Thursday, July 31, 2014

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF MASSAGE THERAPY

If you are a massage therapist, then you have more than likely heard about the Board Certification credential and the required courses. Research is a large portion of the continuing education materials. Board Certification was introduced on January 1, 2013. It was formulated by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, also referred to as the NCBTMB. Through the new Board Certification credential, massage therapy professionals who have an advanced level of education and experience can be recognized for their high level of expertise.
While the concept of utilizing research for massage therapy has received somewhat mixed reviews, many therapists are already utilizing the benefits. When consulting with a new client, it is vital to your business that you be able to educate the individual in the benefits of massage therapy for their health concerns.
For example, massage therapy has been proven to be especially effective for osteoarthritis of the knee. A study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that participants who underwent 60-minute sessions of Swedish massage once weekly for a duration of eight weeks had a significant improvement, with most of the pain eliminated. If you have a client who is suffering from this ailment, letting them know about this study would be beneficial for both of you.
 In order to receive Board Certification status, a therapist is required to commit to specified continuing education courses. One requirement is to receive three hours of continuing education exclusively focused on massage therapy research. This course is necessary every two years for the biennial renewal of a therapist's certification.
After consulting with the Massage Therapy Foundation, the NCBTMB formulated a variety of classes that target massage therapy research. All of the education materials that are related to research include complementary, integrative, alternative, and healthcare information. The committee organized the material into three types of research classes:
Research Literacy- Students are able to build skills in reading related research, which involves finding information, evaluating it, and applying the learned findings to their everyday massage practice.
Research Capacity- Through these classes, students can develop their techniques by conducting various research projects, both small and large. Topics for this type of class include different fact finding methods, such as writing case logs, understanding data, and other experimental duties.
Research Findings- Participants who utilize these classes can learn how to best present their research findings. The material that is presented has to meet the standards in place for massage therapy research.
The NCBTMB has also stated that it will give research credit to any massage therapist who creates a complete case report and submits it to an acknowledged academic journal. Credit will also be given to any massage therapist who volunteers as a research participant for a study published in an academic journal.
 You can find a list of continuing education providers who offer classes such as Research Fundamentals on the official NCBTMB website. Online continuing education classes for massage therapists are also available to make learning more convenient.


Hope you have a great day!
Michael Ames
LMT, CE Provider
NCBTMB PROVIDER # 451911-12
FLORIDA PROVIDER # 50-13930

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

That Client is Really Annoying Me!

THAT CLIENT IS REALLY ANNOYING ME!

THAT CLIENT KEEPS CANCELLING!

THAT CLIENT IS ALWAYS PUSHING BOUNDARIES!

Have you ever thought about all the clients that bother you?  I mean really sit down and focus on the ones that bother you when you’re feeling good and get your blood boiling when you’re already in a bad mood.
After speaking with a massage therapist friend the other day I had a revelation about his practice which I want to share with you.  We discuss various aspects of our business and act as a support structure for each other when we have questions or troubles with clients we need help with.
This particular day we were discussing some client issues he was having.  One of his clients was constantly cancelling or rescheduling appointments at the last minute.  He had always been flexible with this client, as this was his very first client of his massage career.  There was a certain sentimental value with this person that he associated with “starting his career”.
We discussed this for a few minutes and I suggested he start setting boundaries.  You would think I said to slap the client in his face!  My friend said in far more colorful words that I didn't know what I was talking about.  Needless to say, he is continuing to be flexible with this client and is continuing to feel frustrated.

