Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/621015
www.massagetherapy.com—your resource for all things bodywork 7 HEAT IT UP! If you have joint problems or a previous injury, you likely do not need convincing that the body has different needs in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence of how weather and temperature affect joints and other body aches is conflicting, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If the weather is cooler and you apply warm, moist heat to a chronic aching joint, in most cases you will experience soothing relief. So what does this mean for your bodywork session? How about trying heated stone massage; hydrotherapy treatments, such as moist heated towels, a warm foot bath, or moist hot packs; or paraffin wax treatments for providing relief to specific aching joints? While dry heat feels good, moist heat can more easily penetrate body tissues, providing better movement of fluids into, out of, and around the body's cells. With freer movement of fluids in the body, there is optimal chance of circulating fresh, oxygenated, and nutrient-rich blood, as well as lymphatic fluid to boost your immunity. The Changing Seasons of Bodywork By Cindy Williams We are nature. Whether one looks to traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, Tibetan medicine, or traditional Native American healing ceremonies, one common thread is that we are not separate from the natural world. Just as the sun rises and sets, the moon waxes and wanes, and the seasons shift from warm springs to hot summers, and from cool autumns to cold winters, so do human beings fluctuate in ongoing cycles of change. Even in climates with less ebb and flow on the temperature spectrum, there are still wet and dry seasons, and human beings are intimately intertwined with them on a basic biological level. While this may not be news, how many of us are truly aware of how these environmental fluctuations affect us and our health? Even if we do recognize that our health is affected, how many of us alter our patterns to support our alignment with the rhythms of nature? Perhaps we drink more warm beverages as the autumn begins to whip around cool, crisp air. That one is pretty simple. But, have you considered that even the type of bodywork you receive might need to be revised when looking for optimal support of your wellness through seasonal transitions? 6 Body Sense 1. Improve Your Social Media Presence While your website offers a location where clients can find you and your contact information, your social media presence can give life to your practice. Keep in touch with clients on a daily basis; it helps keep you front and center in their minds. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the big three you should be using to reach out to clients. In addition to posting seasonal specials, new products and services, health news, or last-minute appointments, you can also use images provided on ABMP's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ABMPpage) to add a little humor to your posts. 2. Try Something Different • Read this month's Massage & Bodywork Business Side column—"A Month-by-Month To-Do List to Boost Your Business!"—by Les Sweeney and Kristin Coverly. • Start a conversation on Massageprofessionals.com. • Update your elevator speech. Does yours reflect what you do today? • As a consumer, try new therapists and new modalities. It's amazing what you can learn from being on the receiving side of massage. 3. Learn Something New— Watch a Free Webinar! Could you benefit from a webinar on money management tips or the nuances of insurance billing? ABMP's Online Education Center has something for everyone. Would a condition- specific webinar suit you and your clients better? "Low-Back Pain with Ben Benjamin and Whitney Lowe" and "Restoring Ankle Mobility and Stability with Til Luchau" are just two of your many options. Log in to www.abmp.com and click on "Continuing Education." 4. Educate Your Clients—Send Them Body Sense The more your clients know, the more they understand the value of the work you provide. Keep talking to clients even after they've left your table. Tools like Body Sense magazine (a free digital consumer publication found at www.bodysensemagazine.com) and the public education website Massagetherapy.com extol the benefits of massage and bodywork when you're not there to do so. 5. Save Money … on Everything! Your ABMP membership comes with a full array of discounts on everything from face cradle covers and business cards to clothing, rental cars, and computers. Take advantage of these discounts and in no time your ABMP membership will pay for itself. Log in to www.abmp.com to find all your member discounts. DS 2 January February 2016 5 Ways to strengthen your Practice