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I have just came from another topic discussion and mentioned the modalities I would like to specialize in. My choices are Neuromuscular Therapy, CranioSacral, Reiki, and Table Thai Massage.

Are there any therapists here who are specialized in these areas who would like to share their thoughts on them? I am curious to what is that you like and don't like about these modalities. What your clients say about the techniques, and so forth?

Thanks in advance.

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I am trained in NMT, but I use a technique called SMRT to resolve trigger points instantly and painlessly, much easier on my body and no pain for the client.  I am trained in CranioSacral, and absolutely love it.  Some clients really like it, others feel it does nothing and cannot stand it.  I am a Reiki Master.  Sometimes I do straight Reiki sessions, however, I find that no matter what I am doing, I am always doing energy work with it.  My clients have come to expect this from me, and they really like it.  People who feel the energy and do not like it do not come back to me.  And I love Thai massage, table and floor, but am not trained in it.  My specialty is pain relief, pre- and post-surgical massage, spot specific medical massage.  I find that no matter what modality I am using, the SMRT heightens it.  In the interest of full disclosure, I have been teaching SMRT for 20 years, but my students tell me the same thing.  Even years after learning the technique, they still use it with all other modalities and in every massage.

Thanks for the suggestion, Channon! I haven't experienced a reiki session yet. I have been referred to a master somewhat close to me recently. Haven't had the chance to call/email to make an appointment yet. The Reiki Master also holds classes for all three levels and plan on talking with her about doing so.

Channon Michelle Graham said:

Epiphany,

Neuromuscular Therapy, CranioSacral,  Reiki, and Thai Massage are just a few of my TOP Massage Therapy modalities that have also caught my interest ever since becoming a LMBT of NC. 

Recently I received a session my an amazing Reiki Master and let me just say, energy work, flow, etc.can and will bring your true inner being closer to the Divine; more so and in a particularly differing deliverance than that such as : yoga, meditation practice and so on. If you have yet to experience the unique healing of reiki then wait no longer. 

P.S. If you are a Licensed Massage & Bodywork Professional, you might even trade out services with the therapist/master whom of which will be open to a trade.

Channon M Graham

NC LMBT #13347

828.557.2628

channonmgraham@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/channonmgrahamNCLMBT

There are a lot of Reiki folks who also do CranioSacral Therapy.  They work really well together!  I think Reiki must be one of those modalities that boosts the effectiveness of everything else you do.

I'm sure. Someone I work with is a Reiki master. We've done a few couple massages together and he would finish his massage off with a little reiki at the crown.

Therese Schwartz said:

There are a lot of Reiki folks who also do CranioSacral Therapy.  They work really well together!  I think Reiki must be one of those modalities that boosts the effectiveness of everything else you do.

I have done quite a bit of NMT, and i recommend it highly as a training option. You will get a solid base in trigger point theory, and mechanics, along with current research information.  It will give you assessment skills you can build on with other types of techniques, and finesse in application. If you have therapeutic training, NMT will advance your exsting  skillset in a very user friendly, put it into practice right away, form.

Cranio Sacral needs a good bit of time and devotion to master, and while the need for it is great, public perception of what it is and what it can do is lacking. It takes time to develop a clientele that is really good for CST. It is excellent work, please don't get me wrong. But the touch and feel of it is very different, and aside from still point, vault hold and a couple of other things, it can be hard to integrate if you're a deep tissue kind of person.  That being said, I'd take the intro class for CST.  It will give you a good understanding of what it is, and who can benefit from it.  If you're drawn to it, great, if you're not, you'll know what to say when people ask you about it, and who to send them to when you get a client that needs exactly that.

My suggestion for choosing classes is this, go get the work done, if you like it and think you could use some or all of it in your practice, consider the class.

