2011年4月28日星期四

Swedish Massage Berkeley: The Perfect Beginner’s Full Body Treatment

Contrary to what its name suggests, Swedish massage was not created in Sweden nor was its creator a Swede. However, it is often incorrectly credited to Peter Ling, the founder of the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute of 1813. In certain European countries, it is referred to simply as, ‘classic massage’, while in America, its original title has remained unchanged, for example, in the case of salons offering Swedish Massage Berkeley.

A Dutch practitioner, Johan Georg Mezger, gave the strokes their French terms and promoted its use for medical reasons, including increased stress release from both physical areas of tension and pain as well as emotional sources of pressure. It is said to be the most basic form of body therapy, from which other, more complex forms originate, as it consists of five main strokes.

A practitioner’s first job is to warm up the muscles in preparation for the rest of the therapy. Usually, this is performed by means of the stroke called, ‘effleurage’, using the soft parts of the hand such as the palms and fingertips. It is done in circular motions, with light strokes, gliding over the skin and promoting both blood and lymphatic circulation.

The stroke usually performed second, or quite early in the therapy session, looks much like the kneading of bread, and is called, ‘petrissage’. Practitioners perform it by gently using the knuckles to deeply stimulate the underlying muscles and then wringing, tucking and rolling the skin, particularly within areas of tension.

Taken from the French word, ‘tapoter’, which means to tap or to drum, the next massage stroke called, ‘tapotement’, is administered in short, fast movements performed by using the outer edge of the hand and fingers, cupped into a ‘C’ shape. This stroke provides extensive relief to the shoulders and upper back area, releasing toxins from the blood and increasing oxygen flow to the muscles. Lymphatic ‘knots’, are broken down in the areas in which this stroke is applied.

To provide invigoration and rejuvenation near the end of the therapy session, practitioners perform the friction/rubbing stroke as well as the vibration/shaking stroke. This literally shakes the client’s targeted areas, and in doing so, soothes the nervous system.

For those going for their first body treatment, it is usually recommended that they go for a Swedish Massage Berkeley as it introduces the body to some of the most basic, yet effective techniques to increase circulation and oxygen flow to the main muscle groups. When performing it, the whole body is draped with warm towels and practitioners uncover the body part they are massaging as the session progresses. Usually, natural oils are applied to ensure that strokes are performed with ease and clients can notify the practitioner of their preferences in terms of the amount of pressure to be applied during the therapy.

2011年4月27日星期三

Stress Relief Strategies That Really Work

It can be a challenge in today’s world to find relief for stress. People have to stick to their schedule while being on the go all day long. Your health and ability to enjoy life will suffer if you can’t keep stress under control. Here we will discuss some tools to help you with stress relief.
Managing emotions, like anger or frustration, will help make a big difference in your stress level. If you’re impatient with others or get angry easily, you are probably experiencing a lot of stress. You need to accept that you can’t always control people. This includes your family, friends, and even your co-workers. If you feel you have serious emotional issues, counseling or anger management might be a good idea.
Being a good time manager goes a long way in relieving stress. If you always feel like you’re behind schedule, and have trouble finding enough time to finish all your tasks, this is bound to cause stress. The best thing to do when you feel like you could use more time in your day is to try and use your time in the best possible way. Setting priorities is a critical skill to learn. Try to get the largest and most important tasks done first. Get help with smaller tasks by delegating them to others. Set goals and schedules for yourself, but make them flexible enough to take into account unexpected events and delays, which will inevitably occur.
A stressful part of our lives today is that we are always connected to the outside world through the media. While this is not always avoidable, there are ways to reduce it so that we can take breaks and gain a different point of view. Cutting down on the amount of time watching news or even mindless reality shows is a way to clear your mind. While eating dinner, remember to turn off the TV, computer and even your phone. During your lunch break, also take a break from your cell phone. Time away from our devices will help reduce stress.
As you can see, stress relief can be quite simple. Taking some deep breaths, going for a walk, meditating for five minutes or even petting your dog can all refocus your mind and help defuse a stressful situation. Taking a short break and using one of these methods will help put you in a more positive state of mind.
Join HRU for programs that focus on triage training, nursing leadership and new nurse managers. An HRU seminar is a great educational investment for your nursing staff.

