February 2013: Bodywork and Relationships - Columbia Natural ...

Bodywork Goes
MAINSTREAM
Helpful Access Points to Health
by Linda Sechrist
The seed holds within itself hints of its magnificent maturity. So it is
with the practice of whole-person health care, which has matured
in language, sophistication, credibility and acceptance. In a single
generation, we’ve seen its presence grow from the outer edges of
wholistic and alternative wellness to complementary and integrative
health care. Its latest evolution into America’s mainstream is known as
functional medicine. The branch of massage therapy, the germination
point for myriad therapies collectively known as bodywork, patterns
the movement’s development.
Once considered a luxury for
the pampered few, massage
was among the first therapies
to be widely recognized by physicians
as a respected aspect of integrative
and functional medicine. Bodywork
increasingly shares this status, as it is
included in conventional medicine’s
more innovative health care models
that embrace a body, mind and spirit
approach. One of many examples is
Duke Integrative Medicine, in Durham,
NC, where patient services include a
form of integrative massage that blends
Swedish massage, myofascial therapy,
reflexology, energy work and somatic
therapy techniques.
In the public’s view, bodywork is
still largely associated with massage,
although distinct forms stand on their
own, including Rolfing, structural
integration, shiatsu and myofascial
and craniosacral therapies. Bodywork
professionals generally belong to the
American Massage Therapy Association
(AMTA), whatever their specialized
modality. They may also participate in
other professional organizations, such
as the Associated Bodywork & Massage
Professionals, which has some 80,000
members, many of which are also
members of the International Association
for Structural Integrators. These
nonprofits’ websites help individuals
locate practitioners in their area.
According to Maureen Moon, past
president of AMTA, many massage
therapists (which don’t refer to themselves
as bodyworkers) are trained in
various bodywork therapies and intuitively
integrate them into their sessions,
depending upon each client’s needs.
She notes that “many AMTA
members are so passionate about their
profession and meeting the continuing
education (CEU) requirements that
they go far beyond the units required
to maintain their license, which can
vary from state-to-state.” For example,
Moon has trained in spinal reflex
analysis, developed by Dr. Frank Jarrell,
neuromuscular and craniosacral
therapies, shiatsu and seven massage
therapies. “Most AMTA members
are CEU junkies,” quips Moon, who
points out that national conventions
provide continuing education and
chapter meetings frequently introduce
attendees to new techniques.
Some practitioners discover specialties
while in search of pain relief for
personal injuries or other conditions.
Myofascial Therapy
Olympia Hostler, a myofascial therapist
in Tinton Falls, NJ, had two serious
horse riding accidents during adolescence
and three automobile accidents
by age 40, which combined, left her
so incapacitated that she could barely
walk. “I couldn’t work for three years,
because I was so debilitated,” relates
Hostler. She found her doctor’s diagnosis
of severe permanent damage to the
body’s soft connective tissue, or fascia,
and the prognosis of a lifetime of living
with pain unacceptable. So she began
searching for something that would
help restore health. Her investigation
of therapies ended with myofascial
release, an effective whole-body ap-
HealthyLivingColumbia.com
February 2013
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