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| MY MENTOR- DR, LEON CHAITOW |
I collected MENTORING TIP TODAY posts from Facebook. Here ya
go:
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Suggestions for those seeking mentors. I have been mentored
by some excellent therapists. The two that come to mind are Dr. Leon Chaitow
and Dr. David Geurvich. Dr. Chaitow most know but Dr. Geurvich was a physical
medicine specialist in St. Petersburg Russia. He came to the US via Jewish
relocation services just after the Berlin Wall fell. He was at my school as a
teacher and my mentor for 8 years before passing. I hounded him for information
and he was so patient with me most of the time. Once he became frustrated with
me and said"Sandy, I no not why. I am not GOD. I am only an old Doctor.
Where is pain I rub."
I am so fortunate to have had these mentors and many others
in my world over the years. If you want to have a mentor that will put up with
you here are some suggestions:
Make yourself fit the mentor's schedule
Be helpful and of service
Listen and watch
Listen and watch some more
Ask questions you have attempted to answer yourself first.
Be willing to pay to be in their presence
Respond to their requests for help
Mentors do not always have to be nice to you. If they are
the type of mentor you want they are busy.
When choosing a mentor:
Avoid gurus and those with narrow specialization that have
named methods.
Seek those who are in practice
Seek practice experience. Lots of in the trenches
experience.
Seek those who have challenged themselves to learn, unlearn
and evolve.
Seek those that volunteer time to advance the profession
especially those who work quietly behind the scenes.
Make sure they are willing to put up with you. Mentoring is
a hard task that takes time. If the mentor does not think you have potential
they may be unwilling to devote time.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
The SBA- Small Business Association is a great resource for
those wanting to be self-employed massage therapists.
Reclaim the historical foundations of the spa as a place of
healing and that a person healing and a person being treated for illness/injury
and sometimes cured are not the same. You can heal without a cure and you can
be cured without healing.
MENTORING TIP TODAY--ARE YOU WORKING PART TIME OR FULL TIME
Massage therapists you cannot work part time and expect to
be paid for full time. Full time work is 35-40 hour in 7 days in the US. You
should provide 25-30 hours of massage during a forty hour work week. If
employed you’re done. If self-employed you still have the non-massage
responsibilities to complete. Most massage therapists are only working 15-20
massage hours. This is 3/4 time. So if reasonable income pre- income tax is
$30,000-$35000 a year then 3/4 time wages are $20,000-$22000. Which is what
AMTA is reporting for average yearly income.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
For first time clients:
Carefully and thoroughly describe and demonstrate massage
procedures such as how the draping works, where to hang clothes, a basic
description of the massage sequence, sanitation methods etc. Otherwise the new
client can be unsure, a little anxious and even embarrassed if they don't know
what to do and what to expect.
MENTORING TIP TODAY- ongoing info from the research
conference.
Professional development in massage therapy develops in
stages. First you choose a quality education that will be vocationally/diploma
based. Then you become licensed (except in a few states). This is a great
beginning and sufficient for entry level practice. Next you can further your
education with continuing education and achieve board certification. I STRONGLY
RECOMMEND ALL SEEK TO BE BOARD CERTIFIED. IT SAYS YOU ARE NOT A BEGINNER AND
HAVE GONE THE EXTRA STEP IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. This is as much as a
massage clinician needs especially in the general population and wellness
setting.
If you want to move into massage in the medical setting/or
teach massage therapy/----
Next or at the same time, you can seek a complementing
associates or bachelor's degree and or transfer credit based on board
certification for either an associates or bachelor's degree based on the NCBTMB
college partnerships. 33 college credits in worth a lot of money.
(NOTE - If you do not want to seek an academic degree for
work in a medical setting then cross training to a complimenting diploma
program is suggested such and a certified nurse assistant or a physical therapy
aid )
Finally if you want to pursue becoming a researcher then
based on the bachelor's degree you can seek a masters and or doctoral program
in a complementary field such as public health. We have the pathway. It is in
place. We just need to education the entry level student and those currently in
practice.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Do not ignore your massage elders. If they have been in
professional practice for over 20 years they have been doing many things right.
