#MyDecaturAL

How to Get a Massage Therapist License – Digital Edition!

A color blocked eBook cover for So, You Want to Get a Massage Therapist LIcense by Sharon L Bryant

So there’s a really old article on my blog about getting your Alabama Massage Therapist License. Unfortunately for that article, the process outlined for getting a license is no longer correct. Licensing applications and renewals finally went digital! The mindset advice in that article remains relevant so I’m going to leave it up and make it point to this post.

For years I grumbled as I filled out my paper license renewals, slapping a sticky note to the front of the paperwork reading, “Please put this online!” before shoving it in an envelope. One day they made not only the license renewal, but the initial massage therapy licensing application a virtual experience. As with all things, there are positives and negatives about going digital, but overall, the slow, steady progress and keeping up with the times is good. I think it makes the application and renewal process a lot easier: no trips to the post office or the bank, just a credit card and some electronic documents and it’s finished.

Keeping up with the times is good

Because there seems to be so many questions about all things dealing with the code that governs the massage therapy industry in Alabama and how that applies to our initial Massage Therapist application process, I wrote an eBook about how to get that initial Massage Therapist License for Alabama. It’s free for the low, low cost of your email address. I’ll use that email address to send you a monthly newsletter about my continuing education courses or you can just unsubscribe later.

Sign Up dialog for So, You Want to Get a Massage Therapist License: A Guidebook to Getting Your Alabama Professional Massage Therapist License

Click this link to go to the sign-up page for my eBook, So, You Want to Get a Massage Therapist License: A Guidebook to Getting Your Alabama Professional Massage Therapist License. And I’d love to hear your feedback about the eBook!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

How to Get a Massage Therapist License – Digital Edition! Read More »

Who Knew Social Media Could Be So Painful?

Protecting Your Virtual Assets

A woman with a laptop and notebook protecting her virtual assets

I have a story to tell you about learning a hard lesson. It has to do with protecting your virtual assets and averting catastrophe before it happens. To be honest, I’m firmly in the, “I never thought it would happen to me,” camp on all of this which is why I’m choosing to share it.

It’s been a long time since I created my virtual, online presence. When I opened Harvest Moon Massage Therapy in 2008, I used trusted online providers that did the security part of website protection for me. As this website matured and moved platforms to accommodate Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center, I again used trusted sources with built-in protection, so I didn’t have to worry.

Around the same time I opened Harvest Moon Massage Therapy, social media exploded. I made myself a Facebook account because that’s what we were all doing and FOMO. In 2010 I created what was then referred to as a “Fan Page” on Facebook for Harvest Moon Massage. I remember thinking it would be a great place to advertise my little micro-business for free/cheap. And it was. I was so excited about it that I was asked by AMTA-AL Chapter to teach other massage therapists to do what I had done with this tiny, little Facebook page. They also recognized the value of an advertising platform that worked rain or shine, 24/7 for free.

One of the things I never thought too hard about was how a Facebook Business page could be considered a capital B, capital A, “Business Asset”. Maybe because of the slow, creeping growth of social media, what started as a small business presence had grown into a significant part of how I marketed my business to the public. I had loosely in the past considered adding an extra admin to the Facebook page, but I didn’t know anyone who would want to fool with all the extra notifications and such so I put it off. Hold on to your hat, cause here it comes. BAD MOVE! Colossal mistake…probably a rookie mistake too.

Catastrophe Strikes

I got hacked, my Facebook profile got hacked. Well, technically I got scammed, then hacked, then deactivated by Facebook. It was horrifying, terrifying, a really, really bad thing. If you didn’t already know, Facebook support is crap. I talked to so many bots and automated responses it wasn’t funny and brought me to tears a few times. Getting an actual person to respond to my appeals and emails wasn’t much better. I experienced for the first time ever the circular email of never-ending confusion.

It was bad enough that my personal profile had been hacked, but I also lost control of my Facebook pages, aka, Business Assets. Keeps getting worse and worse, eh? Yeah…I filed admin appeals and requests and went around and around and around for more than six weeks.

