The Massage for Peace program by the Boulder College of Massage Therapy literally touches hundreds of people each year.

The non-profit massage school helps student share their healing hands with those living with illness, in poverty, and through war and conflict. Each year they offer 10,000 hours of massage free of charge to those who need it most.

As one alumna for the College, Becky Little explains Massage for Peace is “the simple act of reaching out and touching someone. Extending the love, care, and respect that comes from nurturing touch to another human being is a gift that enriches life. The gentle touch of a hand or a reassuring hug reduces fear, anxiety, and loneliness often felt in times of unrest and despair.”

You see, before becoming a massage therapist I always hated the tipping game.  ‘He’s the owner, do you tip the owner?’ ‘How much did I tip last time?’  ‘What if I tip less by mistake, will she think I didn’t like my service?’

For me, there was always an air of confusion around tipping.  Many times I found myself thinking about it during the session which undoubtedly diminished my experience.

When I decided to become a massage therapist, I knew two things: 1) I would go into private practice 2) I would not accept gratuities.

As my education ensued, I learned more about the ancient skill of massage and felt, many times over,  it’s profound benefits.  I learned that massage is not a luxury, it is a necessity.  Everyone in my class recognized that massage therapy is health care.  We talked casually in class a few times about tipping and I think it was summed up best by one of my classmates who compared it to tipping a doctor.  Of course, it made so much sense, decision not to accept tips confirmed.

Now, I understand that this policy would be difficult to uphold in a spa, clinic type setting when the therapist is receiving a percentage of the actual cost. But for me, it made sense.  I was going into private practice.  I would have complete control over my business, my rates and my policies.  I would be collecting 100% of the fees (me and Uncle Sam that is) and I figured if I ever needed my clients to pay me more, I would simply raise my rates.

It’s been 4 years since I started my practice and I have only received positive feedback from clients about my non-tipping rule.  They respect it and they appreciate it.  I know this because they tell me all the time.

Carrie graduated in 1980 and continues to learn more about the profession she practices. She studied Thai massage for two months in Thailand and is certified in La Stone massage. More than 20 years after graduating from BCMT, Carrie says, “I’m so grateful I’m doing what I love.”

For over 15 years, Carried worked in chiropractic offices, gaining invaluable experience and earning enough to support her three children. “It’s a wonderful occupation for a single mother because of the flexibility.” At the same time, she built up a private practice through referrals. One of those referrals led Jorge Cisneros to her door. Jorge had been suffering from chronic back pain due to a long-time spinal problem.

Carrie will never forget the day she met Jorge. She was thrilled to have a client from Mexico and hoped that she had made him feel comfortable. After his appointment Jorge surprised her by saying, “I’d like to schedule another appointment.”

Little did Carrie know that Jorge was worried about the impression he’d make. “After arriving to my appointment I remember that I was not sure on ‘how much’ I should undress being my first massage ever. I was clueless and I didn’t want to cause a bad impression,” says Jorge. “Anyway the session went really well and I felt quite comfortable with Carrie. As she finished I knew I had to continue receiving massage. It didn’t take long to realize the benefits of massage.”

Jorge’s been a regular client of Carrie’s ever since and the intense back pain he once suffered from hasn’t returned. He’s also a recent graduate of BCMT’s 1000-Hour Certificate in Massage Therapy Program. How did this come about?

“A long time before I considered studying massage, Carrie gave me some basic massage lessons. I truly believe that Carrie was one of those people who played an important role (in my decision to apply). One of the things that I always admired from Carrie was that she seems really happy working in the massage therapy field. I also did some research on what other options I had and decided that BCMT was the best place for me based on the curriculum.”

So how does Carrie and Jorge’s story end? It doesn’t. For Carrie, Jorge and his family are like family to her and she’ll continue to do what she loves. As for Jorge, he says, “Carrie has been a mentor and an extraordinary friend by sharing her experience with me. I know for sure that I’ll keep getting massages from her for as long as I can.”

Carrie Tarran graduated from BCMT in 1980. She has a full-time practice, dividing her time between Boulder and Paonia, Colorado.

Jorge Cisneros graduated from BCMT in 2002 and has more than 1000 hours of experience working with a wide variety of people. He is currently employed by Massage Envy and has a private practice in Boulder, Colorado.