Massage elders share you wisdom but also remember some of
what we experienced, learned and even currently practice is often outdated or
unrealistic for the new generation. Sift past education and experience through
current and trending practice filters.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Massage therapy in acute care settings in hospital is
palliative comfort care. Very important but not modality fix it. Additional training
involves behavior and adaptation to the hospital setting not specific massage
methods
MENTORING ERRRRR UGG TODAY.
It takes a lot of energy to mentor.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Too much, not enough, JUST RIGHT. This is the wisdom of the
three bears fairy tale. For massage, using this to evaluate many aspects of
massage therapy practice can be helpful. In general 'TOO MUCH" such as too
many items on the massage service menu can become very confusing. Attempting to
include too many methods or working on too many issue during a massage session
can be counter productive. "NOT ENOUGH" is also problematic. Not
enough clients certainly is an issue. Not enough focus on customer service will
negatively impact retention. Not enough massage experience or skills can be an
issue. " JUST RIGHT" can be hard to find because it varies with
individual clients, environments, massage approach and client outcomes. However
when JUST RIGHT is found, it is a sweet spot.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
The MBLEX exam does not seem to be the type that you can
specifically study for. Often terminology is the challenge. A way to expand
terminology knowledge is to read glossaries in textbooks.
MENTORING TIP TODAY :
Learn from your own
body, I have an aggravated SI joint. It will not kill me and I know it will
resolve. It is a lesson however. It reminds me of short term limitations,
muscle spasm and the body's attempt to protect, body compensation above and
below the area, how sleep is disrupted when movement is uncomfortable., how the
caution and apprehension of protective spasm is fatiguing, how good ice acts as
a pain control measure and more. I am my own laboratory and research project.
These types of events make me more compassionate, more patient and more aware of
the experiences of others. All the physical and emotional experiences of my
life help me understand others. Each of us has our own way of experiencing big
and little issues. Know one can really walk in another's shoes. However today
my own glitch in my git along reminds me to not judge others. PS--And massage
will not fix this. Know limitations.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Your posture and actions while giving a massage should be
similar to most daily activities. If you freeze position while doing a massage
then step away from the table maintaining that same position and look odd or
awkward something is needs to change.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Massage in the medical setting is not more valuable nor does
it alone increase the validity of massage therapy. It is one emerging setting.
The major care process in a medical, setting such as a hospital, is palliative
care for a short duration since people do not stay in the hospital for long
periods. This offering of massage is important however, the medical setting
does not lend itself to health maintenance especially condition management of
chronic conditions. People are not in the hospital long enough to provide long
term massage care. The wellness and self-care settings are more viable
environments for long term massage care.
MENTORING TIP TODAY. I think there is a big push toward
wellness and necessity for wellbeing, being productive and performance as
outcomes for massage therapy. There is something called resilience that massage
can support. And multiple hospital systems are adding spa type wellness centers
or palliative care in hospital. Research does not support "fix it"
pathology based care but there is good evidence quality of life improvement.
Carefully evaluate your marketing, explanations about regular massage and the
type of continuing education you invest in.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Employers of massage therapists, spas, franchises,
chiropractors, medical facilities, sport facilities, single
location clinics or studios ----- If you have excessive employee turnover
consider first the quality and commitment of who you are hiring. If committed
massage therapists are leaving then take an honest and hard look at you
management style and the quality of the work environment you create. Also
evaluate all employees to make sure there is not a bad apple in the mix
spoiling it for everyone else and get rid of them.
· Entry level
education in my opinion is cluttered with the concept of multiple styles and
specific routines. I think of prenatal massage or infant massage or sports
massage as examples. Instead we should be teaching students how find relevant
content( MedlinePlus.gov is excellent) to adapt. based on condition,
medication, stamina, coexisting conditions and so forth. For years, as I have
written textbooks, I have gently but consistently pushed for more competency in
entry level education. At the same time I have advocated for less focus on
adjunct methods and more on critical thinking and ability to adapt massage to
client outcomes and unique situations. I have also shown that many methods are
not unique, but instead a modification of massage to more specifically target a
physiological function - fascia or fluid movement for example. Lets get rid of
the clutter in entry level massage education..
