Everything Education

Massage Therapy Institutions are frequently faced with the challenge of first finding and then often having to prepare new faculty to teach a variety of different course subjects, including specialty massage techniques and modalities. And that’s usually not too easy. Given the rapid rate of expansion of more than thirteen hundred schools and growing, finding qualified instructors to satisfy the needs of these specialty programs across the country is arguably one of the most important issues facing institutions running massage therapy programs, as well as the profession itself. Teachers that provide students with their entry level training shape this profession by the quality and outcome of the product they put out, their students.

Attracting and holding on to qualified faculty has become difficult for educational institutions especially because as we all know qualified practitioners can make a lot more in private professional practice than what they receive for instructing in massage therapy classes. Add in the required or necessary hours of preparation faculty must do for each course assigned (most school’s faculties are comprised primarily of part-timers who usually do not get paid for this) and it’s not difficult to see why massage therapy schools and programs are having a hard time building a qualified team of instructors.

As a result of this paucity of quality instructors and almost by default, many schools fill teaching positions with recent graduates who need and want work and want to maintain a good relationship with their Alma Mata. The problem is they usually are not qualified to teach. Sometimes schools may be truly lucky to find among their recent graduates the winning combination and when that’s the case it’s certainly worth the effort on the part of the administration to put in the time and money to cultivate and hold onto those individuals.

To make things even more complicated the growth in massage programs in career and community colleges have thrown a new difficulty into the mix. Faculty teaching in these programs must have an academic degree (not necessarily in massage therapy) and the requisite qualifications in massage. So then the search begins — finding massage therapists who are willing to and can teach and who also hold an academic degree to meet the requirements when teaching in a college degree program. Therefore a degree granting institution that actually does find a qualified instructor without the requisite traditional academic degree must pass.

Relying on academic degrees as a good indicator of teaching ability is about as equal to relying on a license in massage therapy as a good indicator of a massage practitioner’s ability to teach. So if academic degrees aren’t an indication of what qualifies someone to teach in a massage therapy program and being a licensed massage therapist isn’t either, then what is it that academic deans and directors who hire faculty should be looking for before they plop someone down in the front of a classroom?

In spite of the fact that there exists an enormous amount of literature and research on how to teach effectively, there is no complete list of “do’s and don’ts” that, if followed, result in quality teaching. Generally speaking effective teaching cannot be separated from the teacher him or herself. A faculty member’s personality, preferences, prejudices and overall self awareness will have an enormous influence on student success.

Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine is credited with saying “The physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing.” Well suffice it to say that an instructor of massage therapy most assuredly needs to be well versed in the knowledge, skills and abilities of rubbing – or massage. But being an expert in the subject does not automatically make someone a good teacher.

Discussion: Let’s hear from you, from your experiences either as a faculty member/instructor in a massage therapy school or as a graduate or student who has had the experience of learning from many different types of instructors — both good and bad. Indicate, comment, complain but also try to provide some good examples of your favorite teachers – (names not necessary) and what attributes they had that to this day make them stand out in your mind as high quality teachers.

Before writing this I spent a lot of time thinking about some of the issues that many people raise in the educational institutions that I consult for (www.schenkmanconsulting.com)  in their evaluations either as an employee, faculty member or a student. When it came down to it, it seemed like most of the problems stemmed from poor communication, on all levels. That is not surprising and of course the buck stops at management when looking at it from a consulting perspective. However, when I thought about it on a more fundamental level, and from my experience as a stress management consultant for many years, I knew it was mostly a “human being” problem related to perception and stress. So I thought I would try to express some of my thinking and knowledge regarding the importance of communication in educational institutions (and of course in day-to-day life) and see what some of you have to say or add to this conversation.

Communication is so important and yet is so easily and so often taken for granted and in the process we miss a very important and subtle truth about ourselves. And that is if we look inside and examine how we experience the moment-to-moment events of our lives, it becomes clear that what we often label as stress (our jobs, problems with children, divorce, vacations, traffic, etc.) is not really stress. Rather, these are the catalysts which ignite the “stress response.” What we experience as stress is a function of our learned perception of events, the way we see things, and not the events themselves. The stress or “fight or flight” response is an instinctive and automatic self-protective response pattern in our bodies which precipitates more than 1300 known physiological changes as a way of protecting us from physical danger, much more useful in the days when humans had to hunt for their food! However today, our perceptions become the basis of how we see and interpret our moment-to-moment experiences resulting in the manner in which we respond to or interact and communicate with others.  

As these perceptions activate the physiological changes in our bodies, they can stimulate negative or positive emotional states depending upon what they are. It is the negative emotional states that we generally experience as stress and what we refer to when we use the term. I say generally because just as easily, the joy of getting married can as well be a stress catalyzing event depending on how it is being perceived and consequently, dealt with.  

