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ABMP Podcasts for Massage Therapists & Bodyworkers

Image of microphones on booms with the ABMP Podcast App Icon overlaid on the left side

 

Exploring the issues and challenges unique to the massage and bodywork community.

Subscribe to The ABMP Podcast in the Apple Podcasts YouTube Music, Spotify, or wherever you access your favorite podcasts, or click on an episode below to listen online.

Send questions, topic ideas, and guest recommendations to podcast@abmp.com, and we may answer your question on a future podcast.

 


In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Darren and Kristin sit down with Qiana Thompson to discuss how she cracked the code to a six-figure practice by being herself, becoming a business consultant to help a new generation of massage therapists gain clarity, and how she helps others reimagine their business to reflect their vision and values.

I’ve seen several requests for guidance about working with clients who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) lately. This genetic connective tissue disease creates symptoms that look like ordinary musculoskeletal injuries, but they’re not—this is why some doctors call people with EDS their “zebra patients”—as in, these hoofbeats are zebras, not horses.

Tell a stranger that you talk to yourself, and you’re likely to get written off as eccentric. But the truth is, we all have a voice in our head. When we talk to ourselves, we often hope to tap into our inner coach but find our inner critic instead. In this episode, Dr. Ethan Kross, author of the book Chatter, discusses the role chatter plays in an emotional and physical sense, how we can gain psychological distance, and how belief plays a role in guiding us through negative self-dialogue.

A client has a history of two heart attacks and a kidney transplant. There’s no way they can safely receive massage, right? Maybe not. Join us for a short exploration of the miracles of kidney transplant surgery, the pathophysiology of heart attacks, and the surprising number of options this massage therapist has to offer safe, effective bodywork to this client.

Paul Kelly is the owner of Temple Human Performance (www.templehp.com) and the creator of the brand Physiokinetics. To an outsider, he makes it all look so easy. But talking with him reveals how grit and the determination to get up and do something every day is what has enabled him to build a successful business. 

How do personal training and massage therapy complement each other? Marisa Savino joins the podcast to discuss how to maintain optimal massage health by improving strength and agility, preventing long-term burnout, how to set a routine (and stick to it), and how nutrition plays a role in your daily massage practice.

A client has a panoply of health challenges, but the main one for right now is mast cell activation syndrome. Her whole body is primed to have an allergic reaction—to lotion, to smells, maybe even to touch. Is it possible to create a safe way for her to receive massage?

The Feldenkrais Method is named after Moshe Feldenkrais, who explored new relationships between the mind and body to improve his own physical movement and functioning. In this episode, we discuss simple movement practices, the differences between ATM (Awareness Through Movement) and FI (Functional Integration), and the benefits of Feldenkrais work for both clients and practitioners.

A massage therapist notices some changes in the texture of their client’s tissues. When they ask about it, the client replies, “Oh! Those are my pellets!” It turns out he has had testosterone pellets inserted into the tissues of his hip. What kinds of massage therapy accommodations are necessary in this situation? Tune in to find out!

The need to connect is awesome. But the need to protect and feel safe is equally as important. How do we know when to do which? Shin splints find themselves in the middle of this quandary. In this episode, join Allison as she explores the truth of shin splints and how to manage them in a world of prolific uncertainty. 

Cupping was described in the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, which means ancient Egyptians may have been using cupping therapy as early as 1500 BCE. But how does cupping really work? In this episode, Kristin and Darren speak to Dr. Joi Edwards, DPT, about how cupping can create mobility within the tissue to restore function and decrease pain, what kind of cups are used and why, scope of practice, and how long patients should wait between sessions.

A client has a skin-picking disorder, and they want to receive massage. Is this really a good idea? How can we make sure they’re safe?