Everyone is selling something, massage therapists and bodyworkers included. It’s all about how you sell what you’re selling. What MTs and bodyworkers are really selling is an hour of their complete, undivided attention and caring. But what happens when the client is “right,” but factually wrong? Cal Cates and Kerry Jordan of Healwell have some thoughts about the difference between the validity of a client’s experience and what the therapist knows to be scientifically and mechanically sound. Cal and Kerry talk about why it’s important for MTs to stay present throughout a session to remain attentive and curious so clients feel heard. Part of that means educating massage therapists how to hear what the client is conveying in a way that validates what the client feels—even if it’s factually incorrect—and how to still perform work that is scientifically and mechanically accurate without having to “set the client straight.”     Cal and Kerry also give their thoughts on how to negotiate when things do turn controversial, and share some of their favorite phrases to use in those difficult moments to help navigate these situations with grace.     This episode is sponsored by:   Anatomy Trains   Links:   Read Cal Cates and Kerry Jordan’s companion article on this topic, “The Customer is Always Right . . . But Are They Really?”, in the September/October 2020 issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine.   Healwell    Massage Therapy Without Borders

A man has a stroke at age 35. He fully recovers, but is put on a lifelong prescription of anticoagulants. What is going on, and will he ever be able to receive the deep massage he wants?   In this episode of “I Have a Client Who …” we look at a common anomaly called patent foramen ovale. We discuss its connection to cryptogenic stroke (and we even dive into migraine for a hot second). Finally, we talk about some variables that inform the safety of massage therapy for clients taking anticoagulant drugs.    Links:    YouTube animation of PFO repair    YouTube animation of PFO repair    From the Cardiovascular Research Foundation: Complete PFO Closure May be Key for Migraine Reduction    From the American Headache Society: PFO Closure for Migraine Prevention    From Stroke: “Frequency of Patent Foramen Ovale and Migraine in Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke”  “And Now for Something Completely Different: Patent Foramen Ovale,” Massage & Bodywork magazine, October/November 2007  

Zeel Co-Founder Alison Harmelin and Zeel Senior Director of Public Health and Workplace Safety Amir Hemmat discuss the current state of PPE for massage therapists, including how to prioritize which products to use and which partners to trust, how to plan ahead so you’re not caught unprepared in your practice, and what steps Zeel is taking to ensure the safety of their therapists and clients.      This episode is sponsored by:   Anatomy Trains   Links:    Zeel     How to test PPE (blog post)     How Zeel is keeping its community safe while delivering in-home services (blog post)   

A client who was recently in a motor vehicle accident was “cleared for massage” by her primary care provider. But it turns out she had no X-rays and that hid the fact that she sustained a fracture to her sternum. What is the responsibility of the massage therapist when a client has been “cleared for massage”? Ruth has some thoughts.   Interesting links:   Despite deaths, injuries and recalls, air bags still save lives   Risk of thoracic injury from direct steering wheel impact in frontal crashes   Causes and risk factors of a broken sternum   Sternal Fracture   Breastbone Fracture - Sternal Fracture   This podcast sponsored by:   Books of Discovery   Anatomy Trains   Host:   Ruth Werner

Author and educator Cathy Ryan joins the pod to discuss her love of fascia and how her work has been informed and changed by research over her 30-year career. We discuss Cathy’s approach to working with scar tissue, deep dive into the wound-healing process, and talk about the possibility of facilitating change in both mature scars and those soon after insult.    This episode sponsored by:   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Guest   For more information about Cathy Ryan:   Massage Therapy Without Borders podcast   From Massage & Bodywork magazine: “Scar Tissue: Not Breakable, But Changeable,”   From the ABMP CE Center: “Scar Tissue Management,” 

An older long-time client is on the table, midway through her massage. When the MT undrapes her leg, she finds a string of red blisters from the client’s buttock down the leg. “Oh, yeah, it’s kind of itchy,” says the client. In this episode, we talk about undiagnosed skin lesions, and how carefully we need to talk about them. Then, we take a deeper dive into shingles: what causes it, what the risks are, and whether massage therapists might catch it from clients. It’s a juicy one!   This podcast sponsored by:   Books of Discovery   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains    Host:   Ruth Werner  

Is it possible that mouth breathing has contributed to, and exacerbated, numerous health conditions? New York Times bestselling author James Nestor wants to convert you into a nose breather. He spent years in laboratories and ancient burial sites, working with researchers at Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and other institutions to figure out what went wrong with our breathing—and how to fix it.  This episode sponsored by:    Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Guest:     James Nestor   FAQs and breathing advice   Breathing videos   