After all it is the quality and depth of communication we experience in our day-to-day existence that will ultimately determine the quality of our lives. When we break down the content of most days, we see that it was filled with numerous interactions with others. And although we may not realize it, we often judge our day on the basis of the quality of those interactions. The remarks we make when we arrive home from work, the comments we may utter after a “conversation” held with a fellow employee, student or client are generally very telling and are descriptions of the quality of our communications. If at the end of a workday you feel drained, more then likely it was due to difficulties in communications. Breakdown in communication (regardless of whether the breakdown is your fault, the fault of the individual(s) you may be communicating with or both parties involved) inevitably leads to unnecessary expenditure of our own emotional energies. And conversely, some of the most energizing and rewarding experiences we may ever have are those that result from true communication. 

I think we often forget that true communication is accomplished only when there is a real interchange of one’s thoughts, feelings, opinions or information. It is not simply a matter of just saying what you have to or getting what you need ‘off your chest.’ The key word here is interchange. A true interchange is only possible when what another is trying to communicate is seriously taken in and considered from a place within oneself that is virtually free of our own biases, judgments, views and opinions. In order to really “hear” what another is saying and be able to appropriately respond, it is necessary that the listener make every effort to suspend their own personal agenda, while at the same time working to consider the position and perspective of the other. Only then can the listener’s response be related and connected to the issues trying to be communicated. Stop and think for a moment if all our communications were like this, how much better the quality of our lives would be!!! By the way, the results of real communication do not necessarily mean that we get our way. However, if real communication is had, you will truly be heard and often that is as important as getting what you may personally want from the interchange. Once people begin communicating on this level, change for the better is inevitable. 

It is very common for a listener to respond emotionally without thinking about what was said by another. It is also very common for people to just blurt out what was on his/her mind in order to ‘get in’ what they wanted to say ‘in the name of communication.’ As you can see when you think about this, such “communication” can only lead to frustration and argument, and accomplishes very little towards the result that either party wants.

My original background and training in Massage and Bodywork was in Asian Bodywork Therapy, specifically Amma Therapy, a very complex and sophisticated form of ABT. I learned through the apprenticeship model, living and studying at the feet of the founder and master of the art in the early 70’s and throughout the 80’s and practiced in a very large holistic health center for almost 20 years. Without going into a lot of detail and story telling, I became involved in the late 80’s with other groups throughout the country practicing different forms of Asian bodywork including several different styles of Shiatsu, Tuina, Jin Shin Do®, etc… and eventually we formed the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia^TM (AOBTA^®) which continues to exist today. The AOBTA is a non-profit, professional membership organization representing instructors, practitioners, schools and programs, and students of Asian Bodywork Therapy (ABT). You can visit its website at www.AOBTA.org. I became its founding president and served as such for five years until 1995.

So what’s the point?? The organization has been in existence for almost 20 years and by now I would have thought that given the profundity and scope of what is possible to accomplish with clients/patients once expertise is gained in ABT that the various forms of ABT would have by now spread like wildfire and that there would be full scale (minimum at least 500 hour) programs running in schools all over the country. But that does not seem to have happened!? There are several really excellent programs out there but besides those mostly very short courses, tastes, or tracks of ABT forms are being offered as part of a full western based massage therapy program and/or in basic CE courses.  

Asian Bodywork is one of the main limbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and many of its forms are thousands of years old. It follows the same underlying principle of all the limbs, that the body is capable of healing itself once the proper conditions are provided. Whereas the acupuncturist assesses according to the principles of Chinese medicine and then inserts fine, sterilized needles into acupuncture points in order to achieve balanced energy and heal the system, and the Herbalist employs natural substances such as leaves, bark, roots and flowers to move the energy system towards the same goal, balance and healing, thereby producing an optimum state of health in the physical body, the Asian bodywork therapist assesses the patient and then applies the hands to treat the energy system using specific techniques and manipulations of the body to balance the energy and heal the system.  

In my view Asian Bodywork is an incredible opportunity for practitioners of massage therapy who wish to evolve their perspective, knowledge and skills beyond the limits of treating the physical body to include the energy body. While most all massage treatment focuses on the soft tissue, i.e., muscles, ligaments and fascia, Asian Bodywork modalities move things a step further by including (like acupuncture and herbalism) the study and manipulation of the energy system, considered to be the underlying and enlivening layer of the human being complex. A working knowledge of the energy system, its principles of assessment, and skillful manipulation of the channels and points greatly broadens the scope of the kinds of conditions that a massage therapist can learn to treat way beyond those of the neuro/musculoskeletal systems. Although most all massage and bodywork therapies when mastered can be used along with other adjunctive modalities including nutrition, vitamins and supplements and exercise to treat different conditions, training in one of the ABT modalities can, I believe, provide a path to a greater scope of practice. This is because of the expansion in scope of treatment when a comprehensive education of the energetic system is included as part of one’s training and overall perspective.

Discussion: I am not sure I understand why ABT isn’t being taught all over the country at a higher level then it presently is and why students or practitioners already in the field aren’t clamoring to learn it. I have some ideas of course, i.e., it boils down to business and the market and if the market isn’t asking for it, it will not be taught. Or its underlying perspective of energy or qi as the basis of everything is a little strange for people and requires a real mind/paradigm shift to study it and finally grasp it. But I’m looking for feedback and people’s experiences on why this is so. To me right now ABT seems to be the best kept secret in the world of massage therapy and bodywork! Let’s hear what you think and feel!

