The morning of November 1, 2016, Diane Nolly walked confidently into the cozy pre-op room, not knowing what frame of mind the patient was in. In her quiet, supportive, professional way she offered foot massage to the 56-year-old woman who was about to get her hip replaced. “Oh, yes, please,” the patient replied, her heart rate elevated thanks to the anxiety kicking in. But, as Diane started her work, the tense patient gave her body permission to relax; she just wanted her mind to go away and wake up on the other side of surgery.
Diane’s intuition and knowledge soon eclipsed the patient’s anxiety and they both went to that sacred place where there’s only breath and touch and silence. This work is a natural fit for Diane; she graduated from nursing school in 1970, and through her career, she gained an appreciation for the “comfort of human touch.” After graduating from massage school in 2007, she let her nursing license expire because she knew moving forward she only wanted to do massage.
Now, as a massage therapist at OrthoColorado, and the adjacent St. Anthony’s Hospital, she can do what she loves—deliver nurturing touch to those in need. “Most people are really welcoming, depending on where they are personally at the time,” this ABMP member explains. She loves that at the hospital she can deliver massage to people at a crucial time in their lives and yet not have to worry about the day-to-day responsibility of having a practice.
Diane wasn’t the only ABMP member this patient encountered during her two-day stay at OrthoColorado. She benefitted from care provided by massage therapists who were also occupational therapists and physical therapists—all being careful to distinguish their roles and stay within scope of practice. All reflected the heartfelt dedication, knowledge, and commitment indicative of ABMP members.
This ABMP theme isn’t surprising given that this hospital complex isn’t far from one of the top massage schools in the country—Colorado School of Healing Arts. In fact, none of this is surprising given the saturation of therapeutic massage in today’s world.
But when you’re the patient, as I was on this November day, the gift of massage is sterling. I touched base with Diane a couple weeks after my surgery and thanked her for her work. She told me, “It is as good for us as it is for you, because it is such a privilege to be in those really intimate, supportive situations. We all look for meaning and purpose in our lives in every way—work and relationships, our life experience.”
I’ve been at this keyboard for going on 15 years and I’m frequently reminded why I do what I do. As Diane’s hands warmed my feet that morning and she laid the foundation for healing even before my surgery began, I was overwhelmed by gratitude for her—and for all of you and the work you do. I wish you a fulfilling and joyful 2017 as you share your gift of nurturing touch with this deserving world.

Leslie A. Young, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
leslie@abmp.com