Why Deep Tissue

Many of my new clients come to me for 1 reason -- deep tissue massage. I have a reputation -- my hands are strong from years of playing the piano and working in the garden! But what really is deep tissue massage? After talking with my clients I realize that many are really asking for is deep/firm PRESSURE, not deep tissue.


Here's the difference.



DEEP/FIRM PRESSURE is usually what I describe as integrated massage. It's basis is Swedish or relaxation massage, with long stokes moving tissue and lymphatic fluid towards the heart. This is the kind of massage that makes you 'feel good,' releases tension, promotes healing, etc. When I give a firm pressure massage I usually incorporate DEEP TISSUE work with my firmer massage. In a typical 1 hour massage I may use DT for 5 - 10 minutes where I and the client feels it needs to be used. The rest of the session focuses on firm Swedish massage to include all body parts.

Do you work out? Well, deep tissue is not the answer! Muscles that are dense and tight need to be stretched out, not forced apart. Here's an example. I had a recent client who wanted DT, complaining on a 'knot' near his right shoulder blade. But when I started working on his back I found that his entire scapula was frozen -- the muscles in this area were so tight that they wouldn't let this bone move at all. It was only after doing some passive stretches and movement that the shoulder blade freed up. And guess what -- the 'knot' disappeared.

True deep tissue massage can do more harm than good on overworked, overextended muscles. I can suggest stretches which are easy and effective, but only work if you use them! We should be looking at strength AND flexibility, not just bulk.



DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE is almost the opposite of Swedish/Integrative Massage -- instead of long strokes, specific points are held until that point 'releases.' Often DT focuses on one muscle or muscle group (like the muscles surrounding a shoulder). Reasons for using DT include injuries/scar tissue buildup, chronic/repetitive muscle issues, and trigger point therapy. Usually this technique includes warming up the muscle tissue with gentler strokes before moving forward. Only after the muscle has loosened is deeper pressure apply. In fact, using deep tissue techniques without warming up muscles first can injure tissue. One of my massage instructors nicely called it 'being invited into the muscle' (thanks Julie!). All of this takes time. My 1 hour DT massage focuses on 1 or 2 specific areas -- say, the shoulders, or lower back. Other areas of the body do not receive massage at all.

So if you're looking for a full body Deep Tissue massage, please be sure to schedule at 1 1/2 or 2 hour session!

Many other Massage Therapists advertise they do deep tissue massage. Be sure to ask for their definition before you make an appointment!



www.themassagemuse.com

How to save $$ on medical bills.

Some of you may remember that I give chair massages on Sunday afternoons at The Mast Store Annex in Valle Crucis. I usually set up my chair and a small table with brochures and a tip jar back near the 'Sale Room.' I'm always amazed at the number of people who walk by and haven't had any type of professional massage before. The expressions of bliss I see on their face after the 10 minute massage are priceless!



About a week ago a tall young man walked up to me and asked me to 'work' on him. I knew him by site -- he's a local 'foodie' who sets up popcorn and hotdog stands around the area for special events. Some staff at Mast kept telling him to come see me, since he sets up right across the street from me every Sunday. Finally he shows up, and tells me he's had a persistant problem underneath his right shoulder blade.



Well, little did he know that shoulder and neck issues are my speciality. You see, almost 90% of my clients have some problem there -- 'computeritis' (rounded shoulders from being on the computer too long), bursitis, rotator cuff injuries. And the reason why I know so much about this area is because I've injured my right shoulder several times, and learned what worked to help my own problems.



So, this gentleman tells me about his problem, which has been going on for several years. He was having stabbing pains between his right shoulder blade and spine, strong enough to keep him awake at night. He's had xrays, cortisone injections, chiropractic adjustments, etc. etc. to the tune of over $10000. Nothing seemed to work. One doctor thought he had an 'impinged nerve' and suggested surgery



After working a little to loosen up his entire shoulder girdle I told him what I felt. His rotator muscles were very tight, tense enough to pull his entire shoulder blade forward towards his chest. The corresponding muscles along his spine were also stretched out as far as they could, and felt like they were pressing on several nerves. The spot he told me about was completely frozen and inflamed, restricting freedom of movement of his shoulder.



I told him I could work on this area, but it would probably be very uncomfortable. But he was willing to try anything, and gave me the go ahead.



I did several loosening movements of this shoulder before pressing very firmly on the restricted spot, moving my thumb very slowly over the sore spot while pushing the shoulder blade back with my other hand. The spot throbbed and spasmed, but I kept holding it until I felt it release. He got up from the chair, moved his shoulder around, and tipped me $10.



Yesterday, I was surprised to see him walk up to me and start talking. I thought he wanted to get back on the chair, but he said he just wanted to tell me something. He didn't know whether it was coincidence or not, but the day after I worked on him all his pain went away!! This was the first time in over 10 years that he was pain free. And he told me that he would come to see me first if he ever had that problem again.



If he would have come to me first, I would have saved him more than $9990 and a lot of his time.



Massage isn't just about feeling good. It's also about letting the body be all that it can be, and return to it's correct and natural state.

The power of Community

Francis Bacon - "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."