MENTORING TIP TODAY
If you are unhappy with the location and circumstances where
you are practicing massage therapy it is time for you to leave and do something
about your career in a different way. If you stay you will remain miserable and
make those around you miserable as well.
· Part of the
problem are all the gimmicks. I have a real hard time with applications that
become complicated such as "stone" massage. I teach it and present it
in the textbooks as a thermo therapy and mention it as an implement to use
during massage but honestly it is so cumbersome to prepare the equipment, fish
out the stones, make sure they are not too hot, etc. Heat is nice--what
happened to the good ole hot water bottle.
· We actually
do have competency guidelines that can be used. They are from COMTA and I have
supported using these for entry level education curriculum design regardless if
pursuing accreditation or not. They are good. You can find them on the COMTA
web site by searching for Competency Table: under the resources tab.
· Another way
entry level education gets cluttered is by using too many textbooks especially
by different authors. I know this may sound self-serving but better to really
use a book to its fullest then to have a bunch that are barely opened. In an
entry level massage textbook each chapter or unit -depending on the
organization should be more than effective for an individual course.
· .So in my
opinion you need a text that focuses on massage application and professional
practice and a science based text that covers anatomy, physiology and
pathology. I am not a fan of the huge comprehensive A&P texts typically
used in college general A&P courses. They are overwhelming and really
expensive. I think they should be a library resource. I have written Essential
Sciences for Massage Therapy which is a comprehensive but focused and
functionally relevant science text targeting massage. Even when students have
to take general A &P such as occurs in some community college programs it
is helpful to have a functional science course for massage students. I am not
the only author with textbooks that fit these criteria. Depending on the
science text, an additional muscle skeletal anatomy text and or pathology text
may be used so at most 4 books. I use 2- 625 hour ELAP content covered and
based on COMTA competencies.
· Educators :
Remember ELAP elapmassage.org as you update your curriculum content. -Oh and by
the way. Update curriculum content.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
· When
providing massage therapy we use mechanical force application to mimic normal
physiology. Therefor if we are going to provide intelligent massage therapy we
better know what normal is.
· Simple is
usually just as effective as complex--How about that!
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Massage therapy provides the best benefits when received
regularly. This means client retention is a foundation of success.
· SCHOOL
OWNERS- So I just got off the call with COMTA and the outline of the proposed
certified /endorsed curriculum is a great step forward for uniting the entry
level educational standards without undermining the uniqueness of each
individual program . We need to remember that COMTA is still in the development
stage. I will say to school owners out there. In order for any program to be
successful there needs to be a critical mass for buy in. Even if in the initial
stages it does not seem as if there is an immediate return to the school and
even that the workload may increase a bit there are times when it is important
to do things because it is the right thing to do.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
· My goodness
there are a lot of myths and fear based "rules" about working with
women who are pregnant. Most are related to the myth that massage can cause
miscarriage. More miscarriage does happen in the first trimester but unless the
massage involved pounding on the abdomen massage has nothing to do with it. Correlation
vs. causation is the fancy way to say it. True miscarriage is a traumatic event
and there is a small possibility that the women, looking for cause, blames the
massage because both occurred in the same time frame. This is sad but not a
reason to deny women who are experiencing a normal pregnancy.
· Other really
stupid stuff: Massage causes the immune system to attack the fetus. Massage
moves toxins to poison the fetus. Avoid massage on the ankles because there are
acupuncture points that cause uterine contraction. Common sense people. Learn
more about the process of pregnancy and make logical and biologically plausible
decision for each individual client. Here are some realistic adaptations. Avoid
essential oils since the sense of smell related to hormonal changes is altered
and they may smell unpleasant. Hormonal changes do affect the pliability of
connective tissue including the ligaments. Caution with stretching. Side lying
is likely going to be the most comfortable position as the pregnancy
progresses. By the way side lying position is a GREAT position for massage for
everyone not just those who are pregnant. I am not a fan of the tables with
openings to accommodate the .abdomen. They are too rigid. Lots of bolsters that
can be moved and squished around work better. Watch for signs of preeclampsia
(look it up on Medline Plus) and refer immediately. This is a medical
emergency. Offer the restroom. Do not keep the women in the flat supine
position for very long when in the third trimester- the weight and mass of the
baby can interfere with breathing and it is uncomfortable for most women. Do
not talk about your own pregnancies Ya got to be tough to be pregnancy and give
birth. Pregnant women are not fragile- just changing based on the stage of
pregnancy. If you are scared then refer. Also massage does not make breast milk
toxic.