I ONLY HOPE ONE DAY HE WAKES UP AND DISCOVERS THIS USEFUL BIT OF INFORMATION…

Paretos Law:
The Pareto principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.  Often times, it is even more skewed and can look like 97% / 3%.
What this means for my massage therapist friend; 97% of his complaints were coming from this 1 client.  This 1 client was responsible for 97% of my friend’s professional worries.  My friend performs an average of 18 hours of massage every week; Some more, Some less.  This One client would in no way ruin him financially, but he very well could ruin him mentally.
There are several areas of your professional life you can apply Paretos Law.
Some examples are:
•    80% of your profits come from 20% of your customers
•    80% of your complaints come from 20% of your customers
•    80% of your website visits come from 20% of your online marketing
•    80% of your sales come from 20% of your products
You can apply the 80/20 rule to almost any aspect of your life.
I implore you to pick just 1 aspect of your life you would like to improve and attempt to change things based on the 80/20 rule.
One day my friend may listen and enjoy a 97% reduction of his professional stress by reducing his client lode by 1, very annoying, client. :)
Try out something new!
Hope you have a great day!
Michael Ames
LMT, CE Provider
NCBTMB PROVIDER # 451911-12
FLORIDA PROVIDER # 50-13930

Friday, July 25, 2014

Conscious Intentions

CONSCIOUS INTENTIONS

Setting your Intentions

So many people just mosey through life without ever setting their intentions for the day.  They wake up and let the world happen to them.  Most people would say this works for them, but I disagree.  I was discussing this with someone the other day and they quoted, "Ignorance is Bliss".  I see how not being aware that a certain state of being is so much better than your current state can be fine and functional.  I can also see how being aware of this better state of being can make you feel unhappy.  But that is only temporary and only if you do not make attempts to better yourself.  We all have a responsibility to ourselves to make our lives blissful and happy.  Being ignorant of how to better yourself is not blissful.

Well then, how do you make yourself blissful and happy.  Increasing your awareness is the first step. Feeling what is around you, taking it in and making choices to elevate your life.  I use to wake up and my first thought would be, "Man...This day is going to suck".  This can happen from time to time still, but most of the time I wake up and say out loud, "This day is filled with opportunity.  I don't know how I'm going to accomplish my goals, but I know they will be accomplished.  This is a great day."

This may sound corny and many may believe this doesn't work, it's a bunch of balogni.  Well, I would much rather be corny and happy instead of keeping it "real" and being a grump.  But here's the kicker, this stuff does work!  It's all about setting your intentions for the day and the day will flow as you want.  You may have to reset your intentions throughout the day to stay on track, but it is entirely possible for you to perceive any given day as a blessing or a curse, as a success or a failure.  It's always your perception of the events that matters, not the events themselves.

Have you ever woken up, stubbed your toe in your first steps and said "It's going to be one of those days."  I have, and you know what, it always was one of those days.  I've also woken up excited and said this day is going to be great and it was a great day.  This was before I learned about the law of attraction and consciously setting your intentions.

Not all great days come in the form of amazing events.  They often come in the form of amazing perceptions.  I had to have some work done on my car yesterday.  It cost me a lot of money that was earmarked towards something else.  Thank goodness I had woken up and set my intentions in the right direction.  I was able to look at this financial inconvenience in a positive light instead of getting overly worked up and angry about it and then getting on a tangent about how the world is out to get me and nothing goes my way, ARGH!!!  I believe my perception and calm, accepting assimilation of the information and events of my day was the better way to go.

There is also an empowering aspect to all this.  When the world happens to you, you are a pawn and a victim without any control over your environment or your actions.  This is what most people believe, that things happen to them, rather than they create their own reality.  When you accept that thoughts are things, that you are able control something as small as your perception of others actions, you then become empowered.  You slowly realize that your intentions, your desires...If coupled with enough good feelings, emotions and belief that you can have what you want, then you will get what you want.  You are a powerful being.  You truly can have all that you desire.  If you want a loving relationship, you can have it; If you want a million dollars, you can have it; If you want a career that inspires you, you can have it.

