Tracy Walton & Associates

Caring for clients with Cancer

  • Home
    • About Tracy Walton
      • Writing and Publications
      • Research
      • Awards
      • Massage Therapy Practice
    • Quotations and Stories
    • Practical Pathology
  • Training Schedule
  • Courses
    • Oncology Massage Therapy 4 Day Intensive Course
    • Advanced Mentorship
    • Opening to the Mystery with Cal Cates
    • Setting Fees and Discounts for Oncology Massage Therapy and Hospice Care
    • Research and Ethics in Oncology Massage and Hospice Care
    • Oncology Massage Clinic Intensive
    • Oncology Massage in Action
    • Online Courses
    • DVD for Caregivers
    • Short Presentations
    • Testimonials
  • Questions?
    • Will I be certified in oncology massage therapy?
    • Are there jobs in oncology massage therapy?
    • Are courses approved for CEUs in my state?
  • About
  • Blog
  • Book
    • Practical Pathology
    • Textbook for Schools
    • Reference for Practitioners
    • Look Inside
  • Resources
    • Bibliography
    • Other Trainings
    • Relevant Links
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Ethics in Oncology Massage and Hospice Care

August 4, 2016 by Tracy Walton 12 Comments

DSC_0621My 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, that she was getting poor care? Disagree? Question her account of her treatment?

I breathed. I wavered. I considered the options.

In the end, I chose reflective listening: “It sounds really hard, what you’re going through.” And a few more questions: “What happened next? Who have you talked to about this? What kind of support are you getting, or do you need?”

I drew her out a bit, and eased the conversation over to the plan for her massage session. Next session I did the same, while encouraging her to vocalize her concerns to her care team.

What would you have said?

This exchange could happen anywhere, with any client, but it is somewhat unique to a massage practice focused on cancer care, hospice care, or people with medically complex conditions.

Why?

In massage therapy, the relationship dynamics are delicate. Clients are typically unclothed and hurting in some way, and are hoping for some sort of help.

Our clients are uniquely vulnerable.

A health crisis compounds that vulnerability. The uncertainty of diagnosis, the transition at end of life, the challenges of treatment–these heighten a client’s needs and sensitivities. Massage therapists navigate trickier waters.

In such situations, my words have as much weight as my touch.

There are countless examples specific to this kind of work: How to manage family dynamics and funerals. How to turn down requests for more pressure when the tissues are frail. How to answer hard questions when the stakes are high.

How to manage professional relationships with physicians, nurses, and PTs I might never meet, but who are lifelines for my client.

In the example above, I knew my client needed moral support, but that I needed to not undermine her care team. Whether or not I agreed with her, I knew the most professional response was to stay supportive, encouraging, and neutral. To let her vent a bit, without joining her on the bandwagon. To support her finding her own, best solution.

These circumstances call on our ethics.

Then I thought of Dianne Polseno

A dear colleague of mine, the late Dianne Polseno, wrote a regular column, “Ethically Speaking” for the Massage Therapy Journal. It was one of a great body of work and service that she left behind.

Over our long, collegial history, I found myself agreeing with Dianne about 50% to 75% of the time. The disagreements did nothing to diminish my admiration for her. Instead, they spawned a rich dialogue.

Recently I dug up an old column of hers and found a great statement.

“Ethics is a verb.”

She explained that it makes itself known through behavior more than belief or commitment.

I loved that, of course. Her writing was always clean and to the point.

Yet reading this, five years after Dianne’s death, I found myself once again agreeing with some parts, but not with everything.

For me, ethics is also profoundly inner process

Yes, it’s a measure of behavior, but the struggles are set in my internal landscape. Reflection and searching are in order. Ethics comes from my relationship with me.

Why? Because tricky situations make me uncomfortable. Uncertainty makes me rush to solutions. Strong feeling gives me…strong feelings.

It’s super easy, when I’m uncomfortable,  to act on impulse.

My impulse was to join in my client’s righteous anger.

This needs to stop, to change! She needs to tell them X or Y! Someone should write a letter! Maybe I should write a letter!

Yet I knew that in that particular relationship, my outrage would not serve my client. I needed to control that particular impulse.

Instead, I sensed that the best stance was supportive, but neutral. I knew that doctor-bashing, an all-too-popular sport in my field, would serve no one.

In the pause between stimulus and response, ethics entered in.

Ethics needs a clear invitation, and a little time.

In the moment, I needed to breathe. I needed to notice my body. To acknowledge my strong feelings, and let them know I would get back to them later, but I hit the pause on my righteousness.

Instead, in breathing, I found my compassion for my struggling client, for all of us who struggle to be heard, seen, and understood.

When I finally spoke, I spoke from that compassion.

Charged circumstances, high-stakes conversations, pain and suffering. All can give rise to tender ethical dilemmas for massage therapists.

For decades, I’ve heard and tended these dilemmas in my oncology massage classrooms.

So I made a new course.

Two courses, actually.

A new one, “Ethics in Oncology Massage and Hospice Care.” Launching in September in Boston, it’s 4 CE hours.

Paired with a 3 CE hour course, “Cancer and Massage Therapy: What Does the Research Say?”

I want to address the ongoing needs of massage therapists in cancer care and hospice. I want to support them in the challenges that come up.

Aside from the spectacular convenience of knocking out two common CE requirements in one day, why these two in tandem?

Because of overlap.

The common theme is truth.

Ethical dilemmas present competing truths, and call us to deal with the hard truths. Some truths are liberating, such as the one, “I don’t have to solve this client’s problem, I only have to give them the best massage I can” dangling at the end of the process.

Research is about the search for truth.

