Had it not been for Ashiatsu barefoot massage, I would not be a massage therapist today. The average career span of a massage therapist is only 5 years! At the end of 3 years, I was already experiencing pain in my wrists and an elbow.
In the summer of 2002, I read an article about Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy in Massage Therapy Journal. (I still have that article, as a matter of fact!).
A short while later, I flew to Houston to take the class from the founder. About a month after class, I found out I was pregnant--within about 4 months, I could barely bend over to do hands on massge because I couldn't breathe.
So I did barefoot massage, and a lot of it. In fact, many of my clients appreciated my additional weight. It turns out I was having twins-hence the not being able to bend over issue.
I worked until I was 32 weeks pregnant with the girls and took an early maternity leave not because I couldn't do massage any more, but because I was convinced I would deliver the babies early (which I didn't. They were born full term at 38.5 weeks).
Had I not been able to do ashi, as we call it, I wouldn't have been able to work for a long, long time.
So if you're a female therapist interested in having babies but still want to work, I'd highly recommend giving ashiatsu barefoot massage a go!
I teach on a regular basis in Cincinnati but will travel for groups of 8. www.AshiatsuWorkshops.com has tons of information about the classes.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Time for a massage?
Remember me if you need a deep tissue massage! I have some times available in the next few weeks starting with November 17.
Here's the link to my site with information about all the massages I do. Massage sessions can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
My office is located in Mt. Healthy (how appropriate is that?), a little northwest of downtown Cincinnati. It's quiet and peaceful with lots of natural light.
If you've never had a massage before, you can click on my What to Expect page. I teach Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, Ashi-Thai and Bamboo-Fusion and am also certified in prenatal/pregnancy massage.
Want a massage from someone who's reasonably priced and experienced? I've been licensed for massage since January of 1999, so you're looking at the right place!
Here's the link to my site with information about all the massages I do. Massage sessions can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
My office is located in Mt. Healthy (how appropriate is that?), a little northwest of downtown Cincinnati. It's quiet and peaceful with lots of natural light.
If you've never had a massage before, you can click on my What to Expect page. I teach Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, Ashi-Thai and Bamboo-Fusion and am also certified in prenatal/pregnancy massage.
Want a massage from someone who's reasonably priced and experienced? I've been licensed for massage since January of 1999, so you're looking at the right place!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Barefoot massage CEUs for massage therapists
You can change your massage career if you attend one of our barefoot Ashiatsu classes!
www.ashiatsuworkshops.com has all the information, schedule, etc. You can even sign up for class online.
Our next continuing education class for massage therapists to learn deep tissue massage with their feet is in December in Cincinnati.
www.ashiatsuworkshops.com has all the information, schedule, etc. You can even sign up for class online.
Our next continuing education class for massage therapists to learn deep tissue massage with their feet is in December in Cincinnati.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Massage Therapy Schools
When I started massage school, there was only one accredited masssage school in the southwestern Ohio are. The massage school I attended was SHI Integrative Medical Massage School in Lebanon, OH. Now there are massage schools pretty much on every corner, it seems, many with promises of "Be your won boss! Make $60 an hour! In just 1 year, you can be a massage therapist!"
In reality, it's not exactly that!
In Ohio, we are licensed by the State of Ohio Medical Board for Massage Therapy, which means we take a Medical Massage Boards in Columbus, OH (the capital of Ohio). The exams are offered only twice a year. Different years have produced significantly varying results of the exam. In December 1999, the date I took my exam, there was only a 42% pass rate OVER THE ENTIRE STATE'S EXAMINEES! 600 people took the exam--58% failed. Which means they needed to wait until the next Massage Exam, in June of 2000.
The massage schools were partly to blame for the dismal pass rates. Several new schools had recently opened up, and their pass rates were unbeliveably bad. (My massage school had about an 82% pass rate amongst my classmates). When the massage schools don't know what to teach (or don't teach it well), then the students suffer. At a high cost, too!
If you're thinking about attending a massage therapy school, just do your research. Make sure the school will prepare you for any massage board exam you may take.
In reality, it's not exactly that!