A Miracle

One day about 5 weeks out from the hack, I got an email from Facebook asking didn’t I want to review all these 714 notifications from my old account. So, with almost no hope that this latest appeal would work, I clicked the link and went through yet another appeals process. I literally had so little hope I just went about my day. Three days later, I opened my computer and suddenly Facebook is in my face asking do I want to log in to my old account. Wait, What? WHAT? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

And wonder of all Christmas miracles, I was in my old account. Things had changed, I won’t go into it, because my only order of business at this point was quickly adding as many new admins to my biz pages as I possibly could. Because this couldn’t actually be real, could it? Could the Facebook botgods have actually given me my account back with all related privileges and permissions? I fully expected at any moment for a bot to take over and lock me out again because this doesn’t happen. Anyway, cut to why I’m telling you this big, long story.

Protecting Your Virtual Business Assets

Before we can protect our virtual business assets, not just your website, we need to figure out what and where they are. Now that I’ve been through this experience, I would define a virtual business asset as anything online that represents my business, drives people toward my business, and/or I use to manage my business assets. Social media accounts definitely fit into that definition and it’s pretty hard to miss where that stuff lives online. So how do you protect these business assets that live on social media platforms? Especially when every single one of them are individual platforms with different rules and logins and security systems. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and those are just the ones at the top of mind.

Here is a general list that I hope will help you start designing your own virtual business asset security plan.

Strong Passwords

Make sure you have strong passwords and a different one for each account. Seriously, don’t use the same password for every account you have. Each platform has different rules for what makes a strong password in their system. Follow their guidelines and then make it a bit stronger. Also, consider using a password vault app. They will help you keep track of all your different accounts and passwords and can add another layer of protection.

2-Factor Authentication

2-Factor Authentication is where you first enter a password, then have a secondary piece of information you provide to prove you’re who you really are. Did that make sense? You might know it as where you get a text message and then enter the code from the text message to log into an account. There are other ways that second part happens. Sometimes it’s your fingerprint, face scan, or an email with another code. If your platform has the option for 2-factor authentication, turn it on.

Administrative Redundancy

Find someone or multiple people to become backup admins for your business accounts. Unfortunately, every platform has different policies and methods to add backup admins. AND you’ll need to be careful that you don’t accidentally violate the platform’s terms of use and get banned.

Security Checkups

If you’re like me, this sounds like torture. I sure didn’t know I was signing up for this when I signed up for that first little Facebook account. But if it keeps me from getting into a mess again, I’ll figure out how to review each of these platform’s latest security changes and make sure my account is safe. I don’t know yet if this will be a yearly, quarterly or monthly exercise.

Here’s a list of articles I found helpful while trying to figure out how to design a security checkup plan for my business accounts.

3 Steps to Secure Your Facebook Business Account From Hackers
7 Failsafe Ways to Safeguard Your Facebook Business Page from Phishing and Hacking Attempts
Instagram Security Tips

In Conclusion

I hope this has been helpful and given you enough information to get started with a plan to make your virtual assets more secure. Don’t wait like I did, and if you find something really cool and helpful on this front, let me know!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Who Knew Social Media Could Be So Painful? Read More »

Power of the Seed – A Book Review

A photo of the book Power of the Seed with a notebook, pen, and glasses

Power of the Seed: Your Guide to Oils for Health & Beauty by Susan M. Parker

I picked up this book because I was becoming interested in developing a few botanically infused oils specifically for massage and a CE course on integrating those oils into a massage practice. I had lots of questions about what properties of oils made them more or less nourishing to the skin, absorption rates, time frames that oils stay open long enough to be an effective massage medium, and more that I don’t really remember right now. Online resources kept pointing to the same oils over and over again without enough information as to the why. Eventually one of my social media platforms served up a free, online mini-class about oils for skincare by the author, Susan M. Parker. Of course, I signed up for it and after listening to her talk about so many oils and their corresponding properties, I had to buy the book. And boy am I glad I did. This book answers questions I didn’t even know I had about oils.

