Tracy Walton & Associates

Caring for clients with Cancer

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    • Oncology Massage Therapy 4 Day Intensive Course
    • Advanced Mentorship
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    • Setting Fees and Discounts for Oncology Massage Therapy and Hospice Care
    • Research and Ethics in Oncology Massage and Hospice Care
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    • Will I be certified in oncology massage therapy?
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Writing and Publications

Pressure Scale – Free Download

Free Download. Drawing on the work of Gayle MacDonald and Dawn Nelson, Tracy Walton developed a 5-level massage therapy pressure scale for use in massage therapy, oncology massage therapy, and hospital-based massage therapy. It is a great tool for communicating with medical care providers and clients about massage pressure. As long as you retain the credits and reference the author, you may download and reprint the file for free here: Walton Pressure Scale.

Books

Walton, T. (Free Download) Five Myths and Truths about Massage Therapy: Letting Go without Losing Heart. Evanston, IL: Massage Therapy Foundation, 2016.

Walton, T. Medical Conditions and Massage Therapy: A Decision Tree Approach. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins/Wolters Kluwer Health, 2011.

Multimedia

Collinge & Associates. “Touch, Caring, and Cancer: Simple Instruction for Family and Friends.”
Available in English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin.

Selected Articles

Walton T. Choosing Our Words Wisely-Language Matters Massage Today June 2018;18(6).

Walton T. Could Massage Spread Cancer in the Newly Diagnosed? Massage Today Jan 2018;18(1).

Walton T. Does Massage Spread Cancer? An Update Massage Today Sep 2017;17(10).

Walton T. When Cancer Involves the Brain (Part 2) Massage Today Mar 2017;17(3).

Walton T. When Cancer Involves the Brain (Part 1) Massage Today Feb 2017;17(2).

Walton T. Paying it Forward The Touch of Kindness Fund for Oncology Massage Massage Today Aug 2016;16(8).

Walton T. Telling the Truth About Massage Therapy Massage Today Mar 2016;16(3).

Walton T. Compassion and Compassion Fatigue: Balancing Your Emotions in the Treatment Room Massage Today May 2015;15(5).

Walton T. When Cancer Involves the Liver Massage Today Feb 2015;15(2).

Walton T. In Oncology Massage, Positioning Matters Massage Today Sept 2014;14(9).

Walton T. “Selling” Gentle Massage to Clients with Cancer. Massage Today Feb 2014;14(2).

Walton T. Know What You Are Dealing With: Radiation Therapy and Massage. Massage Today Dec 2013;13(12).

Walton T. Searching for Simple Rules in Massage and Cancer Care. Massage Today Oct 2013;13(10).

Toth M, Marcantonio ER, Davis RB, Walton T, Kahn JR, Phillips RS. Massage therapy for patients with metastatic cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med Jul 2013: 19(7):650-6.Click here for an abstract.

Collinge W, Kahn J, Walton T, Kozak L, Bauer-Wu S, Fletcher K, Yarnold P, Soltysik R. Touch, Caring, and Cancer: randomized controlled trial of a multimedia caregiver education program. Support Care Cancer May 2013;21(5):1405-14. Click here for an abstract.

Walton T. Help for Hospital-Based Massage Therapy. Massage Today Jan 2013;13(01).

Walton T. In Memoriam: Dianne Polseno. Massage Today Oct 2012;12(10).

Walton T. The Importance of Remembering Gentleness. Massage Today Apr 2012;12(04).

Collinge W, MacDonald, G, Walton T. Massage in supportive cancer care. Semin Oncol Nurs Feb 2012;28(1):45-54. Click here for an abstract.

Walton T. Chemotherapy and massage: 11 questions to ask your client. Massage & Bodywork May/June 2011:40-9.

Walton T. The author’s path. Massage & Bodywork May/June 2011:40-9.

Walton T. Facing down the mystery. Massage Today Aug 2009;9(8).

Walton T. Rest, warrior. Massage Today Jun 2009;9(6).

Walton T. Cancer treatment, massage, and wholeness. Massage Today Apr 2009;9(4).

Walton T. Making responsible claims about massage. Massage Magazine Dec 2008;151(48).

Walton T. A tribute to an oncology massage advocate. Massage Today Nov 2008;8(11).

Myers C, Walton T, Small B. The value of massage therapy in cancer care. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America 2008;22:649-660. Click here for an abstract.

Walton T. Massage for caregivers. Massage Today April 2008; (4).

Myers C, Walton T, Bratsman L, Wilson J, Small B. Massage modalities and symptoms reported by cancer patients: narrative review. Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology Winter 2008;6(1):19-28.

Walton T. Companionship in cancer care. Massage Today Nov 2007;7(11).

Walton T. The first oncology massage healing summit. Massage Today Aug 2007;7(8):8.

Walton T. Mapping it out: a decision tree can help you navigate complex massage contraindications. Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2007.

Walton T. Meeting the emotional challenges of oncology massage. Massage Today June 2007;7(6):16-17.

Walton T. Learning from the largest study on cancer and massage. Massage Today Feb 2007;7(2):6-7.

Walton, T. Cancer and massage therapy: contraindications and cancer treatment.  Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2006;45(3):119-135.

Walton T. A study of foot massage and cancer symptoms. Massage Today Nov 2006;6(11).

Walton T. Developments in oncology massage. Massage Today Aug 2006;6(8):7,23.

Walton, T. Cancer and massage therapy: essential contraindications.Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2006;45(2):119-135.

Walton T. A study on massage and symptom relief. Massage Today May 2006;6(5):6,15.

Walton T. Medical conditions in massage practice, part III: interviewing for medications. Massage Today Aug 2005;5(8):1,8.

Walton T. Medical conditions in massage practice, part II: the client in a physician’s care. Massage Today July 2005;5(7):1,6.

Walton T. Medical conditions in massage practice: intake forms and questions, part I. Massage Today June 2005;5(6):1,7.

Toth M, Kahn J, Walton T, Hrbek A, Eisenberg DM, Phillips RS. Therapeutic Massage Intervention for Hospitalized Patients with Cancer—a Pilot Study. Alternative and Complementary Therapies June 2003:117-124.

Walton, T. In Review:  Massage Therapy Guidelines for Hospital and Home Care (Book Review). Massage Magazine Nov/Dec 2001;94:148-149.

Walton, T. Contraindications to massage part IV:  clinical thinking and cancer. Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2000;39(3):66-83.

Werner R, Walton T, Benjamin B. Hygienic methods for massage therapists. Massage Therapy Journal Winter 1999;37(4):24-31.

Walton T. Contraindications to massage part III: communicating with a client’s clinician. Massage Therapy Journal Fall 1999;38(3):40-48.

Walton T. Contraindiations to massage part II: taking a health history. Massage Therapy Journal Winter 1999;37(4):70-92.

Walton T.Contraindications to massage part I: roadblocks on the way to consensus.Massage Therapy Journal Summer 1998;37(2):108-112.

Benjamin B, Walton T. The benefits and risks of bodywork. Massage Therapy Journal Spring 1998;37(1):23-25.

  > > see further journal articles, texts and searchable databases on massage therapy.

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...

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