So often we focus on what we don't want.  If you ask someone what they are looking for in a partner they might say, well, I want someone that doesn't smoke, someone that isn't unhealthy, someone that isn't immature....WHOA!  What do they want?  They have not defined that yet, they are still focused on what they don't want.  Knowing what you DON'T want is good, but you have to use that to help define what you DO want.  The law of attraction states that if you focus on the negative of something, it's like saying to the universe you want that thing.  You ALWAYS have to say what you WANT.  Words are the way we express our desires.  If you express your desires in the negative then you will get the negative.

Setting your intentions and stating things in the positive takes practice.  The effort you put into your conscious thinking and perceptions of things will be all consuming at first.  We never really realize how negative we are until we work on being positive.  The best thing I have found to help speed up this initial process is a technique called Emotional Freedom Technique.  I believe validating the negative feeling you have and then moving forward with acceptance and positivity is an important part of bettering yourself.  Also writing down what your dreams, goals, and desires are will help you focus on the positive of the things you want.  When you start having feelings of doubt you can do EFT and then take out your "dream book" and focus on the things you want in a positive way.

There are so many subtleties that you will discover and work out for yourself as the time passes.  We do have control over our emotions, thoughts, and perceptions.  We can focus our positive energy and desires to create things or situations that we want.  This is a step by step process based on being positive, feeling good, and believing in yourself and your desires.

Always use your feelings as your guide, your thoughts as your tools, and your actions as an extension of your joy.

Until next time, I wish you a happy, healthy, productive and positive day.

Have a Great Day!

Michael Ames, LMT, CE Provider

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Oh My Broken Athlete

Oh my Broken Athlete

Metatarsals Fracture,
Joints become Inflamed

Ligaments Twist,
Muscles get Sprained

I can't run today,
I can't play the game

Oh my broken athlete
Rest well and recover fast,
For you know all too well,
Pains of the body never last

Joyous feelings are near
Around the corner, I see them now
Life is good
Have no fear
You'll be better soon somehow


Alas, the time for running is not now

Let us be happy and enjoy the rest,
Soon enough you'll be at your best

Oh my broken athlete,
Let me tell you a tale

When I think of myself as important and big,
My cup overfloweth, stress with every swig

When I understand I'm small and ever connected,
My perceptions become,
Quickly corrected

You'll run again in short while,
A day, A Month, A Year;
You'll be back soon with a smile


I find athletes to be the most interesting and amazing sub-section of our human race.  Equal parts perspiration, dedication, perseverance and insanity go into making a great athlete.  When they win or complete a personal best, the high they get is better than most drugs.  Just being around their energy can have an amazing effect on you.

The flip side of the athlete high is the injury low.  If the average person hurts themselves they are frustrated but not devastated.  When the athlete hurts themselves, they’re completely devastated. 
Being an athlete, whether amateur, elite or professional, means a dedication and passion for your sport.  Above all else you are an athlete.  When their ability to be “an athlete” is taken away due to injury, they can become extremely depressed and angry.

The upside for the sports massage therapist is you will have a very dedicated and eager client on your table.  The thing you don’t often think about though is working and dealing with their emotions.  I recently had a massage client who is a very dedicated amateur athlete.  She hurt her knee and is unable to do her athletic endeavors for about 2-3 months.  I had a different person on my table than I usually do.  Moody, angry, short and aggressive.  The attitude on the table went from “Do whatever you have to, get me better now!” to “Don’t touch me, I’m in enough pain already, why’d I even book the appointment” and finished with “I’m sorry I got upset on the table, I feel much better now, I just can’t handle not being able to be active for this long”.

She has gotten better with rest, therapy and a few shifts in perspective.  Now she’s back to being active, insane and getting her regular “maintenance” massage sessions.

I just find it interesting how we are called in to work on the body, yet end up working on the emotions and energy as well.  The best advice when working with any client is to not get too close and not take things personally.  They are dealing with their vast amount of emotional and physical holding.  We are helping them to unwind from this closed in space.  It only makes since they would let words go like they let tissue release.