What Kinds of Oils?

Now, the first thing you need to know about this book is that it is NOT about essential oils. This book is about fixed oils, carrier oils, or non-volatile oils. Oils that you can cook with, eat, or use safely on your skin undiluted (unlike essential oils). Even though she mentions petroleum-based oil products, the focus of this book is firmly botanically-derived oils, butters, and waxes.

If you had high school chemistry and did okay in it, you’ll be able to get through the sections on the chemistry of fatty acids. Thankfully there won’t be an actual test on all this, but the chemical make-up of saturated versus unsaturated fats has changed the way I think about what I’m cooking with in the kitchen. It also makes it very clear how and why oils go rancid and become so damaging to our health when consumed.

Fatty Acids & Phytochemicals

I got a little lost in the sections that covered the different fatty acids and their properties as well as all the differing phytochemicals. There are a dizzying array, but the good news is this book can be used as a reference guide. So when you need to know which oils are highest in, say, Vitamin C, you can just go look that up.

I’ve read a few reviews from people much more experienced in chemistry than I am cautioning that some of the definitions aren’t completely accurate, but for my needs and I’m guessing the layperson interested in using oils for developing their own skincare products, this book delivered just enough technical explanation.

In addition to the chemistry, phytochemicals and the general make-up of oils, this book contains a section covering 90 different oils, butters, and waxes with information about their chemical constituency as well as uses in cooking and skincare, a section on working with oils, and directions and recipes on how to make different skincare products with these oils. The appendix is vast making up about a third of the book with sections on oils by use, properties, source, botanical families, saponification values, fatty acid families, fatty acid composition tables, an essential oil dilution table, a glossary, bibliography, and source list. My biggest complaint is that there’s no Index, but we will forgive that because this book is already so amazing I feel sure the next edition will feature one along with even more oils as they become available.

A Summary

Power of the Seed is a beautiful book. I appreciate the artwork and the size of the book. It’s easily handled, not too big, not too small, just right! The rounded corners are something you don’t see often in publications and seem to make the book even easier to interact with. Also, the fact that the cover is easy to wipe down and doesn’t readily uptake oil is a plus since you’ll probably be using it around, oh, oils!

This book was a pleasure and I’ll be returning to it often as I continue my herbal healing adventures!

More information about the author can be found at the author’s website: Susan M. Parker

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Power of the Seed – A Book Review Read More »

Where Did All the Massage Therapists Go?

A Facebook post to Birmingham LMTs group that reads: For anyone looking to move, Terrame in Huntsville is booked up 4 weeks out and needs good therapists. They have 2 locations that offer massage.

The bottom of the graphic is another Facebook post that reads: If you are considering a new career - licensed massage therapist are needed in HIGH DEMAND right now!

Have you tried to book a massage lately? Were you successful or were you met with, “Not accepting new clients right now,” or “It’s going to be 6 weeks before I can get you in”? Or worse, you were seen, but had a less than stellar experience? Where did all the massage therapists go?

That graphic over there was something I pulled in less than 5 minutes from two different massage forums on social media seeking massage therapists for their organization. These kinds of posts appear all day, every single day in massage forums and if they’re not looking for massage therapists they’re asking how to find massage therapists. It’s disheartening.

According to the 2022 AMTA Massage Research Report the number of massage therapists decreased in 2021. This, I believe, is partially due to COVID-19, but also a consequence of decreasing enrollment at massage schools nationwide and the shuttering of many massage programs. Many massage therapists walked away from our industry as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic overtook the world. Forced to close businesses or laid off with no other way to support their families, many of them haven’t returned.

Massage school enrollments were down and schools had been closing at an alarming rate before the pandemic. And even though studies show our numbers have increased by 14% over the last decade, without adequate enrollment or places to obtain the necessary education, the number of qualified massage therapists must fall. Many schools closed and did not re-open after government mandated shutdowns reducing the potential for massage therapy graduates even further.

