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It is no wonder that massage is a key component to health and wellness at the Olympics!

Did you know that Facial Reflexology is good for athletes too?

In fact, the instructor I trained with in this field is going to be giving Facial Reflexology at the 2012 Olympic Games working with the Sailing Teams!!!!!!!!!

The relaxation that athletes are given during this treatment is huge. They’ve said to be able to sleep better (and the Olympic Games are notorious for getting lack of sleep and down time for the athletes). You can read about other sports benefits of facial reflexology     right here.

This is so exciting that Facial Reflexology and, of course, massage is getting the recognition it deserves and is being utilized in this way. Have you ever had a facial reflexology treatment? Wouldn’t you like to get these benefits?

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People embrace massage for it’s benefits of kneading and pressure and rubbing, right? And, they know this is good for them so how can they get some of these benefits when they are not having a massage. Welcome tools like the Tennis Ball and Foam Roller. These are tools that people can use to get similar benefits as massage.

A foam roller is simply a cylindrical piece of extruded hard-celled foam. I started using a cut swimming noodle on my forearms for self care before specific foam rollers were even manufactured. Now, they come in all shapes and sizes and densities. You see them in massage offices, physical therapy centers and at the local gym.

Which one’s you use depends on the goals. The thicker the roller the harder they are and work best on the denser, heavy muscled athlete for flexibility and muscle relief. For other’s, a less dense roller would be preferable.

Self-care application techniques are simple*.

You can: use them is on a specific surface of your body and ‘roll’ over them or apply pressure to specific surfaces that hold a muscle ‘knot’ . This is also called trigger point therapy and resembles a sense of acupressure. It’s goal is to release this area of hypersensitivity in a knot for pain relief.

A second method is to actually ‘roll’ the tube in a longer, slowly gliding stroke from one end of a muscle group (ex. The erectors along the back) to the other end. This helps elongate muscles and assist in flexibility.

Combining these two methods takes some experience but will provide both decreased pain and increased flexibility.

What is the ultimate goal of any massage therapy session beyond relaxation? Decreased pain and increased flexibility. This is why people are embracing the use of foam rollers! Because it helps and does just this.

But, Which is better, massage or roller? The hands down (pardon the pun) answer is massage. Nothing will ever replace the value of a seasoned professional accessing massage knots and knowing what techniques to apply for maximum benefits. BUT, we all know that there are constraints to receiving daily massages. The next best thing is some self care.

*If you want to include rolling in your self care, like the use of any tool, it is best done with direction from a professional such as a physical therapist, a personal trainer or massage therapist.

Have you ever seen Foal Rollers or used them? And, what has your experience been? Answer below, we’d love to know!

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Scenario #1: You leave your desk in time to get to you massage. Then, a co-worker asks you one last question before leaving the office. On your drive, you get behind a school bus that makes four drop offs on your way to your massage appointment. You are becoming more and more tense as you arrive for your appointment.  You run ~ literally ~ into your appointment that was scheduled to begin 10 minutes ago. You are taking deep breaths trying to relax as you get onto the table and wait for the therapist to come into the room.

Scenario #2: You leave the office with an extra 25 minutes to spare. You take the back road to your therapist’s office where you can see children playing in the school yard and the leaves on the trees gently blowing in the wind. You arrive at your therapists office 10 minutes early for your appointment. You sit down in the waiting area and close your eyes and breathe in deeply while looking forward to the relaxing and healing strokes of your therapist’s treatment.

Which scenario do you think will give you the most benefits? There is no doubt that #2 will provide you with a more relaxing and healing treatment.

A therapist’s skills may be terrific but you can create a session that allows his/her skills to be ‘miraculous’ based upon how you prepare. Here are some things you CAN do to increase the effectiveness of your bodywork sessions:

1) Schedule when you can create relaxation time before AND after the session.

It is not a good idea to schedule your appointment in the middle of a busy day, when you will arrive JUST on time or have to leave QUICKLY to get somewhere else. Life is busy but you can create this with a little extra effort and you will be so happy that you did. Best, schedule your treatment for a day off or when you have no obligations afterward

2) Be mindful of what you EAT & DRINK before an appointment.

Eat lightly at least an hour before the session. Having a small amount of food in your stomach will prevent you from feeling hungry without feeling like you have a full belly.

Drink water, but not too much! You do not want to disturb your time by having to get up to go to the bathroom during your appointment.

Don’t drink alcohol. You don’t want to fall completely asleep and miss the feeling of the massage or bodywork.

3)     If you’ve been physically active, shower prior to the appointment. Not for the comfort of your therapist. A Seasoned therapist will have no problems how you arrive. But you will feel more comfortable in your session.

4)     Don’t forget your VOICE. If you do not like something during your massage, speak up! Your therapist will adjust for you.