Of course, the ultimate is to revel in the athlete high and withdraw from the injury low.  I have yet to master that one, maybe one day…

Have a Great Day!
-Michael Ames, LMT, Online Massage CEU Provider

Monday, July 21, 2014

Creating a busy Massage Practice

Creating a busy Massage Practice
Could you be a little busier?
Have you ever called someone for a massage and found them to be booked up for 1-2 weeks.  That really stinks for you, but it is amazing for them!  How did they do that?  Are they that good?  Do they spend a fortune on advertising?  What gives?!
Well...They certainly could be an advertising and marketing genius, but I don't think that's what gets you booked up for a week or two.  Advertising can help draw in immediate business.  People flip through a phone book or look at the google ads to find someone to help with that pain in their back RIGHT NOW!  I don't think advertising is the answer to get you fully booked; although it does help fill in the gaps or last minute cancellations.
What is it then?  Do they constantly take massage continuing education courses? Not necessarily. Are they just that good?  Most likely.  They could be absolutely amazing at massage.  This will help generate return clients and good word of mouth advertising.  I've always been more likely to wait a week or two for a quality referral as opposed to someone I'm calling from an advertisement.
It's not just technique though.  It's the whole experience.  Typically someone that is booked up has amazing skills.  They also have an amazing personality and are easy to get along with, talk to and trust.  They offer a professional, safe, clean and comfortable environment to do the massages in.  They are focused.  They have their "target market" in site and are constantly going after their niche.  They are probably feeling great about what they are doing, loving their job, having no stress about it, and enjoying the flow around them too.
Going after a niche market can seem counter intuitive to some massage therapists.  You say, "Hey!  There are 100,000 people in my town and I want to massage all of them.  I don't want to go after a market of 1,000 people that are really into sports massage, energy healing, or whatever specialty you’re interested in.  That cuts off 99,000 potential customers!"  It doesn't though.  Focusing on a niche market allows you to become an expert on that one thing you offer.  You can become a voice in that niche community.  You can become known as, The Massage Therapist, for that niche.
Imagine going to every meet up group, every town hall meeting, every event, for everything going on in your town.  You simply couldn't.
Now imagine going to every sports related event in your town, going to meetings with other sports professionals about how to better serve the market, volunteering with lower level sports teams, doing massage at races and events related to sports.  That is doable....
And if you do it enough, you become known.
When you become known, you get referrals.
When you get referrals and you are good at what you do, you get repeat business.
When you get a lot of repeat business, scheduling their next session as they leave your office...
You get booked up 2 weeks in advance.
Now, combine your "known" factor with some basic internet advertising like google AdWords or simply making your website search engine friendly, mix in a little time for things to grow, and out you get a practice with lots of referrals, repeat business, and a few people getting in last minute to fill the gaps or last minute cancellations.
Major companies are realizing this more and more.  They have to develop a relationship with their customers, not just compete on who offers the lowest price.  People will pay more money for the same item if they feel a connection with the person selling it to them.  To convey this to the massage world, people will pay your private practice rate, they will not leave you for a cheaper massage somewhere else, they will refer their friends to you....All because you have developed a relationship with them and you are Known in their unique world, their niche market.
Everything takes time to grow.  Some people can start today and with creativity, intelligence, belief and drive they can create their dream practice within 6 months or sooner.  Most people will take about a year or more of consistently engaging their niche market to get to the booked up point.  Of course, everything is completely variable and dependent upon many different factors.  Economics of your practice; your area; your niche market; amount of people in your niche market; location of your niche market.
If you don’t know anything about marketing online, there are several online continuing education classes for massage therapists you can take to increase your marketing savvy.  Understanding what your niche market is takes insight and experience.
Good luck with all your efforts!  Check out some of our online continuing education courses for massage therapists.
Hope you have a great day!
Michael Ames
LMT, CE Provider
NCBTMB PROVIDER # 451911-12
FLORIDA PROVIDER # 50-13930

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

I'll Never See That Client Again!

I’ll never see that client again!

