The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

Safety and efficiencies in the workplace can help a therapist's career longevity. So, how does the Ergonomics Project aim to do this? In this episode, Robin Anderson, president of the Massage Therapy Foundation, discusses what the study of ergonomics entails and delves into both phases of the Ergonomics Project, how they plan on using this research, and how different modalities play a role in the...

A client with diabetes has a 100-point blood sugar crash during his massage session. Luckily, the client was prepared and knew what to do. But can massage therapists do anything to avoid this risk? Listen in to find out.   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com        Host Bio:                     Ruth Werner is a former massage th...

Paul Ingraham is a pain researcher whose journey as a massage therapist and his experience with his own chronic pain led him to launch painscience.com —one of funniest and most successful websites on the topic of chronic pain. In this episode, Allison sits down with Paul to discuss how his transition from massage therapist to chronic pain translator revealed much more about the experience of pain...

Water treatments have a universal and timeless appeal. In this episode, MaryBetts Sinclair discusses how she "found" hydrotherapy, when—and why—hydrotherapy re-emerged in modern times, how massage therapists can incorporate hydrotherapy into their practices, and whether MTs should charge more for these services. MaryBetts Sinclair has been practicing massage and using water therapies in Corvallis,...

A client with a history of total knee replacement reports a Baker's cyst. The massage therapist wonders what indications or contraindications are present. But the Baker's cyst might not be the real issue here. In this podcast Ruth has a couple of assumptions challenged, which can be fun.   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com    ...

What are the similarities in running a successful massage practice and a successful skin care practice? More than you might think. In this episode, esthetician and business owner Ella Cressman talks about how delegating parts of her business gave her time to focus on her clients, why rebooking practices are vital to your business's success, and how to get comfortable in suggestive retail.   Ella C...

A client starts with a sore throat. Now she's recovering from an infection that required 4 months in the hospital and rehabilitation. She had major surgery, and lost the ends of her fingers and toes in the process. Finally she is home, becoming more active, and wants to receive massage.   How on earth did this happen, and what do we need to know to work safely? It turns out this situation has some...

The psoas is a lot like an old man who likes his solitude and scares those who pass his cabin in the woods. But with a little patience and finesse, the fear will ease—and the old man will have a new kick in his step.   Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                       Allison Denney is a certified massage t...

In this episode, Dr. Ben Benjamin discusses the three phases of frozen shoulder, how resisted stretching is used to increase range of motion and decrease pain, why friction therapy is a great method for massage therapists to use during a session, and how being a thorough communicator during assessments is key to understanding a patient's treatment options. Ben Benjamin, PhD in sports medicine, has...

Ep 145 – Butterfly Disease: "I Have a Client Who . . ." Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner Epidermolysis bullosa (EB): this genetic skin condition is sometimes called butterfly disease, because the skin of affected people is so delicate. So when a client with EB, plus fibromyalgia, plus blood thinner use asks for "very deep work", what do we do?   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomyt...

In this episode, Cherie Sohnen-Moe discusses what inspired her to write her first book, Business Mastery ; how massage therapists should be using treatment plans as a marketing tool; incorporating retail sales into your practice; and her hopes for the future of massage and bodywork. Cherie Sohnen-Moe is an author, business coach, and international workshop leader. She has been involved in the well...

Ruth eavesdrops on a conversation between two massage therapists sharing concerns about clients with cervical dystonia. Cervical dystonia, also called spasmodic torticollis, is one of more than a dozen types of dystonia, and understanding this condition involves lots of twists and turns. (That's a joke—tune in to find out why.)   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of...

Ever wonder what would have happened if you had made different choices in your life? In this episode, Allison sits down with Christy Cael—author, instructor, bodyworker, and biomimicry master—whose story has taken turns she never dreamed possible. Christy's success, she reflects, is all thanks to her willingness to say yes to opportunities that she at first wasn't sure she could accomplish.    Hos...

In practice as a bodyworker and body-psychotherapist for 20 years, Dr. Cynthia Price worked extensively with individuals who were disconnected from their bodies due to stress, trauma, and pain. Inspired by Focusing, an experiential psychotherapy approach of present attention to the "felt sense," Dr. Price developed Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT) as a mindfulness-based approach f...

T-cell lymphoma is a relatively rare form of cancer that can affect lymph tissues, bones, organs, and the skin. In this episode we'll look at this condition in two different clients with very different presentations that take us to similar conclusions.   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com        Host Bio:                     Ru...

Massage therapists' hands are a powerful tool. Like an extension of the brain, hands are a highly intelligent sense organ that can perceive and communicate without words. But are we taking them for granted? In this episode, Heath and Nicole Reed discuss the "elusive obvious" that is our hands; the value and importance of how we interact with the world through touch; pre-, mid-, and post-session st...

A client has Dupuytren's contracture, a progressive thickening and shrinking of the palmar fascia that causes her pinky finger to be bent all the time. Now it seems to be starting on the other side. Is massage safe? Can it help slow the progress? What is Dupuytren's contracture, anyway?   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com    ...

Can you get too many massages? #Wellness has taken on a whole new meaning. In this episode, Allison highlights the autonomic part of the nervous system and relates it to the balance we seek in wellness and in the work we do as massage therapists.    Host:                    Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                       Allison...

Tracy's belief is simple—everyone deserves compassionate touch. She has developed guidelines that are already in place in hospitals, massage schools, and clinics across the country. This includes a pressure scale she developed, based on the work of Gayle MacDonald and Dawn Nelson. In this episode, Tracy discusses her beginnings in oncology massage, how frustration in the classroom helped develop t...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), called myalgic encephalomyelopathy (ME) in other countries, is one of my least favorite topics. It is just so slippery, and we understand very little about how it comes about, how to treat it, and how massage therapy might help. We are likely to see more cases of CFS/ME soon, as this symptomatic profile is common in people with long COVID. What is chronic fatigue? A...

Can reducing excess tension during bodywork sessions promote career longevity? Author and educator David Lobenstine thinks so. David is a proponent of efficient practitioner performance, and during this podcast we talk about his recent article in Massage & Bodywork magazine: "Find Your Floppy." David breaks down the myth that massage therapists must work as hard as possible to be good practitioner...

From appendicitis to vertigo: a quick tour through the first year of I Have a Client Wh o . . . episodes in alphabetical order. I am so grateful to our listeners and podcast hosts and sponsors who have made all this possible, and I'm looking forward to another great year of I Have a Client Wh o . . . stories!   Sponsors:    Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com      Books of Discovery:  www.books...

Have you ever tried to ignore something or someone only to find that it gets amplified and becomes even more of an annoyance? In this episode, Allison compares the quadratus lumborum to being the youngest child in a very large family of very loud muscles.   Host:                    Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                      ...

Amelia Vogler had a "humdinger" of a family life growing up in North Carolina. She was influenced by both her father's funeral home business and her mother's horticultural background. From her father, she learned about grief and therapeutic space, and from her mother she learned about physical and spiritual blooming and flowering. Amelia joins the podcast to talk about the challenge of growing up...

"There's so much power in the very, very simple things." Dr. Cynthia Price shares her "I Have a Client Who . . . " story about a woman under treatment for substance use disorder, who is learning positive things about her body for the first time. It's a beautiful story that will remind us about why we do this work. Plus, there's information on how you can work with Dr. Price to do the kind of manua...