We were already experiencing a shortage of therapists before COVID-19. The massage therapy industry is now entering a crisis period. And it couldn’t happen at a worse time. As we are potentially emerging from a pandemic that forced people into their homes and social isolation, where touch became so dangerous many of us still won’t hug friends or family for fear of passing them a death sentence, people are in critical need of touch therapy and stress relief.

Why Don’t MTs Just Take More Clients?

It seems like the most obvious solution for those of us still working. Just take more clients per day and there will be less people in need of touch therapies. Unfortunately, it’s not a sustainable option. Most of us have already been taking more than our physical limit and are reaching the wall. It’s sort of like when someone leaves your job and your manager brings all their work to you. And then someone else leaves and your manager is standing in your office with another pile of work.

Massage therapists must first protect their own bodies before we can continue serving others. A hurt massage therapist is not a massage therapist that can help anyone with pain or stress. A sick massage therapist is definitely not going to be able to help anyone and they may make you sick to boot.

And Then There’s Burnout

Burnout is a real thing. We’ve seen the news stories, read the articles, and talked to our friends in the healthcare industry and everyone seems to understand that they are fried. Massage therapists aren’t experiencing the same level of awareness or care as the healthcare industry workers, but oftentimes we are laying on hands as many hours a day as these healthcare workers with even more waiting in the wings that aren’t being seen. The mental health arena is experiencing a similar phenomenon currently. Read here about listening to your body so you can hopefully prevent burnout.

As we continue to service more and more individuals at the cost of our body, family time, creative time, and rest time, we burn out. Giving becomes extremely difficult when we have pushed ourselves beyond the limit in service of others.

Many of us are regularly doing phone consultations for how to manage pain until we can get clients into the office. Which is pushing the limits of our scope, but what does one do when the one person in their circle of trust can’t get them in and they’re hurting?

How Do We Fix the Shortage?

The short answer is make more massage therapists. The long answer is make more massage therapists. If a student started right now it would take 6-8 months (minimum depending on the school) to be qualified to take the national exam and apply for a license in the state of Alabama.

That doesn’t seem like a long time, but it is a long time to work hoping that someone is coming to help relieve an already overstressed system. So now the question is, how do we get those students into an entry-level massage therapy program?

I see this question asked a lot on social media, industry publications, and industry conference panels. And no one seems to have an answer to this question. Is it awareness? Yes! Is it advertising? Yes! Is it getting in front of kids while they’re young to let them know how important touch is to their health? Yes! What do we do about it? Nothing or very little, apparently, and what is being done is not effective as illustrated by falling enrollment, fewer training programs, and “exhausted, on the verge of quitting” massage therapists.

What Happens If We Do Nothing?

If we do nothing, qualified massage therapist numbers will continue to decline. Safe and accessible massage therapy will become very expensive then disappears altogether as therapists age out of the system, burn out, or simply leave the industry.

If we do nothing, massage therapy chains will either disappear altogether or find funding to become industry monopolies. Quality of massage therapists and therapies will go way down while prices go way up as happens when an industry is controlled by just a few entities.

If we do nothing, more unqualified, untrained people will perform touch therapies that may or may not lead to public health issues, unsafe practices, consumer injuries and/or infections, a rise in human trafficking, and declining consumer confidence in the massage therapy profession.

None of that seems good.

What Can We Do?

Consumers

  • Use your platform to talk about your massage therapy experiences and how it has helped you. Challenge yourself to talk to one person a week about massage therapy.
  • Write reviews for your massage therapist(s). Thank you in advance!
  • Talk to your family, friends and anyone else who will listen about how massage therapy might be a viable career option. Talk to your massage therapist about where to steer prospective students. Many of us are glad to talk about massage therapy to the curious public.
  • Suggest your massage therapist or massage therapy school for career days, job fairs, or health fairs.