2011年4月26日星期二

Stress Relief Tips

Relief from stress can be essential for your health and there are many ways to achieve it. Stress is different for one, but you need to learn to manage and reduce your stress no matter what the cause. The following methods are proven ways to find relief from your stress. When you know how to relax and feel focused, you can handle anything life throws at you more effectively.

You can reduce stress quickly by breathing more slowly and deeply. When you feel stressed, your breathing automatically becomes shallower and you may even hold your breath. You can extend the benefits of this method by learning how to breathe in a deeper, more relaxed manner all the time. You can try yoga to learn how to breathe deeply or there are numerous books and classes that focus on breathing. This will not only reduce your stress but can improve your overall health because taking in more oxygen will increase your energy level. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a healing method that’s actually a lot simpler than the long name entails, and it’s proved to assist in easing stress and a number of emotional troubles. The fundamental method simply entails shifting the eyes (not the head) back and forth from one side to the other, which in actuality has an effect on the manner in which your brain works. There is an array of books and websites on the subject matter, and if you desire to have assistance with it you can locate a qualified practitioner of EMDR. Yet, it is also feasible to become knowledgeable of the process on your own and apply it during stressful circumstances.

Participating in creative activities is a great way to relieve stress. You may think that to be creative you have to be an artist or musician, but everyone has some areas where they can express their creativity. Since the point is to focus on something other than your problems, you don’t have to produce professional quality work. Drawing, cooking, gardening, or working with clay are all creative outlets. Joining a weekly group or taking lessons can help you get more out of your favorite creative activity but you don’t have to be great at it to enjoy the benefits.

Stress relief can be quite simple, as many of the above strategies illustrate. Some ways to calm a stressful situation is by taking some deep breaths, going for a walk, or even petting your dog. Taking a short break and using one of these methods will help put you in a more positive state of mind.

2011年4月25日星期一

Massage Therapy Classes Importance

Learning is very important, even in takes in a long time run.

It is depressing that a number of joblessness agencies are daunting various jobless workers from going back to school to learn massage therapy and be able to work on massage therapy places. These ideas only mean that in the extended lope of fewer people will be enrolling to learn massage therapy and techniques in massage therapy which is not that bad for colleges who are just seeking for money and not for funding education.

But, if we are thinking on closer look, this idea is not that good for small business of massage centers. Even we looked on job creation since there will lesser number of people who are having education on about massage therapy. if we will think about it, a businessman who will open for a small massage center, he is into employees with learning about massage therapy in order to have proper certifications to run the business. Our economy needs small businesses of course, because it can help for the outgrowing economy status. But if there are people who can’t study the massage therapy because of its long run classes, they will be discouraged to work on massage centers and be currently unemployed.

Massage therapy classes are way up to success for people nowadays. The small business can make a state in great status and the idea that instead of encouraging people to learn and study to enhance their potentials, the actions of government employees who discouraged them is a disgrace obviously. They cannot decide for what a person wants if he is into studying again into massage therapy classes.

These people who discouraged number of people on going back to study must recognize the importance of learning and the potentials of people. It is very important for people to learn things from professional therapist who and helped them learned techniques that can be applied into real massage centers. Thus, education is still important. We can see the vitality of learning from ones success.

So, as we can see, learning and enhancing your potentials is very important. Learn how to do it and be the best as you can be as long as you can stand and go with the intense flow on curriculum of massage therapy education.

Massage Chair Recliner

I want to share a massage chair with you that is perhaps the best in its class. It has a striking design with beautifully varnished wood armrest. It’s one of the few massage chairs that actually looks good in a room. It also looks comfortable and relaxing to sit in. This is the OM 510 Prestigio massage chair. The OM 510 Prestigio massage chair is manufactured by Omega massage.

The first thing you notice about the OM 510 is its sleek and contemporary design. Omega massage integrates the use of highly varnished wood to add a designer touch. This makes the massage chair complement most any room in the house.

The greatest strength of the Prestigio massage chair is its automatic programs. The sequence of massage techniques and location provides a unique and invigorating therapy. These massage programs will soothe and relieve your aches and pains.

One location that the OM 510 massage chair covers affectively is the lumbar. The lumbar is the lower portion of the spine. The OAM 510 massage chair reaches down your back further than most massage chairs. This provides effective relief of the lower back. It was simply invigorating.

Now the Prestigio your massage chair also comes with manual massage techniques. Manual massage techniques are individual types of massage motions. The OM 510 massage chair has kneading, tapping, rolling and combination kneading and tapping. This enables you to select the type of massage you wish depending on your needs.

