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Florida Massage Therapists

A place for Florida Therapists to Network and share their experiences.

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SMRT (Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique) training

Started by Kelly Sanders, LMT Feb 12, 2014.

Which Exam to Take? 1 Reply

Started by Janice Valverde. Last reply by Kelly Sanders, LMT Apr 21, 2012.

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Comment by Darcy Neibaur on August 23, 2009 at 6:26pm
I am here in Pensacola, FL. I have been practicing since Feb. 14, 2008. What a gift it was to be able to do my first fully licensed massage on Valentine's Day. I work parttime as an employee and also have a private practice.
Comment by Marie-Josee Berard on August 2, 2009 at 8:26pm
Hello Everyone! This looks like a great site!
Come and Discover the Power of Infant Massage! Next Therapists Training will be August 14-15-16 (5, 12or 24 CEUS available) in Tamarac, Fl Contact Marie-Josee at 954-825-0343 for more info.
Comment by Patricia M. Donohue LMT, NCBTMB on August 2, 2009 at 6:52pm
Hello Everyone,
I am still getting use to my computer...I think this web site is GREAT and a wonderful way for all therapists to keep "in touch". I have been a therapist since 1965, licensed in New York and Florida as well as Nationally Certified. I have taught for well over 20 years, in massage therapy from Swedish to specialized Connective Tissue Massage.
I hope to hear from you in the future,
Your in health,
Pat Donohue
Comment by Agnes Trama on July 29, 2009 at 2:54pm
Hi Fellow Massage Therapists......new to this site and an glad to be a part of this group.
Comment by Scott Kingsbury on July 28, 2009 at 3:21pm
I have seen that by pressing long enough and hard enough, in a particular zone related to the imbalance, you can produce an analgesic effect in the corresponding tissue that is referred to as "Zone Analgesia". If you understand the reflex anatomy of the feet you can effectively reduce or eliminate 90% of the ailments in the world today.

I have seen clients with intense low back discomfort,.leave with no discomfort at all, after working on the lumbar/sacral/coccyx reflexes as well as the hip and pelvic reflex areas for as little as 15 minutes by creating this "Zone Analgesia" .
The science of reflexology is a wonderful tool to have in your tool box.

I hope the information below exictes each of you, to reach your full potential in intention as well as technique.

Respectfully,
Scott Kingsbury
www.orthoflexology.com

Here are just a few personal case studies that attest to the effectiveness of this science:

Case 1. Hip Pain
Susan has been battling back pain as well as a deep core hip pain for the last 20 years. This pain is a result of much abuse as well as a spinal fusion from C-7 all the way to her sacrum.

She takes multiple pain medications daily with little or no relief. Susan received her first reflexology treatment which provided minimal relief, however by her 4th treatment she had no deep core hip pain for seven days. Susan took no medication during those seven days and continues to have tremendous relief from her challenges with ongoing treatments.

Case 2. Arthritis.
Ramona has had osteo-arthritis for 7 years, every joint in Ramona's body hurts and she has found little relief although she has tried many forms of treatment. I made Ramona a deal. I asked Ramona to give me 3 to 6 hours of her time to allow me to work on the reflexes of her feet. Ramona admired my confidence and gave me an opportunity to work out the reflex tenderness in her feet. Well to Ramona’s surprise after the sixth treatment she had no pain in any part of her body for the next four months. Ramona said "this is a miracle". Perhaps to Ramona it was. It was certainly the application of the reflex techniques put to good intent.

Case 3. Headache
Mary had a stroke 2 and a half years ago which left her with slight paralysis in her right arm, she also has had a headache in the left temporal area of her head for the last 6 months. We spent a total of three hours on her reflex areas, one hour each Monday for three weeks. The result? Mary has not had a headache since, and it is going on a month since her last treatment.


Case 4. Foot Pain
My traditional massage therapist referred me to Scott Kingsbury six months ago. I had been complaining of foot and heel pain for more than a year had received cortisone injections from my podiatrist and orthodics from my chiropractor that had only provided temporary relief. Since my job requires me to be on my feet for more than 7 hours a day, the constant pain was debilitating. I had considered looking for a "desk job", but gave reflexology a try. After the first hour of treatment, I felt like I was walking on air instead of sharp pins and needles.