A client complaining of seemingly uncomplicated shoulder pain has a very complicated issue indeed—the wrong choices here could have led to very serious repercussions. Pathology educator Ruth Werner shares one of her own “I Have a Client Who …” stories involving a neighbor, her garden, and her mysterious, stubborn shoulder pain—that turned out not to be shoulder pain.   Are you interested in referred pain? Here are a couple of short, fun videos:   Referred Paid:  Gallbladder | Anatomy Slices   Abdominal Dermatomes and Referred Paid   This podcast sponsored by:   Books of Discovery   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Host:   Ruth Werner

The sacrum is held with a reverence because of its energetic, structural, and nervous system significance. Working to create positive change in this area can help balance your clients. Listen as Massage & Bodywork columnist Cindy Williams equips MTs with the information needed to foster a safe working environment for both MTs and clients, removing fears of working in this area.   This episode sponsored by:   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   “The Sacred Sacrum, Part 1”   “The Sacred Sacrum, Part 2”  

A beloved long-time client is already affected by heart disease and diabetes. Now his hands have begun shaking too. Is there a safe way to help him, given his medical history? In this episode, pathology educator Ruth Werner addresses the complex overlap of conditions that this client lives with, with special attention to his latest challenge: essential tremor, a common, sometimes debilitating problem that is poorly understood and difficult to treat. How do we balance all the variables in this situation to offer safe, effective massage? What kinds of work might be most helpful? What, if anything, does the research say? You might be surprised.   Case report: Riou, N. “Massage Therapy for Essential Tremor: Quieting the Mind.” Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 17, no. 4 (2013): 488–94. doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.03.007   This podcast sponsored by:   Books of Discovery    Yomassage    Anatomy Trains    Host:   Ruth Werner

How do emotions affect our biology? What determines how we interpret an experience? How do we navigate a heated exchange? How can understanding emotional intelligence help us? Listen as we wrap up our three-part mini-series on communication skills with Angie Parris-Raney, a 20-year MT who also has certification in Chopra Center meditation. Conscious communication means stopping during an altercation, taking deep breaths, observing from innocence, and proceeding with compassion.   This episode sponsored by:   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Guest website:   Angie Parris-Raney

A client recovering from a stroke seems to have given up on getting any better. His massage therapist would like to help, but what can they do? Pathology educator Ruth Werner dives into an "I have a client who ..." story with a description of stroke, how it affects function, and the role of massage therapy in this context. This is a complicated situation that also involves ethical boundaries, communication skills, and some ideas for options that manual therapists might pursue for their clients with this central nervous system injury. Additional resources you might be interested in:   Durai Pandian, J., Toor, G., Arora, R., Kaur, P., Dheeraj, K. V., Singh Bhullar, R., & Sylaja, P. N. (2012). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments Among Stroke Patients in India. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 19(5), 384–394.    Sibbritt, D., van der Riet, P., Dedkhard, S., & Srithong, K. (2012). Rehabilitation of stroke patients using traditional Thai massage, herbal treatments and physical therapies. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao = Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, 10(7), 743–750.    Thanakiatpinyo, T., Suwannatrai, S., Suwannatrai, U., Khumkaew, P., Wiwattamongkol, D., Vannabhum, M., Pianmanakit, S., & Kuptniratsaikul, V. (2014). The efficacy of traditional Thai massage in decreasing spasticity in elderly stroke patients. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 9, 1311–1319.    Werner, Ruth (2008). Potential for Recovery in CNS Injuries. Massage & Bodywork September/October 2008 Issue.    This podcast sponsored by:   Books of Discovery   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Host:   Ruth Werner

Organization, communication, and trust are the three pillars Nancy Saunders’s bodywork practice, and important skills she establishes when educating new professionals at the Boulder Massage Therapy Institute in Colorado. From the basics of connecting often with clients to the physical appearance of your space—especially during COVID-19—Nancy reminds us of the importance of setting and holding yourself to high standards and meeting clients where they are—after all, it’s their session.   This episode sponsored by:   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains   Guest website:   Nancy Saunders

What does successful client communication look like? It involves active listening, foregoing judgment and assumptions, and clear direction. University of Denver assistant teaching professor Dr. Kerry Mitchell guides listeners on being present for your clients during COVID-19, “selling the why” during difficult conversations, and being aware of verbal triggers.   The episode is sponsored by:   Yomassage   Anatomy Trains

Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau discuss “emergency remote learning” during the pandemic and how instructors have had to adjust quickly and get creative with their approaches to teaching. Lowe and Luchau talk about balancing hands-on components with computer learning, maintaining quality education online, keeping learners engaged, and what the future might hold.     This episode sponsored by:   Anatomy Trains    Yomassage   Guest websites:   Til Luchau   Whitney Lowe

