Getting My Newsletter On

If you haven’t already, you should get yourself over there in my sidebar —–>>>> and sign up for my Newsletter. This year I made a commitment to be better in touch with my current clients and to give curious folks who haven’t made that phone call to schedule an appointment yet a way to get to know me and what’s going on with Harvest Moon Massage a little better.

If you’re a current client, you know that I’ve been collecting email addresses for a while with the intention of doing this. I don’t know why, but it was just too big, too much and I just couldn’t manage it until now.

My intention is one monthly email to share the latest happenings and plans as well as sporadic emails with available appointment times in case anyone wants to grab an appointment. I definitely do not want to spam anyone.

So, if you’re like me and wondering what the hey people put in a newsletter, here’s a link to the archive. Please understand this is totally out of my head and I’m making it up as I go so please be kind.

I’m wondering if I need to add a link for current newsletters to the sidebar…hmm… maybe I’ll put that on my very long list of things to do.

Thanks to Allissa  at Writing a Blue Streak and Kelli at Massage Therapy World for inspiring me to take this seemingly giant step.

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Newest Provider of Thai-Yoga Massage

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AMTA – AL Chapter Winter Board Retreat

So many of you may know from reading here for a while that I am involved with AMTA – AL Chapter. That’s American Massage Therapy Association – Alabama Chapter for the acronym sticklers among us. It’s quite a mouthful to say and a handful to type so I avoid it whenever possible.

Anyway, I’m in with AMTA – AL Chapter. For the non-massage therapist readers out there, AMTA is an association massage therapists can join. Most do so to gain the (usually) required insurance coverage to practice, but AMTA also comes with a whole host of perks and benefits which I will let you go check out on your own if you are interested.

I donate a fair amount of time to AMTA-AL serving as their current Website/Social Media Committee Co-Chairperson. That’s a fancy title for computer monkey and apparently as such I needed to show up at the Winter Board Retreat. Who knew?

The retreat was held at a largish house on Smith Lake in beautiful Crane Hill, AL. It slept only 23 people. Geesh… you’d think for 8 they could have gotten more room 😉 jk. It actually was quite comfortable for the 8 who showed to stay and the others who came later just for meetings.

One might assume a houseful of massage therapists would be enjoying a weekend of fun and relaxation with a lot of massage happening. But not so much. We spent the weekend meeting and planning and meeting and planning and meeting and planning some more. What’s so all-fired important? Well, we have an Annual Convention coming up and it’s going to be at the beach*!!! Woo hoo!!!

All the meeting and planning was to make sure everything is getting done and to figure out more fun things to offer MTs who show up for ‘up to 20 very affordable CE hours’ (you must read that last phrase in your best game show host voice). I think we’re all glad the sitting part is over. There was a lot of it, but we are all super-excited about the Annual Convention. I love being involved in an organization that works hard to bring CE opportunities to MTs. And it was a great opportunity to get to know the people I’m working with better. Who knew I would be rubbing elbows with MTs from the other end of the state? I would have never met most of the people I spent the weekend with if not for AMTA-AL. I love it and if it sounds interesting to you, let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Anyway, it was real and it was fun and parts of it were real fun, but my butt is still a little numb. I look forward to seeing you at the Annual Conference!

*What? You want to know more about the beach? Well, click here for now and come back in a few days. I’ll be posting a lot more information here for the Refresh Your Career weekend at Orange Beach, AL with AMTA-AL Chapter. 

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Massage

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Dealing With the Death of a Client

David's FuneralAnd as you may have gathered since I’m writing about it here, I recently had a client pass away. He was not my first client, but he was the first one to pass. I can’t say it was expected, but then again, I can’t say it wasn’t totally unexpected. I need to tell you some of his story in order for you to understand.

I last saw him December 7th for his regular appointment. He came once a month, sometimes more. He was very exciting and talked almost our entire hour and a half about the trip he and his wife were taking to visit their daughter who is in the military and currently stationed in Korea. He was a Vietnam war vet and this was a trip back to his past that would be different this time. He called a few days before his trip wanting to see if he could get in for a massage before he left, but I was so busy and decided not to squeeze him into the schedule as I knew he had a massage scheduled in January.

