Hands

Hands are frequently a symbol used by massage therapists, and recently by the Society for Oncology Massage to indicate what we do. For most therapists, hands are the key to practice, as they ARE our tools, rather than many professions (musicians, auto mechanics, administrative assistants) who use their hands to manage the tools of their trades.

Joyce Sequichie Hifler wrote this as her meditation for Dec 5 in Cherokee Feast of Days:

Our hands tell who we are. They are believed to be perfect subjects of the mind. As physical labor shows in the callouses on our palms, so does gentleness or greediness or strength. Nothing else expresses human behavior in so many ways. With our hands, tsu no ye ni, we work, play love, threaten, show joy or grief. Sensitive symbols of faith and friendship, our hands draw to us everything and everyone we love. Marvelously made and directed by the minds' eye, the mind's ear, and the heart's desire, our hands continually express our lives. An abusive hand is from an abusive mind. But the gentle touch does exist--even for those who have yet to experience it. What words cannot say, the hands can express with all tenderness and love.

Last spring I attended a life-changing workshop on Caring for Clients with Cancer, and then joined the Society for Oncology Massage, a new professional organization promoting the benefits of massage for people recently diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or survivors of cancer. It is the direction my massage is moving toward, and it is the tenderness and love that I think is one of the essential components needed to add to the terrific medical care given to people with cancer.

I'm looking forward to the new challenge

Women's Retreat

This past weekend I had the pleasure of being one of the massage therapists at a retreat for some of the women from my church. 9 women, some of whom I knew, and some I now know, signed up for a 30-minute massage, either on Friday or Saturday afternoon.

Our theme for the weekend (paraphrasing) was finding the child within and learning how to play again. So some of the activities including blowing up balloons and doing quite silly things with them, making construction paper masks, and blowing bubbles.

The women who had their massages on Friday, before any other activity, all had tight necks and shoulders. Stressed from the week (or probably the last few months) with worries about the economy, jobs, personal losses, etc, all contributed to holding it in their upper bodies. My guess is that the ones who received a massage on Friday were probably able to enter into the spirit of the retreat more quickly.

On Saturday, the massages were during a "free-time" period which included options for hikes, yoga, drawing a mandala, reiki, or just going off and doing your own thing. The women on Saturday had a greater range of issues. Still, the 30 minutes listening to soothing music and feeling healing hands gave at least a temporary respite.

It would have been nice to offer more of the 50 women the opportunity for massage. On the other hand, I was happy that I got some retreat time, too. I, like the others, enjoyed the beautiful fall colors (the retreat was in the NC mountains), the cool, crisp air, and all of the beautiful yin energy from a lot of wild, wonderful women. I thank them for the opportunity to share.

When I want to reward myself I get a relaxing massage.

Eva Longoria

My First Experiences with Massage

When I was in my adolescence, I attended a co-ed summer camp in the Adirondacks. One of the counselors was a fellow named "Bear"--a large, bearded, and very hirsute fellow, who was as gentle as they come. Bear liked to line folks up on a bench and we would all rub each others backs. He was also the instigator for the "Blueberry Raiders," a group of boys who would pick blueberries, and come over to the girls side in the morning, waking us with fresh blueberries and backrubs.

I had completely forgotten about that experience until I decided to attend massage school, though looking back, I'm sure it is one of the reasons why I see it as such as positive, healing experience. Even though we were all at the beginning or in the midst of raging hormones, the experience was a safe one.

I started receiving regular, monthly massages in the mid-90s when I was going through a divorce and finishing up a graduate degree and working fulltime. My massage therapists (I tried three, all excellent) were absolute godsends, helping me release tension, pent-up emotions, and eventually building up my immune system and releasing the strain on my forearms that was causing carpal tunnel.

Having felt the healing later in life, and recalling the earlier experience, I am grateful to have found my passion and the ability to now work with others to help them find the healing within themselves.

