I started my massage practice in my home following graduation and after 18 months I decided to move into an office.  When I made the move I was asked often why I decided to change my office setting.  Seeing as I had a thriving business and a quiet, soothing space in my home that didn’t cost anything it seemed like an unnecessary move to some.  But for me, it made sense.

About a year into my home practice I started to think about what it would be like to have an office.  My first sign that change was near.  I loved working out of my home and truly, there was nothing negative about the situation but there was something inside that was curious, I decided to listen.   For a few months,  I took in the detail of other offices I visited, asked therapists how they liked working in their space and researched the pros and cons of renting.  At the time, I was content with working out of my home and for me, times of contentment are always a good time for change.  I’ve never been one to wait for burn out or frustration to set in, instead I listen to the voice within and trust my intuition even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment.

One day, a few months later I decided to look for space, just to see how much it would cost.  Later that afternoon, I signed a lease and have never looked back.  It took me a few years to find my home but alas I have settled into a beautiful wellness center that is ideal for my practice.

It wasn’t until I had started practicing in my new office that it became evident to me why I moved.  Having a dedicated space outside of my home has allowed me a concrete separation between work and personal life.  It has also helped me hold boundaries on hours of operation and days that I am practicing.   I really enjoy time between sessions for self care as opposed to throwing in a load of laundry, a quick vacuum or bill paying.  Being in an office outside my home allows me to focus on my work with little distraction.   Sure there’s a cost involved but it’s been a great tax write off and since my bookings and marketing is done from my home office I am able to deduct that space as well.

So if you are looking for an office to practice massage I recommend taking the following things into consideration.  Parking for your clients, accessibility/location, other businesses in the building, temperature of the space and ability to control that, security, size of the space and of course, cost.  Other than that, the most important tip I can give you is to always follow your intuition it will never lead you in the wrong direction.

The City of Roses blossomed another honor with the recent recognition of Jacki Gethner, a pioneer massage therapist in the treatment of HIV/AIDS infected clients by Kaiser Permanente who presented her with the Kaiser Permanente HIV/AIDS Diversity Award at their 32nd Annual Diversity Conference in San Francisco in November 2009.

Read the article here.

One hundred and thirty one Colorado State Capitol workers, including eleven legislators, enjoyed a 15-minute seated massage yesterday in the darkened halls outside the Supreme Court Chambers. Even though the Massage Therapy registration is in place, it is still important that we continue to be visible in the eyes of our law makers. The Colorado Coalition of Massage Therapists is still actively monitoring bills that come up that could have potentially negative effects on our practice.
Men and women in dark suits lined up anxiously awaiting therapists to guide them to an empty chair. Legislators, some Senators, aids, lawyers, and office workers came and went all day long. They were so happy to have us there and for the opportunity to de-stress. Every year they say the same things, “This is our favorite day”, “It’s great of you to do this.”, “I have started getting regular massage because I saw the benefit from these sessions.”

Although we do not encourage massage therapists to solicit business during this event, many participants do ask for a business card and it’s okay to give them one.
If you would like to be apart of this event next year, keep an eye out for announcements. It is a wonderful way for us to be of service to some of the most stressed out people in the state. –Elaine Calenda, BCMT Instructor & attendee

I strongly recommend that you refrain from exercising until the following day. If anything, use your massage as an excuse to take it easy for the day. After a massage, your muscles need recovery time, much like they do after a workout. Your body will be feeling less tense and your muscles will be loose. It is easy to overdo it as your muscles can lose their ability to sense what is too much for them. Meaning you could potentially strain a muscle or push it too hard and not realize it until its too late. Working-out after a massage can counteract the effects of the session.

All I can do is make the recommendation, it is up to you to listen to your body and your therapist. Personally, I never workout after a massage, I prefer to let the work sink in and give my body time to absorb its effects before working out. I urge you to get the most out of your session, refraining from exercise after receiving a massage will allow you to do just that.

Next weekend BCMT will be host to guest instructor Rachel Katz and her 2-day Sensory-Motor Manual Therapy training.  This course is open to BCMT grads, current Integrative students, graduate of an approved 500-hour massage school, PT or other healthcare professional.

