Posts from — September 2008

San Jose teacher Beth McNeill reports from the field.

On Saturday morning, five students from the San Jose campus and I drove up to Napa to provide chair massage for the riders of the 4-hour Endurance Ride hosted by the American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM).  A student from Group 32 arranged the event through the president of the AFM.  She was also instrumental in bringing the riders and vendors and cornerworkers to the massage area.

We provided chair massage at the massage area, at the timing area and in the pits.  The students felt very prepared to work on the riders after attending a sports massage training focusing on the specific needs of a motorcyclist.  They all did great work throughout the day.  The riders loved having on-site massage and the President of AFM has asked us (NHI) to think about coming back for more events next season.

We all had a great deal of fun.  It was a wonderful to spend Saturday with this crew!

On Saturday, Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 731 into law, at long last providing state certification for massage therapy here in California!

Don’t tear up your local permits just yet.  Certifications will not be issued until at least September 1, 2009.  Between now and then, a governing board must be created to develop policies and establish the necessary infrastructure.  The law only defines the general terms; we must wait for this new Massage Therapy Organization (MTO) to flesh out the details.

This is a voluntary certification.  So, if you’re happy with your current local status, then you don’t have to do it.  However, those who do get a state certification can practice anywhere in the state without having to secure massage therapy licenses from individual cities or counties.  But, considering 83% of respondents to a recent ABMP poll were in favor of the state law, it’s likely that many cities and counties eventually will stop issuing their own local licenses in favor of the state certification.

The ABMP’s Bob Benson says, “While highly imperfect, and some distance from the original legislative draft, SB 731 appears to solve a huge problem with the practice of massage within California. This law looks at bona fide massage therapists as professionals, not as suspect providers of illicit services. Those electing to become certified will be able to have their qualifications vetted by a knowledgeable massage organization rather than by local police departments. Discriminatory zoning rules singling out massage therapists could no longer be enforced against individuals certified by this new massage organization.”

The law defines a massage therapist as having 500 hours or more of training, but makes accommodations for those currently working who may have fewer hours of formal education than that.  Some of your heads may be spinning with questions right now.  I recommend holding off until we know more.  As the MTO takes shape and more specifics fall into place, this blog will keep you informed.

Many people have worked years to make this happen.  Among them, we’d like to thank the AMTA, ABMP, Massage Envy, the California Chiropractic Association and State Senator Jenny Oropeza who sponsored the bill.

You can read more at ABMP.com and AMTA-CA.org.

Here are Melissa Wheeler’s impressions of the AMTA Convention in Phoenix last week.

Joe Bob Smith (Encino Campus Manager), Alicia Ramos (San Jose Campus Manager) and I all met up at the AMTA National Convention in Phoenix on behalf of National Holistic Institute.  NHI chooses to participate in such conferences both to learn what’s current in the larger massage community and to give our students and alumni a voice in those happenings.  This one was so big it required three of us to go!

Author Ruth Werner, NHI Grad John Lambert, & Melissa

In addition to taking classes like Integral Anatomy, Balancing the Art & Science in Massage, and Massage Therapy on Trial, we met up with teachers, NHI graduates, textbook authors, and massage therapists from all over the country.  It was so inspiring!

Just to show the variety of our experiences, I met 2 Japanese publishers who promised to send me a Japanese-language copy of the textbook we use, Trail Guide to the Body! 

Books of Discovery reception

Joe Bob found the red, white & blue table he’d always wanted from Oakworks.

Alicia won a basket full of creams and massage lotions at the Massage Envy gathering.

Massage Envy reception

We all had a wonderful time at the Massage Therapy Foundation reception, hanging out with the Trail Guide publishers and Ruth Werner who is not only the author of the beloved book Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, but the leader of the MTF’s Education Committee.  What does all that mean?  Read about the MTF and their brand new e-journal that they have just launched online - propelling our industry forward.  This massage research is available free to all at the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

At a recent baby shower, John Caguin - NHI graduate, Community Outreach Coordinator, and webmaster extraordinaire (thank you John for all your work on our new NHI site!) - enjoyed some nice gifts, home made brownies and ice cream with his wife Pinky & NHI staff.

Their first child, a baby girl soon to be named Kaelyn Rae, is due on October 17th much to their excitement and the excitement of their extended NHI family.

Congratulations John and Pinky!

Melissa Wheeler explains why these 2 muscles are among her favorites…

I love these leg muscles because of their attachment and involvement with the FEET!

Massage Therapists often think of only the Gastrocnemius and Soleus when they think of calf muscles, but often the culprit in calf/foot pain is the deepest calf muscle, Tibialis posterior.  Tib Posterior has extensive attachments to the plantar surface of the foot and if you are aware of this, it can change your foot massage techniques forever!!!  Remember all those foot bones?  Navicular, cuneiforms, cuboid, metatarsals…

Then, wrapping around, from the Fibula (Peroneus and Fibula mean the same thing, one is Greek - one Latin) is the Peroneus longus muscle….it crosses under the plantar surface of the foot, from the lateral leg to the medial foot and attaches to the base of the first metatarsal and medial (or first) cuneiform.  Remember those old stirrup pants from the 80’s?  Something like that.

