Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68012
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ARIANA VINCENT AND THE ARIANA INSTITUTE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, VISIT WWW.ARIANAVINCENT.COM, OR CALL 512-921-9319. not a hassle. Instead of trying to fulfill the minimum requirements needed for continuing education, she recommends practitioners "use continuing education as something that gives you a direction, that gets you somewhere." She suggests leaving behind the notion of "I have to." Instead, choose "I want to." THE RIGHT COMBINATION Ramuschkat says massage now provides her with all the mental stimulation she needs. She says she was a little concerned that making such a dramatic shift in her career would allow her plenty of physical exertion, but cause her to lose her mental muscle. Instead what she's found is that massage blends mental exertion with physical effort. "With massage, I have to engage my mind, recognize tension patterns, and be aware of the client. I won't run out of topics and it will be body- engaging and mind-engaging—a perfect fit for all my career goals." Ramuschkat credits the profession A MENTOR AND MORE When Ramuschkat met Ariana Vincent at a massage networking meeting in her community, she found a mentor and more. So far Ramuschkat has taken 10 of Vincent's continuing education classes, all in an attempt to be a better massage therapist. Her course work to date includes reflexology, reiki, lymphatic massage, hot and cold stone massage, chair massage, and advanced massage techniques for the back, shoulder, and neck. "I sign up for continuing education because I want to learn, not because of CE requirements," she says. visit abmp.com for a calendar of ceu listings 137 For Ramuschkat, continuing education is a critical piece of her massage business. "The more I know, the more I can help people in a more efficient way. The more you know, the better your work." By learning new techniques, perfecting old skill sets, or trying something completely different, Ramuschkat says she is able to distinguish herself from her peers. She says massage therapists need to look at continuing education as an opportunity, for requiring practitioners to learn. "Not every profession has this continuing education burden built into it," she says. "Continuing education helps you keep your professional standards high and keeps them refreshed." But that's not all. "Continuing education helps prevent burnout and keeps the initial spark that we all had at least when we started—that we could make a difference. Continuing education keeps the spark alive that comes with learning new things. If you want to be a better therapist, this is what you must do." Massage & Bodywork magazine. Contact her at karrie@abmp.com Karrie Osborn is contributing editor for