A debate was recently revived around the possibility of massage therapy spreading cancer. I encourage all oncology massage therapists, massage therapy instructors, and interested parties to catch up on that conversation. Links are at the bottom of this post. The conversation recently took a disagreeable turn when my judgment and professional ethics were challenged. It’s […]
Ethics in Oncology Massage and Hospice Care
My client complained about her doctor, the nurses, and the general care she was receiving during cancer treatment. She went on for some time. Now and then, she took a breath, then looked at me as though to ask “Do you agree?” I held her gaze. It seemed like a challenge to choose sides. Agree, […]
7 Reasons Not to “Give Your Client Whatever They Want” at End of Life
“How was your massage last week?” “It was fine, good, actually. But honestly I would have liked it much harder. Can you go deeper today?” My client was speaking to me from her bed. She had advanced pancreatic cancer. Her pain was deep and constant. She wanted relief, and she wanted heavy massage. I’ve had […]
One Massage Study Does Not “Prove” a Point…
…For a massage claim to be accurate, it needs to be backed by the strongest evidence. Yet some of the massage studies we’ve quoted for years are neither strong, nor conclusive. In a few weeks, the Massage Therapy Foundation will release my free e-book, “Five Myths and Truths about Massage Therapy.” When it’s up, I’ll […]
Facebook Humor and the Massage Therapy Profession
It starts like this: “You’re in a mental hospital. Use the first 7 people on your chat list to fill in below…” When this popped up in my Facebook feed recently, something in me snapped. Why? The game asks you to assign 7 people on your chat list to be characters with you in a […]