Working on the plantar surface of the foot, with these tendonious attachments in mind, can be a profound experience!  Clients will come running (literally) back to you.

While I was traveling to Phoenix on Wednesday to the AMTA National Convention, the NHI campuses were celebrating Constitution Day.  Here is Beth Fisher’s report from San Jose.

Group #32 winner Kai Nomellini proudly displays her Biofreeze prize pack in front of a copy of the U.S. Constitution.

On September 17th, students and staff at the San Jose campus observed Constitution Day in honor of the signing of the nation’s most instrumental document, as well as in appreciation of the school’s continued receipt of federal financial aid.  The student lounge was a frenzy of activity at 11:00 a.m. as students raced against the clock to complete a “Framing of the U.S. Constitution” word search and fill-in-the-blank puzzle.  Winners in each group received a complimentary pack of Biofreeze lotion.

Group #31 student Eddie Russell holds his prize pack.

As part of the festivities, participants also snacked on sugar and M&M cookies while sipping tea and juice from blue and red plastic cups, each cup with a distinctive Constitution-related trivia quote on it.  For example, do you know who was the oldest person to sign the Constitution?  Benjamin Franklin at age 81.

Group #30 winner Sarah Cacdac.

Alicia in a portable Far Infrared Sauna at the AMTA Convention in Phoenix.

Would you like to boost revenue while easing your workload?  Massage therapists by nature can feel alone professionally, like a rowboat bobbing at sea.  They spend most of their working hours in a room with only their patients.  Many choose to work independently for themselves.

Weeks, months, and even years may pass without a therapist “talking shop” with a fellow therapist.  Hopefully, this means work is busy and running smoothly.  But, by not conversing with industry peers, therapists miss out on continuing (and relatively cheap) opportunities to learn the latest in patient care, business management, and marketing.

Conventions connect you to hundreds, possibly thousands, of people doing exactly what you do.  They have the same joy for massage, share similar business struggles, and desire to jointly improve both their personal lives and the massage industry in which they work.  You go from feeling like a rowboat to a fleet of ships!

Graduation from massage school shouldn’t be the end of education; rather, it should mark a whole new chapter of learning.  This means taking continuing education classes; reading massage articles; joining professional associations; and attending local, state and national gatherings.  Doing these things will elevate a therapist above other less involved peers, creating a livelier business and lengthening career longevity.

Author Ruth Werner and Melissa

While this was my first AMTA National Convention, I have always attended professionally related events whenever possible.  In fact, my NHI relationship began at such a conference!

Now that we’re back on campus, Melissa, Alicia, and I look forward to sharing more detailed stories about information learned, things seen, and people met.  So even if you didn’t make it to Phoenix, this blog can serve to connect you to the massage community at large.

Good morning!  I’ll post some convention pictures when I return to the office next week, but so much is happening that I wanted to get some of it down now!  Some highlights…

• Watching Judith Aston dance on a spinning cycle.
• Having lunch at the table with AMTA President M.K. Brennan.
• Meeting pathology expert and textbook author Ruth Werner.
• Learning more about massage therapists’ increasing ability to bill insurance companies for their patients’ treatments.
• Enjoying some spinach & artichoke dip with the magnificent Andrew Biel, author of our textbook Trail Guide for the Body.
• Sharing a spontaneous stroll through downtown Phoenix with Patty Glenn, President of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.

So much more, but I must go do even more today!

I’m headed off to the AMTA National Convention in Phoenix.  Expect many a blog reporting from there later this week.

“Infants who received massage therapy compared to those who were rocked experienced greater daily weight gain; more organized sleep/wake behaviors; less fussiness; improved sociability and soothability; improved interaction behaviors; and lower cortisol and norepinephrine and increased serotonin levels.”  This is according to a study led by Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami.

Our school has long supported infant massage and it’s with great pride that we’ve watched one of our own become a leading expert in this field.  Since graduating from Touch Therapy Institute (before it became National Holistic Institute), Suzanne P. Reese has traveled the world first learning about infant massage and then becoming one of it’s most esteemed champions.  She has published both a book (Baby Massage) and a CD (Talk to Me), created a series of videos for NewBaby.com, and was featured in People magazine for her work with the orphans of Chernobyl.  Just this week, Suzanne wrote an article for Massage Magazine online about the benefits of infant massage for infants, families, and society.

Suzanne will be at our Encino campus this Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (September 18-21) teaching the Infant Massage Educator Certification course.  Students are trained to teach parents and caregivers how to massage their own infants.  For many hands-on practitioners, this offers a non-hands-on opportunity to expand their practice and possibly compliment their existing pre- and peri-natal care.  It is an ideal way to follow through with parents and caregivers who have sought out massage services for themselves.  The class is open to everyone and, as of this writing, there are only 4 spaces left.  Email Denise at boyled@nhi.edu to register.

For more information on Suzanne P. Reese, check out http://www.compassionatechild.com/.