Have you ever had the feeling you’re forgetting something when you leave for work? You know, that nagging sensation that there’s something you missed that you were supposed to take with you? It’s happened to everyone.

I polled 15 massage therapists about what they always carry with them, even when they don’t have clients scheduled. Each massage therapist had different opinions, and each had different jobs—a few have their own business, many work at day spas or clinics, and a couple people work directly with chiropractors or doctors. Some suggestions were pretty obvious, but a few surprised me. The items on this list may seem like a lot to carry, but most are small and fit nicely into a pouch you can slip into a purse, day pack or briefcase.

Full article by Nancy Elizabeth Green here.

If you read my previously posted, Hidden Talents of a Massage Therapist article then you know that doubling as a DJ is required by our profession.   Switching up songs to keep the musical vibes fresh are a common pastime for any massage therapist but with Itunes Genius disc jockey duties are now officially delegated.  At this point, you’re either shaking your head and wondering how I’m surviving in such a sheltered life or like me, excited to learn more.

I found this quick tutorial online, click on the image below to view the video.  The great thing about Genius – it’s easy!  I do recommend a quick screening of the songs to make sure they are right for your clients.  I’ve been switching up my music each day for a week now and Genius has yet to steer me in the wrong direction.  Happy mixing!

Aspen, an integral member of the BCMT community, was subtle but fervent and committed to holding the top bid on her basket of choice.   At the close of the night, much to her delight she walked away with her culinary arts themed basket.  Recently, Aspen checked back in with us after using one of her prize winnings, a gift certificate to the Culinary School of the Rockies.

Thank you Aspen, for being a part of this special celebration and for sharing your experience with us.

I wanted to let you know Dave and I used our gift certificate at the Rocky Mountain Culinary school in Boulder that we won at the silent auction for the school last July.  I also wanted to let you know how much fun we had.

I remember debating about going to the fundraiser because it was held so shortly after my mom passed away and I was just not feeling up for being social.  I went and now I couldn’t be happier that I did.  Dave has a passion for cooking and it brought me so much joy to see him in a professional kitchen with a Chef.  He was able to ask her so many questions.  I, of course, will benefit in the years to come from that one little gift certificate we won the bid on.  Thank you again for the efforts put forth to make the fundraiser come together.

Take care-
Aspen

Keep in mind that although some of these talents have been growing inside since my first day in business there are others that I have mastered within a moment’s notice.  There are many more but I can’t share them all or else they wouldn’t be hidden talents.  Here are a few of my favorites.

DJ Master Mix
Hey Mr. DJ put a record on….. Oh Madonna, you sing it so harmonically that it seems the job of a DJ, is a job easily done.  Well let me tell you something Evita, it’s not as easy as it looks.  There is only so much ‘check out’ music that I can handle in a given workweek.   So as I discern which playlist is most appropriate for each client, I must also take stock in how many more Oms I can handle without losing my mind.  Variety is everything and therefore perfecting this skill will be a career long endeavor.

Silent Yawner
Massage therapists are human, I am human.  I get fatigued, sometimes I don’t sleep well the night before and yes, sometimes I need to get a big ole’yawn out in the middle of a session.  There was no time to learn this talent; I had to conquer the silent yawn on the first try.  If I didn’t, I would have risked my client thinking that I was unprofessional and bored with their well being.

My advice on this one; go big with the facial movements (see photo) to make up for the lack of noise.  Take it slow, don’t rush it and keep that voice box on the down low.

Super Athlete
I’ve heard it time and time again from my clients, they massage other people and their hands get sore after a few minutes.  So how can I continue for hours at a time?  It’s because I quickly moved from massage therapist to massage therapist super athlete.  Occupational hazard?  Maybe.   But I once read that the sustained muscular contraction a massage therapist withstands is comparable to that of an endurance athlete.  So, move over Lance, there is a new breed of athlete in town – the healer.

The Juggler
Life happens, I know this.  Many times when one person in a couple starts getting massage the other will follow.  Unfortunately sometimes the relationship with massage outlasts the couple.  In these cases, I want to avoid all possible run-ins and in order to do this I must find appointments where they don’t exist, bump my free loading husband to another time slot or just take a longer break in between for the sake of serenity.  I am an ambassador of peace and I will uphold my commitment at all cost.

