The Long-Term Woes

I've realized over the years that I particularly enjoy working with people with long-term conditions such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, etc. I really do like helping people live well in their own bodies.

There's a large body of research that shows that keeping stress under control can keep these kinds of conditions under control as well. We all know it's all-but-impossible to have a stress-free life. Massage helps you bring the stress back down to a manageable level. In my own work, I've seen it improve balance, improve sleep, reduce soreness, and help people breathe a little more deeply and comfortably.

If you have -- or know -- someone working to live with a long-term condition, here's some of the research to back up my claims:

Research published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice showed that adults with rheumatoid arthritis may feel a decrease in pain, as well as greater grip strength and range of motion in wrists and large upper joints, after receiving regular moderate-pressure massages during a 4-week period. “This research demonstrates the potential value of massage therapy for the estimated 1.3 million Americans living with this chronic condition, with women outnumbering men 2.5 – 1.

Helmick CG., et al. Estimates of the Prevalence of Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Conditions in the United States. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2008 January; 58:15-25.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain,joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations, headache, spastic colon,craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. This study demonstrated that massage myofascial release techniques improved pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. 

Castro-Sánchez, A.M., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G.A., Granero-Molina, J., Aguilera-Manrique, G., Quesada-Rubio, J.M., Moreno-Lorenzo, C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011:561753.

Travelling in 2014

I will be out of the country for one month this spring. March 17 - April 18. As you can imagine, my practice will be closed. 

Some of you know that I lived in Brisbane Australia from 2010 - 2011 and loved it, just loved it. I'm finally getting a chance to go back. I'll visit friends, see places I loved, go to some places I didn't get to visit while I lived there, get back up to the Great Barrier Reef for a few days of snorkeling. I'm looking forward to it.

I promise to post pics.  J

You may be able to wait a month for me to return. You may not. If you need a referral to another massage therapist while I'm gone, let me know. I have an excellent referral list.

I'm excited about my vacation. Tell me what I can do to help you during my absence.

Time to Step Away and Ponder

I spent this last weekend away in the woods with my business partner, Kitty Southworth. We have two weekend retreats a year to review and make plans for our small training company, The Healing Core. I'll take the annual retreat for my private practice (the one you all know) later this month.

I started taking these annual biz retreats for my practice more than 10 years ago. It started as something of a whim. It's become a vital part of moving my practice forward.

I'll take a look at what worked and what didn't work in 2013. I'll get my bookkeeping closed out for 2013 and my information ready to file my April taxes. 2013 was a good year and I know I'll enjoy that (yes, I'm that kind of a nerd).

Once 2013 is taken care of, I'll spend a lot of time planning for 2014. How will I reach more people? How can I provide even better service to you, my clients? What new things do I want to learn? Are there policies or procedures that need to be tweaked?

I also get a massage. I'm trying a new practitioner this year and a new modality: tuning forks. Yes, people do bodywork with tuning forks! It's just another way to use vibrations to affect the body and spirit. Plus, it can be melodic! I'm looking forward to it and I promise to give you a report once I return.

Are there things you'd like me to add to my practice in 2014? Are there new services that would help you? I added online scheduling and credit card processing in 2013 and that has been very popular. What else can make working with me even easier for you?

Are there skills or specialties you wish I was more adept with? Anything you'd like me to learn?

Are there ways I can tweak my policies and procedures that would make the process more helpful and easier for you?

Now's the time to speak up! If you've got any input on how I can be a better massage therapist for you or how my practice can be even easier for you to us, let me know. I appreciate anything you can tell me to help me better serve you.

Is It February Yet?

January is a crazy kind of month. There's so much frenetic energy around resolutions, finances, shopping, and (this week) the crazy weather. It's easy to think you're missing something if you're not undertaking a Major New Endeavor in January.

If you're not, it's OK. I'm not either. J

I used to. Changes for both my life and work. Diets. Exercise. Meditation. All the usual stuff. I realized, at some point, though that this didn't change my life as I'd hoped it would. It mostly made me anxious, discouraged, and cranky. So I quit doing it and guess what? Things still moved forward and got better (or at least changed) all on their own. Even if I started those resolutions / new endeavors in February. Or August.

There's also all kind of noises in my profession about jumping on the January bandwagon, suggesting if we can get massage therapy on your list of resolutions, we're golden for the year. Guess what? I'm not doing that either.

As far as your relationship with massage therapy, I only suggest this imagination game: imagine how you'd like to feel in April in body, mind, or spirit. (Not how you'd like to fee in December, that's too far away.) Take a moment. Get a good sense of that.

Now ask yourself: can massage therapy help you get there?

Massage therapy can be so helpful in so many ways -- from pain relief to relaxation to living with chronic conditions, -- that the odds are your answer was "yes". Massage therapy can probably help in some way, large or small.

I'm not asking you to make a Major Commitment To The New You. I'm only asking you to be honest with yourself and to be kind to yourself. If you need massage therapy, please call me. I'd love to see you some time in 2014. You know where to find me.