Host Darren Buford checks in briefly with pathology expert Ruth Werner on recent WHO statements regarding asymptomatic spread of COVID-19, then transitions to an in-depth discussion with Massage Mastery Online’s Director of Education, and Preventing Disease Transmission in a Massage Practice author, Anne Williams about the future of digital textbooks, teaching effectively in the 21st century, and looking anew at standard precautions for your practice in a world with COVID-19.  Note from ABMP: As you are aware, much still remains to be learned about COVID-19, and protocols and precautions for returning to work are constantly shifting as new information emerges. After this podcast was recorded, Anne Williams sent us this update to the facemask discussion included in the podcast.  The CDC recently updated their guidelines for the reuse of N95 respirator masks based on a study showing that detectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 were present on the outer layer of a surgical mask after 7 days (Chin, 2020). The study suggests that the amount of detectable COVID was not high enough to cause infection. However, the CDC now recommends that each health care professional is issued five N95 masks. A mask is placed in a paper sack at the end of a shift and left where air can circulate around the mask for five days before it is worn again (CDC, 2020).    As massage professionals we must reconcile a number of factors as we contemplate managing our personal safety and the realities of N95 facemask availability. Perhaps we can get hold of five N95 masks and reuse them applying the CDC recommendations and feel a high level of protection. It is more likely that N95 masks will not be available or we are only able to get hold of one or two masks. In this case we should opt to supplement our N95 masks with heavier surgical masks. However, we must understand that surgical masks will not protect us from small particle respiratory droplets. How high is the COVID caseload in the community? If the caseload is lower than we are at less risk of encountering an asymptomatic client and we may feel safe enough in a surgical mask. If the caseload is higher than our chances of encountering an asymptomatic client are higher and we must decide if we feel safe enough in a surgical mask.  Do we have underlaying conditions that place us at high risk of a serious case of COVID if we are exposed? If yes, we’ll want to be in N95 masks if we decide to open our practices. Maybe we are willing to practice exceptional PPE safety and we put on and take off masks properly and clean our hands if we absentmindedly touch the surface of the mask. Maybe we feel safe enough simply treating the outer surface of the mask as contaminated and handling it with a high level of caution.  Remember, when your mask shows wear or remains damp inside and no longer conforms to your face, or if you start to have difficulty breathing in the mask, it should be replaced. 1.     Chin, AH., Chu, JT., Perera, MRA., et al. Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in different environmental conditions. The Lancet. April 2020.    2.     Coronavirus Disease 2019. Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.    This episode sponsored by:   Anatomy Trains   Yomassage   Guest website:   Massage Mastery Online

How do we “embrace the suck” during a pandemic? Join us in this latest episode of The ABMP Podcast’s Conversations in Quarantine as Brene Brown Dare to Lead certified instructor Amy Andrews McMaster walks us through a discussion on vulnerability, braving tough times, removing our armor, and finding our call to courage.   This episode sponsored by:   Anatomy Trains   Yomassage

In Part 2 of our discussion with Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds of Massage Business Blueprint, we discuss short-term business triage ideas and long-term goals, planning for worst-case scenarios and unpredictability, accounting basics and financial literacy, impostor syndrome, developing your dream practice, diversification, and productivity in a downtime.

Allissa Haines and Michael Reynolds, the team behind Massage Business Blueprint and Massage & Bodywork magazine’s column Blueprint for Success, join us to discuss current life without massage and touch, client communication during a crisis, Allissa’s decision to close her practice and office space, and what’s the secret sauce that makes up Massage Business Blueprint’s services and membership offerings.

Irene Diamond, consultant, CE provider, and developer of Active Modulation Therapy & Active Muscle Massage, speaks with us about what MTs can do when they can’t offer hands-on work. Diamond speaks about virtual/remote services within practitioners’ scope of practice and other options for serving clients when you can’t provide therapeutic touch.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Hand & Stone’s Nathan Nordstrom, Nordstrom describes changes and considerations to the spa and practice environment, including new cleaning protocols, staggered start times, engaged intake processes, and the ethical dilemmas of reopening and clientele psyche.

Nathan Nordstrom, director of massage therapy for Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, joins us to discuss their strategies for reopening, including new possible protocols for their 400-plus locations.

Ruth Werner, author of A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, discusses her article “What Will It Look Like When We Go Back to Work?” in the COVID-19 Special Issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine. Werner gives an update on COVID research, testing, and weighs the risks vs. benefits of reopening practices.  

In Part 2 of our conversation with Healwell’s Cal Cates, Cates describes what it will look like for massage professionals to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and the psychological aspect of giving and receiving massage in our new normal.