· This one is
for educators. I think there is a terminology gap related to educational
language and how massage therapists who are now teaching understand the
language. We have some excellent educators in the massage profession that have
not been formally trained in education. There can be a point of confusion when
those of use who have formal educational background use unfamiliar terms. If is
likely that educators coming from the field are actually using many of the
processes but may not have the formal language. Terms that come to mind are
formative and summative assessment. The goal of formative assessment is to
monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by
instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their
learning-think a quiz or informal hands on assessment. The goal of summative
assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit
by comparing it against some standard or benchmark such as a midterm or final
exam. Another example is concept mapping. A concept map is a drawing of ideas,
information and relationship as boxes or circles, which it connects with
labeled arrows. It is kind of like brain storming which most people are
familiar with but work with understanding relationship more than solving a
problem. SO-- educators, when using terminology that may be unfamiliar to
others let’s begin to define the terms within the posts to reach a broader
audience and include examples when possible.
· What is a
massage session? A session includes greeting, intake, assessment, the client
getting ready, the massage , the client redressing, post assessment and saying
goodbye. The hands -on portion of the massage session is only one aspect of the
therapeutic interaction. A massage session may be 30 minutes long, 60 minutes
long, 90 minutes long, but the actually massage will be less time. Typically
5-15 minutes of a session is allocated to “non- massage “activities. This means
that we have to be able to be efficient both with massage and non-massage
aspects of the massage therapy session. It is important that you practice time
management. The concept of the therapeutic hour as 50 minutes of time spent
with the therapist is common in many professions. Scheduling is most easily
done “on the hour”. This would mean that a common scheduling for a massage
session would be on the hour mark and the actual massage portion would be about
50 minutes. There is ongoing confusion in many areas of the massage therapy
practice. For example the concept of the 60 minute session being an example of
the therapeutic hour-50 minutes. So the confusion is about session verses hands
on the client. Does that mean that assessment time is not valuable. Assessment
includes conversation as well as other activities. Education works off of the
50 minute educational hour. So if I pay for 1 hour of education what does that
mean. Some of what is being discussed is semantics and terminology. Others have
asked-where did the 60 minute massage come from anyway. It is kind of like the
500 hour massage program that is now being altered by ELAP to 625 hours and
where did that come from???? My concern is the entry level job market and as educators
we have an ethical obligation to make sure graduates can perform in that
market. If many of the entry level positions are based on the 50 min. massage
than our graduates need to be able to do that.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Of course we clean and are clean because that is what
respectful professionals do.
: free from dirt, marks, etc. : not dirty : We clean
ourselves, our attire, the linens, equipment, facility, the surrounding
environment. We clean up messes when we find them not just when we make them.
: free from pollution or other dangerous substances: not
causing pollution: We respect the environment, clients and ourselves by
recycling, using environmentally safe products and services and cleaning up
messes around us.
: not infected maintain sanitation: We use CDC recommended
cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing practices in the work environment.
: not showing evidence of any broken rules or laws: We abide
by standards of practice set forth by professional organization , legislation
and where we practice massage.
: not connected with or involving anything illegal or
morally wrong: We behave ethically and respectfully to support the entire massage
profession We do not gossip, bring drama into the work environment, or act or
speak in a derogatory way about others or ourselves. We report in the
appropriate way illegal behavior of other.
