Austin Massage Blog

By Jennifer Shaw, Guest Blogger and Austin Massage Therapist

Have you ever heard the word tensegrity? If you’ve been an engineer you might at least be familiar with the concept. But as a massage therapist – especially one who seeks to relieve pain and improve range of motion, understanding tensegrity is imperative to performing impactful bodywork. James Earls and Thomas Myers say it best in their book Fascial Release for Structural Balance when they say, “ Verbal descriptions of tensegrity soon get tangled.”

by Christopher Allan, LMT

In my professional lifetime I have found nothing more rewarding than working with kids and adults with disabilities. I have also found most massage therapists are not fully prepared to handle the unique challenges brought forward when working with these individuals;  which was the behind purpose creating the course, “Massage Therapy for Special Needs: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and More”.

By Jennifer Shaw, Guest Blogger and Austin Massage Therapist

Does getting through massage school seem like achieving the impossible? I’ve been there. One minute, you’re thinking massage school looks like hearts and roses and rainbows and the next, you’re wondering if, when you’re smack-dab in the middle of it, you’re going to die.

You’re not alone with these thoughts. Many a massage student before you has had them, myself included. But have no fear – your survival tips are here!

By Jennifer Shaw, Guest Blogger and Austin Massage Therapist

One of the questions I get most about massage school is about how I got through it – like it was a terrible life crisis.  My first response is to laugh and say off-the-cuff, “It wasn’t hard.” And it wasn’t. After all, we are talking about massage therapy for hours each day for months on end.

By Joy Sablatura, LMT

What are the benefits of hot stone massage? It’s relaxing and increases circulation to the specific area being treated. This increased circulation, called "hyperemia" brings in fresh blood with its oxygen and nutrients to assist in healing. The sedative aspect calms the nervous system and brings the client into a deeper state of relaxation. Brain waves slow down and the client enters into an alpha state, similar to meditation where peace and calm soothe the soul.

By Jennifer Shaw, Austin Massage Therapist and Guest Blogger

The American Massage Therapy Association says 83 percent of massage therapists’ careers started as a second job – a means to supplement the income of a job they already had.

Not for me. I wore rose-colored glasses.

By Jennifer Shaw, Jennifer Shaw, Austin Massage Therapist and Guest Blogger

Just because chair massage is what massage therapist Lisa Santoro calls “a door opener,” does not mean it doesn’t require more technical training and practical experience than traditional massage therapy education offers. In an interview published by Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Santoro and fellow chair massage therapist actually argue the opposite.

By Jennifer Shaw, Austin Massage Therapist and Guest Blogger
Lymph is a clear fluid that flows its way through the body toward the heart. If the words "toward the heart" didn't sound significant enough to you, here are three more reasons why you should care about your clients' lymph - and your own.

Tim Sullivan is a yoga teacher and massage therapist in training. You can find him at www.timyasa.com and americainshort.com.

I remember a conversation I had with the desk staff at a local spa. It was when I had first signed up for massage school, and they said I should book my appointments now because after I start school I won’t be able to enjoy it anymore. Like a backseat driver who is always secretly judging everything the driver does, I would be the same with massage - concentrating too much on the routine, they reasoned. I wouldn’t be able to relax because my analytical mind would be on hyperdrive. It was a decent pitch. That said, since going through the Lauterstein-Conway Massage School program, I’ve found quite the opposite to be true.