After the second treatment, I wasn't limping anymore and actually didn't dread getting up in the morning. Reflexology has been a miracle for me and has improved my quality of life so much that I have begun an exercise program to improve my total well-being. Scott's knowledge and technique and compassion are the right prescription for a non-invasive, healing therapy that has taken years off my life and given me hope for a healthy and active future.


Case 5. Drop Foot
Jenny came into the office presenting a "Drop foot" which doesn’t allow her to dorsiflex her foot. As a result she would have to drag her left foot around every where she went. The amazing thing about this particular case history is Jenny has had this condition for the last 13 years; she was given no hope of recovery by any medical professional. Imagine this scenario, after only 30 minutes of reflexology Jenny has been able to walk normally and still does over a year later.

Case 6. Lupus/ Scleroderma/ Rheumatoid Arthritis.
My name is Clare and I have had Scott as my Reflexologist for six years. My diagnosis is Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (Scleroderma, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis) with progressive symptoms of Sjogren's, Reynaud’s, Temporal Arteritis, Edema, Autoimmune Urticaria, Esophageal Spasms and signs of Macular Degeneration with Glaucoma.

My first visit with Scott was a last resort. My feet, hands and body were swollen to the point of immobility. I could not close my fists or lift my arms. Everywhere hurt. Dressing, toileting was difficult and embarrassing, walking became crawling on the floor most times and the pain was excruciating making me scream and cry for hours. I had been going to other therapists, doctors, chiropractors, trying all sorts of herbal medicines, reiki, you name it. Nothing worked.

It seemed Scott worked on me for hours but it was only an hour plus. I slept without pain for the first time in months and the morning following my session with Scott instead of the normal gripping the edge of the bed to prepare for the pain; I simply stood up. I had no pain whatsoever, anywhere. I was a mixture of emotions. I called Scott immediately and related to him what a tremendous relief I was experiencing and made appointments for twice per week for eight weeks. Since then my disease has progressed and I am basically having maintenance sessions with Scott who even if he is tired from a hectic day will accommodate me if I am in debilitating pain. Many times I do not pinpoint the discomfort and Scott with his expertise and intuitiveness always find what is triggering the pain. Even though the treatments do not lasts as long as they used to( two, three, seven weeks),after each session I still benefit with decreased pain and increased comfort whether it is for an hour or two, a day or a week. I have more energy, better sleep and breathing patterns and a more positive outlook after each session. Scott is a very compassionate, dedicated therapist whose chief concern is helping his clients achieve a lifestyle without pain.

Case 7. Vertigo/ Dizziness
James had come in with a shoulder problem which we determined was out of my scope of practice. I asked him if he would be willing to try a few session of reflexology, he agreed. While working on James feet the first time we found quite a few reflex areas that were tender especially the liver reflex, eye/ear reflexes as well as all the toes. While going over the liver reflex James volunteered that he liked scotch which was reflected in his liver reflex. He expressed his discomfort and was a little skeptical about the process. He returned a few more times and his fourth treatment he decided to express his concerns stating “This is a bunch of hogwash; I don’t want to waste any more time with this reflexology".

To my surprise I had a call from James; he wanted to reschedule another treatment. When he arrived at my office I expressed to him that I was curious why he had returned. James said "I hate to admit this but this reflexology works". James explained “I thought that I was going to have to end my flying career but since you have been working on my feet I no longer have the head fog and vertigo like symptoms when I fly. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this. James returned for another several treatments and continues to fly high.

Case 8. Low Back Pain
Pattie had contacted me wondering if I could do anything to help her with her low back pain. Patti was scheduled for back surgery in 6 weeks however she wanted to find any relief she could in the mean time. We found that her lumbar, pelvic, and hip reflexes we extremely tender.

Pattie returned once a week for about 5 weeks. By the fifth week Pattie was happy to report that her low back pain had reduced by 75% and was holding. I showed Pattie how to stimulate the specific reflex areas herself and she gladly reported that she had cancelled her back surgery.

Pattie is now able to pursue a workout program, has lost 50 pounds and lives 90% pain free!