"Our hands are marvelous transmitters for loving-kindness." --Irene Smith, Founder, Service through Touch

Working with Cyclists

I recently went to the "last race of the season," the Greenville Cycling Classic, to offer massage and active isolated stretching to the cyclists. Since I like to ride bikes and am a sponsor for the local woman's team (next year there will be 2 women's teams, but this year it is singular), I've developed a pretty good sense of where cyclists are likely to need work. It was a great day to be outside and watching the races; a series of "crits" or criteriums where the different categories of cyclists (based on gender, skill, and age) raced a one kilometer loop from 15 to 40 times in their race. Some folks, such as Sean, had two races in the same day, so a good stretch and light rub in-between helps a lot with recovery. I worked on Sean a lot last year, and he was kind enough to share how he benefitted from that work:

"I have been working with Lucy Allen for approximately one year. During this time she has not only been directly associated with the best performances of my cycling career but has become a true friend as well. My 2007 season was the best I have ever experienced with numerous top 5 placings and culminating with an USCF upgrade to a category 1 racer, the pinnacle of amateur racing. Lucy's expertise benefited my in many ways most most importantly my recovery time was cut tremendously. She listens but also intuitively knows where and why. Often I did not need to speak any words at all and she was working on the exact spot. I feel she also has a very nurturing personality and really wants to make a difference.

I would HIGHLY recommend Lucy Allen to anyone and if this does not convince you...well go see her...you will be BACK."

Sean Weddell
CTM elite cycling team member
USCF Category 1 racer
USCF Certified Level 3 Coach
10 year NCAA D1 swim coach

Sean did feel better in the 2nd race of the day. And in addition to helping out some of the racers, I was able to finally meet one of my favorite cyclists, George Hincapie, and get his autograph (now located in my massage office).

Thanks to Team BI-LO for the opportunity to work at this race (and to Melissa Weddell for the photo).

Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling. ~James E. Starrs

Integrated Massage

I belong to a networking group that requires a 30-second blurb about our business every time we meet. Mine is something like, "Hi, I'm Lucy Allen with Hawthorne Massage. I specialize in integrated massage therapy based on the need of the client. Modalities include Swedish, deep tissue, and Active Isolated Stretching."

But what does that really mean? How do I change each massage?

The term "integrated massage" comes from a book we used when learning about deep tissue massage, The Balanced Body: A Guide to Deep Tissue and Neuromuscular Therapy, by Donald W. Scheumann. He details an "integrated deep tissue therapy system" incorporating polarity, shiatsu, Swedish massage, cross-fiber techniques, connective and deep tissue, neuromuscular, and stretching. Scheumann specifies exercises that use all of these techniques. Learning this approach gave me a sense of how to mix up various skills to give the best massage to my clients. Everyone is different, so I choose the techniques that work best for each person's situation.

If someone comes in with a frozen shoulder, I'll probably start with some stretches, and then follow it with massage. During an hour session, we'll probably only work with the arms, neck, chest and back.

* For a cyclist, they might get some stretching, but more likely I'll give an hour massage with a longer period of time and more deep work on the legs and hips.

* For an elderly client with arthritis, I'll only use light pressure.

* When I worked on a cancer survivor who couldn't lie on her stomach, she started on her back then went to her side, supported by lots of pillows; I massaged her back and legs from that position. She reported later that it was the most comfortable she had been in a long
time.

Because everyone is different, I don't give a cookie-cutter massage. That's why I like to know a bit about you before I start my work. Once I know what you need, I can give you the best massage therapy for your situation. It makes it more rewarding for me that way, too, knowing that we're taking care of problems and bringing relief together.

"The true voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes."--Marcel Proust

Guest Blog

Following my post of September 14th, one of my clients (who is a regular contributor to other blogs) sent me one for here.


My experience finding the right massage therapist

by Christy Brewer


The first time I had a massage therapy session, I had a specific condition: carpal tunnel syndrome. After talking with medical doctors who preferred surgery, I began sharing my situation with some of my mom's friends.

At the time, I was a secretary. Yes, back in the day when executives had people to type their correspondence and reports for them. So, hand surgery, even one at a time, would take me out of commission for way too long.

I got lucky. One of my mom's friends knew a massage therapist that was formerly a physical therapist. That mattered to me, since I had heard a lot more about exotic massage than massage therapy, and, frankly, I was more afraid of finding myself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But, the pain drove me to take a chance and just make the appointment. I had no previous experience to compare, so I was afraid of settling for a mediocre therapist. However, as soon as I arrived at my first massage therapy appointment, I was completely relieved.

I entered the back of this person's house, which seemed uncomfortable at first, but walked right into a professional setup for massage. Fran greeted me and explained everything that would happen, making me immediately comfortable with the process. She asked questions about what was bothering me, and took a brief but detailed medical history.

During the massage, she continually asked questions about my carpal tunnel, my job, and any other measures I had taken to relieve the pain. She also asked for feedback on the massage itself. "Is this painful?" "Do you feel pain radiating, or is it staying stationary?" "If I move your arm like this, does the pain get worse, better, or the same?"

