The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

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.deepbreathdigi...

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, bl...

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 Alliso...

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 buildi...

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.freed...

Gratuities are customary in massage businesses, but should they be? Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines covers the factors to consider and the steps to implement a no gratuities policy.   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/c...

A client cancels her massage therapy appointment because she has hand, foot, and mouth disease. Her therapist is grateful but wants to know when it will be safe to work with the client again. Oh, by the way, the client also has strep throat and lupus. Does that make a difference? Find out on this episode of "I Have a Client Who . . ." Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner . Sponsors:      Books...

When being in control becomes etched in the very fibers of your being, learning how to shift gears is not easy. Letting go is not only a lesson in parenthood, it's also a lesson in myology. The adductors could use a few of these lessons. And if you understand the adductors as individuals, as a group, and in relation to the other muscles of the body, your ability to help them ease their grip become...

Sometimes policies and protocols need to evolve and adapt to keep meeting our clients' needs. Join Allissa as she discusses how some simple changes help nurture ever evolving clients in 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 deepbreathdig...

The advent of AI and its uses grow exponentially every day. How is this technology going to impact the massage therapy field? In this episode of  The ABMP Podcast , Whitney Lowe discusses how AI can be used to create personalized treatment plans, it's use as a personal assistant for scheduling, billing and follow-up, and how it can be used for education purposes, in-tandem with instructor lead cou...

Skills and experience are transferable, but your state massage license is not. On this episode of The ABMP Podcast , ABMP President and CEO Les Sweeney is joined by Debra Persinger, Executive Director at FSMTB, to discuss the Interstate Massage Compact ( IMpact ), how it would affect practitioners, where it stands in regards to legislation, and how it would benefit consumers. Author Bio: Debra Per...

Balancing generosity with the need to earn a living can feel challenging. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines will help you choose (or not choose) these events wisely. 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.   Resource...

A client with frequent nosebleeds works with a massage therapist on TMJ pain, and something unexpected happens: she goes from 3-4 bleeds a week, to about one. The therapist has referred her to get more information about her sinus health, which is a good idea. But is there anything else they can be doing? Sponsors:      Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomy...

With all the things a back can do, and all the support the pelvis offers, there is a lot to be communicated from one to the other. Enter the SI joint. Otherwise known as the anatomical gossip fence. With all the chatter that happens here, it is, quite possibly, the busiest gossip fence ever.  Host:      Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com...

Paper is everywhere in a small business. In this episode of Business or Pressure , host Allissa Haines discusses how to handle it properly and even reduce the use of paper when possible.   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/commu...

Being a skillful feeler is a huge part of what we do in the massage room. And beyond being a good palpator, our touch influences the anatomy our clients feel. In this second episode in our three-part series " Your Practice in 3D ," we discuss the concept of feeling anatomy from the point of view of both the therapist and the client and how AnatomySCAPES dissection lab trainings are improving thera...

What's the difference between coaching, counseling, and psychotherapy? In this episode of  The ABMP Podcast , Angie Parris-Raney is joined by Mary McEvilly-Hernandez, a master certified and professional coach, to discuss what the framework of coaching consists of, how it requires presence, deep listening, and curiosity, and how it's a transferable skill for massage therapists. After growing increa...

The mix of money, business, and family can be tricky. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines provides some tips to add structure and avoid resentment in these potentially awkward situations.    Resources :   www.calm.com     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 the...

A person with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus develops new back pain in her mid-upper left side. It feels like "it's coming from under my ribs," she says. First, it's diagnosed as arthritis, but interventions don't seem to make a difference. Finally, a year into this unremitting pain, a rheumatologist asks about her breathing and discovers she has developed a complication called pulmonary thrombosi...

The Greater Omentum is one of the cooler parts of our anatomy. So cool, in fact, that it is deserving of superhero status. In this episode of The Rebel MT , Allison takes a look at this incredible piece of our viscera and unveils what she believes its superhero name should be.  Host:      Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com               ...

Emergency funds are for emergencies, but how do we save for planned time away from our businesses? Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines walks through the process of saving money for a leave of absence.  Resources :   Ep 425 - Budgets and Savings in Your Massage Business https://www.abmp.com/podcasts/ep-425-budgets-and-savings-your-massage-business-business-or-pressure-allissa-haines   Foster C...

Two names that are well known within the bodywork community—Dr. David Simons, author of Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, and Moshe Feldenkrais, engineer, physicist, and founder of the Feldenkrais Method. Who were these pioneers in the bodywork profession and what can we learn from their origins? Resources:   Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual: https...

Darren Buford is joined by Cal Cates, founder of Healwell, to discuss the concept of co-regulation in therapeutic relationships, how to balance a welcoming and friendly atmosphere while maintaining professionalism, navigating boundaries while still fostering trust, and techniques that could help ensure that client interactions are supportive, balanced and professional. Cal Cates is an educator, wr...

Sometimes, we overvalue the time, energy, or money we put into a project, which clouds our decision-making. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines talks about the sunk cost trap—and how to avoid it—in your massage 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 th...

A client uses fentanyl patches to manage chronic pain from a back injury. What kind of risk does this present to the therapist? And, if we're not careful, the bigger risk might be to the client. Check it out on this episode of " I Have a Client Who . . . " with Ruth Werner. Resources:   Cai, B., Engqvist, H. and Bredenberg, S. (2015) 'Development and evaluation of a tampering resistant transdermal...