BCMT is so excited to announce our monthly Reiki Share Group starting on January 13, 2010 from 6 pm to 9 pm.  Anyone with Reiki experience can come and join in giving and receiving Reiki in a spectacular environment of healing.  This day is extra special as it is a World Peace Group Meditation day organized by the ICRT (International Center for Reiki Training).  We will participate in the group meditation joining thousands of people around the world using Reiki to bring peace to the world at 7:30 pm with the Peace Cards.

Reiki Share Group @ BCMT starts January 13, 2010

You can see testimonials and more information about the World Peace Meditation at reiki.org.   Please email me at dhittinger@bcmt.org if you are interested in participating in the Reiki Share Group scheduled for January 13 at 6:00. Please bring a set of sheets, we will have plenty of tables available.

Peace,

Dona Hittinger

This past week I was thrilled to get an email from a massage therapist in the Chicago area. She was looking for volunteer opportunities in Asia, specifically for massage. After a brief Google search, she found BCMT’s blog entries about our volunteer training in Dharamsala, and our Massage for Peace website (www.massage4peace.org). Her email to me was effusive, “I am so inspired by your stories of Dharamsala.” I encouraged her to volunteer at Lha Charitable Trust (www.lhasocialwork.org). Lha is always in need of massage therapy instructors. Donating just a week of one’s time can make a huge difference in Tibetan lives.

BCMT's Massage for Peace Volunteers: Dharamsala, India

Donating one’s time to teach–anything–has an exponentially positive impact on the world. The 20 students we trained in September went to work immediately on their family members and friends, comforting them and relieving their pain. Some have found employment; while others are poised to do so with a bit more training.

Lha has just purchased a beautiful, new building. The vision for the new space includes expansion of their massage therapy training program. BCMT is proud to be considered a partner in this initiative. We hope to return to Dharamsala in 2010 with another group of exceptional teachers. We believe that education is the key to making the world a better place.

Want an idea for a New Year’s resolution? Volunteer your time as a teacher. Teach massage therapy. Teach computer skills. Teach English. Teach what you’re passionate about to those who can’t afford to pay for it , or have limited access to training programs. And remember: giving back always mean getting way more than you give. Just ask our Massage for Peace teachers: Christa Forsythe, Suzanne Carroll, Dona Hittinger, Jessica Shada, Gaye Franklin, Jack Vandenberg, Louise Sexton, Becky Little, and Jessica Gumkowski.–Carol Brunelli, Massage for Peace Coordinator

BCMT Students Provide Massage to Sian Kaan Employees

As the New Year approaches, most of us do some kind of year in review, we think about what we’ve accomplished– and struggled with–in the last 12 months.  And then, we make resolutions. We put new hopes, dreams, and plans into place for the new year.  It’s been an emotional year, a phenomenal year, a year of huge milestones at BCMT.  In March, we took our first group of students on a Study Abroad/community service trip to Tulum, Mexico. Our students soaked up this experience, embracing a new culture, making new friends and making a difference. Each one of them had the opportunity to provide massage for the very first time to the hard-working folks at Sian Kaan Ecological Reserve.  They also worked on day laborers – men who do back-breaking work – during a day trip to Ek Balam.  The people they worked on had to be encouraged to receive massage.  For them, it was a luxury that people like them cannot afford - or  something strange that they wanted to stay away from. What they found out what that massage therapy is medicine–it heals–and that they deserve it.

In September, ten faculty, staff and alumni set out to make a difference, this time in Dharamsala, India. The plan was to train 20 or so Tibetan refugees in massage therapy over a six-day period. A BCMT alum, Maria August, inspired us to do this work. She had been working with a local nonprofit, Lha Charitable Trust, and told us that their plan going forward was to incorporate massage therapy into their core training programs.  We all knew that the experience would be life-changing, tranformative, amazing. What we didn’t know is that we’d be forever bonded with Tibetan refugees and their plight for freedom, opportunity, and preservation of their culture. 

I need a massage. A short phrase that says a mouthful. I say it when I’m stressed, got sore muscles, or when I need a major attitude adjustment. How often do you say it? How often do you hear it?  For many of us, massage therapy is a cure-all–or at least a highly therapeutic, effective treatment for our bodies, minds, and spirits. Well, we want everyone to know how great massage is. We figure the more people know about the therapeutic benefits of massage, the more they’ll seek it out. The more they seek it out, the better they’ll feel. We’re hoping to create a sort of wellness domino effect. And what better way to do it than to…tweet.

Sian Kaan, Tulum, Mexico

That’s right. Tweet.  We’re launching a hashtag – keyword – campaign on Twitter to raise awareness of the benefits of massage therapy. If  Twitter and tweets are new to you, no worries. It’s as easy as writing a sentence or two.  Seriously. Twitter may be the new social media darling, but that doesn’t mean it’s complicated or difficult to use. To get started, click on the Twitter icon you  see on our blog, or visit twitter.com. To start tweeting, create a username and login, and you’re good to go.