After my first massage, I felt immediate relief. I knew I had made the right choice to go, and had managed to find a great massage therapist on my first try. After I moved too far away from Fran, I had to find another, and that's where having the previous experience helped me compare and know when I found a therapist I like.

Here are my tips:

* Look for a professional environment. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but definitely an established practice should have adequate facilities to allow you to maintain your privacy and make you comfortable.

* A good therapist will ask you for a detailed medical history, and ask you what your goals are for massage therapy. Don't begin work before you have a chance to talk through all your concerns.

* Look for a therapist who is willing to listen. I used to feel too "chatty" before and during my sessions, but this is vital information. If the therapist seems disinterested in what you have to say, find a new one.

* During the massage, you should feel comfortable asking questions or giving feedback. If something is painful, you must be confident that your therapist is listening and will respond.

* This may just be my personal opinion, but I've always done best with a therapist that I get along with outside the massage room as well as inside. Fran is still great friends with my mom, and she participated in my wedding. Now, in South Carolina, I'm glad to have found a friend in Lucy. Yeah, it's that important to me.

The best way to find a massage therapist that you like is to try a session. You can eliminate a few by talking to them or visiting the facility, but ultimately you won't know for sure until you engage in the real work of a massage. You won't be wasting time by trying a few therapists, because any licensed therapist will give you a good massage. Just remember, you deserve a _great_ massage, and that's your goal in finding _your_ massage therapist.

1000 and counting

When I first became licensed and started working professionally as a massage therapist (instead of giving them to my friends), one of my mentors told me that my palpation skills [what you can feel and sense with your hands] would go to a new level after the first 1000 massages. And a new level again after another 1000.

The 1000-mark is significant because a lot of what happens in a good massage, and always in a great massage, is based on intuition and what the hands notice. After a while you have a sense of what to feel for.

Earlier this month I was giving a massage to a person I don't work on very often, maybe once a year. She commented that my touch was different and better; I told her what this more experienced massage therapist had shared with me. Of course, she asked me how many I had done, and I really didn't know. Later, I looked through my records and found that this month I had passed the 1000 mark.

I sometimes forget that it's a reasonable question for a client to ask: "Can you feel this tight muscle?" That's a lot of what massage therapists do, feel for trouble spots and address them. The skin is a covering, but I was taught to envision the muscles underneath instead of focusing on the skin.

One of the beautiful aspects of this profession is that I learn all the time. Since every client is unique, I learn from each one of them. I learn new techniques when I receive massages from other therapists. And, I attend continuing education classes. The most recent class, "Caring for Clients with Cancer," was another reason (besides the 1000 massages) that my touch is now different. Tracy Walton, the instructor, gave each of us the tools to be more connected with our clients through our hands.

Experience and the wisdom of others helps me grow as a massage therapist. I send a big Thank You to her and all the other wonderful teachers and mentors in massage.

"Massage is the study of anatomy in braille."--Jack Meagher

Finding the right massage therapist

I love it when someone tells me I'm their favorite massage therapist, and, yet, I also recognize that I'm not the right massage therapist for everyone. That's a good thing, because I would never be able to keep up with the demand!

When someone apologizes for not using me because they found that right person, I encourage them to be loyal. It's much easier to work with a person after you know where the normal aches and pains are, and you can sense the new ones. It all adds up to a better massage. I love all my clients, but there is a real value in ones who are regular.

That said, I have my favorite therapist. I also go to other massage therapists if I want or need a different type of massage (or if my favorite one isn't available). My goal is to get a massage once a week; given time and money, that's what I'd recommend for everyone, but especially people who are really active.

When I had a bicycle accident, I immediately called a massage therapist who I know is great with injuries and does very specific deep tissue work. Thank goodness he was available, and through his early intervention (along with acupuncture to help with pain control and assist in healing), I was back to work fairly quickly.

Sometimes deep work is inappropriate, so I'll find someone who does reiki or polarity or craniosacral work that has no pressure associated with it. One of my former instructors does a fabulous job with a recovery massage after a triathlon or other athletic event, so I always schedule a long session with him when I know I'm going to be doing some endurance event.

So overall, find a therapist you like and stay with 'em, and if you don't like something, tell that therapist (if it's a little thing). If you don't like the massage, find someone new. And if you have a specific need, find a specialist.