You may also choose from four manual massage courses. The manual massage courses enable you to select a given region of your back. You can choose from lower back, middle back, upper back and also a point massage.

Something that I particularly like is a massage. The OM 510 massage chair comes with a reflexology foot massage. It uses reflexology notes built into the foot wells of the leg rest. A firm compression massage is given to activate the reflexology points.

The Prestigio massage chair also enables you to select the area of air massage. The air massage system allows you to select just one area of concentration. This is enables you to focus the massage on a particular part of your body. This is great if you have tired feet. Just select the reflexology foot massage and let your feet be rejuvenated.

There is also another subtle feature and the Prestigio massage chair which is its knee stretch. During the course of the automatic massages, eight gentle knee stretch will be performed. It is integrated into the master program and provides for a slight stretching of the knee joint.

The Prestigio massage chair has an old-school function which I hope makes a comeback in other chairs. Massage chairs got their start with vibration massage. The Prestigio mounts the vibration on the rocker roller arms. A soothing vibration massage can be activated while the rollers are kneading or tapping. This provides additional stimulation be on the massage motion.

The Prestigio massage chair by Omega is fully powered. The chair back and the leg rest are both motorized. Simply push the button and the chair will recline. This enables you to adjust the position of the chair back in the leg rest for the most comfort and enjoyment.

The Omega Prestigio massage chair is quite an impressive machine. Its beautiful exterior complements the decor of most households. It has a striking design, but underneath the Prestigio as it where it counts. The massage programs are great for relieving tight muscles. It has deeply penetrating massage techniques which will provide rejuvenation. The OM 510 massage chair will provide years of invigorating and thoroughly relaxing massage therapy.

2011年4月20日星期三

Massage Therapy Learning Portal Now Online

The Massage Therapy Learning Portal is now available on Thera-Band Academy. Learning Portals contain relevant resources for specific interests by different disciplines or products. The Academy has 16 portals for Thera-Band? and Biofreeze? products, and 4 portals for the Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Podiatry, and Massage Therapy professions.

Learning Portals are designed with several topic folders containing links to the most relevant resources in the Academy. For example, the Massage Therapy portal has a folder for “Biofreeze Essentials” that includes the new Biofreeze Massage Manual and a short video describing the science behind Biofreeze. Massage Therapists can also find continuing education workshops in the “Courses” folder from Academy instructors.

Massage Therapy for the Terminally Ill

There are many potential benefits of massage therapy for the terminally ill that patients and their loved ones should explore during this difficult time. There are massage therapists that specialize in body work that helps terminally ill patients achieve better health and well-being during their final time in hospice or at home. Therapeutic touch is the most common type of massage therapy that is used on terminally ill patients, but there are many different techniques that can work quite well in these cases.

Benefits of Therapeutic Massage for the Terminally Ill

Terminally ill patients often experience a reduction in the following negative symptoms as a result of therapeutic massage:

* Anger
* Anxiety
* Depression
* Feelings of isolation
* Insomnia
* Musculoskeletal pain
* Stiffness
* Spasms

In addition to reductions in negative symptoms, patients also often see increases in positive attributes, such as self esteem and self worth as a result of therapeutic massage. Being in contact with an individual outside of one’s inner circle can also be surprisingly beneficial for terminally ill patients. And there’s no denying the power of human touch, whether it comes from an experienced masseuse or not—but an experienced pair of hands can do the most good.

Common Massage Techniques for the Terminally Ill

In addition to therapeutic touch, qualified massage therapists also use methods such as hot and cold applications, pressure techniques and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) when working with terminally ill patients. The main goals are typically to relieve muscle tension, pain and pressure so the patient can live more comfortably during their final days. A positive mental state can also have a number of health benefits for the patient.

While massage therapy is not a cure for anything, it can provide unmatched benefits during a terminally ill patient’s final days, weeks and/or months. It is very beneficial overall for relieving pain, stress, anxiety and other symptoms that come about both as a result of the disease that the patient is suffering from and their mental state coping with the end of life. Many patients report a feeling of peace and a sense of being cared for that they were missing before beginning massage therapy. The most beneficial aspect of massage therapy for the terminally ill is the simple factor of human touch. It can do wonders for any patient, especially for those that are terminally ill.

