"Massage therapists and bodyworkers have the unique privilege of working closely with many people-and so we have the opportunity to educate them about the preciousness of their bodies and their experiences, and their right to honor the beauty within themselves. Past violations are tremendously healed through this awakening to self-respect and empowerment."

Stephanie Mines Ph.D. examines the massage therapist's role in treating clients who suffer from shock and trauma through the eyes of Brett Anderson, a therapist determined to discover the reason for a client's withdrawal, in "The Client Who Canceled: Piecing Together the Puzzle of Shock and Trauma." Anderson's discovery that his wife has been traumatized by incest and rape forces him to face his own issues and the way in which he interacts with his clients. This causes him to reflect on his experience with Marcia, a client, to search for clues as to why she suddenly and inexplicably canceled her appointments. What emerges from his reflection is a detailed discussion of how shock and trauma presents in adult clients. Mines uses Anderson's journey of self-discovery to explain eight ways in which a therapist can develop a protocol for building a practice that is sensitive to those clients that have experienced shock and trauma in their lives.