Massage Therapists / Students

  • Use your platform to talk about your positive career experiences as a massage therapist, get specific about why it’s so satisfying and talk about it often. Challenge yourself to post on social media once a month about your satisfying career choice.
  • Talk to your clients, friends, family, and anyone else who will listen about how massage therapy might be a viable career option.
  • Educate yourself on the massage school options in your area and be prepared to steer people toward these schools if they show an interest.
  • Contact your local school system and make yourself available to talk with school kids (and high schoolers) about how massage therapy might be a viable career option.
  • Provide your clients and cohorts with the words to speak respectfully and positively about the massage therapy profession.

Massage Therapy Schools

  • Use your platform to create awareness campaigns about the massage therapy profession and run them continuously.
  • Show up at career days, career fairs, and health fairs to promote the massage therapy profession.
  • Educate the public as to the continuing need for massage and touch therapies.
  • Teach students how to be ambassadors for our profession and challenge them to continue recruiting new students into our profession.

Let’s Do Something!

I know I’ve pointed out some not so optimistic points in this article, but I think it’s important we know what can happen if we continue to ignore the problem. I hope this gives you some ideas about how you can help the massage therapy profession in your day-to-day. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a massage therapist your first order of business is to find a school and do some research. Feel free to reach out directly to me if you want to talk or you can go here to find state approved schools in your area.

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Where Did All the Massage Therapists Go? Read More »

Massage is Weird – A Book Review

Massage is Weird: How to Beat Burnout and Kick Butt as a Massage Therapist by Ian Harvey

This book is actually very much a breath of fresh air in the massage industry. It’s a return to logic and common sense with a bit of social psychology thrown in and none of the usual social media mother-henning and overly emotional responses.

He addresses self-doubt, boundaries, educating clients, germs, creeps, trauma, business topics, client communication tactics, different causes of burn out, massage myths, and of course Ian’s specialty, massaging like a sloth! In short, anything that seems to professionally contribute to burnout, he’s covered it. And it’s all delivered in a coherent, gentle, and well thought out manner.

Overall I found this book very well organized. And while there’s nothing earth shattering or even new here, I would recommend this book for every new or struggling massage therapist because the information is succinct, applicable, and accessible. The layout is such that you can locate the topic of interest without having to read the whole book to find what you need. I do recommend reading the whole thing through at least once though. For those of us who have been around a while, I recommend reading it to support our industry cohort and to see the unique perspective his background offers to our work.

Happy Reading!

Ian Harvey’s Massage Sloth Website is here if you want to learn more about him and his Massage Sloth style.

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

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FasciAshi ROM: Stretch Therapy

A photo of Sharon performing a ROM stretch to the client's arm

What is ROM?

FasciAshi ROM is Range of Motion: Stretch Therapy and I’ve been waiting to take this class for over a year. Covid-19 really kicked the can down the road as far as marking goals off the list, but it finally happened.

Years ago, I’d taken a Thai-inspired barefoot massage class and I’ve used it for years, but this was totally different. Perhaps I’ve thrown a stretch or two into a session in the past, but I always found it difficult to integrate those moves because they were designed for the client to stay clothed. With these new ROM skills you’ll find more stretches during your current barefoot massages because they’re easier, not only on my body, but to just throw a stretch in here and there without having to worry about exposure.

One of the other things I found with this class is attention to the ‘Why’. Why would I use this particular stretch or compression? The attention to ‘Why’ makes it much easier to know when it’s appropriate to use these techniques. Got a Charley Horse? There’s a stretch that addresses gastrocs and soleus (the muscles that are typically involved in that kind of cramp). Hip flexors tight and sore after training and running that 5K? There’s a stretch for that, a few, actually. And then there’s those stretches that feel great but are sneaky effective in areas you wouldn’t expect. Fascia is amazing that way and ROM most certainly addresses the fascial system.

How Do I Get My ROM?

All that to say, ROM is definitely on the menu. You’ll find it under Stretch Therapy if you’re trying to book it yourself. Otherwise, just ask me next time we book your appointment if you’d like to try it. I can integrate it into your regular barefoot massage appointment, or we can go straight up Stretch Therapy with a blend of ROM, facilitated stretching, and some of that Thai-inspired barefoot massage.