In Ohio, we are licensed by the State of Ohio Medical Board for Massage Therapy, which means we take a Medical Massage Boards in Columbus, OH (the capital of Ohio). The exams are offered only twice a year. Different years have produced significantly varying results of the exam. In December 1999, the date I took my exam, there was only a 42% pass rate OVER THE ENTIRE STATE'S EXAMINEES! 600 people took the exam--58% failed. Which means they needed to wait until the next Massage Exam, in June of 2000.
The massage schools were partly to blame for the dismal pass rates. Several new schools had recently opened up, and their pass rates were unbeliveably bad. (My massage school had about an 82% pass rate amongst my classmates). When the massage schools don't know what to teach (or don't teach it well), then the students suffer. At a high cost, too!
If you're thinking about attending a massage therapy school, just do your research. Make sure the school will prepare you for any massage board exam you may take.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Just 2 spots remain in my Barefoot Basics Ashiatsu massage training class in Dallas. Class is in November, and it looks like it's going to fill up soon. If you know of any LMTs who need some CEUs, would like to save their career or simply reinvent their practice, let them know about class!
Barefoot Basics is 3 days, 25 CE's and runs from 9-6 each day. The massage therapists get to practice on each other for 2 days and on guest clients on the 3rd day of class. Anterior and Sidelying is 1 day, 8 CE's from 9-6 also. LMTs work on each other and receive about 3 hour of amazing barefoot work.
Come join us is class--it's well organized but laid back. You can register online at www.affinitymassages.com/register_now .
Barefoot Basics is 3 days, 25 CE's and runs from 9-6 each day. The massage therapists get to practice on each other for 2 days and on guest clients on the 3rd day of class. Anterior and Sidelying is 1 day, 8 CE's from 9-6 also. LMTs work on each other and receive about 3 hour of amazing barefoot work.
Come join us is class--it's well organized but laid back. You can register online at www.affinitymassages.com/register_now .
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Ashiatsu benefits for therapist and client
What are the advantages of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy?
They are numerous for both the massage therapist and the client. For the client who craves deep tissue work, they receive the pressure they need. Unlike traditional hands on massage where the therapist often uses pointy elbows and fingers/thumbs, the round surfaces of the feet are used in Ashiatsu. Many clients assume that a good deep tissue massage is going to hurt. It doesn't with our style of barefoot massage. The client should never feel any discomfort--maybe a "hurts so good," but that's about it!
The well trained Ashiatsu barefoot massage therapist uses parallel wooden bars above the massage table for balance and support, and the client lies comfortably on the massage table. Because gravity is used, it's easier for the therapist to control pressure with his/her body weight (as opposed to having to "force" their weight/pressure upon the client).
I have a video regarding the subject uploading to my Facebook site: www.facebook.com/AffinityMassageStudio. Check it out! It's totally informal, but it may give you some more ideas!
They are numerous for both the massage therapist and the client. For the client who craves deep tissue work, they receive the pressure they need. Unlike traditional hands on massage where the therapist often uses pointy elbows and fingers/thumbs, the round surfaces of the feet are used in Ashiatsu. Many clients assume that a good deep tissue massage is going to hurt. It doesn't with our style of barefoot massage. The client should never feel any discomfort--maybe a "hurts so good," but that's about it!
The well trained Ashiatsu barefoot massage therapist uses parallel wooden bars above the massage table for balance and support, and the client lies comfortably on the massage table. Because gravity is used, it's easier for the therapist to control pressure with his/her body weight (as opposed to having to "force" their weight/pressure upon the client).
I have a video regarding the subject uploading to my Facebook site: www.facebook.com/AffinityMassageStudio. Check it out! It's totally informal, but it may give you some more ideas!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Benefits of barefoot massage (vs. hands on)
Why get a deep tissue barefoot Ashiatsu massage when your therapist does a perfectly lovely one with her or his hands?
- The therapist is probably working at his/her expense physically. Hands on massage, done deeply, is very wearing for any massage therapist. In fact, the career expectancy of massage therapist is only 5 years.
- Need hamstring or quad work? The arch of the foot is a perfect way to really encompass those big muscle groups. And it feels a lot better than a forearm.
- Gravity allows the massage therapist to work more easily and deeper than traditional deep tissue hands on massage.
- It feels awesome. Done properly, ashiatsu barefoot massage feels like really big hands. Most new clients wonder when I'm going to use my feet when in fact I have been using them for 10-15 minutes.
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