: not referring to anything sexual or offensive: We present
ourselves as health and wellness professionals both when working and when in
public knowing our behavior influences the entire reputation of massage. We do
not tolerate offensive behavior by coworkers, clients, other massage
professionals or the public. We use respectful education to clean up
misconception and demeaning statements about massage therapy practice.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
· The concept
of the 50 minute therapeutic hour is not new. Students should be trained to
provide full body general massage sessions meeting the outcome of relaxation in
this time frame. And please, when providing a full massage session DO NOT spend
more than 10 minutes on the back. The 50 minutes allocated for the massage
needs to be efficiently used to address legs back, front and sides including
the gluteal area, the abdomen because the low back begins at the linea alba,
the anterior and lateral thorax, arms, shoulders, neck, head and face. Do not
skimp on the feet and hands and head.
· Remember
ELAP. Following is an example of the use of ELAP terminology. Example: The goal
of the massage is to increase the length of the soft tissue in the calf. The
massage therapist will choose an anatomical tool (forearm), to apply a force
(push and pull) at the back of the leg just below the knee(point of
application) using moderate pressure (magnitude) and push the tissue toward the
ankle(direction) The applied force loads the tissue causing tension stress and
the tissue changes shape due to the strain..
· Friction and
Traction: The Importance of the Feet. Body mechanics for massage begin at the
feet. Ground reaction forces at the foot and floor are one of the most
important—yet often the most overlooked—aspects of massage application. For our
purposes, we can say that ground reaction forces occur when the body pushes
into the floor and the floor pushes back, so long as no slipping occurs.
Friction is the force that prevents slipping. Traction is required to prevent
slipping. Traction is the maximum frictional force that can be produced between
surfaces without slipping; this applies, during massage, between the foot and
the floor, or in the contact with the client's body.
· Friction that
allows ground reaction forces works for the massage therapist by enabling the
pressure exerted during massage to move toward the client's body. Massage
should not be performed in bare or stocking feet, because this hinders the
ability to perform massage and also is unsanitary. The only way to ensure
adequate friction (and therefore the ability to generate force) is to wear
shoes that have a rubber-type sole and that can be tied or strapped around the
arch (e.g., athletic shoes) Fritz. Mosby's Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage,
5th Edition. Mosby, 2013. VitalBook file.
· When we
nourish faith, we find strength to survive, thrive and help others. When we
nourish hope, we can endure, create, and plan for our future. When we nourish
love, we care, have empathy, and support vibrant life in all its forms and
bring respect and strength to support what is right and good. Fritz. Mosby's
Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage, 5th Edition. Mosby, 2013. VitalBook file.
· SCHOOL OWNERS
AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS. An entry level training program does NOT benefit from
lots of textbooks. Students become overwhelmed and books from different authors
can be contradictory confusing students .In massage there are 2 distinct but
overlapping content areas. Methods/ professional behavior and practice and Sciences. Each unit or chapter in a
textbook becomes a “course book” An entire entry level curriculum should be
able to be presented using no more than two or three books.
· Outcomes not
modalities.
· I was
listening to a farmer explain sustainable farming practices through
intermingling diversity. He said" Nature resists monoculture and thrives
in poly culture." Made me think about massage these days as groups embrace
one method or teacher (monoculture) instead of searching and learning how to
integrate many methods and teachers into their professional journey.
Poly-culture.
MENTORING TIP TODAY·
Recent AMTA
fact sheet indicates that over 50% of people seek massage for medical reasons.
This DOES NOT mean clients wants you to fix them. It means they want you to
help them feel better. They do not want a method, they want an outcome: to
relax, reduce stress, manage pain sensations and move easier. I dislike the
term medical massage as much as I dislike the whole deep tissue thing. Provide
an excellent massage adapted to the client.
· The
connective tissue, myofascial, and trigger point assessment and interventions
methods are adapted massage. When combined, these approaches form the basic
techniques of many different fascia based methods and neuromuscular therapy.
Understand that just because something has a different name does not mean it is
a different method. Usually the name of a method is a marketing strategy
especially if the name does not describe what anatomy, physiology and pathology
is being targeted by the approach. For example, this combination of approaches
has been incorrectly called "deep tissue" massage. Pressure is a
modifier used to adapt massage application. Deep as a descriptor is much too
abstract and is a directional term. There are many layers of soft tissue in any
given area all superficial or deep to each other. The name “deep tissue
massage” is inaccurate, confusing and should be avoided.
