Newsletter: February 2007

Welcome
We are excited to share our 2nd installment of Green Chi with you. Now that we're a few issues in, we'd like to hear from you. What would you like to see in future issues? Our ears are open, let us know how we can help make the most of this experience for you. Contact Barbara with your ideas. [ email ]

BCMT Alumni Story: Jan DeCourtney
Jan DeCourtney is a 1998 graduate of the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. Jan is a holistic certified massage therapist and an active advocate of the role of massage in the overall holistic healthcare approach. Jan's private practice, Life Spring Healing Arts in Boulder , Colorado offers clients holistic health care and wellness education in addition to massage and bodywork therapy. All of the disciplines and resources Jan offers to her clients address some aspects of the mind, body, emotions and spirit in order to guide her clients towards a state of wholeness. Jan's goal of empowering people to care for themselves led to the development of her award-winning website, Life Spring Healing Arts. She felt that she could touch and help only a limited number of people in her town each day. Through her website, she can reach a much larger number of people all around the world at all times.

For 20+ years, Jan suffered from chronic illness. She visited doctor after doctor, but never found anything in conventional medicine that worked for her. Her own chronic health issues led her to Dr. Walt Stoll, one of the nation's leading experts on holistic and alternative medicine and a founding member of the Holistic Medical Association. With his help in solving the puzzle of her own chronic health problems and by following his 3LS Wellness Program, Jan began to feel better after many years of chronic illness. She realized that what

Dr. Stoll had taught her was very valuable and needed to be put into written form. Together, they co-authored Recapture Your Health: A Step-By-Step Program to Reverse Chronic Symptoms and Create Lasting Wellness , a well-written and easy-to-understand guidebook, a "how-to" manual for resolving chronic health conditions based upon Dr. Stoll's "3LS Wellness Program". The name of the program is based upon a (3) three-(L) legged (S) stool because of its balance and stability. During her research for the book, Jan learned that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that people with chronic illness make up 50 percent of the population! Jan's hope for their book is to create change in the way health care is offered in this country. If all practitioners, from massage therapists, Reiki practitioners to medical doctors, would begin to teach their patients the basics of health, our society would be healthier and happier. For further information, please contact Jan at info@lifespringarts.com or Sunrise Health Coach Publications at www.sunrisehealthcoach.com .

Share your story with us, contact Barbara for more information. [ more ]

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From the Office of Elaine Calenda, Academic Dean
Elaine is currently working with AMTA and ABMP members and, together, in February of 2006, they formed a Colorado coalition of massage therapists (CCMT) to implement an initiative to pursue state licensure for Colorado massage therapists.

In July of 2006, the coalition undertook the first step by submitting a "Sunrise Application" to the State of Colorado 's Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). In 1990, an earlier coalition submitted a similar application but it was denied due to lack of proof that massage by a non-trained massage "therapist" could cause harm. The time has come for this initiative, as massage therapy continues to be used as a guise for massage parlors and human trafficking, resulting in illegitimate "storefront" businesses. Several Colorado police departments have been contacting the massage schools and professional massage therapy organizations asking, "When are you going to become licensed? We want to close down these illegal operations, but our hands are tied." With the advent of new support from law enforcement and legislators working against the human trafficking issue, this initiative stands a better chance of becoming a reality. In October, this issue and the "Sunrise Application" will go before the Colorado State General Assembly. The decision will be handed down in late October or November, 2007.

Earlier this month, the coalition invited representatives from all Colorado massage schools to a meeting at the Colorado School of Healing Arts, the goal is to unify massage therapy in Colorado . A few of the topics discussed were "grand-fathering" certified massage therapists. Once the law is in place, new practitioners will be required to take the national certification exam or similar exam. Continuing education requirements were not decided at this time, but will most likely be similar to the requirements of the AMTA or the NCBTMB.

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Fundraiser for Independent Filmmaker, Deborah Fryer, PhD
On Friday, February 23, 2007 from 6 - 8 pm, BCMT will host a fundraiser for filmmaker, Deborah Fryer, PhD of not-for-profit "From the Heart Productions".

The evening will begin with her 28-minute medical documentary on Parkinson's disease, titled "Shaken". Both the filmmaker and the Parkinson's patient who participated in this documentary, Paul Schroder, will be present. Elaine Calenda will be demonstrating medical massage for Parkinson's patients following the film. Laurie Craig of The Atlanta School of Massage has invited BCMT to join a pilot study of the benefits of medical massage for Parkinson's patients. Ms. Craig and The Atlanta School of Massage, in cooperation with Emory University, has recently completed a study on this very topic. BCMT is both honored and proud to host this event. It is open to the public. Please join us for an enlightening, educational evening and a most worthy cause. RSVP to shaken@bcmt.org or 303-530-2100. Suggested donation $10* Click here for more information.

*All proceeds will be donated to Deborah's production company, From the Heart Productions.

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All Alumni Homecoming 2007
To celebrate our 30 years of graduates and the purchase of our beautiful campus at 6255 Longbow, the Alumni Development Committee invites all BSMT/BCMT graduates to attend our first annual celebration on June 16, 2007. [ more ]

If you know fellow alumni who do not know about this great event please email them this link: http://www.bcmt.org/homecoming/index.htm to find out more information.

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Continuing Education
Below is a listing of all spring quarter courses by program:

100-Hour Spa Elements Certificate Program
Module 4: Body Masques: April 20 - 22

100-Hour The Art of Zen Certificate Program  
Module 5: Hara Assessment: The Expression From Within: April 28 & 2

125-Hour Prenatal, Labor,Postpartum Certificate Program
Module 3: Creative Support for Laboring Women: April 20 - 22

150-Hour Orthopedic and Sports Massage Certificate Program
Sports Injuries and Dysfunctions of the Cervical Spine and Upper Extremity: April 20 - 22

75-Hour Energy Healing Certificate Program
Healing Touch: April 13 - 15

100-Hour Canine Massage Certificate Program
Module 3: Expanding Canine Massage Knowledge Through Acupressure: April 13 - 15

In addition to the certificate programs, BCMT offers several one-day, five-day or weekend continuing education classes:

Natural Energy Flows: April 28
The Psychology and Ethics of Touch: April 28
Canine Massage: A Preparatory Course for the Non-Professional: May 16 - 20
Therapeutic Movement in Bodywork: May 5 - 6

For further information our continuing education coordinator
ph: 303.530.2100 or 1.800.442.5131 (Outside Colorado )
e: continuinged@bcmt.org

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