If I remember correctly, they flew on the 22nd of December. On Christmas Day he had a stroke. I found out a few days later when I got a text message from him saying he had to cancel and that they didn’t get to come home because of the stroke. He would call when he got back to the states. I was concerned, but thought perhaps it wasn’t so bad since I thought it was him texting me. I didn’t hear anything after that until a different client asked if I’d heard what happened.

They were still in Korea and David had very little body movement. It was mid-January and they were trying to figure out how to get him home and into the local VA hospital. Then on January 25th I received another text telling me David had passed. They had brought him home and he’d had another massive stroke. I’m not sure of the details except that he had spent a few days unresponsive in the hospital.

I was shocked. This was a strapping man who was of retirement age, but decided against it because he loved his job and his wife wasn’t yet ready for retirement. He could talk the bark off a tree stump and loved life and everyone in it with him.

I went to his funeral and managed to hold myself together until the 21 guns volleyed. Then I lost it completely and ended up in the bathroom weeping uncontrollably.

One of the things they don’t teach you in massage school (or at least the one I went to) is what to do when a client dies.

I have agonized over how much to share here. Where do privacy issues leave off with the client/therapist relationship?

I have decided that for me, privacy issues, the true one’s, where he lives and other personal information, persist. I have decided to be a little freer with the issue of whether he was my client or not. I am hurting and I need the support of my people and the ability to talk to them about him so I can heal from this loss.

I also need to open a dialog with my current clients about what I expect from them and what they expect from me in the event of a critical illness or, god forbid, their death. Do I expect their family members or friends to contact me? That would be nice so I can visit them or express condolences to the family if appropriate. Should I send flowers, a card, or do they even want me to come to the funeral? These are things I never thought about before David.

And if I send flowers for this one, do I need to make it a policy and do it for every client? Or only regular clients? And if I do that am I straying into favoritism territory? It’s a lot to decide. I went with my heart and sent flowers, went to the funeral, and afterwards wrote his wife a letter. If that is favoritism, then so be it. It’s hard not to become attached to people who frequent your life and care about you right back.

I know some of my MT friends have “countertransference” bouncing off the insides of their heads right now. I respectfully disagree. We enjoyed no relationship outside of our therapeutic one. If I ran into him at the grocery store I would say hello and introduce him as a friend if he approached me first, but otherwise I think I do a pretty good job at keeping a professional distance as much as is possible while still working so closely with someone. As a helper/fixer/healer, I don’t really think there is a way to prevent our hearts from getting involved while doing this kind of work. I think heart is what makes massage and bodywork so profound and all the good ones use their hearts during their sessions.

There are tasks that we are forced to do in this lifetime and I would have rather never had to make these decisions, but since I did I am so grateful that it was him to guide me through this. It is so fitting for the relationship we enjoyed with each other. I will still miss him horribly when his Friday morning appointment rolls around. I will probably cry again, probably more than once.

Rest in peace, David, and know that you are loved still and will be remembered in many, many hearts.

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Bamboo-Fusion Massage

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Do You Mardi Gras?

Photo Courtesy of Julie Ankrom, AOBT Extraordinaire
Photo Courtesy of Julie Ankrom, AOBT Extraordinaire

Yes it’s a verb, Mardi Gras, it’s something we do anyway. Fat Tuesday in translation or Tuesday Fat if you want to get super specific. I’m just here for the good time so I don’t care what you call it. But let’s get to it, shall we.

The reason I’m writing about Mardi Gras here on the 2nd of February is because I want to invite you to a parade! Now if you’re wondering what parades and massages have in common, not a lot unless you slap a massage table and a set of portable bars on a float and have your therapist do a bit of Ashi as you stream past thousands of possibly drunk and definitely jealous individuals. Maybe not such a grand recipe for personal safety.

Of course, after the parade, that’s when massage comes in. All those folks dancing and prancing their way down 2nd to Bank and on to Church, they’re going to be needing a massage. I should hand out cards.

Anyway, on to the invitation.

When: February 9th @ 6pm

Where: Decatur, Alabama beginning at 2nd and Gordon and traveling to Bank and Church

Why: Because it’s tons of fun, lots of throws and I’m going to be on Krewe O’ Ye Crooked Goat again this year. Check out the Carnegie Carnival website for more details on all the activities and beneficiaries of our event!

