Hey guys!
I've been supervising the clinic today and I just wanted to point out that you're all doing a fantastic job! I think this is the toughest part of the semester; all of the semester's learning has to be remembered and put together so you can give the best massage that is unique to you. You're finding your own little niche while remembering body mechanics, the five different strokes, muscle fiber directions, the flow of the treatment, and time management.
And, like I said, you're doing a fantastic job :-)
If I came around at some point to correct you, please don't feel bad. Some of it is that I've been meaning to work with you for weeks now but I haven't gotten the chance. I also want you to get the feedback you need now so you're better prepared when you leave here. None of you are "bad" therapists, whatever that means. You've all come such a long way and any tips and tricks I'm giving you are really just to help you.
The learning process never ends, even when you graduate!
I won't see you until next week, so I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~Jess
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
What Massage Means to Us
Hi guys :-)
I'm here in lab with one other student, waiting on other students so we can practice!
Where are ya'll?
Anyway, of all the students/friends I have that have taken or are taking up massage therapy, only 3 people answered the question I posted. I'm very grateful to those three who answered (I loved all of your unique explanations).
All three said things about helping clients both emotionally and physically. Stress will be reduced, pain will be reduced, injuries will heal faster, etc. But here are some of the more individualized responses I received:
"[Massaging is] a way to start a new life with my boys with a career that I am proud of and they can be proud of me too. Just last night, my son Sam said, 'When I am grown up and my kids ask me what my mom was when she was younger, I am going to say, she was a superhero who healed people with massage!' (I cried a little) and (Lucky me!)... The other reason massage therapy is so important to me, is because it is a way to honor the memories I have of my daughter Emily, who encouraged me to pursue this career because I was able to help ease her own discomfort when she most needed it, through the simple act of touch. Those moments were some of the most amazing , yet bittersweet, times in my life, that I will never forget." -N.B.
"I want to be like King Midas; call me selfish if you will, but I want to touch everyone in a way leaving them better then before they met me. Having these emotions about helping people can also often be my down fall, I want to be able to help everyone." -M.S.
" At first it started out with feeling this whole course was just a joke to laugh at, but with the help of my professors and class mates I realized how effective massage is in helping both the therapist and their clients deal with mental and physical illness. It has taught me how to overcome many experiences I would have like to forgot. It was, well… an irreplaceable experience I will never forget and thank the massage community for a long time. I can honestly say massaging people may not be my passion but it means a lot to me because it’s helped me deal with a lot of problems both mentally and physically." -N.C.
There you have it; three very different answers pertaining to the same career. The moral of this story is that there is no right answer, and massage is different for everyone! Now I'd like to write my answer and see if any of you feel the same.
What is massage therapy to me and what is it to my clients?
When I first came across massage therapy as a career option, I took it because it was a holistic healing therapy and because the campus was close enough for me to walk to from my house. I can't remember exactly what was going through my head at the time (I was a shy high school grad that still refused to talk on the phone), but I went for it anyway.
I fell in love with massage when I realized all the wonderful benefits it had for both the client and the therapist. We live in a touch-deprived society, and giving and receiving that healing touch of massage not only separates the fascia and increases circulation to the muscle, it also calms the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases levels of dopamine (the feel-good chemical).
That would be enough for me to stick with this as a career, but there's one lesson I learned that they don't teach you in school that makes me love my job more than anything. All of the healing modalities here taught that everything in the human body is connected. Using this modality will affect this part of the body just like using this one will affect the same part. If you touch something in the foot, you can ease pain in the neck. It introduced me to the concepts of connection and balance.
A few months and a couple life lessons later, I came to the conclusion that all things are connected, both within and without the body. We're all made of matter, which is solid energy, and that energy affects everything around it in ways we don't yet understand.
Along those same lines, we're also all equal. All beautiful. All unique. We're all exactly the way we're supposed to be, which is something many people have difficulty accepting.
So we massage therapists have these clients come in, they're touch-deprived, their self-esteem is probably low, they have knots from stress and aches from overworking. Not only are you physically helping them heal, but you're providing them with a safe place where they can be exactly what they are without being judged. Your touch is giving them that connection they've been missing, which doesn't just increase dopamine levels but it makes them feel like part of the whole again, whether they realize it or not (it's like giving them an hour-long hug). Now you've given them about an hour of safety, acceptance, healing, and reconnection.
And since we're all connected, if I improve the mood of that one person, and I feel good about it, too, that positive energy will spread to other people (again, whether they realize it or not).
We're benefiting humanity, guys!
So for me, massage therapy is a way to help other people, to give them a safe place to be themselves and heal themselves. For clients, it's a way for them to remember themselves and remember their connection to other people, as well as focus on healing themselves.
If all goes well, we'll both take that positive energy home with us and multiply it. That's the best part of feeling good; making others feel good.
Because we're all CONNECTED!
That's what massage is to me! Thanks again to the students who participated. If you still want to send me an answer, it's not to late! I can do plenty more of these (I can post as many blog posts as I want)!