2011年4月15日星期五

Reiki Massage Therapy To Promote Natural Health and Healing

Frequently you will see Reiki massage therapy which will naturally make you think they are similar. But what has happened is people who practice massage have incorporated Reiki into their therapy. Reiki signifies, universal life force, and that actually talks about the very foundation and importance of what it is exactly about. In fact, the same identical features that can be found in Eastern martial arts and also yoga are also essential in Reiki. Just one principle which embodies the seven chakras of the human body are an fundamental part of the Reiki massage method. In the same way with acupuncture, it is the unhindered flow of energy in your body that results in health and a robust mind and body. Fitness promoting mentors will educate you on to promote value added products and services just like therapeutic massage if they educate you on concerning how to get personal training clients methods.

What Reiki therapy does is lead to complete calm and peace throughout the body so tension is released. Massage therapists add their approach with Reiki and work on the seven chakras to encourage relaxation and energy movement. The belief is that your body is able to heal by itself, but that’s only achievable when you’re able to stay relaxed. It is no mystery that a healthy body is able to defending itself and sustaining a healthy and strong state of being. Reiki furthermore places great importance on holding a sense of physical as well as spiritual balance. We have to live in a balanced manner, and our inner energies have to also maintain this balance.

Western medical science has long acknowledged the role of an excessive amount of pressure and the failure to deal with it as precursors to many health problems. Another view on that, which is the Eastern thought, is a person’s life and all round body are not in a balanced state. Naturally other behaviors may worsen these imbalanced states such as poor eating habits and using unhealthy things. The purpose of Reiki massage is to enable the person to achieve greater relaxation. Massaging vital areas of the body helps the body to release stress.

There is an important parallel between these Reiki concepts and acupuncture. They each think about the healthy condition of our energy as particularly important to health. When that energy becomes disrupted, then we end up wide open for a host of probable health issues. The diminished amounts of life energy signifies a state of imbalance and will ultimately lead to physical or other disorders. We all understand that it seems typical for people to engage in all manner of unpleasant and unhealthy thinking and attitudes. Some instances are worrying, self harm because of to a negative lifesyle, persistent anger, abnormal fears, poor self esteem, and the list continues.

That is why the dual approach of promoting relaxation through massage as well as the energy work from Reiki can be effective for many people. But we should say that, of course, you will need to generally be willing to consider the concepts of this overall all natural approach. However lots of people recognize that other countries have long counted on these kinds of methods not seen in the West until lately. Also consider that Reiki and associated massage can produce the best effects from a long term application of therapy.

Reiki Massage Therapy To Encourage Natural Well-being and Recovery

People are so familiarized with Reiki massage, and maybe have come to believe of it as one distinct procedure. But what has taken place is people who perform massage have incorporated Reiki into their therapy. The strict meaning of Reiki is, “universal life force,” and that really does encompass the true process of this healing art. Basically, the same identical features that can be discovered in Eastern martial arts and also yoga are also essential in Reiki. For instance, the seven chakras, or energy centers, are associated with Reiki massage and healing. Just like with acupuncture, it is the unrestricted flow of energy in your body that leads to health and a robust mind and body. Fitness promoting teachers will educate you on to promote value added products and services like massage therapy after they coach you on with regards to get personal training clients solutions.

What is of major importance with Reiki is being free of the destructive effects of stress on the body. So it is easy to understand why Reiki is often coupled with massage therapy so the chakras may be more open and healthy. The thinking is that your body is able to heal by itself, but that is only feasible when it is possible to stay relaxed. The human body has extraordinary healing powers as well as being able to keep good health. One important principle of Reiki healing consists of the concept of reaching balance. After success has been made, after that we must work to hold our energy flow balanced at all times.

There are very many medical ailments and situations that derive from excessive stress and anxiety. The way Reiki and other corresponding practitioners feel is that the mind and body are not balanced along with the lifestyle. So many Western people bring about to this imbalanced state with the entire lifestyle they pick. So it is very important in Reiki massage therapy to attain an overall higher state of peace and calmness. The use of this massage in extremely targeted places in the body will help the stress and anxiety to be expelled.

If you read about Reiki and acupuncture theory, then you will discover a few things in common. Both of these approaches work to clear energetic pathways. Also, both of these areas are dependant on the idea that physical and psychological problems occur due to a blockage or restriction of the natural movement of our life force, or energy, inside our bodies. The reduced amounts of life energy presents a state of imbalance and will eventually lead to physical or other conditions. We all understand that it seems normal for people to engage in all manner of distressing and unhealthy thinking and attitudes. Some instances are worrying, self harm due to a negative lifesyle, chronic anger, excessive fears, poor self esteem, and the list goes on.