So how are you feeling today? Stressed? Run down? Fatigued? Recovering from surgery? Sore from a big workout? Feeling a bit world weary and overwhelmed? Share your current state of mind, body and spirit on Twitter, and help spread wellness.  Make sure to include the hashtag “ineedmassage”. Every tweet with those key words will be pulled into our Twitter feed.

Hey, it’s been a long day #ineedmassage.  How about you?

Massage Therapy for Veterans

BCMT has proudly served veterans during its 34-year history through its service learning and financial aid programs. Most recently, our students are working with a group of Iraq veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the Boulder Veterans Counseling Center. Our goals are to introduce safe touch and moments of relaxation that the veterans are not able to achieve otherwise. It has been a great partnership thus far.

BCMT is also approved to train veterans and their qualified dependents that are eligible for Veterans Administration Educational Benefits. We work with all VA benefit programs including the newly reformed GI Bill: Post-9/11. The Post 9/11 GI Bill, which became effective for training on or after August 1, 2009, provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001. The amount of support that individuals may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of education they are pursuing.

For more information on all available VA benefit programs including the new GI Bill, please visit VA websites: http://www.gibill.va.gov or http://www.newgibill.org.

BCMT plans for 2010 include expanding our service to veterans, and we are currently raising funds to do so. We hope that you’ll consider supporting our efforsts by donating to Massage for Peace, our local and global outreach program.

BCMT’s new Massage Therapy Certificate (CMT) program starting in January is generating a lot of buzz.  It’s been designed with you in mind:  same high quality, less time, more affordable. We’ve extended the deadline for waiving the application fee ($75), too, until November 15.

Start the new year with a new career in massage therapy.

Jessica Shada, RMT & AOS student

I just received this gracious letter today from the Director of Lha Charitable Trust, Ngawang Rabgyal, and one of Lha’s founders and Board members, Neil Guidry. It speaks volumes about the importance of education, in this case, massage therapy education, in changing people’s lives for the better.

Please consider donating to Massage for Peace (www.massage4peace.org) this holiday season to help BCMT continue its efforts to provide training and massage therapy services to the underserved in our local and global community.- Carol B.

Hello from Dharamsala,

Ngawang Rabgyal, Lha

We at Lha Charitable Trust wanted to once again thank the volunteer instructors from BCMT. Your instructors were both professional and personal. The Tibetan Refugees that received your training and our staff all express their appreciation. We all hope that our new relationship with BCMT will continue long into the future. The Tibetan People and BCMT share the mission of world peace through non-violence.
It should be mentioned that the time your volunteers spent here will have far reaching benefits. Most Tibetan Refugees arrive in India destitute, fleeing oppression. Most come from nomadic herding communities; the skills they come with are no longer helpful in gaining employ. Through massage training, many are able to find work to support them and also provide financial assistance to their families still inside Tibet who are often in dire circumstances.
Many of the Tibetan Refugees that come through our programs eventually end up in western countries. Our original mission of providing them with Language and Computer skills is certainly very helpful and necessary, yet not enough. The addition of this Massage program is offering the much needed skills and confidence necessary to begin their new lives.
We are looking forward to our next group of BCMT volunteer instructors. Hopefully, with the guidance and support of BCMT, we will be able to develop our Massage Training Program and further reach out to more of those in need.
Thank you.

Sincerely,
Ngawang Rabgyal
Lha General Manager

PS For more info about Lha Charitable Trust please see www.lhasocialwork.org

At Lha in Dharamsala, there were 5 women in our basic level massage class who learned a full body Swedish massage and chair massage in our week long intensive. They ranged in ages from 20-30 years old. The youngest was born and raised in India and her parents were Tibetan. The others had all journeyed from Tibet at different ages alone or with family members, but only one had any family there in Dsala with them. The rest were on their own!

Louise Sexton and students from Lha Charitable Trust

When we asked them why they wanted to study massage they all emphasized that they felt it was a very important way of helping themselves and their families stay healthy. For some it was to work on family members who were in pain (i.e. mothers, husbands, children). They said massage was an alternative to unavailable health-care options. Another was motivated by her own interest to become a teacher and to continue her studies in the sciences and health related fields. She was going to be moving to Germany to be united with her mother and siblings, to continue her studies and to work as a massage therapist. Her mother wanted her to study massage so that she could share her knowledge by teaching her mother what she learned. Her mother wanted to become a massage therapist, too! Several were hoping to find employment as massage therapists there in Dsala. One worked at a local hotel, Chonor House, that as you know is popular with American tourists and celebrities and she hoped to be able to offer massage to guests at the hotel in addition to her current duties. We have already heard from her and she is doing just that and doing well!!! Another was a mother of 2 who hoped to return to the work force and hoped to do that as a massage therapist.

