I’ve been a fan of trading since I was a kid watching Little House on the Prairie on our rabbit-eared television set. Doc Baker might not have been paid a lot by his patients, but he ate a lot of home-baked goods and probably never had to go to the grocery store. On the other … Continue reading Trade Ya!
It seems you never realize how important music is in your massage life until it stops playing. At my first job, a large massage business, we had the typical piped-in stereotypical massage music, which we often made fun of. I personally referred to it as New-Age-Neil-Diamond-Meets-Elevator music. It was somewhat relaxing, yet often repetitive. At … Continue reading Pandora: Musical Godsend
A regular client of mine who knows I blog for Find Touch told me one time that she thought I should write about undressing for massage from the client’s point of view. Like many clients, she was sometimes confused as to what was expected of her in terms of getting on the table, and she … Continue reading States of Undress
I once had a client – whom I’ll call Bob – who for several years had experienced a great deal of pain in the left upper torso. In the two weeks before his first massage, he had awakened during the night to such extreme left chest pain, that his wife took him to the emergency … Continue reading Oh, By the Way…
Ok, I’ve been doing this massage therapy thing for a while. But two weeks ago I thought I was going to have to hire a Sign-Twirler. Darn, it was slow. Everybody was busy, out of town, broke or otherwise engaged. I know how to handle these things. I’ve been around. But I must say one … Continue reading Furling for dollars
Winter is coming . . . I can feel it in the air. I didn’t grow up in Seattle, and frankly I never feared winter until I lived here. Arkansas and Louisiana get cold, but they can still be sunny, which is largely not true in Seattle. And though I thought I was prepared for … Continue reading Winter Is Coming: Time for a Sunshine Supplement
I know we are supposed to be at war, but where, really does one see any signs of the effort? No rations, bonds, enlistment drives or things our parents knew well. The war is distant, a story on the news page. A sad obit inside the local news, a picture of someone looking too young … Continue reading Helping the Wounded Warrior
In my opinion, the “A” in SOAP charting is the most difficult section to address. As massage practitioners, we generally use this section for client goals, particularly when an insurance claim is involved. Goals are supposed to be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound); they should be based on ADLs (activities of daily living); … Continue reading The “A” in SOAP: Charting Goals for Client Progress
As I was leaving a massage room the other day, I almost literally ran into one of my favorite coworkers who had stopped short in the middle of the hallway. She looked both startled and confused. “What’s the matter?” I asked, concerned. She blinked at me, then burst out: “I farted! Should I say something?” … Continue reading The Other F-Word
The store, which had been a gathering place for massage therapists, was going out and under. The shelves were half-bare and the phone had been cut off for a week. No more job board, no more bumping into friends, trying out CD’s or talking shop. The Orange County Bodywork Emporium in Costa Mesa would soon … Continue reading The Massage Store