Case 9. Sinusitis
Arlene has been battling sinusitis for many years. Each time she would have a flare up she would reach for the medications which would give her temporary relief at best. I happened to have an opportunity to work with Arlene one day at a local gym I was employed at. Arlene's sinuses were very congested that day and she was unable to breath out of her nose. I worked on her toes, adrenal reflexes as well as the ileocecal valve reflex. To Arlene's surprise her sinuses completely drained later that day. Arlene returned 2 days later for another treatment. Following her second treatment Arlene's sinuses were completely clear. Arlene was in awe and very pleased with the wonderful results she had received from the science of reflexology.

Case 10. Foot Pain
Betty came to my office presenting pain in her left foot. Betty had been told by her podiatrist that she had a bone spur on the top of her metatarsal area and he would like to perform surgery to remove the bone spur. Betty asked me if there was anything I could do to help her foot. I said absolutely and proceeded to work on her feet for the next 50 minutes, focusing more on her left foot. Betty returned once a week for the next 3 weeks and by the fourth treatment her foot pain had vanished. Betty was so very grateful for the amazing results achieved with reflexology, not to mention the anxiety vanished
knowing she was no longer facing the thought of foot surgery.

Case 11. Neck Pain.
While attending massage therapy school back in 1998 we briefly studied the science of reflexology I never gave it the respect I do today until I experienced first hand the powerful results in my own personal healing. I awakened one morning with a stiff neck and could not rotate nor lift my head without great discomfort. As a neuromuscular therapist I sought a therapist that could perhaps help me and this therapist happened to be a reflexologist. He never worked on my neck rather just my feet. The result was range of motion without any discomfort and a general sense of well being ensued.

Since my initial experience with reflexology, I continued to receive and study this science and have practiced and applied this amazing science and have witnessed time and time again the tremendous results reflexology has with simple to severe pathologies. I love reflexology because anyone can do it and everyone can benefit from having this done. I am so grateful to understand and share the truly amazing benefits and healing that reflexology offers to our health and well being. B.M. LMT, CNMT


Case 12. Migraines
Ann had been having migraines for the last 10 years for some 6 hours per day. I had the opportunity to work with Ann for about 6 weeks. Each Tuesday for about an hour we focused the majority of our time on the reflex areas in the toes as well as all the spinal reflexes using the remainder of each treatment covering the other reflex areas of the feet. To Ann's surprise by the sixth week her headaches were minimized to 1/2 hour per day with no medication, Ann was very pleased and was thankful to have experienced the facilitating power of reflexology.

Case 13. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Donna had been complaining of discomfort in her abdominal area which caused her much gas, bloating, cramping for a number of months. As we were working on the reflex areas, I noticed that the intestinal reflexes were extremely tender. After about five treatments on the feet Donna was pleased to report that her condition had resolved itself and she felt better than ever. As a matter of fact she said she felt ten years younger. She still continues to receive reflexology once a month as a preventative.

Case 14. Sciatica/ Numb Toes
Rhoda came into my office one day with a cane and barely walking. Rhoda presented 10 numb toes, sciatica down both legs and well as pain in her right shoulder as a result of a mastectomy. We agreed to two 1/2 hours a week for 8 weeks and proceeded to work on the associated reflexes, such as the lumbar and sacral reflexes, hip/sciatic reflexes as well as the pelvic and knee/leg reflexes.

Rhoda had great progress over the eight weeks, each week coming in and feeling a little better. Rhoda experienced amazing results considering she barely hobbled in my office the first visit. Rhoda's end result; no numbness in the toes, no shoulder pain and her sciatic pain reduced by 97%. Rhoda was so pleased as she walked out with a spring in her step and no cane.

Case 15. Fibromyalgia
Alicyn came into the office presenting a severe case of fibromyalgia. Alicyn's discomfort was severe, her legs were constantly on fire and you could not even touch them. I shared some of the benefits of a reflexology treatment and she agreed to give it a try. We proceeded to work on all of the reflexes of Alicyn's feet that day with very minor relief. Alicyn continued to return 2 times a week for the next 8 weeks. Alicyn was very encouraged by her progress and by the last treatment she had no burning
in her legs and just minor discomfort in the top of her feet and ankles, 96% of her symptoms vanished. Alicyn continues with a maintenance plan and continues to do very well.