The Sneeze Avoider
I know my clients care about me but I also know when they’re forking over $70/hour they don’t need to be sneezed on.  This special talent is my favorite and by far, the most difficult.  My trick is to exhale through the nose for what seems like hours, avoid looking at any light and conjure the peace within the send that sneeze away. (see image on the left for what not to do)

Chamber Maid Extraordinaire
Who can rip down the table and whip up an inviting cocoon of yummy smells, warmth and comfort like a massage therapist?  Folding fitted sheets?  Please, that’s child’s play.  Move over J’Lo, I make your Maid in Manhattan look like a ravaged campsite.

As I mentioned before, there are many more hidden talents and I’m sure more that I will master in the future.  For now, I will rest my laurels on being a Super Talented DJ Athlete, Silent Yawning, Juggling Sneeze Avoiding, Chamber Maid Extraordinaire.

Most recently, I was in Australia working on a project with my daughter for 3 months and was able to see some massage clients as well.  From there, I did a little side excursion to Bali where I stayed at an Ayurvedic Health retreat www.amrtasiddhi.com and was able to learn more about the practice of Ayurveda and its amazing health benefits.  I was also enrolled in a traditional Balinese massage course through a local massage school www.jamuspaschool.com  where I  picked-up some new massage techniques and enjoyed working with the Indonesian therapists.  Once you get to some of these exotic destinations you will find the actual training, treatments and living expenses are very reasonable.   

I returned to BCMT and inquired of a friend/graduate of BCMT, Jessica Shada, who had been working as a massage therapist  in Vail for the winter season.  She had packed her table and was off to the Carribean to work for the same resort for an undetermined length of time before heading off to the next destination.  I was elated!  I had recruited Jessica a few years earlier and one of her main goals after graduation was to travel and she obviously had made it happen. 

monkey massage ubud, bali

The beautiful thing is, massage is universal.  It is everywhere you go.  Other cultures have believed in its healing power for thousands of years.  Even monkies!  I am so glad our population is finally catching on. 

Springtime in the Rockies….it’s great to be home…..for awhile (:

Rebecca

Map of Bali

For most of us, the word “Bali”  conjures up visions of paradise.  The last paradise, the dawning of the world, and the center of the universe are yet more names for this beautiful tropical island inhabited by artistic people who have created a dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies. BCMT’s very own Becky Little has just returned from Bali (via Brisbane), and we look forward to hearing her stories.

Becky made her way to Bali via a 3-month sojourn in Brisbane, Australia. While the focus of her stay was to help her daughter set up a bookkeeping system for her interior design company, she took time out to expand her massage training. She made the wise choice to take advantage of cheap, direct flights from Brisbane to explore Bali’s ancient tradition of massage. Over a thousand years ago, merchant ships regularly travelled through modern day Indonesia. Hindus from India brought healing massage techniques and oil massage as well as herbal treatments. Buddhists from China brought acupressure techniques.

During her stay in Bali, Becky visited two of Bali’s most famous villages:  Sanur and Ubud.  Ubud is located inland, and is known for its fine arts, dance and music; while Sanur is a coastal village famous for its black sand beaches. Keep a look out for future blogs from Becky about what she studied, and how she’s incorporating it into her private massage therapy practice in Boulder. Oh, and I almost forgot: Happy Birthday Becky.–Carol Brunelli

Not only was my first travel experience with massage safe, but it was also educational. As a student who loves to teach I volunteered to show the demo of neuromuscular massage to the Mayan massage therapist. Their interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm showed me how much we take for granted in the United States. I felt the same while watching their demos of Mayan Abdominal Massage. As specific and factual as my demo was, theirs was as rich with culture, trust, and experience. It was the first time I realized that we can learn so much about the body from different cultures as they all have different points of view and experiences.

As an individual I grew with every encounter, every massage, and every activity we embarked upon during this adventure. My most educational self moment was the traditional Mayan Sweat Lodge. I have never experienced something so profound and awe-inspiring as that night. It not only enhances who I am but it enhanced my class when I returned to school to undertake in my last quarter in Integrative Massage.

This trip was a crucial part of my time and educational at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, and I thank everyone for their support of international study at a technical college.

—Jessica Shada, 2009 BCMT Graduate