Clients can irritate you for many reasons.  Not all of them warrant an immediate “Get off my table NOW!” response.

If a client is blatantly sexual or leading you into illegal or unethical behavior, then not seeing that client again is an easy decision. There are some boundaries that a professional and ethical massage therapist simply won’t let a client cross.

But what about the more common boundary crossing that clients engage in?
1) Arriving late or not showing up for appointments
2) Booking a relaxation massage and requesting deep tissue once they’re on your table
3) Trying to learn personal information about you

Let’s discuss these boundaries in more detail.

1) Arriving late or not showing up for appointments

This causes an enormous amount of stress for many massage therapists.  On your busy days you often find yourself booked back-to-back, or possibly with a short break scheduled between appointments.  If a client shows up late, there can be pressure to give them their full time on the table, which can eat into your personal time.  There can also be pressure to charge them for only the time you actually massaged them—perhaps 30 minutes instead of the full 60-minute massage.  If this happens a lot it can lead to resentment towards that specific client, which eventually may lead to resentment of all clients, which leads to resentment of your profession.

There is a very good reason for the high burnout rate among massage therapists.  Working too much or too often with poor body mechanics leads to physical burnout.  Meanwhile, the resentment and stress which occur when boundaries aren’t firmly maintained lead to emotional burnout for many therapists.  Most people become massage therapists to help others.  They have a high amount of compassion towards their fellow human beings.  But resentment and stress can whittle away the compassion you started off with.

Why do massage therapists put up with these boundary crossers?

I think there are two primary reasons these clients are not fired or at least induced to modify their behavior through strict boundary setting.

1) Fear.  Fear that you will lose the money this client represents and not be able to replace it with a new, possibly better client.  This is common in any business, but more so amongst massage therapists.  The only way to get over this fear is to face it.  Experienced therapists have found there are always more clients out there.  If you learn from your mistakes and set firm boundaries, you will not only find a new client, you will find a better client.

2) Guilt.  Guilt at charging for your services.  Many massage therapists got into the field to help people.  They often began their careers massaging their family members and friends.  Massage was for fun.  Massages can cost anywhere from $40 to $200 for a one-hour treatment.  That can be a lot of money for the average person.  When a client shows up late for an appointment and you charge them for an hour when they only received 30 minutes of massage, this can lead to feelings of guilt.  The key to avoiding this guilt is realizing you are a professional.  You offer your time as well as a service.  If your time is booked, it is the responsibility of the client to show up and make use of it.

How to fix the problem at its core:

People over-schedule themselves.  They fill their days with more than they can handle.  They forget to factor in traffic delays when traveling somewhere.  Their child gets sick and they forget their appointment.  Life is inherently chaotic, but you can take a few steps to make sure yours isn’t any more chaotic than it has to be.

1) Set boundaries early.  Trying to set a boundary after a certain behavior has been going on for a long time is difficult and can lead to losing a client (although this isn’t always a bad thing).  The trick to avoiding feelings of guilt when setting boundaries is to set them early.  Having a clear office policy that every new client must read and sign helps to establish the responsibilities of the client and the therapist. 

Some common late or no-show policies are:
No-Show:
·         1st offense – warning
·         2nd offense – half payment
·         3rd & future offenses – full payment
*Some may say, “Just fire the client”.  You can definitely do that if their not showing up causes you undue stress.  But if the client is fine with paying the full price for their massage and you are not stressed when it happens, then there doesn’t seem to be a need to fire the client.  Your boundaries have been established, and the client respects them and understands that they are paying for your time as well as the massage.

Late Arrival:
The client pays the full price of the scheduled appointment but only receives whatever time is left in the scheduled time slot.  Some therapists will give the client the full amount of scheduled time on the table if they don’t have anyone else scheduled directly afterward.

The important thing to remember is that every situation is different.  Your policies are not made to be set in stone.  If someone is coming to your office for pregnancy massage and ends up missing an appointment because she went into labor the night before, would you feel comfortable charging her for the missed appointment?  I wouldn’t.

