THE TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR JOINT – MOST USED IN THE BODY!

One of the most fascinating and important things that therapists must understand is the anatomy of the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), its function, and its dysfunction. The TMJ joint is the most used joint in the body. And it has – like the knee – an articular disc within it! So, If this disc gets displaced…

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THE TYRANNY OF THE BACK – A RANT

My wife and I got massages at a very nice spa last night. We each signed up for 1.5 hour deep tissue. What we got is about 60 minutes on the back, relatively little work on the rest of the body. Therapists, maybe some clients, want only back, shoulder and neck work. And maybe some…

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A Reflection: What is Lomi Lomi ‘Hawaiian Temple Bodywork’ ?

By Jason Bratcher LMT/MTI/Texas CE Provider and Lomi Kumu. (WATCH VIDEO) Aloha!! I would like to share with all of you some ideas and thoughts I have had regarding this system of bodywork and why I feel it would benefit every Massage Therapist out there to learn and incorporate Lomi Lomi into what they do.…

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THE NEED TO TOUCH

As therapists everyday we see our clients’ need for touch, and people’s in general. What we do not recognize nearly as often is “the need TO touch”. In Harry Harlow’s famous experiment with nursing primates, he found that they consistently choose a soft figure to touch over their food source. And, equally striking is he…

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What is Table Thai Massage?

by Robert Gardner Table Thai is something I developed after being unable to find facilities that allowed me do Thai massage on a mat. In most of Texas, massage is done on a table so the Thai massage I’d learned was difficult to use in various settings whether I worked in a spa or clinic…

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CRANIAL DISCOVERY – SEEING AND TOUCHING WITH NEW EYES

I have found that the biggest and best thing one can do with advanced modalities is to revisit them. It’s funny that our culture is so into the next new thing that the idea of going more deeply into something seems revolutionary! This is particularly true of subtle modalities such as cranio-sacral therapy. The second…

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SPACE IS THE PLACE

Suzuki Roshi: ‘Sometimes a flash will come through a dark sky…The sky is never surprised when all of a sudden a thunderbolt breaks through. And when lightning does flash, a wonderful sight may be seen. When we have emptiness, we are always prepared for watching the flashing.’” When I listen to my thoughts, in general…

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Hot Stone Massage – Meditation in Motion

By Joy Sablatura Rockwell Hot stone massage is one of the most deeply relaxing forms of massage. With hydrotherapy, one applies a hydrocollator pack to the back to relax the muscles before being able to massage on a deeper level. With hot stones, the therapist has the heat of the smooth lava rocks penetrating each…

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Neuromuscular Therapy: The Nemerov Method

by Howard Nemerov “Jane” reported pain in her left shoulder area. Initial assessment revealed tension along the superior medial border of her left scapula, as well as a zone of spinalis tension along her left lower thoracic spine. The Nemerov Method explains the “why” that correlates with the “what”. Persistent tension usually is a sign…

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Ornament, Crime and Massage – The Art of Massage #7

Ornament and Crime? Got your attention? Well I’m not really going to write about that. However, that was the title of a famous essay written by the architect, Adolf Loos, in 1908. He was a founding member of the “Bauhaus,” a modern movement that approached design with a heightened sense of the beauty and efficiency…

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