And because I’m shamelessly promoting myself today. If you make a spectacle of yourself and I catch you doing it, I’ll give you a gift on the spot. I haven’t actually decided what the gift will be, but I guarantee it will have something to do with massage and that you will like it. I probably need to decide on a code word so I don’t just walk up to random folks who are celebrating a bit too rambunctiously. How about, “Are you my massage therapist?” Yes, that will do. Ask me if I’m your massage therapist at the Mardi Gras parade and you receive a gift.

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashi-Thai Massage

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February Blogging Challenge

I’ve lost my mind. I signed up for a business blogging challenge during the month of February.

Perhaps misguidedly I’ve always wanted to try a blogging challenge. I hope all works as planned. 20 blog posts in 28 days. Which ordinarily might not be so bad, but there’s a lot of stuff jam packed into these 28 days. And that, in some sort of twisted logic, is why I decided to do it. There’s a lot going on for me and Harvest Moon Massage Therapy this month so there should be plenty of fodder to write about.

So, dear readers, it’s your job to keep me honest. 20 posts in 28 days. Here we go!

Sharon Bryant Harvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy Massage

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Big Breath In and Out Slow

If you’ve ever been on my table you know that there are times when I ask for a big, deep breath with a slow, controlled release. Usually it’s when I need to get in deep somewhere and I want to use your breath to help us.

I like to use the breath for two reasons. The first being that it helps you relax and the second is that deep pressure (and/or stretching) usually goes further and is less stressful on the psyche with the exhale. I’m not sure that’s ever been scientifically proven, but my unofficial study of it in the massage room and my personal yoga practice has convinced me that it is true for those who truly embrace the exhale and its intent.

One side effect of asking the client to use their breath is that I also get to see how they are breathing. Cut to the recent client who was reverse breathing. I’d heard talk of this for years. I’d seen people do it casually, I do it on occasion when very stressed, but I’d never really seen it in action.

At the end of our session I asked for that big breath and watched as her shoulders and chest expanded hugely and her abdomen literally disappeared from my line of sight. I was so shocked I asked for another big breath and just watched what was happening to her body. Her rib cage and shoulders lifted towards her neck, her neck pressed down into the table and I could see the cords standing out on her neck. She looked as if she was rolling her upper back into extension with the deep breath and yet she still wasn’t filling her lungs. Probably because her belly was obstructing her diaphragm muscle from contracting.

That’s when it occurred to me that all this strain we’re carrying around in our shoulders and neck and upper back and perhaps even the rampant stomach issues could be related to this reverse breathing phenomenon. I’ve been unable to find any research that connects these things, but it seems another informal study is in the works in my massage room.

I spent a few extra minutes with this client talking about natural breathing patterns and guided her through a few deep, belly breaths. It was difficult for her and I sent her home with homework to do. I hope she’s doing it even though it is hard work.

I know what you’re thinking, “How hard can breathing be?” I remember the first time I was guided into belly breath. It was uncomfortable physically and mentally unsettling. If I let myself get overly stressed for a period of time and forget to breathe into my belly (which is a common stress reaction among humans), coming back to it is a struggle.

So how do you know if you’re reverse breathing? Put your hand on your belly and breathe in. Is your hand moving away from your spine or toward it? Correct belly breathing expands the belly so your hand should move away from your spine. And how do you stop reverse breathing? Practice, practice, practice… Here is an article I wrote on Simple and Free Stress Relief. The last few paragraphs describe what you need to know to start practicing belly breathing.

Let me know what you find if you try this.

Sharon BryantHarvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy and Ashi-Thai and Bamboo-Fusion Massage

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Thai-Yoga Bodywork

Thai Yoga Massage
Entrance to Gray Bear Lodge

So recently I went to a class for Thai-Yoga Bodywork or Thai-Yoga Massage or Thai-Yoga Assisted Asana. I’m still not clear on exactly what it’s called. My certificate calls it Thai-Yoga Bodywork hence the title above. It’s one of those “that which we call a rose” dilemmas. It is what it is.

For me it’s a new method of bodywork, new tools in my arsenal of weapons against physical pain and suffering. And they seem powerful. The good news, I can integrate some of what I learned immediately. The not so good news, some I won’t be able to do until I get a mat for the floor. And the downright tragic news, others I won’t be able to do because we didn’t learn them. Apparently to properly learn Thai-Yoga Bodywork from this organization they need 150 of my hours with which to teach me. Never fear though, plans are being hatched as I write this. This wasn’t the last I’ve seen of this instructor.

