a community of practitioners

All Blog Posts (1,369)

Get It In Writing - Protect Yourself and Your Business

Today was something of a red letter day in my career. I had to go to small claims court to pursue repayment of a payroll advance and continuing education tuition from a former employee (a service provider but not a massage therapist) of my business. Despite months of trying to reach a written agreement on the actual amount due and a payment plan that was agreeable to both of us, we were unable to resolve the dispute on our own and a lawsuit had to be filed.

Although I am usually… Continue

Added by Felicia Brown on August 11, 2009 at 12:18pm — 1 Comment

Dealing with Skeptics?

As a newcomer to the Massage Therapy world, I’m overwhelmed by the benefits that can be afforded by massage. So when I hear of something that I know Massage can

offer a benefit for I’m maybe overly enthusiastic to recommend massage to assist.

Some people admit they haven’t considered massage therapy as a treatment before, but Ive noticed there are a lot of people who seem to consider the idea of Massage therapy being able to alleviate pain and/or symptoms as some kind of hocus… Continue

Added by Sally Chamness on August 10, 2009 at 8:34am — 1 Comment

Advanced Ashiatsu Classes

If you've taken Barefoot Basics, but your clients are asking for more, advanced classes are for you!

Anterior/Side-Lying is for using one footed strokes on the anterior body as well as clinical strokes in the side lying position. I just received those this past week from fellow instructor Kina Ueda in Denver. Great stuff!

Deepfeet2-Advanced Ashiatsu (formerly Deepfeet 2 and the Fusion-blend) teaches the therapist how to use their full body weight to really work the… Continue

Added by Mary-Claire Fredette on August 10, 2009 at 5:30am — No Comments

How Does This Make You Feel?

The Winning Commercial At… Continue

Added by Mike Hinkle on August 9, 2009 at 12:30pm — 9 Comments

annual meetings for LMT's

I never considered myself completely out of the loop but I rarely read of annual meetings for massage professionals until after tha\ey occur. Is there a reliable way to know about these in advance?

Added by Jeanne L. Brinkley on August 9, 2009 at 12:11pm — No Comments

Ashi-Thai

Ashi-Thai is a brand new modality that is sure to thrill many massage therapists. Like traditional Thai massage, the client is clothed, and no oil or cream is used. The therapist maneuvers the client into various positions that loosens and relaxtes the muscles.

Unlike Thai massage, the client receives the massage on a massage table with his face comfortable in a face cradle while in the prone position. Overhead bars provide balancing support for the therapist as she uses her… Continue

Added by Mary-Claire Fredette on August 8, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Bamboo-fusion massage

Like the effects of hot stone massage? A lot of people do. I, however, have no love for actually doing the massage. Why?

Because the set up time, clean up time is a pain. I have curly hair, so the hot water steaming about my face every time I pick up a stone frizzes my hair.

The perfect solution for me was Bamboo-fusion. The bamboo tools are high quality sticks that are solid bamboo. Fused together in a fashion similar to that of cutting board, they hold the heat well and are a… Continue

Added by Mary-Claire Fredette on August 7, 2009 at 6:00am — No Comments

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy in Cincinnati, OH

Hey all you deep tissue therapists! Ever heard of luxurious deep tissue massage?Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy may be the solution for you.

~Thumbs sore?

~Back hurt?

~Massage therapist elbow?

~Love massaging, but it's killing you?

Barefoot massage can be deep, medium or even light pressure. If you do it right, it can be one of the deepest and yet most luxurious massages you've ever had. I just had the pleasure of receiving some Ashi from Kina Ueda in Denver… Continue

Added by Mary-Claire Fredette on August 6, 2009 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Whadda ya think of this?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159212.php

Added by Erik Dalton on August 6, 2009 at 8:02am — 21 Comments

It's All About Attitude

First off, I would like to apologize to all the people who have made comments on my blog on the Massage Magazine website (where Massage Collage originates) that are not posted. There has been an ongoing problem with this now for several months and for some reason, no comments are being posted. Management is aware of the problem and is working to fix it. It has apparently affected… Continue

Added by Laura Allen on August 5, 2009 at 7:47pm — 9 Comments

Someone posted an article about foot pain and our staff and alumni responded.