2) Remember, you are a professional and there are plenty of clients.
Professionals charge for their services.  You are a professional.  Your time is valuable to you and your clients.  Setting and sticking to boundaries will help ensure you are treated as a professional.  Remember, your clients value your services.  They are willing to pay you for your massage.

Keeping in mind that there are plenty of clients out there can help you to be firm with your boundaries.  Oftentimes fear will stop a massage therapist from firing a client, fear of not replacing the money that client represents.  Only experience facing this fear will prove to you that there are plenty of clients out there.  Once you fire a “bad” client, you open up the opportunity for a “good” client to fill that space.

2) Booking a relaxation massage and requesting deep tissue once they’re on your table

If you have different rates for relaxation and deep tissue massages you may encounter this type of boundary crosser.  This is not inherently a problem.  It can be an opportunity to upsell the client to the more expensive service.  The problem is when the client doesn’t want to pay the upcharge or promises you a bigger tip for not charging them the difference.

If a client gets on your table and realizes they need more specific work than they thought, that’s good.  They’re in tune with their body and want to make some more positive changes in it.  This is your opportunity to tell them that you can provide a deep tissue massage, it’s “X” amount more, and that amount will be added on to the bill.  If they have no problem with this, great!

Some clients will try this repeatedly, hoping to find a therapist who just does the deep tissue massage instead of confronting them about payment.  This all goes back to many therapists’ feelings of guilt about charging for what they do.  Being firm but respectful with these clients will allow you to solve the problem right away.  If the client is upset by your unwillingness to cross your boundary, you can simply end the massage.  Of course this will be uncomfortable at the time, but ultimately, saying no to someone trying to cross your boundaries will leave you feeling better about your personal and professional life.

If you are an employee of a bigger spa, it can be awkward and tempting if the client offers you a bigger tip on the condition you don’t have them charged for the more expensive service.  You may want to supplement your own income rather than having the corporate machine reap the profits. 

This is an excellent opportunity to flex your professional ethical muscles:



1, 2 & 3, there you go, flex those ethical muscles!  You ultimately get more out of your professional life by providing quality care to your clients and being respectful of your employer as well as yourself and other clients.

3) Trying to learn personal information about you

Oftentimes a client will ask questions about your personal life.  This isn’t always a “creepy” or “bad” thing, at least from the client’s perspective.  They find themselves in a vulnerable position and are seeking comfort in the form of understanding the person who has power over them.  This is a very common occurrence.  Some therapists don’t mind and some therapists find these questions disturbing.

Setting your boundaries in regard to personal questions can seem difficult.  First you have to ask yourself why you want to stop the client from asking personal questions.  Once you understand your motivations you can begin gently encouraging the client to focus on their breathing, reminding them why they are on your table.  Their session is for them.  Whether they are on your massage table for pain relief or relaxation, they should focus on being present in their bodies.  This is easily accomplished through focused breathing.  Many clients will talk to their massage therapist as a way to distract themselves from being present in their body.  Sometimes it can be scary to be present with yourself.  Keep that in mind when encouraging your clients to focus on being present with themselves rather than on you.

Oftentimes this behavior is about the psychological phenomenon of transference.   Massage therapists find themselves in a position of power over their clients.  You may not want that power, but you have it.  The client may transfer feelings about powerful figures in their lives (such as parents, spouses, and doctors) to you.  It is your responsibility as a professional to recognize transference when it occurs and deal with it appropriately.  It can be flattering to have the conversation be about you, and even feel good to know your client is interested in you personally and not just your massage.  It is vital to maintain your professional ethics and remind the client that the massage is about them, not you.  You are the one in control of the session, so it is up to you to compensate if transference seems to be happening.

