Education

This post contains information about education as it relates to massage.

I Love The Internet, And This Is Why…

1 Comment / Massage /

I am an avid blog follower. I also enjoy writing which is why I choose to blog as my main interface for Harvest Moon with the internet.

As such, quite a while back I found a blog about fitness and nutrition and added it to my Bloglines, “Massage Blog” folder as more articles than not were of interest and I gleaned information I could use in my massage practice.

This morning I noticed a new article had been posted. It was on the knee and ligaments in the knee and how each different ligament experiences damage. It was focused and succinct and quite possibly the best overall description I’ve ever read of the ligament configuration and ligament function of the knee joint. You can read the article here, if you care to.

I wish my textbooks had been written as well as this lone article. Even though her focus is definitely not massage, but injury, this macro-style would have saved hours of flipping through books and internet searches trying to learn the specifics of the knee.

And this, my friends, is why I love the internet. A chic from Australia who knows a thing or two about knee injury can put her knowledge online and halfway around the world a chic from the U.S. can learn a thing or two from it. Where else are we going to get that kind of collaboration?

I Love The Internet, And This Is Why… Read More »

Sports Massage?

Massage /

When I was in massage school, I never felt like I’d ever be a sports massage therapist. It just didn’t feel right to me, probably because I had never been athletic. My instructors would talk about how you had to know massage and specialize in a particular sport to become a good sports massage therapist. It just didn’t interest me.

In my head I would think that if I worked with athletes, I would treat them as any other client who presented with aches and pains. Identify the ache or the pain and work accordingly. It was simple, in my mind.

Of course, recently I have learned how to be a coxswain, taken a Learn to Row class with Rocket City Rowing Club and spent this year’s summer vacation learning to scull at Calm Waters Rowing camp. You might say that I’ve become a novice athlete.

Last weekend I found myself working with a client who sweep rows competitively. She was having lumbar region issues that manifested mostly while she was sitting in the boat and felt kinked up when she wasn’t in the boat. While working I began asking her questions about when and where she felt the pain. Before I realized it I was asking very specific question about during what phase of her rowing stroke she was feeling the pain.

That’s when it hit me. This is what my instructors were talking about when they talked about understanding the sport and its biomechanical peculiarities.

I certainly didn’t set out to become a sports massage therapist when I began this odyssey of learning to row. Mostly I did it to appease friends who were rowing and needed a short person to steer the boat. The learning to sweep row was a necessity at becoming a better coxswain and an attempt to get healthier. In the process though, I found something that I really enjoy doing, I’ve made new friends, gained new clients, dropped some weight, and gotten healthier.

And, unwittingly, I have also become a sports massage therapist who specializes in the sport of rowing. Who knew?

Sports Massage? Read More »

Germs Have Fingerprints?

Massage PSAs /

What is a Bacterial Fingerprint Anyway?

I’ve been reading lately about a recent study done to prove the concept that people can be identified by their own unique bacterial fingerprint. Fascinated, I keep coming back to it.

Did you know that for everything you touch, you leave behind a unique collection of germs? I never really thought about it that hard, but I suppose it makes sense. We leave germs behind, why not leave ones that are our own special blend?

Most of the stories I’ve read so far focus on the forensic and law enforcement angle. Very interesting, I hope they can find a way to make this work. More tools mean fewer dangerous humans on the streets.

We All Share Germs!

And while I can wholly support the forensic interest in this discovery, I wonder how volatile the blend actually is. As a massage therapist, I touch, to state the simple and the obvious. Do I pick up my clients’ germs? Yep! Otherwise, why are we as massage therapists and the medical professions at large educated so stringently on how to properly hand wash before and after contact with clients and patients?

Then even more questions arise such as, if I’m picking up my clients germs as I touch them, am I also integrating their unique blends into my own? Am I transmitting my unique blends to my client as I touch them? If so, is this a good thing? Does this blend help our immune system? Should we be out searching for new and different types of bacteria to add to our “arsenal”?

I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I’m going to be watching to see what happens with this line of research. For now, I’m going to go wash my hands again.

Relevant Articles

People leave unique ‘germ print’
Microbiomes: You Live in Your Own Germ Cloud
Analysis of Microbial Communities: An Emerging Tool in Forensic Sciences

Updated 12/1/23: The original article referenced in this post is gone so I’ve broken the links and added a few relevant articles at the end of the post.

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Germs Have Fingerprints? Read More »

Tips For A Better Massage

Massage PSAs /

I found these tips for a better massage in an article on massage and breast cancer which you can go read here if you like. They are appropriate for anyone who wants to receive a massage.

When getting a massage, consider this advice from the AMTA:

1. Communicate with your massage therapist. Give accurate health information and let the therapist know your expectations and reasons for the massage. Tell your massage therapist what you prefer in the way of lotions and oils and whether you have any allergies.

2. Remember to breathe normally. Breathing helps facilitate relaxation.

3. Drink extra water after your massage.

4. Don’t get up too quickly and do allow for some quiet time after your massage session. If you’re dizzy or light-headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast.

Tips For A Better Massage Read More »

Deepfeet II & Fusion

Ashiatsu /

Ashi - Learning Ruthie's WaveWow, what a challenge! Deepfeet II was a wonderful class. The strokes are a great extension to the one-footed strokes and allow a much deeper and complete Ashiatsu massage. The Fusion class added even more strokes teaching us to transition smoothly and give that signature “Deepest Most Luxurious Massage On the Planet”.

This photo is me learning Ruthie’s Wave, a two-footed stroke that works the hip. Most of our guest clients loved this move as it feels wonderful. The soreness from the class is finally passing and I can’t wait to get a client on the table!