This course will expand your ability to address challenging clients by focusing on receptor pathways to alleviate pain. You will learn to make specific contact with the receptors of the skin, muscles, and joints – communicating with the deep brain for sustained change. Sensory-Motor Manual Therapy is easy on the therapist’s hands yet potent for addressing complex body issues, old patterns, and trauma. This class will benefit practitioners interested in a unique and new way to interface and engage mind/body dynamics with clients.

Rachel is is a specialist in unique mind/body and pain relief methods.  She is the author of The Consumer Guide to Recovery from Car Accidents. In 2000 she completed Dr. Peter Levine’s 3 year training program in treating emotional and physical trauma. She is credentialed as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.

Here’s what Elaine Calenda, BCMT’s Academic Dean had to say:
This class is amazing and so is Rachel Katz. I was referred to Rachel by my doctor for physical therapy. I was expecting the typical treatment, you know, resistive exercises and thousands of crunches. It was nothing of the sort. Rachel simply used her hands to gentle guide me out of pain that had limited my life for 6 long years. The method was painless and surprisingly effective. In a few short weeks, I was free from back pain. I had tried every kind of therapy, most invasive, and it only made the problem worse. I realized that fighting pain with pain only perpetuates the cycle of trauma. SMMT actually re-programs the brain, replacing the pain cycle with positive feedback.

I invited Rachel to give a demonstration of the techniques to my Medical Massage class. The students loved it and wanted more. If you’d like to add this powerful tool to your practice, now is your chance.

For more information visit bcmt.org

As posted on the AMTA Colorado website:

Massage Therapy Legislative Awareness Day at the State Capitol is Tuesday, March 16, 2010, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Massage therapists can volunteer to work in two or three hour shifts (8 – 10, 10 – 12 11 – 1, 1 – 3, 3 – 5) offering chair massage to legislators and capitol staff in the Old Supreme Court Chambers on the second floor of the Capitol. We have done this event once or twice a session  since 2003 and have found it to be very effective in building good will and recognition. This year we are adding a “thank you” for our new registration law.

If you would like to volunteer to help with this event, email Nicole at Nicole@abmp.com or call 303-679-7638.

30 volunteers are needed for a successful event. We will have a few extra chairs available, but if you have your own, it is helpful. **Proof of insurance and registration are required.

According to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, demand for massage therapists is holding strong, thanks to hiring by hospitals, chiropractic offices, nursing homes and others.

“We’re now being accepted by the health care profession,” said Karen Armstrong, supervisor of clinical massage at Beaumont Hospitals, which operates massage clinics in Royal Oak and Troy. Read the entire article here.

In a recent article on CUindependent.com the BCMT clinic was spotlighted as one of Boulder’s affordable choices to receive massage.   The BCMT clinic provides nearly 7,000 massages to the local community each year and offers both professional and student sessions.  Starting at $35 for a 60-minute massage the clinic is a great option for those looking to receive healing touch without breaking the bank.

Read full article here

Thanks to efforts by BCMT’s internship manager, Aspen Sullivan, BCMT is building a new internship opportunity for its students at the Acorn School of Early Childhood Development. BCMT students, supervised by senior faculty member, Gaye Franklin, are sharing the Peaceful Touch® method with preschoolers. Peaceful Touch® is designed for children ages 3 through 8, and its approach is based on three fundamentals:

• That touch is necessary for human growth and development
• That the calming hormone, oxytocin, is activated through touch
• That a permission process supports healthy touch and helps establish good boundaries.

Peaceful Touch® for children began in Stockholm in 1995. Currently, with more than 300,000 children receiving Peaceful Touch® on a regular basis, both parents and teachers see in children lower levels of anxiety and aggression, as well as improved concentration and better group functioning. Research has verified these observations.

To find out more about this groundbreaking program, visit the Peaceful Touch website.

From time to time, I hear the term masseuse used to describe the role of my peers and myself in the massage therapy profession. I think its time to to clarify the very simple difference and confirm the role of a certified massage therapist.

A masseuse, although preferred terminology at one time, is someone solely related to massage parlors and prostitution. Similarly, massage parlor is an expired term once used to describe the office of a masseuse.

A CMT is a certified massage therapist providing therapeutic bodywork and healing touch.  CMT’s work at a variety of difference venues, including but not limited to, massage therapy clinics, wellness spas, hospitals, physical therapy offices and independently in private practice.

Now that we have this squared away, we encourage you to spread the good word as you hear people using the incorrect terminology to describe their CMT.