The important thing you should take away from this article is prevention.  The most important aspect of setting boundaries is doing so in the beginning of any professional relationship.  Laying out expected behaviors and outcomes can take much of the stress surrounding boundary crossing out of the equation.

Remember, there are plenty of clients out there!  Don’t let fear of losing a client stop you from creating a practice filled with good, boundary abiding clients.  Ultimately you are in control.

Many states have Ethics, including Roles & Boundaries, as a CEU requirement for massage therapists.  This course can be done online and serves as an excellent guide for helping therapists deal with ethical situations, including boundaries.

Another great resource for helping you handle ethical and boundary dilemmas with clients is other massage therapists.  Discussing concerns with your fellow massage therapists helps you work out your ethical and boundary related problems in a comfortable, judgment-free atmosphere.  It also helps you bond with your colleagues.  Massage can sometimes leave you feeling isolated.  It is important to meet with your fellow therapists to bond and experience being part of a group.

Advanced Fundamentals offers live & online continuing education courses for massage therapists.  We are a NCBTMB and Florida approved CEU Provider.  Our courses are valid for most states.  Check out our CEU Approvals page to see if we are approved for your state.

Hope you have a great day!
Michael Ames
LMT, CE Provider
407-913-9755
NCBTMB PROVIDER # 451911-12
FLORIDA PROVIDER # 50-13930


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The Power of Basic Compression

The Power of Basic Compression Massage



The Power of Basic Compression
When you go to massage school you are taught the basics.  Sometimes you are given a taste of techniques and concepts that are beyond the basics, but it is only a taste.  As you go out into the world as a professional massage therapist you take continuing education classes that discuss advanced techniques and concepts that will eliminate pain and solve all your clients’ problems.  So many of these techniques are wonderful and amazing; they provide you with an arsenal of bodywork tools that you can use to make dramatic changes within your clients.

Through my CEU business, Advanced Fundamentals Education, I offer these advanced techniques and concepts.  With my private massage clients I utilize these concepts to make drastic changes in their structure and pain symptoms.  In a recent seminar I had a student do some basic compressions on my back while we were on a break.  It was absolutely amazing how good it felt.  My tension level decreased drastically; I breathed deeper; and although temporarily foggy, I felt clearer and better ready to teach the rest of the day.

This simple 2 minute compression nearly knocked me out!  Here I am teaching advanced structural bodywork and I was blindsided by general, basic compression.  I readily admit I know very little in the grand scheme of the universe, so when I am “blindsided” by something I ask myself; “Self…What can I learn from this?”

What I learned from this experience is how important and powerful the “Basics” can be.  My belief in bodywork and life is the basics count.  For my structural bodywork classes I focus on what I consider the basics; biomechanics and movement possibilities.  Through my singular focus I forgot about the most basic aspects of massage therapy; Compassion and Touch.

Most massage therapists find themselves in this profession because they care about people.  They have a certain amount of compassion and desire to help others.  You learn anatomy and Swedish massage strokes in massage school.  You get out of school and start with your massage practice, providing compassionate touch to the public.  Sometimes, as a new therapist, or even a seasoned one, you begin to doubt your value because you don’t know the hottest new technique or have all the advanced trainings out there.  Sometimes you forget just how important the basics of what you do are.

I wanted to share this thought because I feel everyone forgets from time to time just how powerful the basics of what you do can be to someone.  Right before I received the basic compression on my back you could have asked me what I thought I needed and I would have said some thorough and specific structural work (which I do), but it never would have crossed my mind to say I need some compression.  Never.

Now I have learned from my experience and if you asked me today what I need I may still say specific structural work, but I’ll also ask for some basic compression.  It’s a wonderful thing to have an open mind and enjoy the fundamentals of what we do and why we do it.


 Take Care of Yourselves!
Michael Ames, LMT, CEU Provider
407-913-9755

Advanced Fundamentals offers online and live CEU credits for massage therapists.
Advanced Fundamentals is an NCBTMB & State of Florida Approved CEU Provider