Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/77400
READER FORUM This year, I received a priceless gift from a client to whom I had given a conch seashell and a photo showing me down in Jamaica with that shell. My client made a painting of me holding the seashell. When you understand that cerebral palsy disrupts one's muscles and nerves, it becomes even more amazing that my client could paint at all; however, with remarkable skill and patience, by using teeth to hold the brush, this client created a masterpiece. I will be forever humbled by the generosity and talent. I might be the only West Point graduate who opted to become a massage therapist after 27 years in the army. The pension and savings/ investments during those military years gives me the freedom to serve the less fortunate in my community through massage (and over 10,000 volunteer hours in 10 years in a variety of activities throughout the community). I applaud all massage therapists who provide free massages at charity walks/runs, at Ronald McDonald Houses or hospitals, or to a variety of other nonprofit agencies in any capacity—but then that detracts from making the six-figure salaries. RICK ALBRECHT SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA Becoming a Bodyworker My story starts at age 7, where you see me giving shoulder massages to anyone sitting still long enough for me to grab hold of them. I loved giving my family massages and back rubs. My dad tells me I would give him a massage every night after he came home from work. I think the need to touch people is a reality for some of us. I need to give touch to feel human. I give hugs to anyone who looks somewhat receptive. I rub hands and feet. If I don't work for awhile, I feel empty. The need to help people is deep. "I think the need to touch people is a reality for some of us. I need to give touch to feel human." Heidi L. Mahler, Traverse City, Michigan After my husband and I moved to Sedona, Arizona, I discovered a massage school right down the hill from our apartment. I remember walking our baby back and forth in front of the school, wishing I could go to massage school. One day, they advertised for a cleaning person, and I applied for the job. They gave me the cleaning job and somehow they convinced me I could handle going to massage school, too. I took out the loans to attend and a week later, I was taking my first class. The beauty of the story, however, is six months later, my son was diagnosed with autism. Without the inner strength I developed while attending massage school, without the fabulous support of my classmates and instructors, I don't think I would have handled that news as well as I did. It was a crushing blow for us, but the optimism of being part of a healing community and realizing how powerful touch and the human spirit can be, I am still able to persevere toward my son's recovery and help others with healing touch and massage work everyday. It didn't just change my life, it has become my life. HEIDI L. MAHLER TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN By Any Other Name Continued I read Robert Chutes's "Massage By Any Other Name" in the November/ December 2010 issue of Massage & Bodywork [page 127]. I found it well written, with a good dose of humor, and quite relevant to my own concerns as I've been considering this issue for a while now myself. I have to say that I forgot the term biomechanic as one of the handful of alternatives we have for massage therapist. I've encountered the same issues with using other terms, just like Mr. Chute. I even had the director of a women's health resource center tell me she doesn't like the term bodywork because she doesn't like the idea of having to do any more "work" than she already does; and she feels certain that others in her demographic will similarly find it a put-off to associate "work" with relaxation and well-being. At any rate, as much as I find biomechanic a decent alternative, and possibly an ideal one that we should push toward recognition in our industry, and the consumer market at large, as far as my marketing efforts have shown, most of my clients find me by doing a search for "therapeutic massage" or even just "massage" in my area. So for now, even though I sometimes have to educate the occasional ignoramus that masseuse is French for a female massage therapist, and that masseur would be the more appropriate way to address me, I'm sticking with massage therapist. However, I am partial to the idea of biomechanic and am open to brainstorming ways or otherwise supporting that term becoming the professional standard of the future. JAMES VAUGHN VACAVILLE, CALIFORNIA earn CE hours at your convenience: abmp's online education center, www.abmp.com 15