Some of you may know that I have a small organic garden (less than an acre). This year my gardening partner Willy and I decided we wanted to try to find 1 buyer for our produce instead of going to farmer's markets, restaurants, stores, etc. And so I contacted a local summer camp in March, telling the director what we were thinking of doing. He was very enthusiatic about it, wanted to know if we could grow EVERYTHING for their camp. Well, no, we couldn't, but we limited to greens, onions, tomatoes, and a few other misc. things.

But the director also said they were getting 2 new cooks this year and wanted me to talk directly with them too. And they wouldn't be there for another 3 weeks.

Silly me, I didn't get a written contract or down payment.

Willy and I did what any grower would do -- bought seeds and fertilizer, tilled the soil, added compost, and planted early crops like spinach, peas, and onions.
Everything was brilliant! All the veggies looked and tasted amazing (of course we were sampling them!).

When I finally did talk with the cooks they were also enthusiatic. They said they would take everything we grow. I asked, 'how many people and what dates are you looking at?' and only got vagueness.

So when the first week came around I emailed a list of what we had, and the quantities that were ready. The only message I got was the cook would pick it up on a Sunday. Willy took what we had picked, less than what we said we would have because they didn't give us any idea of quantity and we didn't want our good produce to go to waste.

The response from the cook was favorable. In fact, he said he wanted 2x more of everything for the next pick up. He and Willy came up with 'tentative' dates for pickup.

The next pick up day came. We picked, cleaned, and processed double the amount of the week before. I called, I emailed, I did everything I could to connect with the camp -- no response. Finally I went to the pick up site, and sat for 1/2 hr waiting. After getting frustrated by no response from the cook, I asked Willy to come sit at the pick up spot to wait for them (I had to be somewhere else). 1/2 later the cook drives by, Willy recognizes his truck and calls him right them, asking what's going on. Well, the cook says, we didn't need anything this week, but if you wait until after I have lunch with my friends I'll see what I can do.

An hour later the cook and Willy finally get together. And, of all the nerve, the cook tries to negotiate -- he's wants us to come down on the price of lettuce because Earthfare is selling it for $2 a head (ours was $2.50 a pound, a better price). Then he didn't want the radishes, onions, or several others things we brought for him. And he didn't have any money with him -- kind Willy told him to take everything and they could send up a check.

The cook said the next big pick up day would be Sunday, June 21st. Wise Willy said we wouldn't pick anything until they called us with an order. We called, emailed, etc. etc., and still haven't heard anything.

What does this have to do with community, you ask? Well, as soon as this happened I started selling whatever we had. People from a local co-op I belong to bought most of my extra lettuce from last week. I sent a mass email out to all my friends and 7 and counting are willing to buy directly from us. One of the stores I do chair massage with told me I could put a flyer up about the veggies, and 3 employees also want produce. And the manager of the store told me about a once a week Farmer's Market that's just down the street. The coordinator for the market decided to let us set up FOR FREE.

So, in the long run, we're making more money now for a longer period of time than we would have just working with the camp.

And I still haven't gotten a check from the camp for last weeks veggies!

Mentors -- a key to success as a Massage Therapist

"The ordinary literary man, even though he be an eminent historian, is ill-fitted to be a mentor in affairs of government. For ... things are for the most part very simple in books, and in practical life very complex."
Former President Woodrow Wilson

You’ve got your certificate from your massage school. You passed the national certification test. You’ve got your state license. And now you’re pushed into a new career, not really knowing anything but the most basic guidelines about how to succeed.

Who you gonna call? Your mentor. Every successful massage therapist I talked with said they’d be lost without one.

What is a mentor? Basically, it’s someone who has more experience than you and can answer questions about how to do modalities, improve techniques, solve ethical issues, or just give moral support. They’re guides, gurus, teachers, friends, and antagonists. They’re your guardian angel and your big brother at the same time, someone who can pat you on the back with one hand and give you a push with the other. If you meet someone who you’d ‘want to be like when you grow up,’ then consider this person as a good candidate to become your mentor.

They’re also often experts with advanced training and accomplishments in a particular field. Is there someone that you know who has a long list of clients and does great marketing? Or an MT who’s well known for a particular modality? How about a financial planner or banker who sets up accounting systems and explains complex money issues easily? Or a nurse who impresses you with their ‘bedside manner?’ They can be older, younger, the same age, the same sex, the opposite sex, live next door, live across the country, work for a competitor, work for the same employer -- mentors can be any one you know who can help you accomplish any goal you may have.

Most importantly, a mentor is someone who you can feel comfortable with, someone you can trust.

Right now I have two mentors. One has been a MT for 15+ years and can answer questions that I have about unfamiliar situations (like can you use essential oils during a prenatal massage) or ethical boundary issues (like how to talk with a client about being consistently late for their appointments). The other is a member of my local Small Business Association, and gives me feedback on my business plan, marketing, and accounting.

Here are some tips about where to find a mentor, how to develop your relationship, and when to move on.

Where to look

· Teachers
This one is probably the easiest place to find a mentor. Did you connect with one of you massage school instructors? Did a guest lecturer surprise with their insights? Or did someone presenting a CEU class peak your interest in the subject?

