Being client centered means we always make choices and act with the best interests and well-being of our clients. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Cindy Williams covers a variety of examples of client centeredness as a reminder of how we can bring this core ethical principle into our professional practices.   Host Bio:           After earning a degree in Sociology from Indiana University in 1997, Cindy Williams stumbled upon her calling as a massage therapist and bodyworker. ...

Join Kristin Coverly as she asks massage therapy and bodywork experts Allison Denney and Dr. Joe Muscolino “What lesson did you learn from a memorable client experience?” and “How do you recognize and celebrate your victories?” Hear their responses on this episode of The ABMP Podcast and gain inspiration you can immediately apply to your personal and professional lives!   Host Bio:           Kristin Coverly, LMT is a massage therapist, educator, and the director of professional...

The new year is a great time to make changes in your massage business. Host Allissa Haines works through the variables and options for change to make your business better, with less pressure.   Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Resources: ...

A client has a history of a very unusual and somewhat alarming condition: pyoderma gangrenosum. Can massage therapy be applied in this situation? Probably yes, but in specific circumstances. Listen to this episode of “I Have a Client Who . . .” to learn more and to hear host Ruth Werner get on one of her favorite soapboxes: the language of massage therapy.   Host Bio:                    Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing...

The temporomandibular joint may be infamous for its disorder, but it is its complexity that lends us the ability to chew, grind, talk, and even to elevate a bland statement to an iconic moment of genius. In this episode of The Rebel MT, Allison takes a closer look at the incredible jaw, reflects on how understanding it better will boost our confidence with our work here, and hopes that we can explore how to talk more like Jim Carrey.   Host:   Contact Allison...

It’s wonderful to have loyal clients, but it can be tough balancing your loyal clients with other clients. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines talks through ways to manage a sustainable schedule while keeping your most loyal clients well-served. Resources: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/the-wirecutter-show-podcast/ How to better serve your Neurodovergent clients: ...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, host Whitney Lowe dives into the challenges of measuring educational outcomes in massage therapy training programs. He explores why simply tracking clock hours doesn’t equate to quality education and highlights the advantages of a competency-based learning approach. Tune in to learn how this shift can lead to better training outcomes and more skilled massage therapists.   Host:   Whitney Lowe is a known authority in the field of massage therapy,...

Poor communication habits can wreck your reputation. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines works through a listener’s recent frustrations about scheduling an appointment and lays out the steps for better communication with potential clients. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author links:   ...

A client had a complex surgical procedure on her heart two weeks prior, but it was conducted by way of a catheter threaded up her femoral artery and aorta. Now, she wants to receive massage again. A quick Google search suggests that it would be OK. Her MT is skeptical and wants to be more conservative. Who is right? Listen on for information about transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgery, using AI to make clinical decisions, and how to get to “yes” for people who have recently...

Tennis elbow is a pain in the elbow when there is too much tennis-ing. And if it were that simple, life would be easy. Unfortunately, it never is, especially when it comes to anatomy. Join The Rebel MT host Allison Denney as she discloses not only her inability to play tennis but also her ability to know what is going on for a lot of people who play a lot of tennis. Host:                   Contact Allison Denney: [email protected]             Allison’s...

It can be easy to feel insulted by clients who ask for discounts, arrive late, or use the term “masseuse.” Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines walks through the policies and scripts to take the feelings out of these perceived slights. Host:   Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author links:   ...

As massage therapists, we spend a lot of time mastering anatomy—learning specialized vocabulary and the locations of muscles, bones, and nerves in the body. We can take our anatomy understanding even deeper by looking not just at where our client’s anatomy lives but also how their anatomy relates to each other: tissue relationships. In this third and final episode of the three-part series “Your Practice in 3D,” we discuss the concept of tissue relationships and how dissection lab trainings...

