks – and yet, my heart opens and gets bigger every time I feel my gratitude in this way.
Life has been challenging this past year for all of us. There is a lot of stress and uncertainty in the world right now. And yet, there is also a remarkable sense that this time of change holds the possibility of deep healing and transformation for our nation and for the planet. So how can we open to this possibility? How can we feed the positive change and let go of the fear and distrust?
The Five Principles of Full Body Presence can be a guide here.
Trust that there is a nurturing source of life energy around you at all times. Gratitude for the blessings you already have in your life is an excellent way to bring this trust in at a deeper level right now.
Feel this life energy in your body – feel your feet connecting to the earth beneath you. Take a deep breath and let in rejuvenating energy wherever you are. Last weekend I was helping out in the concession stand at my son’s high school basketball game. It was extremely busy and chaotic, and yet, we were all enjoying ourselves as we sold hot dogs and sodas. A kind of rhythm was established in the midst of the chaos, and we worked as a team churning out food and drink for the crowds. It was exhilarating. So allow yourself to connect to whatever activity you are doing and feel the flow of life moving through you as you do it – whether it is cooking for your family and friends, shopping, or visiting an elderly relative. Each moment can be rich if we feel what is there that is energizing, that is life-giving.
Integrate this life energy throughout your entire system. To me, this means that I allow myself to feel as full as I can. This gives me the steadiness to meet old family patterns and my expectations in a new way. When I am grounded and full, my boundaries are better. I remember to take a walk rather than staying in an familiar, draining family situation. I go and take a nap if I need one. I put on the music that feeds me at this time of year. This keeps me more full and resilient. Having this cushion of energy is vital to my health and well-being. It also means I can be of more help to those around me.
Expanding my perceptual lens enables me to see the joy in my life, no matter what I am doing at that moment. As my lens expands, I can let go of expectations and let people be who they are, pure and simple. This makes my relatives and old friends so much more fun to be with!
When I remember to take care of myself as I move through the holidays – when I connect to healthy resources moment to moment – my tank stays full and I am a nicer person. This year I am putting up my Christmas decorations rather late. The rest of the neighborhood has been lit up for weeks. I needed to rest after a long trip and the decorations will be put up when the energy is there to do it. Treating it this way means I am a nicer, less stressed out person.
So may this holiday season bring you more trust in life, more sense of gratitude for what you have, more resilience and nourishment within, more capacity to share the love in your heart, and an unending connection to what feeds your soul.
Massage in hospice care gets deserved recognition!
Hello again,
I have great news to share! The value of massage in hospice care has been endorsed by the AMTA. I offer my thanks to my collegue Lisa Parenteau and others who worked very hard to present a position statement to the 2009 House of Delegates at the 09 convention. Read on…
AMTA House of Delegates approves two position statements (from www.amtamassage.org)
The AMTA House of Delegates debated proposals for association position statements that express the sense of the membership on matters pertaining to massage therapy. This year, the delegates approved two position statements, which are now official positions of the association.Details on the approved position statements will soon be available on the AMTA website and will become part of the association?s efforts to promote the value of massage therapy, supported by research.
The approved statements are:
- It is the position of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) that massage can aid in pain relief.
- It is the position of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) that massage therapy can improve the quality of life for those in hospice and palliative care.
This kind of endorsement will help to call attention to the role massage therapists play in end of life care. Those of us who have been serving this special population surely know the value of our work– but the good news is that it’s not just us saying it now!
?Vibrations turn to atoms and atoms generate what we call life; thus it happens that their grouping, by the power of nature?s affinity, forms a living entity.?
Hazrat Inayat Khan
Recently during a session a rhythmic pattern arouse in my perception that felt to me like a slow, very long rumble within the client. At the same time I felt like nerves from my hands were magically connected to my visual cortex. I was feeling with my hands but concurrently seeing what my hands were feeling. Images appeared as though I were watching a luminous slow-motion 3D film of someone tumbling in gelatinous crystal clear liquid. I watched close-up scenes as the client?s body slowly floated in my vision, each pore, each cell, each miniscule part of her sinking and then rising again as if an invisible wave was moving the viscous fluid which in turn moved her. What was this rhythmic wave? Then I recalled coming across an interesting reference months earlier about sound and thought there may be a relationship to our session.
We live amidst a sound emerging from a group of galaxies 250 million light years from Earth called the Perseus Cluster. ?The sound waves coming from it are in the form of a single note?? which is B-flat, and the frequency of these sound waves is 10 million years.
If I?m not mistaken this means that if we were to draw this B-flat frequency in time with its sound waves then the amount of time it would take to draw one sound wave going from the wave?s valley, to its peak, and then to the next valley, would be 10 million years! By contrast if we were to draw a wave of the craniosacral rhythm, while staying in time with its rhythmic wave, it would take about 9 seconds.
We can sense and work with many biorhythms in CranioSacral Therapy. Some of these rhythms are generated through inner biological processes, such as cerebrospinal fluid seeping, blood oxygenating, lymph cleansing, even elements moving through a cell?s wall will create some form of frequency.
We can also feel and utilize rhythms that arise outside of ourselves since we exist in an environment awash with vibrations. Some of these outer rhythms merge into our body to become an integral part of us. For example, waves swooshing upon the shoreline, water trickling from icicles, rainwater flowing from roof to gutter to cistern, and fire crackling can all have an internal effect.
One of the astronomers who discovered the Perseus Cluster sound said it ??may be the key in figuring out how galaxy clusters, the largest structures in the Universe, grow.? Well then, could this sound be affecting our clients, the world, us? Is it in some way organizing or at least affecting our growth and can we use this rhythm to help our clients and ourselves? I wonder. So I?m inviting this sound wave from the stars to arise more fully in my awareness. Intuitively it seems there is much to learn from Perseus?s drone as well as other cosmic rhythms from our Milky Way galaxy and parts of the universe.
If you have time perhaps sit for a moment to experience Perseus humming, its low drone singing, dancing and chanting to us from 250 million light years away.
References:
Jenner, Lynn, ?Interpreting the ?Song? Of a Distant Black Hole?, Goddard Space Flight
Center, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/universe/black_hole_sound.html,
Page Last Updated: February 23, 2008.
Khan, Hazrat Inayat, The Mysticism Of Sound And Music, Shambala Publications, Inc.,
Boston, Ma., 1991.
Weider, June Leslie, Dr., Song Of The Spine, Sound Healing and Vibrational Therapy, Booksurge Publishing LLC, North Charleston, SC, 2004.