Case 16. Sciatica
Wanted to thank you again for your introduction of reflexology to me. It certainly has diminished my
discomfort. It still lingers, but is much more bearable. Again thank you so much for your treatment. It has certainly made my condition much more bearable. Thanks for helping me. Much success to you in the future. Sincerely B. Robinson

Case 17. Back Pain
I just wanted to tell what the results were from my first reflexology treatment. I have to say for most of the rest of the week I felt great and the back problem was dramatically reduced and that even included a day at Universal Studios. Thank you very much for this introduction to reflexology. Sincerely B. McQuiggan

Case 18. Parkinson's Disease
Henry came into my office presenting Parkinson's disease. Henry asked me if I could do anything to help his drooling, tremors and body stiffness. I mentioned to Henry that I had never worked with anyone presenting that condition before, but I was willing to give it a try. The first treatment provided very little relief and the same is true for the second treatment.

By the 3rd treatment Henry mentioned that he no longer had any body stiffness and was now able to bend down and pick up his newspaper with ease. The 4th treatment helped take care of Henry's equilibrium challenge so that he was now able to put his pants on without holding on to something. The tremors and drooling were only reduced by 10%, however considering Henry's age (86) he had some amazing results in only 3.5 hours spent on the reflex areas of the feet.

Case 19. Foot Pain
I met Tina at a local Time Share Resort here in central Florida. Tina approached me after my presentation complaining of foot pain in the ball of her right foot. Tina Said "I have had this pain in my foot for the last 2 1/2 years and it continues to get worse". I asked Tina to have a seat and put her right foot up on my knee. I spent a total of 5 minutes working on the reflex area's in the ball of her right foot. By creating enough heat, movement, and pressure we were able to have about 5 spontaneous alignments in the metatarsal (Long bones of the foot) bones as well as the phalanges (Toe bones).

The result? Tina stepped onto her right foot and to her surprise 95% of the foot discomfort had vanished. This is just another amazing testimony and result facilitated by the science of reflexology.

Case 20. Asthma
I met a gentleman named Steve who has suffered with asthma all of his life. Steve must use his inhaler twice a day every day and has been doing this for many years. I shared with Steve a few basic thoughts about the science of reflexology and asked him if he would be open to letting me work on the balls of both feet (top and bottom) to provide him relief from his asthma symptoms. Steve seemed perplexed, but agreed to the treatment. I spent a total time of 20 minutes on both feet, when we were finished Steve commented that he could take a deeper breath and his breathing patterns were less labored. I checked in with Steve a week later and he was excited to report that he had not used his inhaler at all for the whole week. Steve was very grateful and comforted to know that such relief could come so naturally and easily. He continues to work on the reflex areas that were treated that day and continues to experience the benefits
Comment by Ruthellen Wood on July 16, 2009 at 4:57am
The below article was sent by a friend it's long but worth the read
Comment by Ruthellen Wood on July 16, 2009 at 4:55am
AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY' BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL US THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong, the cancer cells will be destroyed
and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer, it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies.
These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.
7.. Radiation, while destroying cancer cells, also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size.
However, prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation, the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.
CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar, a person cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Stevia, xytol, honey, etc., are natural products. Even better natural substitutes would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruit helps put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can come from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, try drinking fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eating some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water: best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. Refraining from or eating less meat frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like Vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.
Observe the following:
1. No plastic containers in microwave.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
Comment by Lauriann Greene, CEAS on July 13, 2009 at 4:53pm
Hi all - Michael invited me to join your group. I'm the co-author of Save Your Hands! The Complete Guide to Injury Prevention and Ergonomics for Manual Therapists, 2nd Edition. I live in southeastern FL, and I look forward to discussing self-care, injury prevention and ergonomics with you all. I hope you'll come see my presentation at the 2009 AMTA National Conference in Orlando!
Comment by Dan Rioux on July 9, 2009 at 10:31am
By way of introduction, I have a private practice in Naples Florida, specializing in AIS Stretching, Deep Tissue, and Stress Reduction massage. I am also a NCBTMB approved CEU provider for Active Isolated Stretching - The Mattes Method. I have been interning under Aaron Matte's tutelage for the last two years at his clinic in Sarasota. My next seminar is in Portland Maine (where I summer) on Sept 25 - 27
Comment by Ruthellen Wood on July 8, 2009 at 8:43am
I would also recomend an Oakworks. I didn't buy an Oakworks and I found that the chair I have is not adjustable enough. It fit my budget at the time but has turned out to be less than worthwhile. It just doesn't work well for people over 6'. what ever choice you make it is really an investment.
 

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