· Since I have
worked for many years with professional athletes and celebrities I can tell you
that everyone has a intergluteal cleft, also known as the natal cleft, the
vertical gluteal crease, the gluteal cleft and no one is more special than
anyone else. It is unethical to name drop or brag about who you have worked
with. All clients are important.
· Study to be
able to ask intelligent questions and find relevant information. Avoid
excessive memorization of facts. You can look facts up if you can ask an
intelligent question.
· Clients pay for service, results and
compassion. Clients
really do not pay for modalities unless whatever it is provided results.
· There are
four main evidence informed outcomes related to massage therapy. They are:
Relaxation, Stress Management, Pain Management, and Functional Mobility.
Relaxation, Stress Management and Pain Management outcomes are directly related
to how massage interact with the autonomic nervous system. The approach to
massage that is most apt to achieve these outcomes is a general, full body
nonspecific, non-painful, pleasurable massage using moderate pressure and
moderate drag on the tissue and lasts about 60 minutes. This approach is the
single most important skill set you will deliver as a massage therapist. Typically
the interaction is to quiet the sympathetic output and support parasympathetic
relaxation, restoration and rest. Often called relaxation massage, you may find
people who indicate that this approach is only basic and does not take much
skill. On the contrary, the ability to intelligently, mindfully and
compassionately perform this approach to massage requires great skill and much
practice.
· Terminology
changes.
· Be excellent
at delivering a nonspecific full body massage in a 60 minute session. This massage approach
should be your palpation and joint movement assessment foundation.
· Claims made
for massage therapy effects and benefits need to be biologically plausible.
Biological plausibility refers to cause and an outcome that is consistent with
existing biological and medical knowledge.
· Take care of
your hands. Wear gloves out in the cold and when working outside.
· Learn to read
research articles.
· We are most
likely to harm our clients when we are too invested in fixing them.
· It takes a
mixing bowl of assessment information to intelligently provide a teaspoon of
intervention.
· Career focus
changes as experienced is gained. Sometimes massage therapists will begin to
feel limited or discontented by the environment where they practice massage
therapy. Often individuals begin to dislike the practice setting and begin to
degrade the value of massage offered in a particular environment. It is likely
that these feelings indicate that you have out grown and are no longer
challenged by the type and focus of massage in that practice setting. Instead
of complaining or being frustrated, get additional training if needed and move
on.
·
· Massage is a
general system meaning it influences all body systems and functions directly or
indirectly in a nonspecific way. This is a good thing.
·
MENTORING TIP TODAY
My advice to
the entry level educators—get over thinking entry level education content is
something unique. We should all be teaching same content at entry level.
Quality comes from HOW the information is delivered-NOT WHAT THE INFORMATION
IS.
· The massage
profession continues to be misunderstood because of the many unique names for
what is really an adaption of massage to more specifically target a particular
tissue type or physiologically function. For example, one significant
difference between myofascial release and massage is the use of a lubricant. A
lubricant reduces drag on the tissues making it hard to move the tissue.
Instead, lubricant supports sliding over the tissue. Targeting fascia requires
that the tissue is moved into a variety of directions with the tissue
maintained in a tension or torsion stress state. If you are going to be a
professional it is important to logically evaluate and to use research to
prevent being confused by multiple names for essentially the same approach.
· No CE class
replaces experience.
· If it hurts
or strains you to apply a massage application then don't do it. Figure out
another way to get the same result. DO NOT injury yourself for a client.
· I am aware
that compensation for massage therapist is a difficult issue. In my most
current blog state that I believe $15 per hour on site based on a 40 hour work
week for a typical 600-900 hour entry level vocational education is a
reasonable starting wage. There are other blogs I have written that can further
clarify the issue. My concern is that split compensation common in the
franchise industry. - minimum wage is on site and $15 when doing massage. The
amount earned each week is then averaged. While gratuities are common in the
service industry massage therapy is considered health service and the whole tip
issue is confusing. In a typical 40 hour work week it would be realistic to
expect a massage therapist to complete 20 -25massage sessions- not 40. If you
want to considered this pay rate on a per massage basis that would be $25-$30
per massage paid to the practitioner. Be realistic and compare earnings of
other professionals with equal or more education.