Too much pressure, not enough, he/she can adjust.

The CD not your cup of tea? A therapist will switch it.

Remember, this is YOUR treatment. What else can you do that will give your treatment more value? Make the most of it by creating the time for yourself and helping the therapist do their best for you!

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THE FIRST LEVEL: Continuing Education is a necessary and vital part of being a professional. It keeps us up to date with maintaining the NCBTMB (National Board certification) we needed to have to receive our license (here in RI), is mandated by professional organizations (if we belong to them), allows us to stay gather and talk with other professionals, offers experience to enhance our practices ~ not only hands on but business courses as well as ethics classes and, for me, gives renewed excitement about being in this profession. But, most importantly, it allows us to receive valuable tools and techniques to bring back to our clients to continue to work with them.

The CHALLENGE with this is therapists may view having to receive educational credits as the MINIMUM necessary to stay in practice. I recently spoke with two therapists who needed to renew  their certifications for the first time. (You have four years to take 50 credit hours for NCBTMB renewal). This is what each said:

First therapist: “Gee, I can’t believe I have 60 credits. I took one too many classes ~ I thought I wasn’t going to have enough so I registered for that small weekend class which bumped me up”

Second therapist: “I had to take an online class over the Holidays because I didn’t have enough credits before Jan. 1^st! I can’t believe I had to do that and I didn’t even have the money, I had to put the class on a credit card.”

AND a third therapist ask me why I “invested in a course to learn how to market massage. That seems silly to spend money to learn how to make money.”

These therapists are missing the point. The point IS that it is a responsibility and obligation as a Professional to embrace continuing education. It does not need to be mandated by the industry, a time-line, your pocket book or a type of class. Finding quality courses to study that enhance you and your practice is a must and so I choose a variety of classes that serve my client’s needs. Even a marketing class teaches how to educate  clients aka marketing in one way or another. Without that, I will not be able to deliver the best possible experience of healing and wellness for you.

THE SECOND LEVEL: is connecting with you, my clients.  You will never hear me in a treatment complain about business, people, life or otherwise. If you ask me a question about your life in regards to my skill set (Massage, Aromatherapy, Feng Shui, Dreams, Soul-Coaching etc), I will answer them.  But, I will not share with you challenges about my own unresolved challenges in life. Yes, we all have them. That is NOT my professional relationship with you.  Too many therapists do step over this line and it creates BIG PROBLEMS for them. Example:  I heard a client say years ago “I’d like to try a new therapist but, I have to keep going to see so-and-so, she’s got no money and needs me on that every week schedule.”  YIKES, REALLY? That helps no one especially this client and that’s exactly why we practice: to help YOU.  Our challenges is NOT WHY you should come to us. Your intention in receiving hands-on bodywork should be purely for YOU, YOURSELF and YOU.

Yes, we will become friendly and I may share a thing or two about my four-footed-friends ~ especially with other dog-owners. That’s what I mean by friendly.  Yes, I am always concerned with your welfare. I also do very much appreciate your concern with my life. That is sweet and thoughtful. But, really,  you have enough challenges of your own.  That may, in fact, be exactly why you are coming to release some of those worries. So, release away!!!!

This is how I choose to practice. I choose to educate myself in all aspects of my practice: Hands on Skills, intercommunication skills, and business workshops. I choose to have a relationship with you based on YOUR healing and wellness not my own and I choose to provide the most professional service possible. Isn’t that a relief?!

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Does it work?

The final conclusion from a  6 month study done in 3 European Countries shows:

“Supporting individuals to take control of their self-care requires advice-giving within a supportive treatment context and practitioner relationship, with clients who are open to change and committed to maintaining their health. CAM modalities may have an important role to play in this endeavor”.*

In this study, 75% of the recipients received advice on exercise, diet, posture, points to work on at home and other self care techniques.  The 6 month follow-up, nearly 85% reported making changes to their lifestyle as a result of the Shiatsu Treatment.

The most notable benefits recorded from this study were:

• Better Rest
• Improved Relaxation
• Increased Exercise
• Positive Diet Change
• Reduced Time at Work
• Increased Mind/Body Awareness
• Higher Levels of Confidence and Resolve

Add the addition of the benefits of massage therapy or facial reflexology with the use of Shiatsu and you have exponential healing.  Facial Massage offers the benefits of a traditional massage on the face but add the acupressure points and it greatly improves local circulation as well as body circulation of the blood, lymph and chi.

Have You ever had a shiatsu Massage or Facial Reflexology treatment to experience these benefits? How did you feel during it or after it?

“Choose each day to be blissful and complete, a whole person well cared for by you”

*Reference Study:

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2009; 9: 19.