The class itself was intense. A Wednesday afternoon through Sunday morning affair at Gray Bear Lodge in Hohenwald, TN. My certificate says 25 hours, but we stayed on-site due to the rustic, out-lying nature of the training center so it was more like an immersion experience where time gets lost.

The instructor was absolutely brilliant. I didn’t understand a portion of what he was saying as I’m pretty sure he was speaking several different languages and I am only proficient in English. Fortunately so was he so I don’t think I missed anything critical though I still have to figure out what molobunda (oh, go ahead and look at the link, it demonstrates just how lost I actually am) means as he seemed to use it quite a lot. I think I missed the explanation as I was desperately scribbling away in my book trying to write down the most egregious gaps in my body of knowledge. Also I think it’s entirely possible to learn this type of massage by experiencing it and watching the demonstrations. Verbal communication certainly hastens the teaching experience, but not strictly necessary, I think. But then again the experience of sitting in a classroom and being completely lost at times is inspiring. I have much to learn.

And then there’s Gray Bear. It’s a place, it’s an experience, it defies. In general, it’s a tract of largely undeveloped land where the owners have built a lodge, several small cabins, a meditation hut, the Yoga Room, a stone hot tub, a dedicated watsu pool, and a sauna. I’m sure there’s more, but that was the extent of my experience with the infrastructure of the place. The experience is one of love, warmth, family, and just being home. At night it’s dark and you can lie by the hot tub and see the stars, really see them like we used to as children before we felt the need to turn the night to day. During the day there are forests to trek, waterfalls to find, nooks and crannies to explore, classes to take and the best darn food you can imagine.

It’s impossible to write just one post to encompass this experience. It would take numerous posts to even begin to touch it and then my skills certainly wouldn’t do it justice. Let’s just say it was one of the most interesting experiences in my life and I’m still mourning it just a little.

The combination of the serenity and beauty of Gray Bear, the open and loving nature of the staff and workshop participants, and Michael Buck, aka, Mukti was something I will be tempted to do again and again.

Enjoy this Picture Gallery from Gray Bear and Thai-Yoga with Mukti – You’ll need a Facebook account to view.

Sharon BryantHarvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Newest Provider of Vedic Thai-Yoga Massage

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Resolved

Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy anniversaryI’m not prone to making New Year’s Resolutions. Never have been really, I’m more the kind of person who just does what needs to be done when I see someone or something in need. That’s why it took me by surprise when, after Christmas, I started thinking some really deep thoughts about things I wanted to change during the New Year.

Thoughts along the lines of not being happy with the large amount of work I’m doing and the small amount of fun I’m having. Thoughts about how I’m allowing my work to suck all the creative juices out of me leaving behind a withered, papery husk by the end of each week. Thoughts about how much time (and life) I’m wasting on Facebook and Pinterest and, dare I say it aloud, WordPress.

Now don’t start thinking I’m going to quit bringing the massage goodness to Decatur, I’ll still be working. I’m just going to be doing more mano y mano and less online. There are, after all, bills to pay, dogs to feed and I am beginning understand why massage therapists don’t really retire, they just slowly wean down their clientele.

This doesn’t mean I won’t be blogging here, I will. It doesn’t mean you won’t ever see me on Facebook, I’ll be there, just less. Less sitting around hitting the refresh button waiting for someone to comment on my latest brilliant Facebook post. Less trolling Pinterest for the latest, neatest, yummiest whatever that promises to change my life. Less stressing and turtling over the long, long list of things that must absolutely be done, right now.

Less Vegging; More Being

More enjoying the moment, being present. More creating whether it be writing or cooking or scrapbooking or crafting something beautiful for the office or house. More music and dancing. More creative fuel. And hopefully more joy.

I’ve not completely figured out the end goal of all this. Perhaps there isn’t one. Perhaps it’s just that I need to learn to enjoy the journey more. That sounds good, Enjoy The Journey. Perhaps the best resolution of all.

Sharon BryantHarvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Exclusive Provider of Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy and Ashi-Thai Massage

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In Whatever Language…

Christmas

Whether you say Merry Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka, Frohliche Weihnachten, Buon Natale, Joyeux Noel, I wish you a holiday filled with joy, love and light.

Merry Christmas from Harvest Moon Massage Therapy!

We will be closed December 22nd through January 1st. See you next year!

Sharon BryantHarvest Moon Massage is Decatur, Alabama’s Newest Provider of Fijian Island Barefoot Massage

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