· Many times
the abdomen is given only superficial attention during massage—avoid this
tendency. This is an important area that deserves effective massage
application. The abdomen has an expansive fascial system that influences lumbar
and core stability via connection to the deep fascia laterally and posteriorly
and abdominal muscle pull to maintain a taut fascial girdle surrounding the
entire thorax.
· This is an
important one. All of us are responsible for being informed about what the
massage organization are doing, the status of the Model Practice Act put forth
by the Federation of State Massage Boards, the process of evidence informed
massage practice. We are also responsible to be proactive in the important
topics.
· There really
isn't anything brand new or unique in massage and bodywork. It is all recycled.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't renew our skills and passion for the work we do.
· When you
purchase a textbook or reference book you are saving yourself hundreds and
hundreds of hours of necessary research and fact checking that the author(s)
have done for you.
· Learn to be
quiet.
· When
providing massage in the client's home be prepared for the entire family to
want a bit of attention.
· When
providing massage in the client's home put a flat sheet on the carpet and set
the massage table up on the sheet. This protects the carpet from marks from the
table legs or lotion, gel or oil drips.
· Massage does
not always have to fix something. The goal of pleasure is enough
· STOP OVER
WORKING AND STRETCHING ATHLETES. I get so tired of hearing about being sore
from the massage. If the client is sore than the massage created inflammation.
It really bugs me.
·
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Do not spend
so much time on the back.
· Greet clients
warmly and professionally.
· Understand
the difference between an assessment and an intervention. Realize general
nonspecific massage is assessment but ya have to pay attention. Interventions intend
to change something. Out of a 60 minute massage session- 45 min. general
massage pleasantly exploring tissue and joint mobility. No more than 10 min of
intervention and only if the change relates to client goals.
· No one owns
information.
MENTORING TIP TODAY·
· Lots of
changes. That is OK. Stay informed. Let situations sort. Avoid getting your
fascia in a twist.
· Every time I
revise a textbook I get to fact check myself and challenge my beliefs about
massage-- We all need to do this- especially teachers.
· If you look
professional and act professional you will be treated as a processional.
· Ask for help.
Find a mentor. Respect the mentor's time. Be the type of massage therapist they
will want to invest time. Avoid being a pain in their acetabulum.
· Teachers of
massage therapy---It is absolutely necessary for all of us to remain
up-to-date. Information changes and so must we.
· Be attentive
to professional appearance. What you think looks professional may not look
professional to others.
·
MENTORING TIP TODAY
At least once
a month log on to Pubmed and search for massage related research. Read the
abstracts and think about how the information influences your massage practice.
Sometimes there are free full text article. Read though and see if you can
figure out how the research was conducted.
· Study anatomy
and physiology more than a method.
· Include the
abdomen in the massage and don't spend so much time on the back.
· More is not
better but you do need enough.
· A really good
foot massage makes a difference in the quality of the client's experience. Ya
don't have to call it reflexology.
· This tip is
actually from my mentor Dr. Leon Chaitow. I read it in a comment he posted.
Soft tissue work involves pulling against restraint much more than pushing
against a block.
· The more
complex the client history the more basic the massage.
· Distinguish
theory from facts question validity of what you hear and read. Most of the
methods used in massage and bodywork are theory based not fact based. This
makes a huge difference in the claims that can be made.
· Avoid
gimmicks and gurus.
· If you are
having difficulty maintaining a retention client base take a good look at
yourself. Do you provide excellent massage skills, look and act like a
professional, charge a reasonable fee and have excellent client service? All
the marketing and advertising will only get clients on the table for the first
massage. If they do not rebook the issue often is something you are doing. This
is a tough luv statement.
· Be skeptical
of those telling you that you can make a six figure income doing massage. You
can make a solid income as a massage therapist but we are limited by the number
of clients we can see. Yes there are opportunities for supplemental income from
rentals and maybe products but these endeavors take time too.
MENTORING TIP TODAY
Those who walk a path of service will never be paid enough
money. Compensation includes knowing you made a difference.
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