There is nothing like learning something new to stimulate our mind/body with fresh impressions from which to grow, and to shock it out of old patterns of thinking, learning, feeling and doing. This is essential for massage therapy professionals since the quality of what we do not only impacts the effectiveness of the treatments we give our clients and patients, but also directly influences the living we make in doing it. Most of us are familiar with the expression, “if you don’t use it, you lose it,” and that certainly holds some validity. However, I think that massage therapy practitioners are less inclined to accept another similar truth, which is, if you do not seek to grow, even that which you know and do well will over time deteriorate and weaken — become stale. It’s not very different from body-builders who stop working out, soon after all their muscles begin turning to fat.

Becoming a health care practitioner, such as a massage therapist, is a commitment to life long learning and professional development. It is a responsibility that comes with being called a professional which is defined as ‘possessing great skill or experience in a field or activity.’ Although we know that children are naturally curious, as adults we can become complacent about learning new things, and it doesn’t usually get easier as we age. It should be no surprise that habits and patterns become more fixed as we become older and more settled and ‘uncomfortably comfortable in our ways.’ Every massage therapist forms habits and patterns of treating after doing what they have been doing for years. Therapists can easily become fixed and reach a point of stagnation. This doesn’t mean that practitioners are not doing a good job at what they do. Many have reached a high level of skill and get wonderful results. However, if nothing is done to continue to cultivate that, then it will eventually begin to wilt. What is worse, is that you may not even realize it until you notice your practice dwindling.

Brushing up on old knowledge and techniques after years of experience will often lead to greater and deeper insight into what you already know and do which will immediately reflect positively in your treatments. Expanding your knowledge and technical base with training in new specialty areas is another powerful way to enhance your level of skill and breathe new life into your practice. The trends in our field are changing rapidly. Getting stuck in old patterns and habits of doing massage therapy, thinking that you know enough or that you are good enough can quietly leave you years behind relative to the speed and direction in which the Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Profession is moving. It won’t be long before clients are asking you questions about techniques and forms of treatment you haven’t heard of yourself. You really must keep up!

We owe it to ourselves as professionals to continue learning and training in our chosen profession. It is vital that all massage therapists hold a view that it is their personal and professional responsibility to seek continuing education. Most of all, we owe it to our clients and patients who depend on us for the best and most effective treatments possible. Make it your personal commitment to seek self-improvement and continue to serve your clients with safety and competency. Give your self the gift of Continuing Education this year. The massage therapist in you will deeply appreciate it, and so will all your clients.

Discussion: At one time or another every massage therapist experiences periods in which his or her practice becomes stale. Boredom sets in, and treating becomes mechanical and rote. I’d love to hear different experiences related to this and what action, if any, was taken to combat your “massage fatigue” and to renew and reenrgize your love for Massage Therapy and Bodywork. Did you find that taking new or refresher CE courses in your modality helped? Did attending a regional or national professional association conference or convention where you could be around many of your peers rejuvenate your passion for the field? Let’s hear!!

Steven Schenkman is an established leader in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He served as President of The New York College for Wholistic Health, Education, and Research (now known as the NY College of Health Professions) from 1989 through 2001. The college offers associates and bachelor’s degree programs in massage and bodywork therapy, master’s degrees in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, certificate programs in holistic nursing and physical arts. Under his leadership the Institution evolved into a premiere college for holistic education and developed the first Associate’s Degree program in massage therapy in the country in 1992. Steven has also demonstrated leadership and commitment to the profession of Massage Therapy as a founding member of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) whose examination is now used in 35 states for licensing in massage therapy. He spent five years on that board. Steven also served as Chairman of the New York State Massage Therapy Board for six years and was a member for 10 years. He was also a founding member and served as President of the American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) for five years.Since 2001 Steven has been a consultant and curriculum specialist to career colleges, allied health and business schools and schools of massage therapy. Presently he is working as an independent consultant and subject matter expert with various institutions including Cortiva Institute. During his consulting career Steven has developed and written certificate, diploma and degree curricula and programs in massage therapy and western health careers. As a consultant Steven specializes in assistance with accreditation and administration, licensing, internal consulting, reorganization, curriculum and new program development, new business development, marketing & advertising and strategic planning. Steven is also a member of the Cengage Learning (formerly Thomson Delmar Leaning) Massage Advisory Board and has been contracted by Thomson to write a book on the subject of Massage Therapy entitled: Massage Therapy: What It Is and How It Works scheduled for publication in 2008.

Steven has been licensed in massage therapy in New York since 1984. He has studied and practiced Advanced Amma Therapeutic Massage and was a certified biofeedback specialist and stress management consultant. In addition, Steven was trained in acupuncture using the apprenticeship model and is a master tai chi practitioner and instructor. Steven can be reached by email at Schenkmans@aol.com and his website is www.schenkmanconsulting.com.