Someone posted “What is the best modality for foot pain? Foot pain can exist in many areas, plantar surface, dorsal surface, deep, superficial, and can be caused by multiple factors. Which modality would you use to alleviate conditions of the feet?” I tried to find the article which was posted a week ago but it's been deleted. Anyhow, here's a few responses from some of the staff and alumni at ASIS, including a few NCMTBM CE providers here at ASIS.

This is from Wendy Hines,… Continue

Added by ASIS Massage Education on August 5, 2009 at 1:29pm — 4 Comments

Care for your own body first

In my years as a Massage Therapist, I have learned more about myself by helping other people. I have also learned that I have to care for my own body to give to others. I have been in the field for 11 years and have owned my own spa, been a massage instructor, and worked at a spa on the strip in Las Vegas.

The physical part of my job is what drove me but it also led to burnout and injury. I was working full time at the spa and writing the… Continue

Added by Karina Braun on August 5, 2009 at 1:16pm — No Comments

Expect More, with Les - August 4, 2009

Cash for Clunkers - What do massage therapists and car salesmen have in common?

Added by Les Sweeney on August 5, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

Eldercare podcasts-Interviews from Leaders in Eldercare

http://www.insideeldercare.com/news/finances-and-dreamers-and-dementia-care-oh-my-podcasts/

Added by Lisa Curran Parenteau on August 5, 2009 at 8:53am — No Comments

How to use your body...

To think of massage as something you only do with your hands is incorrect. A therapist who uses the hands for a palpation tool and the whole body for most of the pressure is working correctly. Massage is very physical and the muscles of the arms should not be used for long periods of time without taking a break. The arm muscles are not generally as aerobic and fatigue easily; however, the large muscles of the legs and hips can function efficiently for many hours at a time. Generate your power… Continue

Added by Karina Braun on August 4, 2009 at 3:30pm — 13 Comments

Root Cause of Disease

Too often in our current medical system, we attempt to resolve disease by treating symptoms. However, ancient medicine teaches us that before symptoms arise, there is a break in the energy field, subtle communication in the body becomes distorted, "dis-ease" gradually sets in, making the way for pathology, diagnosis, and clinical disease. Five thousand year old medicine, and the basis for AMMA Therapy(R), teaches that this break in the energy field begins in the emotional plane -- in the… Continue

Added by Maria Troia on August 4, 2009 at 2:29pm — No Comments

The Next Trillion- by Paul Zane Pilzer

Okay, as massage therapists we are in an incredible postion because we are in the wellness industry. I have just finished listening to an excerpt from the book, "The Next Trillion" by Paul Zane Pilzner. Pilzner explains why the wellness industry will exceed $1 trillion by the year 2010. Basically the premise is that clients that start to look and feel better will start to consume more products and services that help them to feel even better.

The wellness industry is going to expand… Continue

Added by Shelly Slocum on August 3, 2009 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Affective Massage Therapy

A little while ago I wrote an editorial in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork in which I coined the term "Affective Massage Therapy." The editorial, as well as all IJTMB content, is freely available online; see either:

http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/30/31

or

http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/30/39

to read the editorial on Affective Massage Therapy.

I'm curious to know -… Continue

Added by Christopher A. Moyer on August 3, 2009 at 1:38pm — 2 Comments

Statistics on symptoms and injury among massage therapists and bodyworkers

In 2006, Rick Goggins and I collaborated with ABMP/Massage & Bodywork Magazine on a survey designed to produce the first reliable statistics on the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders (injuries) among massage therapists and bodyworkers. We sent the survey by email to 1000 therapists nationwide - 601 responded. With a 60% response rate, we could consider that the results we got were representative of massage therapists and bodyworkers in general nationwide.

Here's… Continue

Added by Lauriann Greene, CEAS on August 2, 2009 at 3:37pm — No Comments

Working in Chronic Pain

lately I've been thinking a lot about being a bodyworker with a chronic pain condition. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and I find that when I am working, I feel better. It's when I get home from work and attempt to relax that I am in the most pain. Most recently I had a flare-up that caused me to have to go home early from work one day. I am so tired of being in constant pain and being tired all the time. I have worked hard to not be labeled as disabled and I became a bodyworker because of my… Continue

Added by Kelly Tedrow on July 31, 2009 at 3:00am — 3 Comments