Back To Basics
Recently I had an intern from the Okanagan College of Massage Therapy, she was finishing up her last “hands” on hours before completing the 3000 hr program. I found this experience positive for the Intern, my clients and for my own reflections of how my treatments styles have changed.
I was reminded about relaxation based massage, of full body wellness, of assessment tools that I have long forgotten or deemed useless. I became very familiar with the old feelings of “shouldn’t” and “don’t”. A student is full of what is allowed and what is considered to be correct way of doing massage. It is amazing how quickly after graduation, once in the work place- the realization that there is no “correct massage“.
The limited techniques that are taught within the school walls are very safe and effective treatments for the majority of regular Registered massage therapy clients; however, the techniques used are not the safest and most effective for the therapist. Watching my intern brought me back to the days where I was icing my arms and hands after three hours of work, constantly stretching, and needing weekly massage in order to stay pain free. I found watching her work stressful and very concerning. Her hands would quake; she hunched over while working the shoulders, and was watching her hands. I got a sympathy headache.
After some new postures, advice on how to use our bodies as leverage, reminders of our “intent”, and some positive reinforcement on following her gut, she had a huge paradigm shift- that she can be in this career, pain free. Within the three week period of the internship the change was great, she had more energy after long sessions and long days and the feedback she had received changed. From week to week the comments included an increase in confidence, pressure and that her entire massage was smoother.
In our time together, I was pulled in to my past and had some ideas reiterated to me. She was allowed to see what her future career could hold. I feel that it was a fair exchange.
Bev Spidle, RMT
