What is Your Favorite Modality to Practice and Why

By Tara Doyle
[Tell Me ...]

How many modalities can you name off the top of your head? Massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies vary greatly in nature with components that encompass physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. The list is long and still growing with the creation of more recent techniques such as the Rossiter System bodywork method and others. Some massage therapists prefer to blend modalities while others are drawn toward specific practices.

All About Results
Lola Michelin, a Washington-based LMP, favors manual ligament therapy when she practices equine massage. “It gives me immediate results and my clients tremendous relief,” she says. “Since many of my clients are on four legs and weigh over 1,000 pounds, lasting relief is a real boon.”
Matthew Priest from Edinburgh, Scotland, enjoys working with advanced remedial massage techniques because they allow him to identify joint misalignments and muscle imbalances. “Bringing the two together has immediate and impressive results,” Priest says. “I get a buzz when every new client walks through the door—another puzzle to solve.”

Focusing on the Client
Oftentimes, the use of one modality over another is not dictated by practitioner preference, but by what the client needs.
Laura Graham, an LMT in Colorado, says, “I love using muscle energy techniques, like reciprocal inhibition and isometrics. I’ve found them to be gentle, very effective, and easy to teach the client for self-care.”
Tori Scullion McKeown of Wisconsin prefers trigger point therapy over other modalities because she feels it allows her to be very specific with the client and allows the client to engage in the process. “Having clients tune in and gauge their pain scale before, during, and after a session is so beneficial and brings them into their bodies.”

Modalities for Self-Care
It is of the utmost importance that massage therapists be aware of their body mechanics and know what works for them so they can prolong the career they love. Abby Miller of Colorado says, “I absolutely love practicing Thai yoga massage and I wish more clients knew the benefits of it! It is an amazing way to relieve tension, get blood flowing, and receive all-over body stretches. It is also wonderful for the therapist because it uses different body mechanics that can be easier on the body than regular table massage.”
Lori Siebe, an Alaska-based MT, echoes this sentiment with her preference for the Rossiter System bodywork technique. “I am almost 60,” she says, “and the Rossiter System is going to allow me to continue helping clients to keep or get their quality of life back until I am 80—I hope. The technique is easy on me, as I just assist. The client does all the work, as they do active stretching and open connective tissue that is tight and causing any number of problems. I value this technique so much, I have become an instructor so I can spread the word to more people so they can feel better.”

Chicken Soup Massage
There are many massage therapists who do not favor one modality over another, but instead blend their techniques for optimal results. Angelica Escobedo, a massage therapist in California, started her own practice a year ago and says the best part about it is being able to create something unique for her clients. “I design my massage to be a one-of-a-kind experience that the client wouldn’t have anywhere else.”
Tracie Pletcher of Pennsylvania enjoys integrating multiple techniques into her sessions to provide the utmost comfort. “I like to tell my clients I do a ‘chicken soup massage.’ Everyone’s soup is a little different, but [it’s all] good comfort food for the body.”

Curious about the Rossiter System bodywork method?
Check out the blog post on ABMP.com about Brandon Twyford, Massage & Bodywork’s associate editor, and his recent experience with Richard Rossiter at bit.ly/Bodywork_Session_with_Richard_Rossiter.