That is the reason why the dual approach of encouraging relaxation through massage as well as the energy work from Reiki can be successful for many people. But we should point out that, naturally, you will need to generally be willing to consider the principles of this overall all natural approach. But people are all different, and Reiki plus massage will not have an appeal which is reasonable. Also remember that Reiki and accompanying massage can offer the best results from a long term plan of therapy.

2011年4月1日星期五

When To Choose Massage Therapy As Primary Health Care Modality

When would someone choose massage therapy as a remedial therapeutic healing modality?

The intent of this article is to provide insights to consumers when choosing a health provider. When is it appropriate to choose massage therapy. My motives are to market my clnic because I am a massage therapist, and partly to be helpful because the public doesn’t know what services massage therapists provide. I also wish to take the burden off physicians, chiropractors, and physiotherapists who are being overtaxed for their services for some treatments which can best be perfomed by massage therapists.

When is it appropriate to go to the massage therapist?

For most muscular and joint aches and pains.

Some doctors don’t think of massage therapy as a healing modality when they have a patient come into their office who may have other more serious symptoms.

Massage therapy has been shown to be beneficial in treating injuries which result from trauma, surgery, or workplace and vehicle accidents. The rehabilitation protocol for restoring full range of motion and strength to muscles and joints is practiced by qualified therapeutic massage therapists. Massage therapists have thorough training in assessment of muscle and joint imbalances and can successfully treat these dysfunctions and restrictions.

Massage therapy has its place in the healing forum. So How to Choose?

There are some healing techniques which physiotherapy performs better and some which massage therapy performs better.

How will you know which treatment is better at the time of rehabilitation? Massage therapy or physiotherapy?

Ask your local professional massage therapist and physiotherapist for a description of their different treatments.Then you can make an informed choice.

How will you know which treatment is for you?

It’s sometimes difficult to decide. So trusting your professionals requries asking some questions!

Sometimes it comes down to training and experience with your particular condition!

Ask your health provider whether they’ve treated this condition before and what the results were.

Why should a consumer choose massage therapy as a healing modality?

Because it is a scientifically proven method of healing. Because it is established fact that massage therapies

are capable of providing relief from pain, relieving the patient of symptoms which either restrict movement

or limit range of motion of a particular extremity or body part. Because massage therapies are capable of restorative and maintenance functions in sustaining wellness. Because massage therapists are capable to treat patients in acute, sub-acute, and chronic stages of injury and healing. Because some massage therapists are trained in various modalities of hydrotherapy treatments which complement massage therapy and can be used integrally.

The health consumer’s choice of healing modality depends on many variables.

The three most important factors which I will focus on are:

1. Time spent between the healer and the patient.

How much time does it take you to tell your health provider about your complete medical history?

Fifteen minutes!

Doctors, chiropractors, physiotheraists, massage therapists; all ask approximately the same questions, but each specialist goes about it with different means yet with the desire to achieve the same goal: to restore the patient to a state of health, balance or equilibrium.

Because of the ways in which doctors and chiropractors are paid, by billing the medical health authorities, contributes to the length of time which they spend with the patient: statistically an average of ten(10) minutes per patient. The massage therapist, on the other hand, is not paid by the provincial health authorities, but usually contracts with their patients for periods of a half-hour or hour appointments. These are either paid in cash or billed to a group insurance plan which covers massage therapies. It’s not that they work by the hour, or for an hourly rate, but the therapist books that time slot with the patient to allow the necessary time for appropriate and adequate assessment and treatments. The patient pays for the therapist’s training and expertise and for their manipulations, mobilizations, and other corrective techniques.