· Coworkers
Again, a great place to look for a mentor because you see firsthand what they do. Some businesses team up new employees with more seasoned ones to help the transition into a new place. This is a formal arrangement that is often short term. I’ve also have a mentor who I used to work with, but though I’ve moved on I still keep in touch with her.

· Spa owners
Thinking about owning your own spa? Someone who’s doing it can be a great mentor. Since they’ve already ‘been there, done that’ they can give great insight into the ups and downs of the business.

· Small Business Association and Chamber of Commerce
I’m a really good MT, but definitely flounder when it comes to anything financial. So I contacted my local Small Business Association who teamed me up with Steve, who had run his own business for 30 years before retiring. No, he wasn’t a MT, but he knew the ins and outs of developing plans, setting up marketing strategies, and how to ‘package’ my business. And most Chambers have monthly ‘meet and greet’ networking opportunities – this is a great way to connect with people in your community and find someone who could be a mentor.

· Competing Massage Therapists
You’ve heard about this modality and found out someone in your community practices it. Or there’s a MT you know that’s been in the business for a long time and is well respected. Why not approach these experts about being your mentor? They may be happy to share some of their secrets (and maybe not).

· Professional Associations
Are you a member of AMTA or ABMP? Have you gone to any of their regional or national conferences? These give you an opportunity to meet like-minded people, and opens up the possibility of finding a mentor.

Characteristics to look for in a mentor

· Experience or skill in something that you’re interested in. The more your mentor knows, the more they can teach you.

· Ability to both lead and follow. Good mentors can teach, but are also open to learning new things too.

· Good communicator. I had one mentor who did all the talking. The only time he listened to what I had to say was when I’d ask a question. And then he’d go off on another story, blah, blah, blah. Good mentors listen as much as (and sometimes more than) they talk.

· They use many different ways to teach. They may know books or articles you can read to help you understand what they’re talking about. They can show techniques and describe what they’re doing clearly, then they step back and let their ‘trainee’ try it themselves. They may feel comfortable with you ‘shadowing’ them for a day. They act as a sounding board for any ideas you may have. And they have infinite patience with all your big and small questions.

· Gives good feedback. This can be both positive and negative, but both are presented compassionately, not critically.

Developing the relationship

· First, you need to feel comfortable with your mentor. This means you feel OK about talking with them, that you don’t feel intimidated or in awe. Mentoring is about building connections, not hero worship.

· Approach your potential mentor gently. Say you noticed they are really good at something (massage, business, etc.) and ask if you can ‘pick their brain’. Most people are flattered when asked for their opinion, but some aren’t. Be prepared to hear ‘no’ from them

· Set up boundaries. This doesn’t have to be formal, like ‘we’re meeting for coffee every Monday morning at 6 am.’ If you work with your mentor try getting together sometime before or after work. If it’s someone in the business community be prepared to work around their schedule. Mentors may not be available the moment you have a question, but they’ll always get back to you. Also remember this does not mean you become their ‘slave’ and do all the things your mentor doesn’t like to do (could you please do my laundry?). You’re creating a supportive relationship, so no backstabbing, stealing clients or ideas, or doing anything to undermind your mentor. Be sure you know what your boundaries are, and be willing to talk about them.

· Don’t be a pest. There are appropriate times to talk with your mentor, and times to back off too. I had one MT who would wait outside my massage room to ask me questions, even when I was with clients. Another would follow me around like a puppy, mimicking everything I did. That’s both unprofessional and annoying.

· Show appreciation. This could a simple ‘thank you,’ a small gift (like massage oil), or an occasional meal out. A couple mentors I’ve talked with said they become leery when someone walks up to them and says, ‘Hey, would you be my mentor?’ Too often these become ‘give and give relationships,’ where the mentors give but never get anything back. Be sure your mentor know how much you’re grateful for their help

· Long or short term relationships are OK. For instance, I had one mentor who worked with me for six weeks, showing me the way the spa we were employed by wanted certain modalities done. After that I saw him maybe twice in six months. I also have a mentor whose was one of my first coworkers from five years ago. I don’t talk with her often, but I know that she’ll always contact me when I need some insight.

Ending the relationship

There’s often a time when either you or your mentor will dissolve the relationship. Maybe you’re leaving the area, or have been offered another job. Or maybe you’ve found that you’ve gotten everything out of the relationship that you can, and need to move on. Maybe you discover that your personalities don’t mesh, and that the relationship creates more problems than it solves. It’s OK to let your mentor go, graciously thanking them, but explaining why it’s time to go. It’s also OK for a mentor to ‘fire’ you, even if things seem to be going along well.

And finally

Be sure to grab the baton when it’s passed and become a mentor yourself. Is there a new employee who seems lost most of the time? Or someone you’re heard negative feedback about from clients? Offer to take this person under your wing and support them in their career as a massage therapist. It’s following the Golden Rule, knowing that what goes around really does come back to you.

welcome

Hey there, welcome to my blog! Check me out for weekly info about:

massage therapy
matrix energics
organic gardening
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and whatever else comes up!