Myths in Massage Archives - Tracy Walton & Associates

Massage Therapy and the Benefits of Cereal

January 24, 2016 by Tracy Walton 7 Comments

William Bernbach, a famous advertising executive, gave us Mikey and his bowl of Life cereal in the 1970’s. A wildly successful ad campaign, it became a classic. It reportedly ran for 12 years. In the 30-second spot, Mikey’s older brother’s are skeptical of a cereal that is “supposed to be good for you.” So they […]

One Massage Study Does Not “Prove” a Point…

July 9, 2015 by Tracy Walton 24 Comments

…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 […]

Massage, Endorphins, and Sacred Cows

May 16, 2013 by Tracy Walton 16 Comments

From time to time this blog will focus on massage therapy research, and we’ll shine a light on some of the myths, or “sacred cows” we’ve been taught about its effects. First up: a claim we’ve been making for years, with little to support it. It’s common practice to state that massage therapy increases endorphins. […]

Why take a course in oncology massage therapy?

There are so many good reasons. Here are a few:

Service. During cancer treatment and beyond, people need support. They need symptom relief. They need sleep. Oncology massage therapy (OMT) can help people cope during cancer treatment, at end of life, post-treatment, and during diagnosis.
Practice building. With the right skills, you can meet growing client demand and build your practice. You can be part of cancer care. It is better for your business to be able to work with people right then, right where they are, than to refer them out or send them home.
Career satisfaction and longevity. OMT is immensely satisfying work. Your steady presence and your hands can make a huge difference in someone's day or week. You might even find our approach to be easier on your hands and alignment. We offer new ways to provide comfort without effort and "deep tissue" work.

To practice OMT, massage therapists need to know what to ask clients before the massage, and how to use the client's answers. They need to know how to think through what to do, and how to communicate with clients in difficult circumstances. They need confidence, sensitivity, strong interview and table-side instruction. They need to learn from actual case studies and real-world exercises, and good chances to practice.

We provide these learning experiences in our 4-Day Intensive, Oncology Massage Therapy: Caring for Clients with Cancer.