The Ayurvedic approach to exercise suggests nasal breathing instead of mouth breathing during exercise to replace exercise stress with a chemistry of composure and calm. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Angie and Darren are joined by renowned Ayurvedic educator, Dr. John Douillard, to discuss what efficient breathing is and how to achieve it, why CO2 plays a role in nasal breathing, and how nasal breathing is critical for optimal flexibility and elasticity of the spine, head, neck and low...

A spending freeze can help reorganize and add intention to business finances. In this episode of Business or Pressure, Allissa talks through the steps to customize a spending freeze for your business. Host:   Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author links:   Website: www.deepbreathdigital.com/community ...

A client has hereditary hemochromatosis, which has affected their hip and toes. It is bad enough that they are considering joint replacement. In the meantime, they would like to receive massage for hip pain. Oh, and there’s this tiny little issue about having recent strokes. What is going on? How can iron overload cause joint damage, and is it involved in strokes too? Is bodywork even possible in this situation?   Resources:   IHACW Episode 317, available here   Agarwal, A.R. et al....

Migraines wreak havoc. Maybe massage therapists could be more helpful if we could massage the brain. But we can’t. In the meantime, understanding what we’ve learned about migraines is a helpful trick. Buckle up for some brain speak, anatomy definitions, and Latin roots. It’s going to be a bumpy ride on this episode of The Rebel MT with host Allison Denny. Host:               Contact Allison Denney: [email protected]             Allison’s website: www.rebelmassage.com           ...

Allissa talks through a few smart money moves for a strong financial foundation. Host:   Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community   Author links:   Website: www.deepbreathdigital.com/community   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepbreathcommunity/   Sponsors:   Yomassage course content includes:  ...

Admitting that you don’t know can be one of your biggest strengths as a therapist. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Doug Nelson talks about not mistaking confidence for competence, what exactly true confidence looks like, and how tenacity and curiosity both play a big role as a massage therapist.   Host:   Douglas Nelson is Board Certified in Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Bodywork, beginning his career in massage therapy in 1977.  Seeing over 1,200 client visits annually for...

Clients come to us with ingrained patterns, habits, and routines that they want and need to change so they feel less tension and pain. In order to create that change, we support them by identifying the pattern(s) and educating them on more effective and efficient movement patterns. Essentially, they are learning something new. By applying three aspects of how the brain learns—attention, emotion, and repetition—we have a better chance of long-term success in this mutual endeavor with our...

Is a separate phone number for business necessary? Allissa talks through the factors for making that decision and the options available. Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author links:   Website: www.deepbreathdigital.com/community   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepbreathcommunity/   ...

A 60-ish year-old client with a history of surgery for aortic aneurysm insists—INSISTS—that his 21-year-old massage therapist work with him, in spite of his new onset severe leg pain. What are the practitioner’s options in this literally life-or-death scenario? This story, that looks cut-and-dried on the surface, is more complex than it appears. Plus, we get to talk about bulges in the aorta, bleeding ruptures, migrating devices, new surgical innovations, and much much more. Listen in to...

Every wonder why some people seem to be able to brush off massive blows and some seem to feel all the feels? There are pros and cons in both scenarios, just like in the tissues of our body. In this episode of The Rebel MT, host Allison Denney explains why the tension produced by growing up and the tension found in the plantar fascia of the feet are similar and necessary.    Host:   Contact Allison Denney: [email protected]             Allison’s...

We can’t always count on referrals from local medical providers, even when their work overlaps ours. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines explores how to educate clients and related professionals about our work and build a niche from the outside in.   Host: Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner and columnist for Massage & Bodywork magazine. You can find her building a community of massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com/community.   Author...

Join Kristin Coverly as she asks four leaders in the bodywork field, “What daily habit do you have that sets you up for success?” This episode of The ABMP Podcast can help you gain inspiration you can immediately apply to your personal and professional lives. Diane Matkowski Diane Matkowski has been practicing therapeutic massage for over 27 years and her business, Freedom Massage http://www.freedommassage.com, is home to thirteen fantastic LMTs. She is the creator and moderates The...