There are competing truths about the effects of massage, and competing research results. Some of the massage truths we’ve relied on (Endorphin bursts! Toxin releases!), aren’t really true when lifted up to scrutiny. Yet there are others, underappreciated, that have been waiting in the wings: The potential for massage to help with the worst of anxiety and depression, or ease a distressing symptom or side effect.

In our search for truth, we raise more questions.

What do I do? How do I respond? How does massage help my client with cancer? How do we know? How do I market the effects of massage when we’re not quite sure?

What do I say to my client who complains?

And feelings.

What happens when I feel helpless?

How do I manage my own strong feelings? What if I listen to my pain and it actually speaks? What if it drags me down?

How do I cope, seeing and touching the hardest of human experience, day in and day out?

Do I have a right to complain? Compared to my clients’ struggles, mine are trivial.

And so on, yada.

What about you?

I’m curious about the kinds of challenges MTs face on the front lines of illness. I’m curious how you are handling yours.

I can’t respond to comments here for a couple of weeks, it being August and heading off the grid and all, but I’m grateful for anything you contribute, and I look forward to reading it when I return.

Free resources

Check out the Massage Therapy Foundation for my free eBook, “5 Myths and Truths about Massage Therapy.”

Read everything on massage and ethics in our highly acclaimed texts.

Check out archives of Dianne Polseno’s column in Massage Therapy Journal. Classic, conversational, and on point.

Or come talk to us.

Right? We never talk anymore.

Check out our two new live, face-to-face courses on research and ethics.

Filed Under: Dianne Polseno, Effects of Massage, End of Life Care, Ethics, Hospice, Massage Research, Oncology Massage

Comments

  1. Angela says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:15 pm

    I’ve been diving deep the past 6 months into the ethics insights available to our community and cross referencing my texts from massage school 10 years ago. Such a gray area, but I remember coming across ethics is a verb. Ironically, I have been searching for the “perfect” ethics course and research course as I am up for renewal. . . .September 22nd. You are such a gift and this class is such a gift!

    Reply
  2. Anita Reed Dean says

    August 11, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    What an excellent course Tracy and it comes to me at the perfect time having to deal with all these issues first hand right now in my own family . I honor you for an answered prayer and giving a combined course that meets our National CEU requirements

    Reply
    • Tracy Walton says

      August 15, 2016 at 3:13 pm

      Thank you Anita!

      Reply
  3. Rose crimaldi says

    August 12, 2016 at 7:24 am

    Any idea where i can take a course like this in the northern nj area?

    Reply
    • Tracy Walton says

      August 15, 2016 at 3:15 pm

      Hi, Rose. You can check out the ncbtmb.org website for other Ethics courses that may be offered in your area.

      Reply
  4. Dee Joyce says

    August 12, 2016 at 7:04 pm

    Sorry to say that I have been sucked into situations such as this…. My anger gets all riled up and I ask myself, why isn’t there an advocate for this person??? If I knew what I was doing, I’D be that persons advocate! Having just lost my husbands Uncle a few days ago, instead of running from the obvious fears that I have surrounding death… the questions…. OH the questions…. I had the opportunity to sit with a dieing man. It was a HUGE eye opener for me… and I thought I might want to go into Hospice Care… I guess I will be entering kindergarten on that one! I hope I can attend this class… I can tell it is so needed!

    Reply
    • Tracy Walton says

      August 15, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      Hi, Dee. I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s uncle and your challenges. I hope you are getting the support you need.

      Reply
    • Donna Lipson says

      August 26, 2016 at 6:28 pm

      Hi Dee. I work as a hospice massage therapist ( 9 year) and also volunteer as MT at our amazing cancer resource center called The Gathering Place. Pls contact me if you would like to know more about hospice work. It is a calling!

      Reply
  5. Aggie says

    August 12, 2016 at 11:44 pm

    I’d love to take these courses, but, unfortunately, I don’t live in Boston. If there’s any availability in near future in Northern California, I’ll be able to attend. My mama recently passed away from cancer and even though I didn’t live near her, I was there a month before her passing for a week, massaging her every chance I got to make her transition more comfortable. As I performed her massages, I thought of how I can expand my massage career helping fragile patients like my mama who just want to find comfort in the cruel verdict they’ve been given. But being there for them means also being able to know how to talk to them and give them the comfort and reassurance they need. I know these courses would guide me in the right direction.

    Reply
    • Tracy Walton says

      August 27, 2016 at 10:52 am

      Hi, Aggie: I wish we were nearer! I bet you managed well with your Mama. We will try to make these courses more widely available if we can.

      Reply
  6. Morgan says

    January 4, 2017 at 8:34 pm

    I really feel like Oncology Massage is a calling in my life. I moved to Houston in Feb. ’15, and have been looking for courses like yours for a while! I plan to take the 4 day intensive in Oct. this year. I seriously am so excited to learn more. I’m more excited about helping others. Thank you for your blog. Are the courses in Ethics available anytime?!

    Reply
    • Tracy Walton says

      January 4, 2017 at 9:15 pm

      We would love to have you in the October Austin course. We think it is filling quickly, so we recommend signing up soon. You are welcome for the blog. We are hoping to have the ethics course more widely available this year or next, but with no concrete plans. Thanks for your interest!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

What’s New

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.

Learn more...

Join Our List

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • An Open Letter about Re-Opening — to Massage Therapy Employers
  • A Pandemic Infographic – Why We are not Ready to Return to Massage Therapy
  • Therapy for my Hands and my State of Mind
  • COVID-19 and Closing – What do Love and Bicycles Have to Do with It?
  • COVID-19, Massage Therapy, You, and Me

Blog Categories

Blog Archives

Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 · Tracy Walton & Associates - All Rights Reserved

X