All of our students, having limited or no previous education opportunities before arriving in Dsala, were emphatic about how important it was to them to be learning. Many of them were taking other classes at Lha; one had been studying there for 2 years. Their desire to learn was insatiable. They were impressive and quick learners with enthusiastic, open minds and hearts, fun loving spirits, and strong intuitions. Each of them were a blessing to Jessica Gumkowski and I as teachers.

20 Lha Students Graduate from BCMT Massage Therapy Training

Namaste,

Louise Sexton, Swedish Therapeutic Massage instructor

Male students Travis and Mike practicing sports massage techniques in Nate B.'s sports massage class.

Every week I hear the same questions arise from apprehensive male students.  Can a male massage therapist make it in this profession?  So being that I’m a female, I thought it was high time that you  got your answers from the guys!  So I’ve decided to track down some of the male massage therapists in the area and ask them about their business and practice.  I feel that there are some concerns and questions that everyone wonders about.  From my own expierence,  I have had so many massages I can’t even begin to count them all,  and with all honesty,  I have recieved my most amazing massage and my least favorite massage from male therapists.  The best one pretty much blew my mind and I connected with my inner self in a way I never had previously.  The least favorite was with an absent minded drone that took no passion for the art form.  I know that’s rough, but it was quite unpleasant.   So,  I am completely unbiased and I’ll present their insight for you. 

First on our agenda is Jack Vandenberg.  Jack has a private practice in Boulder, he rents space in a  chiropractic office.  Jack,  what is your insight into being a male massage therapist?

“Coming into the massage therapy field as a male has been quite interesting.  I remember having quite a few questions about entering the field as a male.  I questioned whether or not it could be a viable career option for me.  I sought out advice from a male practitioner before finalizing my decision to go into massage.  For the first half of massage school, I continued to have some doubts about the feasibility of developing a massage practice.  But, as I developed my skills, the doubts I once had began to vanish.  My experiences in a wide variety of massage internships while at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy enabled me to realize that my massage skills were valued by a variety of potential clients.

I am now in my 5th year of running a successful private massage practice.  Though I am aware of the fact that some people prefer a female therapist, I never feel that being a male massage therapist is a disadvantage.  Many people are seeking a massage therapist who can effectively meet their needs regardless of gender.  And I do have a number of clients (both male and female) who prefer a male therapist.

For me, gender seems to play less and less of a role in my massage practice.  What seem to be more important are the passion, skill and energy that one brings to the table.  I have come to know quite a few male therapists since I’ve been in the profession.  I’ve never heard these male therapists speak of difficulties in the massage field based on gender.”  

Thank-you Jack! On a personal note, I have been worked on by Jack on many occasions and found his work to be completely amazing and beneficial, one time I was hurting so bad I couldn’t hardly move Jack saw me on a Saturday and brought me incredible relief.

Todd Ackerman has been in practice since 2006. His comments are as follows:

“There are definitely fewer men in this field. I have only felt that my work has been affected by being a male a few times. I was doing regular sub work at a PT clinic (which is no longer in business) when I first began my career. I subbed a number of times, then suddenly received no more calls from them. A few months later I was informed by someone closely related to the clinic that it was due to the fact that they were wanting a female therapist for the sub work. I also know there are a few local spas will not hire males.
Many people definitely tend to have a preference as to the gender of their therapist. This can be due to past personal history with one of the genders, their comfort level of being touched by the same or opposite gender, or often I hear that ‘men can do a deeper tissue massage’. When the later comes up, I often defend that I know of many female therapist can work just as deep as many male therapists. My best friend told me outright when I began massage school, “dude, you’re not touching me”. It was not a reflection on me, he was merely thinking of his own comfort level. This societal view of a male working on him was overcome soon after I had began my private practice. I had been working on his wife for many months and he soon began booking regular appointments with me. There are a lot of different personal reasons that a client may base their choice of therapist. I think being a male has helped my practice just as much as it might have hindered it. The important thing for both genders is to be sensitive to what the client needs. This should not be taken personally by the therapist.”
 

Thank-you for your insight. I havealso had some bodywork from Todd, who does extensive Myofascial work. He is talented and gifted therapist whom I would recommend to anyone . Todd helped me with an injury and some stress I was holding on to, it was a wonderful session and I left feeling much less pain and more relaxed.

To me, a good massage can be done by either gender. A great massage is done by someone you trust, and someone whom you can let “in” to facilitate your healing process. That being said, it’s a personal choice each client makes, but I can not imagine missing out on the chance to have amazing bodywork, because of personal bias.

As massage therapists, we know the best results come when clients are educated in self-care and take an active role in their healing. We understand how much self-care will help maintain the progress made in our treatment sessions. For long-term health and healing, self-care is a necessity; we know this. So why do I find many massage therapists not caring for themselves? It’s the same excuse given by our clients: No time.

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