Massage School: healing, growing & learning
I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,
or a buttonhole,
not because it did anything spectacular
but because it never forgot what it could do.
Naomi Shihab Nye
4 Pillars
(of healing, growing and learning)
Elliott Greene
Components of illness are subjective distress and objective disability.
Or, “Anxiety” derived from “narrowing”
4 Aspects present in all successful therapy
1) Therapist’s local is designated as place of healing.
-The setting arouses client’s/massage student’s expectation of health/ help
-Setting acts as temporary refuge from client’s daily life
- Is sanctioned by the society it’s in
- In the home, setting becomes healing space by some ritual
-Such as a settling is sharply distinguished from the client’s/massage student’s normal surroundings
-The client is protected and contained by the setting
(Containment= space where client/massage student feels she can go anywhere they need to-safe)
Important shared aspects of therapeutic space
-Cleanliness/ hygiene
- Therapist’s presence
-Location
-Outside environment (street, airport, noise)
-Sensory – lighting, sound, music, smell, temperature, decorations
-Therapist’s dress
-Size of room
-Or none of the above-
-Serving (tea, h20, etc)
-Displaying degrees/diplomas
2) A particular type of relationship exists between client/massage student and therapist/massage instructor
-Essential ingredient is client/massage student’s belief in therapist’s/massage instructor’s competency and desire to be of help.
They genuinely cares
-Therapist/massage instructor believes client/massage student can Master their problem, validating the client/massage student.
- Client/massage student senses they are accepted and understood-potentially enhances the morale of the experience.
3) All therapies/teachings are based on a rationale or myth, which includes a explanation of illness and health, i.e. deviance and normality.
-The rationale must imply an optimistic outlook/ outcome
-Each school of therapy gives cause of distress, goals for improvement
- Therapeutic myth must be compatible with the client/massage student and therapist/massage instructor worldview
- Rationale allows client to make sense of their symptoms, gives empowerment
4) The procedure used by the therapist/massage instructor demands some effort or sacrifice on the client’s/massage student’s part
-Provides sense of mastery to the client/massage student, allows client to marshal his/her own resources. Active participation
-Allows client/massage student to value the therapy/massage teaching
-Active participation serves as vehicle, encourages and maintains healing relationship between therapist/massage instructor and client/massage student
-Enhances therapist/massage instructor and self confidence of client/massage student
Caution: competences vs. power/ ego
Enter the therapy/massage classroom with interest, attention, and heart
In summary: The therapeutic efficacy of techniques may be not only in their specific contents, which differ, but in their functions, which are the same.
Safe, supportive, yet evocative setting
Teacher as Leader
Be the Change you wish to see in the World…
— Mahatma Ghandi
ASIS Massage Education is committed to the idea that massage instructors are facilitating an experience for massage students. This concept then supports the idea that teachers are leaders. This idea is a simple one that speaks to the internal power within each of us. In addition, ASIS Massage feels it is essential that all massage teachers meet massage students with a sense of equality. The challenge then becomes how do we lead without an authoritative air?
At ASIS Massage, leadership is a way of being. It’s about inspiring all of those who surround you to realize their gifts and stand for personal greatness. It’s about taking responsibility for every dimension of your life. It’s about devoting yourself to excellence in every pursuit and making things better – no matter how good they already are. It’s about cultivating a curiosity, and a love for learning and growing within ourselves.