Peace, love, and light!
~Jess
I'm here in lab with one other student, waiting on other students so we can practice!
Where are ya'll?
Anyway, of all the students/friends I have that have taken or are taking up massage therapy, only 3 people answered the question I posted. I'm very grateful to those three who answered (I loved all of your unique explanations).
All three said things about helping clients both emotionally and physically. Stress will be reduced, pain will be reduced, injuries will heal faster, etc. But here are some of the more individualized responses I received:
"[Massaging is] a way to start a new life with my boys with a career that I am proud of and they can be proud of me too. Just last night, my son Sam said, 'When I am grown up and my kids ask me what my mom was when she was younger, I am going to say, she was a superhero who healed people with massage!' (I cried a little) and (Lucky me!)... The other reason massage therapy is so important to me, is because it is a way to honor the memories I have of my daughter Emily, who encouraged me to pursue this career because I was able to help ease her own discomfort when she most needed it, through the simple act of touch. Those moments were some of the most amazing , yet bittersweet, times in my life, that I will never forget." -N.B.
"I want to be like King Midas; call me selfish if you will, but I want to touch everyone in a way leaving them better then before they met me. Having these emotions about helping people can also often be my down fall, I want to be able to help everyone." -M.S.
" At first it started out with feeling this whole course was just a joke to laugh at, but with the help of my professors and class mates I realized how effective massage is in helping both the therapist and their clients deal with mental and physical illness. It has taught me how to overcome many experiences I would have like to forgot. It was, well… an irreplaceable experience I will never forget and thank the massage community for a long time. I can honestly say massaging people may not be my passion but it means a lot to me because it’s helped me deal with a lot of problems both mentally and physically." -N.C.
There you have it; three very different answers pertaining to the same career. The moral of this story is that there is no right answer, and massage is different for everyone! Now I'd like to write my answer and see if any of you feel the same.
What is massage therapy to me and what is it to my clients?
When I first came across massage therapy as a career option, I took it because it was a holistic healing therapy and because the campus was close enough for me to walk to from my house. I can't remember exactly what was going through my head at the time (I was a shy high school grad that still refused to talk on the phone), but I went for it anyway.
I fell in love with massage when I realized all the wonderful benefits it had for both the client and the therapist. We live in a touch-deprived society, and giving and receiving that healing touch of massage not only separates the fascia and increases circulation to the muscle, it also calms the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases levels of dopamine (the feel-good chemical).
That would be enough for me to stick with this as a career, but there's one lesson I learned that they don't teach you in school that makes me love my job more than anything. All of the healing modalities here taught that everything in the human body is connected. Using this modality will affect this part of the body just like using this one will affect the same part. If you touch something in the foot, you can ease pain in the neck. It introduced me to the concepts of connection and balance.
A few months and a couple life lessons later, I came to the conclusion that all things are connected, both within and without the body. We're all made of matter, which is solid energy, and that energy affects everything around it in ways we don't yet understand.
Along those same lines, we're also all equal. All beautiful. All unique. We're all exactly the way we're supposed to be, which is something many people have difficulty accepting.
So we massage therapists have these clients come in, they're touch-deprived, their self-esteem is probably low, they have knots from stress and aches from overworking. Not only are you physically helping them heal, but you're providing them with a safe place where they can be exactly what they are without being judged. Your touch is giving them that connection they've been missing, which doesn't just increase dopamine levels but it makes them feel like part of the whole again, whether they realize it or not (it's like giving them an hour-long hug). Now you've given them about an hour of safety, acceptance, healing, and reconnection.
And since we're all connected, if I improve the mood of that one person, and I feel good about it, too, that positive energy will spread to other people (again, whether they realize it or not).
We're benefiting humanity, guys!
So for me, massage therapy is a way to help other people, to give them a safe place to be themselves and heal themselves. For clients, it's a way for them to remember themselves and remember their connection to other people, as well as focus on healing themselves.
If all goes well, we'll both take that positive energy home with us and multiply it. That's the best part of feeling good; making others feel good.
Because we're all CONNECTED!
That's what massage is to me! Thanks again to the students who participated. If you still want to send me an answer, it's not to late! I can do plenty more of these (I can post as many blog posts as I want)!
Peace, love, and light!
~Jess
Thursday, November 14, 2013
PROM
No, not prom!
Passive range of motion!
Here is a video made from the previous class (Bobby, Roger, and Paula). It goes through PROM of the whole body!
Thanks guys :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hlbPoxObCE
Also, Nicky asked about an IT Band stretch! So here's a video for that (which we can practice in class).
You're all doing great!
~Jessica
Passive range of motion!
Here is a video made from the previous class (Bobby, Roger, and Paula). It goes through PROM of the whole body!
Thanks guys :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hlbPoxObCE
Also, Nicky asked about an IT Band stretch! So here's a video for that (which we can practice in class).
