September 2012 Blog Posts (17)

I am so excited that we have a few more dates and spaces for our upcoming Burn Scar Massage Therapy continuing education class. We will be in Albuquerque, NM on October 16th at Abaton Center for Healing, Kansas City, MO on October 20th at WellSpring School of Allied Health and Atlanta, GA on October 24th at the office of the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation.

We have so much fun in this highly informative hands on class with burn survivors in all stages of physical and…

Ok, back to massage related issues.  I’ve been very busy lately, even yesterday on Sunday I performed a full day of massage sessions, so I figured I’d attempt to write a bit about it.  Life experiences come in all shapes and sizes.  I’ve learned and experienced a great deal from Ki Aikido, and have done my best to apply what I have learned to my life, and in training to becoming a more proficient, efficient and effective…

What are the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear?  Generally, if the tear is a supraspinatus tendon tear, which most are, the symptoms begin with abduction of the arm.  Remember, supraspinatus is responsible for abduction (when the arm moves away from the side of the body) of the arm to the first 15 degrees of movement.  If there is a pinpointed, almost pinching pain on the lateral aspect of upper shoulder, this is indicative of a rotator cuff tear.  The lateral aspect of the upper shoulder is…

I was recently listening to a radio show from a local NPR affiliate. The interview was with the director of a dance company that pioneer an innovative form of dance done while dangling from ropes on the sides of buildings. She described their work as a “cross pollination of various dance forms”. That term resonated with me and where I am attempting to evolve my Foundations in Myofascial Release Seminars.

These of you who have been following my posts for the past few months may see a…

Introducing a new book about life as a spa practitioner and the surprising journey we all share. This project is being developed by spa therapist Peola Washington.

Details: If you have exciting, memorable, mind-boggling stories about working as a massage therapist/esthetician/nail practitioner, we want to hear from you! We’re looking for truthful, funny, and inspiring essays and interviews about your adventures in working in a spa environment. From the reader’s…

Olive oil has been used by Mediterranean cultures for thousands of years for its health and beauty benefits. Olive oil is well known for its uses in cooking and making salads. But many people don't know that olive oil is a common base in homemade massage oils. You can combine olive oil with many types of essential oils to create an inexpensive, healing and aromatic massage oil.

Dry Skin…

This week’s blog is about the elections at the upcoming Federation of State Massage Therapy Boardsannual meeting in New Orleans on September 27-29. Who gets chosen to serve on the Board of Directors of this organization is important, because FSMTB controls the administration of the MBLEx– the primary licensing exam in our profession, and is in the process of trying to adopt new national standards for…

What if today was the first day of your education in bodywork, where you were sitting down in your first class as a budding MT/PT/OT/Whatever T? Your instructor started the lecture with “You know all of those hard/ropy/toughened areas that we feel under the skin? Well the best thing to get rid of those is light, sustained pressure. Make it light enough so that the nervous system does not view it as a threat. If you dig in too deeply, you are only exacerbating things.”…what would you think?…

I’ve struggled the last few days with trying to discuss the amazing power that gratitude can have on our lives. In our modern world of constant buzz. Of emails, texts, tweets. Of sales reports and morning commutes. The stress of our jobs, our spouses, and our health. Diets. Gyms. Routine upon routine. In all of this busy-ness, where do we find time? Any time!?Much…

Hello All, 

i was asked by a massage school to write a 150 hour curriculum for Eastern Healing Arts. 

Does anyone know how much is usually paid for such work? 

I would provide manuals for the classes (mostly pictures, some writing) and some handouts on the theoretical material. 

I would also teach someone to teach the material (which would be paid seperately). 

WOuld appreciate any thoughts on this. 

Thank you! 

You said what I would have said. To Gordon, some babies have a hard time latching on to Mom's breast due to birth process challenges. One CS session can realign so mamababy bonding is easy. I've seen it in action. Upledger is teaching in Europe, and there's other's in Ireland. I'm looking for a training in California, and can't seem to locate any. So I welcome any other suggestions. Many thanks! Caitlin

With deep compression massage, it's especially important to have breast pillows available for large-breasted clients and those with implants.  (Remember, all that fabulous deep work around the scapula is effecting everything on the anterior side of the body, too!)

There are breast pillows available for…

I remember reading once that you have not mastered a new language until you begin to dream in that language (or maybe I dreamt that, I’m not sure). Either way, I have long realized that the “structuralist” mentality that I possess is a hard one to shake. What is a structuralist? One who sees pain/dysfunction as a result of a structural problem in the body; a problem with alignment. I evaluated posture to check for asymmetries, checked for pelvic issues, recorded scoliosis, etc, etc. All of…

New Jersey Certification and Licensure of Massage and Bodywork

As of September 4, 2012, NJ State is requiring all massage therapists who have not previously applied for certification/licensure to submit applications. A new email address will be created to allow online applications. Starting 9/4, the Massage, Bodywork and Somatic Therapy committee will no longer exist.

If you apply before 9/4/2012, the current board will process your application. Rates will be pro-rated and…