"Touch was never meant to be a luxury. It is a basic human need. It is an action that validates life and gives hope to both the receiver and the giver. The healing of touch is reciprocal." -- Irene Smith

Stress Relief: What's Really Causing Stress

One of the most frequently listed benefits of massage is “stress relief.” That sounds awfully like applying Valium topically instead of ingesting it. I dropped that vague term from my latest business card since most people know it’s a benefit anyway.

But, I got to thinking about it when I took my massage chair to a music festival recently. One of my clients, a spouse of a musician, had a neck and shoulders about as tight as any I’ve worked on in quite a while. That’s saying a lot considering some of the musicians play about 8-10 hours a day and they're pretty wrenched. After our 20-minute session, he thanked me and said it was the first time he had been able to turn his neck to the left in a few weeks. Okay, that makes me feel good about my job, but what about his?

He’s been a crime investigator for about 20 years. He works on cold cases, especially homicides. Of course this job carries a lot of stress. But, he was more focused on the stress endured by the people he meets during the course of his job. Stress is everywhere, but I learned in listening to him that all homicides are caused by one or a combination of only three things: 1) drugs and/or alcohol, 2) money, 3) a woman.

Even more telling is that all domestic disturbances involve #1, drugs and/or alcohol.

His tight neck and shoulders made a lot more sense after that. I am yet again grateful to find a calling where I can provide at least some temporary stress relief.

“The true voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes.” Marcel Proust

Favorite Music for Massage

One of the reasons I wanted to become a massage therapist was to allow flexibility in my schedule to play music. Music is another of my passions. But the music I play (mostly singer-songwriter and old-time string band music) is not good for massage. It’s better in coffee houses, listening rooms and dance floors.

But one of the offshoots of this passion is that I love supporting other independent musicians, so I seek out music that will be good in the massage room. I prefer music I can buy directly from the musician. One good source for CDs is CDBaby since they also make many of the selections available for individual purchase through iTunes. But, I digress... Buying independent music is important to me, so I'll share with you some of my favorites.

1. The Amazing Jellies: Council of Sea Beings by Ruth Mendelson. Mendelson is a professor at Berklee School of Music and composed this work for an exhibit at the Boston Aquarium on jellyfish. It’s very “floaty.” There are two versions on the CD and a third cut called, “Cochiti,” which predictably has a Native American theme with no-so-soothing drumming. I skip that cut.

2. Since I play guitar, I started out by looking for cool guitar CDs. In three years I have not yet tired of either Counting the Ways or Luna by Ed Gerhardt, a blissful guitarist who used to record with Windham Hill.

3. For a celtic flavor, I prefer Celtic Guitar Summit with Steve Baughman and Robin Bullock.

4. Another therapist (and musician) introduced me to Arthurian Dream Suite by Roger Davis, a Wilmington, NC, jazz guitarist.

5. Which led me to having a few jazz selections around... Some folks don’t like vocals, and some don’t mind. So for the latter, I’ll sometimes play Rebecca Martin’s People Behaving Like Ballads. She is a talented singer and songwriter from New York,

6. I also like Alison Brown, banjo player extraordinaire, and owner of Compass Records, a great label for independent artists. Most of her albums work, though my top pick is Alison Brown Quartet, Out of the Blue.

7. I recently discovered a few local artists. Richard Shulman plays piano and synthesizer and is based in Asheville, NC. I picked up a copy of 11:11, a series of meditations on piano which is now in a regular rotation.

8. Benjamin Jobst is a body-worker based in Saluda, NC. He created Seven Metals Singing Bowls using Tibetan singing bowls, gongs and chimes for his recordings. He intentionally created a recording with no discernible tempo or rhythm to help the brain shut off while receiving therapy (or meditating). Most of my clients love it. One of my clients, a musician, hates it, and so I always change it out before that session and chuckle.

I do my best to stay away from recordings I think are overused in massages like Pachelbel Canon in D (the “Margaritaville of classical music”) or Enya unless a client specifically requests it. Tell me what music you like to enjoy while you're in the massage room. I'd love to know!

“A friend is someone who knows the song of your soul and sings it back to you when you have forgotten the words.” Anonymous

Why I love my work - #1 in a long series

I have to tell you a story that starts with the first time I worked with a particular client. He is a double-amputee, missing both his left arm and leg lost in an accident. It was my first time working with a double-amputee, and it was his first time to get a massage. We were at an outdoor event, so he was clothed and in his wheelchair. He was very sensitive to touch on the area where he had lost his arm, so I worked really slowly and gently. While I worked, he told me some of the horrific details of the accident, and how his life was saved. A few days later, I emailed him to follow up after the massage. This is part of his reply (quoted with permission):

“Your massage was a first for me, and I'm now convinced that I should have tried massage therapy sooner. It definitely helped!