Can I Learn FasciAshi ROM?

For those of you wanting to learn FasciAshi ROM, Dawn Dotson from our New York Campus will be here at Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center in May! Register here. Class will be small, and yes, we will need clients for clinic. If you want to come experience the classroom version of ROM, let me know!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

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Fennel & Lemon Tea: A Digestive Soother

dehydrated lemon slices and fennel seeds

All the Thanksgiving foods have my tummy feeling off…

If you, like me, ate too many things you’re not accustomed to while celebrating Thanksgiving this year, never fear. I have a tummy soother that is tasty and easy to make with basic kitchen ingredients.

This Fennel and Lemon Tea has only a few simple ingredients:

  • Fennel Seeds
  • Lemon
  • Hot Water
  • Your Sweetener of Choice (optional)

So you’ll need a cup and a tea ball or infuser. In the tea ball, you’ll want to put about a teaspoon of fennel seed. Crushing the fennel seed will give you a stronger, more potent experience, but it’s not necessary. Drop that in your cup and throw in a lemon wedge or round and top with hot water. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea ball (unless you really love fennel, it gets strong and bitter after a while) and add your sweetener of choice. Honey is always good if you can tolerate it. I usually opt for stevia for a no sugar experience. Be sure to take a moment to savor the warmth in your hands and the aroma of the steam. This is a really nice cup of health, enjoy!

Why it Works!

Fennel seed has a mild flavor that you’re probably already familiar with. For me, no mild Italian sausage is right without the distinct flavor of fennel. It’s also used in a candy everyone knows, licorice! Fennel seed also contains several vitamins and minerals that are important for more cellular functions than I care to list today. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, some studies have shown it mildly curbs the appetite (which may be helpful after eating so much for Thanksgiving), has anti-cancer properties in concentrated form, helps bring in or improve milk for new mothers, and is helpful for our colicky little ones. And this is an abbreviated list of uses without even getting into the particulars of cooking with it.

The reason I’m writing about it today is because it is well-known for improving digestion and relieving gas pain. The fennel seed has a diuretic effect which helps with bloating (hello, Thanksgiving!), it has a lot of fiber which helps the digestive tract work more efficiently, and also features chemical compounds that allow the muscles of the digestive tract to relax which allows gasses to exit as designed. The only drawbacks to fennel seed that I can find is that it can be an estrogenic. If you’re struggling with estrogen dominance you may want to try another herb.

Lemon for flavor, a little acid kick, and to stimulate digestion. Acid? Yes, acid. Now if you are already suffering from excess acid, you want to be careful with how much lemon you’re using. If you have low acid, this will be very helpful for getting the stomach contents moving out into the intestines. Lemons stimulate digestion through a fiber called pectin. Pectin is also a good pre-biotic which gives your gut microbes good food to chew on for longer term intestinal health. You’ll notice in the photo the lemons are dehydrated. These work as well though the acid profile is different than fresh lemon or lemon juice. I prefer the dehydrated lemons because the sugars have caramelized, and the flavor is amazing. Also, they don’t grow a green sheen in my crisper drawer which is very likely to happen to fresh lemons in my house.

Stevia, my typical sweetener of choice, is also an herb. And it has its own digestive benefits as it’s full of inulin fiber which is again a powerful pre-biotic. If you’ve never used it, start slow. It has a tendency to go bitter in large amounts and the fiber can cause gas if your digestive tract isn’t accustomed to handling fibers.

Bonus Belly Herb

If you’re experiencing gripping or cramping, try adding a couple of coins of ginger. Powdered ginger will also work in this Fennel & Lemon Tea.

So, there it is… a little cup of herbs and spices for a happier belly. This tea will be a lovely addition to your digestive repertoire. It’s mild, tastes good, the ingredients are easily accessible, and generally regarded as safe even for kids.

Let me know what you think in the comments if you try this Fennel & Lemon Tea!