Published online 2009 June 18. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-9-19.

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In talking with people, so many people ’qualified’ who should win in their own minds. They based it on two things.

1. The first was struggle: They would say: It should be for the struggling 30 something couple with two kids and one of them unemployed. It should be for someone who is just out of school and is struggling to make it on their own. It should be for the 60 something who has struggled all his life, is divorced, has put three kids through college, has 2 grandchildren and wants to leave a legacy for them. It should be someone who lost their home in the flood two years ago and struggles to make a new home still to this day. The theme here is Struggled and no doubt, the scenarios qualified them to win. This thinking that life is a “struggle’ is challenging to living on of fulfillment.
2. The second was what they would do if they won:

• • It would make life a little easier.
  • They would spend more time with family & friends.
  • Giving to others would be paramount.
  • And, yes, they would all do a little something for themselves for a change.

Do you know what? I was a MEGA-BUCK winner yesterday and today and will be tomorrow!

I’ve discovered a way to have that feeling and here it is:

I make my life a little easier by forgiving someone (usually me) of something I perceived they have ‘done to me’ ~ because forgiveness really is about honoring you. It’s about giving something up that you’ve been holding onto that brings your mood down and does not serve you well. Forgiving is about offering peace to both parties. Peace is good. It makes my life a little easier and not such a STRUGGLE.

I left work early to spend time with my family! Typically, I’ll stay and finish paperwork after my last client but yesterday, I didn’t. I left work early was home in time for some four footer play in the backyard. And, my man & I had dinner at 6 pm ~ early by our standards. Too, we ate at the dining room table (something we do with quests only) and that made it extra nice & special.

I gave. My heart has gone out to the people of the mid-west who have lost so much and are just at the beginning of putting their communities back together after the tornados of the week. I gave in time and energy.  It was not mega-bucks money but it was something: the amount of the rolled quarters I have had sitting on a desk top for the past six (yes 6!) months. Do I need that money? Obviously, not as much as other’s if that’s where it has been sitting. I gave in energy ~ literally. I spent time sending Reiki to the region to be used by any who needed loving and positive energy.

I did something for me. I called extended my scheduled massage from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. It is A little extra relaxation I’m looking forward to for myself at the end of this month at a small financial expense easily found by rolling some more spare change.

YOU CAN BE A MEGA BUCK WINNER TOO by following these steps too!

Megabucks Activity Formula:

Forgive~ if that is hard. Start by forgiving yourself for the smallest ‘infraction’ you can find. As a life habit, forgiveness can be mastered but it starts with a simple step.

Spend time with Family & Friends~ even changing a small routine of life can make it seem special.

Give ~ even when you feel like you can’t give anymore, do! It invigorates your heart. It doesn’t have to be much more than the proverbial old “helping an elderly woman across the street” Sometimes, the simplest of gestures can create the greatest of gratitude’s.

Do something extra for yourself ~ it may take an extra 5 minutes out of your day but give yourself that to meditate, take the long way home, put fresh air into your house or go get a massage! Whatever, it is you are worth it.

What MEGABUCKS FORMULA ACTIVITIES will you do today and how can you incorporate these into a Megabucks lifestyle? Write it down and then go for it!

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I recently had a chance to contemplate this. I have been told by no less than three people recently that they like me because I’m like the local bartender. (In my world, you pay attention when something comes to you in 3′s!) Two of these clients are those that come to me for Body-Wise bodywork. The third is a Soul-Wise client of mine.

Here’s a few of the comparisons they made between the local bartender and a therapist or coach:

• A Good Bartender always greets you with a big smiling hello.

A good Therapist or Coach greets you with a compassionate smile and warm hello.

• A Good Bartender always knows your favorite drink.

A Good Therapist or Coach always knows what you really like in a treatment or session.

• A Good Bartender knows when you want to try a new drink or something a little different.

A Good Therapist or Coach knows when your body or soul needs something a little different to affect the kind of change you need.

• A Good Bartender knows when to have a conversation with you, when to listen and when to just be at the bar for you so you can process your own thoughts.

A Good Therapist or Coach knows when you want to converse, when to listen and when to just be with you so you can process your own thoughts.

• A Good Bartender tells you with great subtlety when it’s time for you to go.

A Good Therapist or Coach quietly ends your treatment when it’s time.

• A Good Bartender appreciates all his customers all of the time.

A Good Therapist or Coach never judges a client no matter what

No matter what challenge they have or what thoughts they share.

So, yes it’s the education and training and yes, it’s their experience. These help make a good therapist good. You can also add to this their professionalism and level of compassion they show their clients. Add in so much more and you get an excellent therapist. But, maybe, it’s just about how well they ‘mix’ all of these and are passionate about what they do. If you have a local bartender you like, maybe your therapist or coach is just like them!