Kay

Thank you for the suggestion, Kay. That was helpful. I'm not really into deep tissue. Simply because clients associate deep tissue with wanting to "feel it". They want a lot of pressure. My body structure will not allow me to exert that on my clients bodies (in addition to a massage isn't supposed to hurt). Since I live in Washington, DC I would have to look up and down to find a therapist who specializes in these techniques in close by areas. I also don't have a car, so it may be a little more difficult for me to get to one if I do find one close enough. I will definitely keep that in mind. (Is it bad that I had waited this long into my career to get started on this? It will be 3 years March 1st.)

Kay Warren said:

I have done quite a bit of NMT, and i recommend it highly as a training option. You will get a solid base in trigger point theory, and mechanics, along with current research information.  It will give you assessment skills you can build on with other types of techniques, and finesse in application. If you have therapeutic training, NMT will advance your exsting  skillset in a very user friendly, put it into practice right away, form.

Cranio Sacral needs a good bit of time and devotion to master, and while the need for it is great, public perception of what it is and what it can do is lacking. It takes time to develop a clientele that is really good for CST. It is excellent work, please don't get me wrong. But the touch and feel of it is very different, and aside from still point, vault hold and a couple of other things, it can be hard to integrate if you're a deep tissue kind of person.  That being said, I'd take the intro class for CST.  It will give you a good understanding of what it is, and who can benefit from it.  If you're drawn to it, great, if you're not, you'll know what to say when people ask you about it, and who to send them to when you get a client that needs exactly that.

My suggestion for choosing classes is this, go get the work done, if you like it and think you could use some or all of it in your practice, consider the class.

Kay

Well, I have found someone in the area through AMTA, Kay

Epiphany, 

There are a lot of people with a lot of misconceptions about what deep tissue is and isn't. While there are some things that are going to be sensitive, (at least if you're human) good quality work involves a lot less pressure than most people think. Getting to the deeper tissues isn't so much about pressure, but the direction in which you apply it, to get to where you need to be in the tissues.  A good therapist works within your sensitivity levels.  Many of my clients tell me that they expected it to really hurt, because of someone they'd seen before, and did I really get in there? I simply ask if they're feeling any pain... they say no, and that's the end of that. Having 30 years in practice doesn't hurt.

If you lean strongly toward the subtle end of things, CST could be a really good fit for you.  CST practitioners also have pretty solid networks, and are one of the best disciplines around for mentoring newcomers to their modality. Upledger's site is the best quality "find a practitioner" site I've seen. It doesn't just tell you who is certified, but exactly what classes they've taken, and what certifications they've tested for. They are very picky about their instructors too. They also have payment plans for classes if you take one and decide you like it. I'm a deep tissue girl, Heart & Soul, but if I were going to head toward the softer touch field, they are definitely who I would choose.  

Kay

Actually, Kay, I do lean to the subtle things with everything just about. I just checked the website out to see when will the next workshop be here in dc for cst. The class is pretty expensive but I do have time to save up for it.

I don't mind waiting for clientele to build up. Nothing you want ever comes easy.

Epiphany, the classes are less expensive if you sign up early.  And they are really worth it, IMO!  I'm an Upledger person, as I think I've already said.  I looked and the one in DC in August is taught by someone I'm not familiar with.

Feel free to ask any questions you have, before or after the class!  I'll share stories (successes and otherwise), and/or do my best to help with clients.  I've had a practitioner friend of mine call me while she was in session and put me on speaker phone!!  That was fun.

Most of the time, the answers from CST people will go something like "Get your hands on the client and treat what you find".  That used to drive me NUTS!  I wanted a step-by-step manual for each problem!  I'm a LOT less rigid and afraid now, and will get my hands on and treat what I find! :-)

Yes, I've already looked it up earlier today! I'm definitely signing up for it. I'm excited. I've JUST booked an appointment with someone through email to get a feel of it. It's on feb 10th. I can't wait. Thanks for the advice!

Good luck with the appointment!  I hope you were able to find someone that works well for you.  As with every modality, each therapist will resonate with some people and not with others.  If you aren't sure about anything after the appointment, you can try another therapist.  Each one will have their own talents, gifts and limitations.

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