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy
is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Fennel & Lemon Tea: A Digestive Soother Read More »

Learning in the Time of COVID-19: Part 2

Certificate of Completion for The Roll Model Method Correspondence Course

So in this next edition of Learning in the Time of COVID-19, I want to tell you about a correspondence course that I took early on in our shutdown phase. It’s called the Roll Model Method and it’s something I’ve been interested in for a while, but just never had the time to really dig into.

Time definitely hasn’t been a problem with this Stay at Home and now Safer at Home business so when I discovered they had a correspondence course I jumped at it!

The correspondence course came with a textbook and a complete set of the balls that you need to make your way through the coursework. Which is a plus since it comes right to your door and you don’t have to be traipsing all over the place looking for equipment.

What is it, exactly?

rubber ball rolling for elbow pain

Good question! It’s a self-care modality using squishy, grabby, rubbery balls to give yourself a myofascial “massage”. I’m using those quotation marks (#quotationmarksmatter) around massage because it’s NOTHING like what happens on a massage table with a professional, trained massage therapist. But it does give you some of the benefits of a massage – like pain and stress relief. Is it going to “fix” an issue? Maybe, maybe not, but it gives you some agency over your healing in a time when you can’t get to your massage therapist.

Why do I want to give myself a “massage”?

Because right now, if you can find a massage therapist who is working, they’re swamped and you can’t get in to see them. And because you probably have some sort of pain that could be helped with a little bit of attention. And if you can’t identify any pain, you probably have some stress, anxiety, or grief happening.

Wait, these balls can help with stress?

Yep, I was skeptical at first too, but as I made my way through the coursework I started to notice that the time I spent with with the squishy orbs became meditative and was activating my parasympathetic system (rest and digest). And if you’ve been around me at all you already know there’s a lot of science behind meditation and parasympathetic activation. Oh! AND, I learned a body hack to activate the parasympathetic system while taking this class. It makes so much sense and I already knew it, but had never put the science with the actions until I was talking to a colleague who was also taking the class. If you want to learn more about that, take a look at my Idle Sole Wellness Series where I talk about a lot of body hacks (including this one) for taming stress and anxiety.

Want to learn more?

Well, you can go get your own correspondence course or you can call me and we can customize a plan for you that targets your specific issues. And, best of all (for right now), we can do it virtually so no worries about transmitting those COVID cooties to one another!

But…I’m having trouble concentrating right now

Totally normal. No, really, there’s a lot of evidence that when we’re in states of high stress it’s really hard to concentrate. That’s why I’m introducing you to this form of self-care and giving you the option of working with me versus having to read the whole textbook. Anything that helps us drop out of that sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) nervous system state into the more relaxed, rest and digest state is a good thing to learn!

Peace, y’all! I hope everyone is well and safe and learning in the time of COVID-19 in whatever form those lessons may be.

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

Learning in the Time of COVID-19: Part 2 Read More »

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center!

This last year has been a, “Blink and you missed it,” kind of year. I can hardly believe it’s been an entire year since Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center opened its doors to students!

Sadly, we are still closed due to COVID-19. In fact, we should be teaching Fijian Barefoot Massage this weekend, but nothing is normal right now.

Check out the schedule below for other opportunities for training this year! We are hoping it will be safe enough to run our classes as soon as July.

2020 Alabama Barefoot Massage Training Center Schedule

See something you like? Go ahead and register for it!

Happy Anniversary! Read More »

Learning in the Time of COVID-19: Part 1

So it’s not that I wanted to spend even more money on learning in the time of COVID-19. What with still not being back to work, but I figured it would be less stressful to get my NCBTMB Board Certification requirements done. Last night I spent a couple of hours getting my Ethics hours done, filling out the NCBTMB application, and of course paying the fees.

I got my paper saying that I passed the test, the email saying my application was accepted and under review, and now I wait for my new certificate to come in the mail.

What are you learning during the time of COVID-19? If the answer is, “I can’t concentrate on anything right now,” there’s a reason for that and it’s perfectly ok. I had a hard time getting through this ethics course because it’s so hard to concentrate right now.

Sharon Bryant at Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage Therapist!

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