Since my accident I've suffered from phantom pain in my left arm, every evening in some form. To keep the pain at a manageable level I take oxycodone + Percocet, twice a day. After 4 years of taking these narcotics I've reached the point that I get withdrawal symptoms if I miss a dosage. The medical theory is that it's better to stay on the pain medication to keep the pain at a manageable level. Kind of like taking an aspirin just in case you get a head ache!"

While I was working on him, he said that he felt his left (phantom) hand unclench and relax. It's common for amputees to feel a part of the amputated limb long after it's gone. His experience with this pain didn't surprise me, but I am thrilled that he finally felt some relief from the pain. He continued:

"I'm presently seeing a new doctor … who's been encouraging me to try alternatives, and has suggested trying massage therapy. If this helps, as it appears it has, I plan on slowly weaning off the prescribed narcotics. After our session I was amazed at how much better my left shoulder felt! Friday night was a rare night, as I actually got 8 hours of sleep. I normally get 3 to 4 hours of total sleep, due to problems with my left shoulder + phantom arm pain."

Because of this closure, he plans to continue with massage therapy back home. I'm glad we had the chance to have this exchange and that I had the opportunity to introduce him to the relief he felt.

"No single therapeutic agent can be compared in efficiency with this familiar but perfect tool...the human hand. If half as much research had been expended on the principles governing manual treatment as upon pharmacology, the hand would be esteemed today on a par with drugs in acceptability and power." --J. Madison Taylor, M.D. 1908

Preparing to see a massage therapist

“Do I have to take all of my clothes off?”

This wasn’t really going to be my first topic, but when I mentioned creating a blog and some of the topics, the unanimous choice of my colleagues was that this should be first. It's the first question people want to ask, but they don't. Even the fear of asking the question keeps a lot of folks away from every trying massage because they are afraid the answer will be, “Yes, of course you have to.”

But you don’t. Think about the purpose of getting a massage. If it’s for relaxation, and you’re totally stressed about being undressed, how successful can I (or any therapist) be in getting you to be relaxed? Won’t happen.

That’s why we’re taught the lovely phrase, “Please undress to your level of comfort.”

I think some people are also afraid they have to undress in the presence of the therapist. That doesn’t happen. After greeting a new client, explaining what will happen, I leave the room while my client gets ready. They know what to expect before I leave the room.

Now, there are folks who have had lots of massages or spent a lot of time in medical facilities who put me in a position where I had to leave rather quickly to avoid seeing them getting undressed. (No, really, I don’t want to see you undress. Let me leave and wash my hands.) But that is a totally different matter.

Related to the clothing issue is “draping,” or being covered during the massage. I like flannel sheets and a light blanket on top. The law in both South and North Carolina requires least a sheet or towel covering genitals and breasts. Legal talk gets so specific.

There are only two parts of you uncovered at any given time: your head, of course, and the part I'm working on. I don't work on those legally spelled-out areas, so genital areas and female breasts always remain draped. Heck, this only makes sense, and it's required by South Carolina law. The only exception to this rule is breast massage. It may be performed as part of breast cancer rehabilitation, but only with prior written permission of the client, and only by a therapist with specific training in breast cancer massage.

So, if you leave your clothes on, what’s typical? Usually underwear. Now, guys... briefs or boxer briefs are fine. Regular boxers, um, could be a problem when the therapist works on your legs. That’s just a thought for you.

Women, if you leave your bra on, which is fine, I will ask whether it is okay to unhook it while I work on your back. It’s a bit easier, and gives you better results, but if you say no, it stays hooked.

I’ve had at least three clients who left their trousers on. Mostly that is when I’m only working on the upper body. It presents a challenge when you have low back pain, and probably isn't as effective. But I work around it. It’s your choice; you’re paying me to give you the massage, and your sense of comfort and safety comes first.

It can be a bit unnerving not knowing what to expect going into your first massage. And, when you have no information, you're often worse off than knowing the truth. Now that you know what really does happen, I hope you're able to think about the clothing and draping issues a little differently. If you're thinking you can benefit from massage therapy, be sure to talk to a licensed therapist before committing to an appointment. You deserve the time it takes to ask a few questions. Make sure you're comfortable, and you'll probably see that the benefits of massage greatly outweigh the risks. You may even find that you had nothing to worry about at all!

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” M. Kathleen Casey