Everything Education

My original background and training in Massage and Bodywork was in Asian Bodywork Therapy, specifically Amma Therapy, a very complex and sophisticated form of ABT. I learned through the apprenticeship model, living and studying at the feet of the founder and master of the art in the early 70’s and throughout the 80’s and practiced in a very large holistic health center for almost 20 years. Without going into a lot of detail and story telling, I became involved in the late 80’s with other groups throughout the country practicing different forms of Asian bodywork including several different styles of Shiatsu, Tuina, Jin Shin Do®, etc… and eventually we formed the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia^TM (AOBTA^®) which continues to exist today. The AOBTA is a non-profit, professional membership organization representing instructors, practitioners, schools and programs, and students of Asian Bodywork Therapy (ABT). You can visit its website at www.AOBTA.org. I became its founding president and served as such for five years until 1995.

So what’s the point?? The organization has been in existence for almost 20 years and by now I would have thought that given the profundity and scope of what is possible to accomplish with clients/patients once expertise is gained in ABT that the various forms of ABT would have by now spread like wildfire and that there would be full scale (minimum at least 500 hour) programs running in schools all over the country. But that does not seem to have happened!? There are several really excellent programs out there but besides those mostly very short courses, tastes, or tracks of ABT forms are being offered as part of a full western based massage therapy program and/or in basic CE courses.  

Asian Bodywork is one of the main limbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and many of its forms are thousands of years old. It follows the same underlying principle of all the limbs, that the body is capable of healing itself once the proper conditions are provided. Whereas the acupuncturist assesses according to the principles of Chinese medicine and then inserts fine, sterilized needles into acupuncture points in order to achieve balanced energy and heal the system, and the Herbalist employs natural substances such as leaves, bark, roots and flowers to move the energy system towards the same goal, balance and healing, thereby producing an optimum state of health in the physical body, the Asian bodywork therapist assesses the patient and then applies the hands to treat the energy system using specific techniques and manipulations of the body to balance the energy and heal the system.  

In my view Asian Bodywork is an incredible opportunity for practitioners of massage therapy who wish to evolve their perspective, knowledge and skills beyond the limits of treating the physical body to include the energy body. While most all massage treatment focuses on the soft tissue, i.e., muscles, ligaments and fascia, Asian Bodywork modalities move things a step further by including (like acupuncture and herbalism) the study and manipulation of the energy system, considered to be the underlying and enlivening layer of the human being complex. A working knowledge of the energy system, its principles of assessment, and skillful manipulation of the channels and points greatly broadens the scope of the kinds of conditions that a massage therapist can learn to treat way beyond those of the neuro/musculoskeletal systems. Although most all massage and bodywork therapies when mastered can be used along with other adjunctive modalities including nutrition, vitamins and supplements and exercise to treat different conditions, training in one of the ABT modalities can, I believe, provide a path to a greater scope of practice. This is because of the expansion in scope of treatment when a comprehensive education of the energetic system is included as part of one’s training and overall perspective.

Discussion: I am not sure I understand why ABT isn’t being taught all over the country at a higher level then it presently is and why students or practitioners already in the field aren’t clamoring to learn it. I have some ideas of course, i.e., it boils down to business and the market and if the market isn’t asking for it, it will not be taught. Or its underlying perspective of energy or qi as the basis of everything is a little strange for people and requires a real mind/paradigm shift to study it and finally grasp it. But I’m looking for feedback and people’s experiences on why this is so. To me right now ABT seems to be the best kept secret in the world of massage therapy and bodywork! Let’s hear what you think and feel!

There is nothing like learning something new to stimulate our mind/body with fresh impressions from which to grow, and to shock it out of old patterns of thinking, learning, feeling and doing. This is essential for massage therapy professionals since the quality of what we do not only impacts the effectiveness of the treatments we give our clients and patients, but also directly influences the living we make in doing it. Most of us are familiar with the expression, “if you don’t use it, you lose it,” and that certainly holds some validity. However, I think that massage therapy practitioners are less inclined to accept another similar truth, which is, if you do not seek to grow, even that which you know and do well will over time deteriorate and weaken — become stale. It’s not very different from body-builders who stop working out, soon after all their muscles begin turning to fat.

Becoming a health care practitioner, such as a massage therapist, is a commitment to life long learning and professional development. It is a responsibility that comes with being called a professional which is defined as ‘possessing great skill or experience in a field or activity.’ Although we know that children are naturally curious, as adults we can become complacent about learning new things, and it doesn’t usually get easier as we age. It should be no surprise that habits and patterns become more fixed as we become older and more settled and ‘uncomfortably comfortable in our ways.’ Every massage therapist forms habits and patterns of treating after doing what they have been doing for years. Therapists can easily become fixed and reach a point of stagnation. This doesn’t mean that practitioners are not doing a good job at what they do. Many have reached a high level of skill and get wonderful results. However, if nothing is done to continue to cultivate that, then it will eventually begin to wilt. What is worse, is that you may not even realize it until you notice your practice dwindling.

Brushing up on old knowledge and techniques after years of experience will often lead to greater and deeper insight into what you already know and do which will immediately reflect positively in your treatments. Expanding your knowledge and technical base with training in new specialty areas is another powerful way to enhance your level of skill and breathe new life into your practice. The trends in our field are changing rapidly. Getting stuck in old patterns and habits of doing massage therapy, thinking that you know enough or that you are good enough can quietly leave you years behind relative to the speed and direction in which the Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Profession is moving. It won’t be long before clients are asking you questions about techniques and forms of treatment you haven’t heard of yourself. You really must keep up!

We owe it to ourselves as professionals to continue learning and training in our chosen profession. It is vital that all massage therapists hold a view that it is their personal and professional responsibility to seek continuing education. Most of all, we owe it to our clients and patients who depend on us for the best and most effective treatments possible. Make it your personal commitment to seek self-improvement and continue to serve your clients with safety and competency. Give your self the gift of Continuing Education this year. The massage therapist in you will deeply appreciate it, and so will all your clients.

Discussion: At one time or another every massage therapist experiences periods in which his or her practice becomes stale. Boredom sets in, and treating becomes mechanical and rote. I’d love to hear different experiences related to this and what action, if any, was taken to combat your “massage fatigue” and to renew and reenrgize your love for Massage Therapy and Bodywork. Did you find that taking new or refresher CE courses in your modality helped? Did attending a regional or national professional association conference or convention where you could be around many of your peers rejuvenate your passion for the field? Let’s hear!!

Steven Schenkman is an established leader in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He served as President of The New York College for Wholistic Health, Education, and Research (now known as the NY College of Health Professions) from 1989 through 2001. The college offers associates and bachelor’s degree programs in massage and bodywork therapy, master’s degrees in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, certificate programs in holistic nursing and physical arts. Under his leadership the Institution evolved into a premiere college for holistic education and developed the first Associate’s Degree program in massage therapy in the country in 1992. Steven has also demonstrated leadership and commitment to the profession of Massage Therapy as a founding member of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) whose examination is now used in 35 states for licensing in massage therapy. He spent five years on that board. Steven also served as Chairman of the New York State Massage Therapy Board for six years and was a member for 10 years. He was also a founding member and served as President of the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) for five years.

Since 2001 Steven has been a consultant and curriculum specialist to career colleges, allied health and business schools and schools of massage therapy. Presently he is working as an independent consultant and subject matter expert with various institutions including Cortiva Institute. During his consulting career Steven has developed and written certificate, diploma and degree curricula and programs in massage therapy and western health careers. As a consultant Steven specializes in assistance with accreditation and administration, licensing, internal consulting, reorganization, curriculum and new program development, new business development, marketing & advertising and strategic planning.

Steven is also a member of the Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Delmar Leaning) Massage Advisory Board and has been contracted by Thomson to write a book on the subject of Massage Therapy entitled: Massage Therapy: What It Is and How It Works scheduled for publication in 2008. Steven has been licensed in massage therapy in New York since 1984. He has studied and practiced Advanced Amma Therapeutic Massage and was a certified biofeedback specialist and stress management consultant. In addition, Steven was trained in acupuncture using the apprenticeship model and is a master tai chi practitioner and instructor. Steven can be reached by email at Schenkmans@aol.com.