Massage Therapy Foundation

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Comment by Bonny Donnelly on November 15, 2009 at 6:04pm

Beautiful testimony Laura,
I am close to NC- what did you have in mind?

Comment by Kim Goral on November 15, 2009 at 5:57pm

Laura- awesome story!!! Really amazing. I know what you mean about those special clients sometimes. And really, if you are looking for people to speak about research, please contact me! I'd love to help out, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't break you bank ;) I am just starting out..lol!

Comment by Christopher A. Moyer on November 15, 2009 at 9:48am

Laura - That's a very interesting case! Thanks for telling us about it.

We need folks like you, who are doing interesting cases and who can also write well, to submit case study reports to IJTMB (www.ijtmb.org). Your colleagues want and need to read about cases like this.

Consider this an open message not just to Laura, but to all massage therapists who would consider doing something above and beyond your (already impressive) day-to-day duties. If you have an interesting case and sufficient data from that case to construct a case report, consider writing it up and submitting it to IJTMB.

If this is something you are interested in, but you do not know how or where to begin, contact me. I am the Research Section Editor for the journal, and I would be happy to help you get started, determine if you have enough information for a report, or to guide you in the process.

-CM

Comment by Laura Allen on November 15, 2009 at 9:22am

No, I haven't published them. When the NC Chapter gave me the grant, I wrote that up for our state newsletter, but it wasn't in a formal research format.

I have had the parents of the Tourette's case and the parent of the girl with macrocephaly (she is the one without the reflexes) sign a release giving me permission to publish, but it hasn't been at the top of my list:) My third book is now in third draft so maybe when I wrap that project up maybe I will have time to do a submission. I have only recently started working with the little girl so I'd like more time on that one.

The Tourette's case was fascinating to me. The girl was 14 when she was referred to me by a psychiatrist. I immediately asked the question why she was under his care since that is a neurological condition, not a psychiatric one as I am sure you know, and the response was that he was treating her for depression which he felt was related to the condition. He quickly realized that she wasn't going to open up to him in any way and referred her...he thought massage would relieve her stress.

She was mortified by her condition. She was a beautiful girl, just starting high school, wanting to be accepted and have her first boyfriend etc, and her particular manifestation was very loud snorting and grunting. The first thing I did was have a t-shirt made for her that said, "I have Tourette's. What's your excuse?" That caused her to laugh about it for the first time.

I saw her once a week for two years until she moved away. By the end of that time, her manifestation was more of a little sniffle...anyone sitting next to her would have thought she probably had a cold.

I could not say that massage the massage itself changed her condition for the better. I think I helped her come to an acceptance of it, and the more she accepted it, the more she lightened up about it. I think she had worked herself up over it so much that the more nervous and depressed she was, the worse her symptoms got. She had the hardest body I have ever put my hands on. Her neck and shoulders were like a brick.

Right after we started working together, she asked me if I had any research on diabetes that she could use for a project at school. I advised her to forget about that and do it on Tourette's. She did, and that also seemed to make a big difference for her--just exploring her own condition.

I did a 2000 hour internship in counseling under two Ph.D. psychologists and a CSW, and I realized about three hours into it that a) I do not have enough tact to counsel people the majority of the time, and b) I don't want to sit and listen to people's tales of woe for a living. I usually refrain from dispensing any advice, but I think the fact that she opened up to me and talked about it had a lot to do with her improvement, and I know that I made a big difference in her body. It took me a long time to loosen her up, but it finally happened.

I've enjoyed almost every massage I've ever given, but once in awhile, this job really makes you feel like you've made a great difference in someone's life. Whether it was the massage or my sage advice (LOL), I was glad that we were in each other's path.

Comment by Christopher A. Moyer on November 15, 2009 at 8:37am

Laura -

I know you're probably kidding around, but it doesn't normally cost much to get me to talk about research. :)

The case studies you have conducted - have you published them? If not, would you consider submitting one to IJTMB? We can chat offline if you'd like more details on the possibility. If memory serves me correctly, we have not had any case study submissions in the time since the journal was founded, despite the fact that there has been a lot of talk and excitement around the subject of case studies within the profession.

One more thing while I'm thinking about it - the school where Kim and I are (U. of Wisconsin-Stout) has terrific videoconferencing equipment and encourages us to use it. This may create opportunities for presentations that are much more flexible than ones that require travel.

-CM

Comment by Laura Allen on November 15, 2009 at 8:20am

Christopher and Kim--I probably can't afford both of you:)

I think I will send out an email to my lists, to see how much interest I could get in a class like this. I think most therapists are intimidated by the thought. They may have the mistaken idea that they need a big group of people to make anything worthwhile, or that they have to be a whiz in elementary statistics.

My own research has here to date been case studies done for my own benefit...I don't personally do very much hands-on massage anymore, but once in awhile something comes along that fascinates me and I jump back in. I spent two years working with a young girl who has Tourette's. I've recently started working with a child who has no deep tendon reflexes and I'm documenting that. Doctors had told her parents she would never walk, which has turned out to be not true; although she is pigeon-toed, she walks just fine. Several years ago, I got an AMTA community service grant for my work with people in comas and persistent vegetative states.

I'd like for people to lose their fear of research and stop thinking that you have to have a Ph.D. in order to conduct it.

Comment by Minette Lee Darden on November 14, 2009 at 2:51pm

Hello, I just joined the group today. I am a MT student at Cortiva in King of Prussia Pa, and am looking forward to a career in MT.

Comment by Kim Goral on November 7, 2009 at 10:16pm

Laura- what do you have in mind? I'll be finishing my degree (hopefully!!) in 2011...;)

Comment by Christopher A. Moyer on November 6, 2009 at 10:55am

That sounds like fun to me, Laura.

Comment by Laura Allen on November 6, 2009 at 7:53am

It would be great if there were affordable CE instructors available to teach research tracks. I've taken classes on the research track at AMTA nat'l convention the last couple of years, but there are so many therapists who don't attend those. If any of the brilliant minds on here would like to take a trip to NC, let me know! My schedule for 2010 is already filled but I'd love to be able to offer it in 2011. My facility can hold about 35-40 students.

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