Massage & Bodywork

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015

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F r e e m u s i c d o w n l o a d s f o r C e r t i f i e d m e m b e r s : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 23 visit abmp.com 3. DETECTIVE LS: Are you a sleuth? Many therapists I've met say one of their favorite things about practicing massage and bodywork is discovering more about the human body. In particular, meeting a client and conducting an assessment can be a great intellectual pursuit. Massage and bodywork professionals aren't doctors, but we are health-care providers—meaning we can help our clients feel better and live better. That's what it's about, right? To be effective, we need to know the human body and know this human who stands (or lies) in front of us. Letting your clients know everything you know won't get them to a better place; what will do that is learning about them—what they do and why they feel what they feel. Discovering sources of pain or discomfort, and applying the knowledge you have to help ease that suffering, is the essence of what we can do as therapists. Applying the same treatment over and over again, regardless of the client or condition? That's not helping anyone. Dig in, learn more, and apply good judgment. That will make you a successful professional. 4. CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT KC: The great news about having your own practice is you get to make the decisions about how, where, and when you want to work. The tough news about having your own practice is you're in charge—all of the time. You get to set your own policies, but you also have to enforce them. You're the first and last point of contact if a client is unhappy with any aspect of your practice; there's no supervisor to jump in and save the day. So even if you're having a tough day yourself, you need to be friendly, warm, and welcoming to your clients. This usually isn't too hard; we choose to do this work because we love working with people and want to help them, so it's easy to give excellent customer service most of the time. To make sure you're at your best on even the toughest days, create a game plan for grounding and centering before each session, and plan snacks to stave off the onset of "hanger"—that dreaded hungry anger. Remind yourself often that even though the next session may just be one of many for you, it's the one and only for your client, and she's probably been looking forward to it for weeks. Make sure it's a great experience (for both of you)! 5. ATHLETE LS: Bodywork is work. Hard work. It can be very fulfilling, but that doesn't change the fact that it requires concentration, dexterity, and stamina. Sounds like a tennis player, basketballer, or hockey player, doesn't it? Are you a positive example for your clients? Not to get all judgmental here, but do you smoke? Slam down a Big Gulp between sessions? Come to a session smelling like a Big Mac? I am a firm believer in freedom of choice—don't tell me how to live my life, and I won't tell you how to live yours. But your actions are influencers, and how you are perceived will affect your credibility—and your ability to positively influence your clients or potential clients. You are a world-class athlete, competing in the "Making People Feel Better" category. Keep yourself in world-class condition, so you can get a gold medal from your clients!

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