2. Determination of the most appropriate modality of healing for a particular condition, ailment, or pathology.

Another important feature in selecting a healing option is the determination of what type of healer is best suited for a particular type of dysfunction.Because each specialist has their different protocols, each will have a different set of ojbectives and tools with which to work.

a)The doctor examines the body from a systemic approach, examining the skin, circulation, respiration, eye/ear/nose complex, digestion, etc., reduces the symptoms to a limited number of likely pathologies, then prescribes appropriate medications which will help to eliminate pain and relieve symptoms, and hopefully restore systemic homeostasis or equilibrium. ” If the pain persists past a week, come back and see me”, is the common refrain. With a return visit the physician then proceed to perform a more lengthy and detailed examination and testing until a more particular diagnosis is obtained and a more specific prescription of medications can be given.

b)The chiropractor will manipulate the spine or joints to restore neurological functioning by re-aligning vertebrae which were subluxated, and restoring nutritional and circulatory pathways to the body parts being served by those spinal nerve roots. They will assess muscle texture abnormalities before and after manipulations to determine whether the treatments have been effective.

c)The massage therapist will ,like the doctors and chiropractors, take a detailed medical patient history, eliminate possible pathologies which the patient is known to have and claims to not have, performs assessment of joints and muscles to ascertain restrictions; utilizes deep tissue and peripheral joint manipulations as well as active and passive stretches and neural inhibition and stimulation techniques to help restore bilateral symmetry and restore tissue texture normality.

The massage therapist have their place in the medical professional community of healing. Their focus is both systemic and specific. It specializes upon the musculo-skeletal aspect of the patient but not excluding the other aspects which the doctor or chiropractor takes into consideration when assessing the patient. The massage therapist includes the medical pathologies which the patient reports into their patient history. The massage therapist takes into consideration the spinal and neurological dysfunctions which may be reported by the patient when assessing the patient and setting up a treatment protocol. The massage therapist then proceeds to perform a series of visual and palpatory examination of muscles and joints mobilizations and range of motions to discover restrictions and asymmetries, which many times are the causes of the aches or pains and the consequences of hypertonic muscles, restricted joints, or weak muscles having either a muscular or a neurological cause or origin. The massage therapist is capable through a range of techniques to restore normal resting tone and function to the muscles and joints while providing the patient with appropriate stretching and strenghening of muscles which are involved.

3. Cost of treatment or service to consumer

The method of billing and payment determines to a large extent when a consumer will choose their healing modality. The cost to the health consumer of the visit to the doctor is hidden in the provincial tax structure. The health consumer also gets a fixed nunmber of ‘free’ visits to the chiropractor with a ‘topping-up’ fee which chiropractors charge without which they would not be able to operate their clinics profitably. The massage therapist charges between $40.00 and $60.00 for consulation, assessment, and treatments which usually take between a half-hour to an hour, averaging 45 minutes.

This cost is borne by the patient and/or partially subsidized by a personal group insurance plan. Some of these plans such as Blue Cross, or Great West Life, Sun LIfe, Mutual Life, cover from 80%-100% of massage therapy treatments if covered in their particular employee plans.

The big difference in choosing a healing modality comes when one is involved in a motor vehicle accident”MVA”.

In Manitoba only chiropractors and physiotherapists are able to obtain coverage for patients from either Autopac or

Workers Compensation in the event of a workplace injury. Therefore it is cheaper, much cheaper to visit a chiropractor or physiotherapist in these instances.

Therefore most of patients involved in these types of injuries choose the physiotherapy or chiropractic healing modality when in many instances massage and hydrotherapies would be beneficial in assisting healing and shorten the healing time with restrictions to muscles and limited range of motions to joints.

STANDARDS FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS AND REGULATION OF THE MEMBERSHIP

In Manitoba massage therapists may work professionally once they belong to an association and obtain the appropriate licenses and permits which vary between municipalities and urban jurisdictions.

The minimum requirement in rural Manitoba is membership to an association. The three main associations which regulate massage therapists vary as to their requirements for membership. The London County Society of Physiologists and the Massage Therapists of Manitoba both require a 2200 hour course to qualify for their membership. The Association of Massage Therapists and Wholistic Practitioners requires a minimum 1000 hour course to qualify for membership.

The City of Winnipeg recognizes this minimum standard and provides licenses to massage therapists with this level of training.

Any complaints about professional conduct can be reported to the various associations and the discipline which will be enforced varies between associations. At the time of writing of this article there is not a provincial standard for massage therapists and there doesn’t exist the political will at this time to enforce one.

There exists a national body which is attempting to consolidate the various provincial massage associations and the federal government has indicated that there is a desire federally to institute a national standard within the near future to allow for the movement of labour interprovincially. Currently a massage therapist may operate with a 400 hour course in Quebec, a 1000 hour course in Manitoba, and a 3000 hour course in British Colombia.

The standard will probably become the 2200 hour course nationally which approximates a two year full time or three year part-time curriculum.