Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1496639
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 11 of care cannot be itemized in a protocol. Rather, a protocol can be designed to allow the individualization needed to ensure the massage is sensitive to the needs of the client, or that the massage is (a) person- centered and (b) trauma-informed. In other words, the MT is not a technician, but a therapist. It was the intention that the outcomes of this 2010 meeting would be published as best practice guidelines; however, according to the Massage Therapy Foundation website, this has yet to occur. As Cates points out, the study of massage is often done by researchers outside the profession, and massage intervention protocols are often designed as a relatively simple sequence of specifically described strokes. There is, perhaps, a question about what best constitutes massage therapy; best practice guidelines would indeed help provide a foundation or framework to address this. Based on my experience developing and studying a touch-based research protocol, it is entirely possible to design a protocol that provides a standardized structure within which there is room for individualization and a person- centered approach that ref lects clinical care. The protocol must be written to describe how and in what circumstances one would individualize the protocol to meet the needs of the study participant/client. There is undoubtedly more training needed to accomplish this, as there is more supervision needed to address fidelity of such a protocol (i.e., to ensure the therapist is delivering the protocol as it is designed). This can be done in multiple ways. In MABT research, we ask the therapist to complete a process evaluation form after each session. This form has itemized key components of the protocol and the MT indicates whether these components were delivered. The therapist is also asked to indicate if there was any aspect of the intervention that was changed, or not delivered, in order to meet the needs of the client (for example, due to a lack of time because the client was late, or due to client request). We also audio-record sessions. These recordings are used to inform clinical supervision of the research therapists, as the protocol has an educational component (is aimed at developing the capacity for inner- body/interoceptive awareness) and the study participants we serve often have multiple mental health conditions and/or chronic pain, so there is a lot the massage therapist has to navigate. This also means, as in real- life work in medical settings or with highly distressed clients, the therapist will often encounter and need to address the bio/ psycho/social/spiritual aspects of care of the participant/client they are working with. Attunement to the client or participant involves being present and engaging with a compassionate heart, listening ear, listening hands, and openness to what will unfold during the session. Can a massage or touch- based protocol allow for this? From my 20 years as a researcher, I say yes, but only if we develop protocols that explicitly address these issues and train and support massage therapists accordingly. Doing so will promote the professionalization of our field and align with some of the best practices identified for our profession over a decade ago. Cynthia Price, PhD, LMT, is a research professor at the University of Washington School of Nursing. Trained as a massage therapist in 1981, she was in private practice for 20 years before seeking a PhD to do research in the field. Price's research is based in community settings and is focused on promoting access to integrative care. As the director of the nonprofit Center for Mindful Body Awareness, she and her colleagues teach the MABT approach to bodyworkers, psychotherapists, and other health professionals interested in learning how to teach interoceptive awareness to their clients in support of self-care, embodiment, and nervous system regulation. It is entirely possible to design a protocol that provides a standardized structure within which there is room for individualization and a person-centered approach that reflects clinical care.