~Jessica
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Booking Clients
To the MAT111 students,
Today I booked a client for one of you guys because I saw that there were 5 or 6 students with no clients booked! Well, it turns out that every single one of you had a client, you just didn't put them in SOAP vault. As you can imagine, this created a minor problem.
I want to remind you guys that you need to have your Thursday clients booked in SOAP vault by Tuesday. Otherwise, problems like this occur.
Now I have to deal with the consequences and I feel a bit disrespected.
If you have any questions, about SOAP Vault or anything, you know you can contact me!? I don't want this to be an issue because you don't know how to book clients. I can totally help if that's the case, but you need to speak up.
Other than that, you need to remember to do this. If something like this happens again, I will have the SMT deal with the situation rather than myself.
I'm just trying to watch out for you guys, give you clients to practice on if I see you have none. But you have to keep up with your responsibilities as well!
On a more positive note, thanks to the students that came to the open lab today! :-)
~Jess
Today I booked a client for one of you guys because I saw that there were 5 or 6 students with no clients booked! Well, it turns out that every single one of you had a client, you just didn't put them in SOAP vault. As you can imagine, this created a minor problem.
I want to remind you guys that you need to have your Thursday clients booked in SOAP vault by Tuesday. Otherwise, problems like this occur.
Now I have to deal with the consequences and I feel a bit disrespected.
If you have any questions, about SOAP Vault or anything, you know you can contact me!? I don't want this to be an issue because you don't know how to book clients. I can totally help if that's the case, but you need to speak up.
Other than that, you need to remember to do this. If something like this happens again, I will have the SMT deal with the situation rather than myself.
I'm just trying to watch out for you guys, give you clients to practice on if I see you have none. But you have to keep up with your responsibilities as well!
On a more positive note, thanks to the students that came to the open lab today! :-)
~Jess
Sunday, November 10, 2013
An Important Question for Everyone
Hello, everybody!
I have a question I'm directing to ALL of my students. Now, this isn't a requirement, but I'd really appreciate if every one of my students takes the time to answer this for me. Leave it in a Facebook comment when I link this on the school's page, or send me an e-mail, write something out in class, or even make a video.
My question is: what is massage therapy to you and what do you think massage therapy is for your clients?
Like I said, this isn't a mandatory "assignment," it's just a favor I'm asking from you guys. School is about learning, and there's one lesson I really want you all to take away from here and it has to do with you answering this question.
Even if you aren't a student, leave a comment (on here or FB), and tell me: what does massage therapy mean to you?
I might use your answers in a future post. Please specify if you want it to be anonymous when you answer. Thank you!
~Jess
I have a question I'm directing to ALL of my students. Now, this isn't a requirement, but I'd really appreciate if every one of my students takes the time to answer this for me. Leave it in a Facebook comment when I link this on the school's page, or send me an e-mail, write something out in class, or even make a video.
My question is: what is massage therapy to you and what do you think massage therapy is for your clients?
Like I said, this isn't a mandatory "assignment," it's just a favor I'm asking from you guys. School is about learning, and there's one lesson I really want you all to take away from here and it has to do with you answering this question.
Even if you aren't a student, leave a comment (on here or FB), and tell me: what does massage therapy mean to you?
I might use your answers in a future post. Please specify if you want it to be anonymous when you answer. Thank you!
~Jess
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Thumb Pressure
Special request by Nathan!
"Any good videos you'd recommend for circular finger combing, alternating thumbs, correct application of thumb lines/fascia lines?
Or should I... I don't know... open my Salvo book and do my own research..."
I tried my best to find some school videos that showed proper fascia lines/thumb pressure. I can't really find anything! I found one video on friction, it shows a little bit of thumb circular friction at the very end, but otherwise nothing. Maybe tomorrow (or sometime soon) I can demo this on a student and we can video it and post it?
Until then, open up Salvo and get researching! I like that idea. If you find something out on your own, you're a lot less likely to forget it!
If anyone else has any videos or tips, let me know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYDiSm_kY0A
This one is on the back but it's pretty good, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayFUrRHPIiQ
~Jess
"Any good videos you'd recommend for circular finger combing, alternating thumbs, correct application of thumb lines/fascia lines?
Or should I... I don't know... open my Salvo book and do my own research..."
Until then, open up Salvo and get researching! I like that idea. If you find something out on your own, you're a lot less likely to forget it!
If anyone else has any videos or tips, let me know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYDiSm_kY0A
This one is on the back but it's pretty good, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayFUrRHPIiQ
~Jess
Glutes and Abs
Hi all!
I heard you learned glutes and abdominals yesterday! Yes, for the first day, I'm sure there was discomfort. But you need to remember this is strictly professional. Gluteals and abdominals may be sensitive areas but many clients need work in those areas!
The more you practice, the more comfortable and easier it gets.
Here are two other videos that might be helpful for you.
I hope this helps! There are the videos made in my class back when I learned. I hope to see you today in lab, and I'll definitely see you tomorrow!
~Jess
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