Deepfeet II & Fusion Read More »

I’m Honored

Business & Marketing for Massage /

Today I received a phone call from the head of the Massage Therapy program at Calhoun Community College. It was a request for me to serve on their advisory board.

They needed a graduate to participate on the board and I was selected out of all their graduates over the past two years. I’m honored and excited!

I find it coincidental that I’m currently in a multi-day massage training program when I get this offer. Karma works in strange and wonderful ways and affirms that I’m doing something right.

Oh, and I accepted, of course!

I’m Honored Read More »

Things I Hate To See

1 Comment / Massage PSAs /

Issues in Massage Therapy

Man with his hand held up towards the camera with the word "No" written in red.

One of the things I’m really sensitive about as a massage therapist is the unfortunate and continuing association with prostitution. The Alabama Board of Massage Therapy has regulations that govern the manner in which we can advertise and how we conduct our business. These laws are in place in order to foster a sense of professionalism, legitimacy and to disassociate our profession with that of the older one. These laws also serve as a resource pointing to changes being made and asking the public to examine their preconceptions. This is an issue in massage therapy that’s been around for a long time; it’s time to change it.

So when I watched the local news this morning I was dismayed to see that two separate “spas” were raided and arrests were made for allegedly promoting prostitution. Reading the story online (link is unfortunately, broken) made me pretty sure that none of the people arrested are trained and licensed massage therapists.

Perhaps you’re one of us who don’t think of massage therapy and prostitution in the same realm. Unfortunately, we are the exception. Even my own grandmother was worried when I took up this new path into massage therapy.

So what can we do?

Well, if you get a massage, tell people. Tell people how it made you feel better and safe. Good PR never hurts.

If you experience something during a massage that makes you suspect you’re being propositioned or if someone blatantly offers you a sexual favor, report it to the local authorities and the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy.

When stories like this hit the airwaves, I cringe inside and wonder if we’ll ever win this battle. I choose to believe, though, that every day is an opportunity to educate someone to the benefits of safe, therapeutic touch making the pool of like-minded individuals larger than it was yesterday.

If you’re interested in reading more about this topic, check out the articles and resources I’ve linked below.

A Client’s Bill of Rights
How to Get a Massage Therapist License in Alabama
End Human Trafficking – Alabama
National Human Trafficking Task Force – 1-888-373-7888

Updated: 12/16/2023

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Things I Hate To See Read More »

Continuing Education Units

Massage CEUs /

mortarboardI wanted to write a post on CEUs because all through massage therapy school and now with conversations with professional therapists there seems to be much consternation and mystery surrounding the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy policies regarding acceptable providers.

If you go to the Alabama Board of Massage Therapy website you will find a list of Approved Continuing Education Providers. The list is not short, but it certainly is not comprehensive.

One of the providers I did not find on the list was the Deep Feet Ashiatsu trainers which concerned me considering that I earned 25 CEUs and invested a substantial amount of money for the course as well as the setup of my practice space.

I knew that 25 CEUs should cover any requirements for my license renewal with the State Board as well as get me close for the NCBTMB renewal. So I decided to just call the State Board and ask. And boy, am I glad I did. It seems that Alabama now accepts any CEU provider that is approved by NCBTMB.

What does that mean for massage therapists in the State of Alabama? Well, it gives us a much larger pool of providers to draw from and allows us to customize and focus our practice in the areas we want to focus on instead of being limited by a list of providers who provide what they provide. It gives us the security of knowing that we’re being educated by a provider who has gone through a screening process and is approved by a national authority. It allows us each to offer unique and alternate therapies and treatments making the area richer in options for the clientele. And at the end of the day, it’s ultimately about the clientele, their needs, and our ability to serve them in the manner that they require.

So coming back to requirements and as a quick reference for myself the following links outline the State of Alabama and NCBTMB continuing education requirements for license renewal.

State of Alabama – 16 hours of CEUs every 24 months preceding license renewal. The actual code is here. You’ll need to scroll down to page 33 to find it.

NCBTMB – 48 hours of CEUs every 48 months preceding recertification. 6 hours of CEUs which must pertain to ethics. (Also proof of 200 hours of work experience!) The description is at NCBTMB here. *

AMTA – 48 hours of CEUs every 48 months to maintain professional membership. AMTA’s policy is here. *

So, that’s all I have about CEUs today.  Happy learning!

*I maintain membership with NCBTMB and AMTA. If you hold membership with different authorities, they will have their own set of requirements.

Continuing Education Units Read More »

A Day in the Life of Your Body

Massage PSAs /

Just a few days ago I finished reading Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body by Jennifer Ackerman. As a body worker, I found it fascinating and wished it had been assigned reading while I was still in massage school. While none of what she covered was in-depth in any one area, she did address a broad range of bodily functions.

I particularly found her discussions of circadian rhythms in relation to drug therapy and our changing sleep habits and suspected effects on our bodies engaging and wished for more depth. Some of her discussions on hormones and neurotransmitters would have been helpful before I took that particular exam in Anatomy & Physiology.

Overall it was a good review / reinforcement of what I learned in school packed into a small book. It has only 272 pages and includes an extensive reference area at the end of the book which is fully a quarter of the page count.

Nonetheless, it is fully accessible to the lay person with little technical jargon, has a good pace, and an entertaining quality. In other words, if you’re halfway interested in how your body works you will enjoy this book.

I’ll be placing this book on the shelf in my office. I enjoyed it enough that some day I will probably re-read it.

A Day in the Life of Your Body Read More »