I work on clients in my office three to four days per week. The rest of the time, I’m working on upcoming classes – doing research, tweaking powerpoint slides, calling hotels to arrange space, etc.
When I’m working on clients all day, I get really focused on what they need to feel better. Sometimes, there’s a lot of talking, and sometimes not. The work is very fulfilling, and I love it with a passion.
However, I notice that it’s easy to lose touch with the LMT community – especially when you have your own practice and your own space. In other words, it’s easy to feel a bit like a ‘hermit’ – separate from other therapists.
If you work in a spa or clinic or some other situation where there are other practitioners around, at least you can connect with them, share frustrations, share successes. But even in these environments, most of the time it’s you and your client – and that’s it. It’s easy to feel like the ‘lone ranger’.
One of the things I love about presenting CEU classes is that I get to connect with lots of other therapists from all over Arkansas and other parts of the country. Many therapists have mentioned to me that they often feel like hermits after spending long days with clients – and that the classes help them feel more connected.
With the classes, we get to meet other LMTs, we get to laugh, we get to practice the techniques on each other, and sometimes we find a good trading partner. It’s like a family get-together (the good kind :-). Even though many of us might not have met before, we share a love for using our hands to lessen the load our clients are carrying, helping them to have a better quality of life.
At the AMTA convention in Denver a couple weeks ago, it was quite amazing to be with 1,500 other therapists from all over the country. The classes and presentations brought us together. And all those ‘hermits’ (including moi) went nuts on the dance floor that last evening. Even the musicians were amazed at how much these LMTs enjoyed themselves. No quiet healing space here – it was time to let it all hang out – and experience a different kind of healing.
That makes me think we need more community events for therapists. I notice that some folks are setting up get-togethers here in Fayetteville. Maybe, we need to have a dance!
For now, I’m content with meeting the therapists who come to the ROLMT classes. It’s always an enjoyable experience for me – AND for the participants (based on the many positive evaluations). I’ve been blessed to have met hundreds of dedicated LMTs through our trainings. How cool is that!
Our last training of this year is on November 8-9 in Bentonville:
Direct-Indirect Technique™ for the Shoulder, Arm, Hand, Neck, Head, and TMJ.
This is one of my favorite classes to teach, since there are so many folks out there with headaches, shoulder issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, tight neck muscles, TMJ dysfunction, and other problems that we’ll work on in the class.
The training is a full 18 CEUs in two days – regular price $347 – early registration price $277 (by October 24). It saves you $70 to register early, and it helps us to know how many therapists will be participating.
More information about Direct-Indirect Technique™ (DIT) is available below and on the website.
You can register here:
Bentonville DIT Shoulder-Arm-Neck-TMJ – Nov 8-9
(or by phone – 800-584-1562)
This training is approved by the Arkansas State Board and the National Certification Board (NCBTMB).
Direct-Indirect Technique™ (DIT) is a highly successful modality that I’ve developed over many years, and it incorporates what I consider to be the best combination of Myofascial, Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular, and Cranial-Sacral techniques into one cohesive toolbox of techniques that really work.
Whether it’s impingement on one of the brachial nerves, overuse patterns from the client’s job or other activities, chronically poor posture, pain referral patterns, or the never-ending myofascial tug-of-war on shared bones, most of our clients have soreness or pain in the Shoulder, Arm, Hand, Neck, Head, or TMJ sooner or later. Most massage therapists do, too.
Find out why many therapists have said these are “the Best CEU Classes” they’ve ever taken.
Stay well,
John
John J. Ray is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider.