Massage is for EveryBody Awards!

By Margaret Finger

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 20 people every minute experience domestic violence from a partner. This equates to 10 million people every year. In many cases, these victims are an underserved population and for many reasons—fear of further injury by being in public, unable to work because of injuries—victims may reside in shelters during their recovery. As a result of the violence against them, they experience physical, mental, and emotional pain.

Because of my background and heavy involvement in this community, I have had several domestic violence victims referred to me for intervention. Massage therapy can promote health and wellness in this population. It is our role to help the person feel safe and in control, which empowers them, and to provide healing massage.

During the interview and assessment portion of the massage, I disclose that I am a thriver of domestic violence. This has built a rapport in all cases thus far. Sometimes these clients do not feel comfortable undressing for the massage, so I tell them to wear a tank top and gym shorts until they become comfortable with me. I give them a gentle massage, all the while watching for responses to my touch. I usually include craniosacral techniques to relax and reset the nervous system. I tell them that whenever they want the session to end, let me know, and it is done.

I have found here in Kansas there are a few state and county agencies that agreed to pay for my services. I had one success story of a client who safely left her abusive husband and is doing well on her own. I gave her a list of community resources to help her on her way, and luckily, she has supportive adult children. It was a very rewarding experience to watch her transform and thrive.

By Jessica Irelan
Business Facebook page: ButterflyTherapeutics

As I massaged her neck and temples, Ella began to cry. I could feel her body shaking. She then told me how grateful she was to receive empathy and massage while she was recovering from drug addiction.

I have found helping addicts through massage therapy to be a profound experience. Massage therapy has shown to be effective as well as rewarding for both myself and the addict. As someone who has witnessed the devastating effects of addiction firsthand, it was refreshing to learn about a potential alternative treatment that goes beyond traditional methods. The idea that massage therapy can provide a safe and noninvasive approach to addressing the physical symptoms of addiction withdrawal particularly resonated with me. I have seen how debilitating these symptoms can be for individuals trying to overcome addiction.

Ella described her physical experience: “Massage soothed my muscle aches, nausea, and headaches; it is truly remarkable.” Moreover, the psychological support massage therapy offers to addicts by reducing stress and anxiety is equally important. It is no secret the journey to recovery is emotionally challenging, and anything that can help individuals regulate their emotions and cope with cravings and triggers should be highly valued.

Brian relaxed deeply in his session, I could feel a sense and calmness encompass his being, body, mind, and spirit. He said, “I felt safe enough to relax.” Ultimately, this treatment led to better sleep patterns, which helped provide him with the tools he needed to develop healthier coping mechanisms.

My clients experienced a profound reconnection with their bodies and regained self-awareness. Addiction can often cause individuals to disconnect from their physical selves, leading to a distorted perception of their bodies. The fact that massage therapy helps rebuild this relationship and promotes self-acceptance and increased body awareness is empowering. It encourages individuals to make healthier lifestyle choices and develop a greater respect for their bodies, which is crucial for long-term recovery.

Overall, I am so grateful for the experience of using massage therapy as valuable adjunctive treatment for addicts. By addressing physical discomfort, reducing stress and anxiety, and fostering self-awareness, it has the potential to significantly enhance the overall well-being and effectiveness of recovery programs. I believe incorporating massage therapy into addiction treatment should be seriously considered, as it provides a holistic approach that supports addicts both physically and psychologically.

By Darryl Langston
Website: prnchairmassage.massagetherapy.com/

I believe one of the best things to have in any community is a good hospital. Of course, a hospital can only be as good as its staff. Therefore, hospital systems everywhere implement programs to take care of staff members. The hospital system I work for employs a team of us who go to the nursing units and other departments and provide free chair massages to these frontline essential workers.

During these sessions, I support the first guiding principle with empathy and respect. Having worked alongside these caregivers in various roles, from nursing assistant to surgical technologist, I can attest to the physical and mental challenges they confront each day as they care for our injured, our sick, our mothers as they bring new life into this world, and comforting others as they transcend to the next. The familiarities motivate me to be there for them, physically and emotionally, as they are for the patients in their care. And there is where I find absolute reward.

Living close to one of the hospitals I serve, I often see these caregivers walking up and down the sidewalks leading to the hospital. During the height of the pandemic, when everything else was shut down, I’d still see them marching toward their shifts. Watching them face this crisis head-on should fill anyone with pride and gratitude. So, when things opened up and we were allowed to return to the departments, I was all too willing to give back to those who had given and continue to give so much. Upon finishing and leaving the departments, they always thank me for coming. I always tell them that it’s an honor to take care of those who take care of everyone else and thank you for having me here.

By Jennifer A. Telford
Instagram handle: @herpath_hervision.coach
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertelfordofhoano/
Linktree: linktr.ee/jenniferandreacoaching
Website: www.hoano.com

In my 20s, I began to educate women on a holistic approach to breast health using self-massage and self-lymphatic drainage techniques as a certified massage therapist. A feature by Karrie Mowen in the June/July 2001 issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine called “Breast Massage: Afloat in a New Era of Thinking” spotlighted professionals advocating for massage therapy and lymphatic drainage as an effective tool to support breast health. It was wonderful validation of the work I was passionate about.

Later, I would study breast massage indications/techniques, lymphatic breast care, and postop care for breast surgeries or breast cancer recovery with some of the leading experts, including Debra Curties, Cheryl Chapman, and Bruno Chikly, and in 2018 I became a Certified Lymphedema Therapist through the Vodder School in British Columbia, Canada.

Teaching laypeople and health professionals the theory and practice of these modalities in the support of breast wellness, I then started attracting women who were recovering from breast cancer. They were thrilled there was a service addressing their symptoms, including pain, discomfort, and swelling as a result of breast cancer and other breast-related surgeries. This offered validation to these women, knowing they found a place to receive help.

In recent years, I’m observing more therapists being trained in these techniques that can support breast-related concerns; massage therapy and lymphatic drainage offer a valuable service in their physical and emotional healing. After 23 years serving hundreds of women for these reasons, what has touched my heart is the stories of those who have found healing by using massage therapy and lymphatic drainage as a self-care modality.

Today, as an integrative life and health coach and CLT, CMT, I support women in redefining their lives as they navigate health changes/post-op recovery. My vision is that massage therapy and various manual lymph drainage techniques therapies will continue to be seen as an effective modality in breast health wellness and may offer a preventive approach to breast diseases.