The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

A young woman is newly diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Is massage therapy safe? Can it be helpful? What does a massage therapist need to know ahead of time? Answers: Yes, yes, and it's all here in this episode of  I Have a Client Who . . . Sponsors:      Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com      Massage Mentor Institute: www.themassagementorinstitute.com   Host Bio:              ...

Hidden in the shadows, the serratus posterior superior and inferior are, what I like to call, our anatomical parentheses. Subtle, nuanced, and often ignored, finding where they are and what they feel like is crucial to the work we do. In this episode of The Rebel MT , I underscore pushing our awareness beyond what we've been taught and to see what anatomy is trying to tell us.     Host:           ...

Design can be simple. Maybe that's why it's so complicated. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by Carolyn Boldt, VP/Director of Design for CrossFields, to discuss what to look for when evaluating office space, how owning versus leasing plays a role in how you plan your design, why design is key to client retention, and design trends that have real staying power. Ca...

A massage therapist lives and works near the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment site. They want to know about the possible risks of working with people exposed to chemical toxins. With so many unknowns, what's the safest way to proceed? Join host Ruth Werner as she helps answer that question and others in this episode of "I Have a Client Who . . ."   Sponsors:      Books of Discovery:  www.boo...

Arrogant. Charismatic. Narcissistic. If you were to name traits that define strong leaders, these words might spring to mind. The evidence, however, tells quite a different story. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by professor and author Dr. Amer Kaissi to discuss how humility and ambition converge to make a great leader, the interesting dynamic between self-aware...

A client reports she's about to lose a kidney due to a kidney stone. That seems . . . extreme, doesn't it? What's probably happening is that she has a staghorn calculus: a stone that takes up all the space in her kidney. If it's not removed it will continue to grow, which could lead to all kinds of problems. What is a staghorn calculus? And what accommodations do we need to make for a person who h...

Albert Einstein said, "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." But does it have to be that hard? In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin speaks with CPA and tax coach Kenesha Coleman about what business owners need to know before filing, advice for practitioners who are feeling overwhelmed or stressed during tax season, and why bookkeeping year-round will benefit you...

A client is an adult man with spastic cerebral palsy. He has a Baclofen pump and is preparing for Botox injections. He's also found a massage therapist who has the experience and expertise to help him—that's amazing! Understandably, the MT has questions about the Botox—what are the guidelines for manual therapy when this is used to treat spasticity? Well, that assumes that such guidelines exist, w...

The word "palliate" comes from the Medieval Latin " palliare ," meaning to conceal, or to cover with a cloak. In the context of health care, a palliative approach is one that alleviates symptoms without curing disease. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin speaks with author Cindy Spence about her book Palliative Touch: Massage for People at the End of Life , how practitioners can protect...

A client reports she has Sprengel's deformity and was told never to get massage or chiropractic. Nonetheless, she finds that massage is very helpful! What is Sprengel's deformity? And what are the questions we need to ask so we can make safe and effective clinical decisions? Spoiler alert: It's not as tricky as it sounds, and you'll find out on this episode of "I Have a Client Who . . ."   Sponsor...

The Teres Major and Teres Minor may share a name, but sharing is not something they do well. In a constant battle for the humerus, they have spent a lifetime arguing, competing, and creating friction. But getting to the truth of how a muscle really feels involves not only knowing their anatomy, but also knowing the human condition.  Listen in to this episode of  The Rebel MT to learn more about th...

Mental decline is not an inevitable part of aging. You can boost your short- and long-term brain health and significantly lower the risk of dementia—if the right steps are taken now. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Dr. Marc Milstein, author of The Age-Proof Brain , about assessing our brain's age, why sleep is so critical to brain health, and why lifestyle facto...

A client with hip and back pain is referred to a massage therapist by her chiropractor. But there's a hitch: This person also has arrhythmia and hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is one of the most common inherited disorders in White people, and it can lead to life-threatening complications. One of those complications might be a factor in this client's situation. Fortunately, if it's found early, h...

Harm reduction in client/therapist engagements can be organized into four simple, but hard-to-implement tenets: minimize judgement, avoid offering advice or opinions, respect autonomy, and understand the complicated nature of behavior. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Cal Cates about the lack of self-regulation training, examples of judgment with a client, and ho...

A client has chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath . . . on a mysteriously regular cycle. Testing shows masses in her lungs, but cancer is ruled out. The most likely situation here is thoracic endometriosis. What is endometriosis, how did this client get it in her lungs, and—most importantly—can massage help with her signs or symptoms?   Sponsors:      Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin shares some of the lessons she has learned as a massage therapist, while Darren shares what he's learned as a client, why communication plays a major role in the client/therapist relationship, and how customer service weaves its way into every aspect of a session.   Hosts:   Darren Buford is senior director of communications and editor-in-chief for ABM...

A client has frequent ear infections, including now while he's awaiting a prescription of antibiotics. He wants massage for his neck and shoulders. He has a history of a ruptured eardrum and several surgeries. And by the way, he's a surfer.  Usually, we say that massage and acute infections don't really go together. But this client seems fine—he gets these infections often and they don't impact hi...

A client with a complex health challenge can benefit from a conversation between their massage therapist and their health-care team. But, a conversation isn't the same as permission. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Ruth about massage therapists' inclinations to get a doctor's permission before treatment, whether a doctor's note protects MTs, and what consulting...

A client's knee surgery seemed to go OK, but now he has a problem: his knee is stuck in 60 degrees of flexion. His doctors don't seem interested in his diagnosis, leading him to wonder if anything will ever change. What's going on? Is this unusual? Turns out, it might happen a lot. But massage therapy might be helpful, according to one of the world's leading experts on the subject. Join us as we e...

The gluteus maximus is just like the rest of us—caught up in how society and the internet tells us we should look, think, and feel. Untangling this massive muscle from the interwebs takes a lot of introspection. In this episode, Allison pontificates the deeper issues of the Glute Max and offers some insights on how to free it from societal constraints.   Host:                   Contact Allison Den...

Imagine a world where every child has the chance to reach their full potential. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Tina Allen, founder of Liddle Kidz Foundation , about the differences between infant and pediatric massage, why she created the Liddle Kidz Foundation, what she has noticed in her travels around the world regarding "touch culture," and what advice she...

A client is a former NFL linebacker with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). What is going on inside his head? And is it safe for the massage therapist to work with him? CTE is part of a range of head injuries that includes traumatic brain injury, concussion, and post-concussion syndrome. We don't have a lot of information about massage therapy in this context, but we can get enough informatio...

Understanding the motor points of the neuromuscular system and their corollary—tonic acupressure points—increases efficiency in helping clients relax and deepen into a sense of calmness and well-being. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Mary Kathleen Rose about the difference between motor points and tonic points, how deep a motor point is, what a point should feel...

A client's parent is a Vietnam vet, and she is left with the aftermath of the genetic damage caused by one of the deadliest toxins known: TCDD dioxin. She has spina bifida, a well-recognized consequence of parental AO exposure, but also a slew of other physical and emotional challenges. What is Agent Orange, and how did this happen? And… is there any way our work can help?   Sponsors:    Books of...

Critical thinking can help people better understand themselves, their motivations, and their goals. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren speak with Doug Nelson about one of his favorite topics: Critical Thinking. He discusses why we need to challenge not only our head and our hands—but our heart, how confirmation bias leads to struggle, and why we should pick our themes and not...