I was confused when one of these clients took great care and sheepishly told me I was like his favorite bartender. He thought I’d be offended by it. He couldn’t have been more wrong…it was one of the greatest compliments I could have ever received! What makes a good therapist and/or coach for you?

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Using Bodywork will help tremendously. Massage, aromatherapy and reflexology have been shown to be help with SAD.  All of these modalities or using them in combination with one another help reduce stress and anxiety, bring a sense of peace and calming as well as help to release necessary endorphins that help balance mood disorders.

There are many other holistic therapies that help alleviate the symptoms of  SAD. Here is a look at just a few of them.

Light Therapy: is simply exposure to artificial light. You sit or work near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light so it’s brighter than indoor lighting but not as bright as direct sunlight and it is generally believed that first thing in the morning when you wake up is the time of day that works best.  Sometimes, the symptoms of SAD can be alleviated in as little as 2 to 4 days but may take up to a few weeks.

Diet:  is important to maintain the daily recommendations for complex B vitamins eat a low fat diet and eliminate sugar and caffeine as much as possible and eating small meals throughout the day. This will keep your body well balanced and help regulate its hormones to keep the symptoms of SAD at bay.

Hug A Tree: you can do this literally or figuratively. Spending time with nature and getting some fresh air (preferably when the sun is bright) will do wonders to help improve your mood.  And, yes, I’ve been known to be seen hugging a tree ~ especially a large strong oak tree. You can’t help but feel its strength pouring into you!

Spend time with friends: it’s easy to say no to that dinner out and easier still not to ask that good non-critical friend to go have a cup of tea with you. As Nike says, “Just Do It” It may be hard but the many benefits this type of socialization brings are worth the effort.

Psychotherapy &  Life-coaching: can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that only exacerbate the symptoms of SAD. Psychotherapy or life coaching can help learn healthy ways to cope with your symptoms.

 Meditation & Affirmations: work will help too. Mediation is a great way to relax and unwind and let you inner-wisdom find solutions to your challenge. Using affirmations to support the meditation work will change your inner thoughts from negative to positive and help to reframe your thoughts to one’s that empower.

I can personally attest that using Light Therapy, bodywork, psychotherapy, use of meditation and affirmations. All of these have helped alleviate my feelings of despair during the winter season. I understand how difficult it is to move through this period of time but that is the key: making a move. If you or someone you know suffers from this, making the first move maybe the hardest step but doing so is also your key to feeling better and brighter.

(It is important to note that if symptoms of SAD go on for more than a few weeks, it is important to seek professional help immediately. And that using some of these tips for helping alleviate the symptoms of SAD should be done with the support of trained professionals.)

As always, Self-care is critical to maintaining optimum health & wellness with this disorder and/or in general. Do you or anyone you know suffer with SAD’s? What have you done that you have found helpful to manage the symptoms and bring you back into balance? I’d love to know!

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Some symptoms include difficulty waking up in the morning, overeating & oversleeping, lack of energy and difficulty concentrating, withdrawal from family and social activities that are enjoyed otherwise.

Reasons for Seasonal Affective Disorder are many. Less exposure to light means lowered Serotonin levels. Lack of Serotonin is one of the key components in depression. Less exercise decreases the amount of endorphins in your body. These chemical changes are key ingredients to bringing on SAD

There are many ways to treat SAD. Light Therapy, exercise, time outside, eating a diet with extra  green leafy vegetables, taking nutritional supplements that support your endocrine system. Bodywork can also help. Massage, aromatherapy and reflexology have been shown to be help with SAD.  Here are some reasons why:

~Massage Therapy: Bodywork helps you slow down, relax and recharge. It helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Compassionate Human Touch is often helpful for someone to know that everything will be all right!

~Aromatherapy: Many essential oils have anti-derpressant properties and can be quite useful in lifting the moods of the winter. I find the Citrus oils the best to combat this disorder. You can use them in many ways from diffusing them into the air, using in your cleaning products or in an aroma-massage.

~Reflexology: has been used dating back to the Egytpians to treat many aches and pains. Due to it’s natural healing ability, reflexology helps our bodies to release endorphins which naturally bring balance back to our own selves.

(It is important to note that if symptoms of SAD go on for more than a few weeks, it is important to seek professional help immediately. And that using some of these tips for helping alleviate the symptoms of SAD should be done with the support of trained professionals.)

As always, Self-care is critical to maintaining optimum health & wellness with this disorder and/or in general. Part II (next week) of Got the Blues This Winter? Will talk about how to attack it with other self-care options.

Do you or anyone you know suffer with SAD’s? What have you done that you have found helpful to manage the symptoms and bring you back into balance? I’d love to know!

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