Be Thankful

The point of Thanksgiving is to remember the things we have to be grateful for. It's our special time to give thanks... not just for the obvious, like food, but for the thousands of fortunate moments, the multitude of blessings that we receive each year.

That's not always as easy as it sounds. We tend to remember the bad things much more easily than the good. Try to think of all the good things that happened because something bad happened first. For example, "If that slow driver hadn't pulled in front of me, I would have gotten a speeding ticket." "If I hadn't experienced unemployment, I would never have acquired the skills that got me a more fulfilling job."

Don't focus on what you don't have. Focus on what you do have. For example: "I'm so fortunate to have a warm place to sleep in the winter." "I'm so fortunate to live in a safe neighborhood where I can take walks." "I'm so fortunate to be able to see the beauty around me."

Think about people you've known that have made you thankful for their existence. Imagine how many other people there are who might be equally as wonderful. You just haven't met them yet.

Think about people who have made life hard for you. Now think about the things you accomplished because of them. Did you finish something because they said that you couldn't? Did you get better at something because they made fun of you when you did it badly? Did their cruel actions make you vow never to treat others that way? Even the negative forces in your life can be hidden blessings, worthy of your gratitude.

Think about the animals that have given you joy: Dogs that love you with every inch of their hearts, cats that think your lap is the best place to nap in the whole world, birds whose songs uplift your spirit, squirrels whose antics put a grin on your face and so on.

Think about the places that make you smile: A favorite hangout, a wooded trail, an exciting city, a great spot from which to view the sky, a hill that you once rolled down. Give thanks for all these things.

Now pass it on. True gratitude involves action. Lend a hand. Pitch in. Make a gift. Give your time. Listen. Give back as often as you can. Even a friendly greeting can make all the difference in the world.

Create your own opportunities for gratitude. Do you know someone who never seems happy? Be ready with a smile and a kind word each time you see them. It may require patience, but eventually, they'll smile first when they see you. Your interactions with them will be much more pleasant. Guess what? You'll have a new reason to be thankful!

Let others know when they've done something that you're thankful for. For example, "I'll never forget how you stuck up for me. It meant a lot." "That email you sent really made my day." "You make shopping here a pleasure." An attitude of gratitude spreads like ripples from a tossed pebble, benefitting all it touches.

Remember that hard times make good times sweeter. Also keep in mind that obstacles and challenges not only make you stronger, but they force you to explore outside of the comfortable routine that you've settled into. Without challenges, there can be no progress. Without obstacles, there can be no achievement. Be thankful for the opportunities that they provide.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Healing Hands. We appreciate each and everyone of you. 2010

Pregnancy Massage

Maternity massage therapy is one of the most personally rewarding and professionally satisfying specializations.
A typical prenatal session, performed by a maternity specialist, addresses pregnancy's various physical challenges such as pain in the lower back, rib tightness, ankle swelling, & pain from pelvic postural and functional changes. Trained therapist emphasize autonomic sedation to maximize the stress-reducing effects to both relax mom and improve uterine blood supply for optimal fetal and maternal outcomes. Many women unburden their fears and other anxieties about childbearing during their sessions. Some therapist include techniques that may help the mother to be, develop the sensory awareness necessary to birth more comfortably and actively.
If you want to expand your personal practice, consider marketing to pregnant women.
-Try approaching local Md's and clinics and ask if you may put out flyer's or business cards.
-Join online networking groups such as stroller moms
-Offer discounted package rates. Pregnancy lasts 9 months if you can secure a commitment for 2x a month but only charge $40 for an hour that's an extra $160 a month for 9 months totaling $1440 for the year.
-Offer a free or discounted massage for prego friend referrals

Healing Hands School of Holoistic Health is offering Pregnancy massage for Winter in Escondido. Don't wait to long the class is already half full.
www.healinghandsschool.com

Vision Magazine

Healing Hands, Healing Hearts

With a plethora of options now available in natural healing, a new awareness has developed around massage. Its status as a mere luxury is getting a real makeover. For many, massage still seems like a luxury, as most insurance companies don't cover it, or if they do, will it include a list of exceptions. However, those who have received massage and have felt the benefits (and for those who are interesteed in becoming body workers themselves) can understand the vital link between health, healthcare and touch. The movement seems to be heading in the directions of clients and patients being proactive and involved in their own health and wellbeing. Alongside this new element of awareness and shift in prioities, the field of massage therapy is ever growing/integrative healthcare is one result of such awareness, and it is a wonderful step in combining allopathic medicine with natural, complementary therapies.

In San Diego, there is a handful of massage schools. Healing Hands School of Holistic Healthis not new to the massage field, and has been teacing massage therapy since 1992. Interestignly, it started in Neha and Paula Curtiss' station wagon; their "office" a kitchen table. These modest roots have grown into a successful school with two campuses: one based in Escondido, and the other on Laguna Hills, California.

Paula, one of its founders, discussed how Healing Hands developed in response to a community need for this type of healing, even before the Department of Education recognized massage therapy as viable training. There are now large trade schools around the nation that offer massage. Before it was adopted by the Department, there were only independent schools (such as Healing Hands), concentrating soley on teaching the art of massage. The founders' vision is "to teach theraputic bodywork where the massage students not only learn the teqhniques but are inspired by the art and the craft of the work. We understood that the student must be able to feel the work; we saw then, and now, the need for the beginner to be both the therapist and the client." The school has served over 4,800 student, and offers excellent job placement assistance.

Curtiss also emphasizes the variety of massage modalities available to students, and how it reflects the multi-cultural aspect of massage itself. Although most well-known in the West is Swedish, or Circulatory massage, it is believed that Swedish actually originated from Chinese massage, (know as Tui Na today). Other cultures also have their own styles of massage, the Japanese have Shiatsu and Reiki energy work, with roots in Tendai Buddhism and Shintoism, Thai massage, hawaiian Lomi Lomi and Indian Head massage. Each culture has adapted its own style, and draws from its respective cultural and spiritual belief systems. Speaking of traditions, Healing Hands have some traditions of their own: "Every spring, since 1995, we retreat from the world of technology and hot showers and gather in a protected canyon, held in its natural state. Under century-old oaks by a bubbling creek, we are led in meditations, handcrafts, healing techniques and herbal lore. We eat delicious food, lovingly prepared. We sit at the fire and bring our voices together in song and laughter. We carry wood, water, and the need to connect."

The school's philosophy also states that holistic health doesn't ever have to be in contradiction to Western healing methods. It incorporates a variety of different modalities from differect cultures, and sees itself as a community of healing. One special element of the school is the various partnerships and participation with community organizations and events. It has participated in various triathalons and the work of many charity organizations, and the curriculum offers community service experience as well. In this way, the community at Healing Hands is a part of a larger community. Prospective students should know that in addition to the standard Massage Therapy and Holistic Health Practitioner Programs, the school offers 1700 hours of additional modalities, some of which include; Pregnancy Massage, Thai Massage, Energy Therapy, Trigger Point Therapy and even Geriatric, and Hospital based massage.

Geriatric Massage as well as Cancer Massage and other Hospital based massage are areas seeing greater integration with traditional Western medicine. For those interested in the field of Geriatric Massage, there are some fundamental adjustments to the typical Swedish massage protocol. The class taught at Healing Hands teaches about working with elderly population, and covers physiology and issues relating to aging, joint, connective tissue and other topics. A major portion of the class is completed by working directly with clients at a skilled nursing facility. Students have the opportunity to work with the same 3 or 4 client's individual needs. This type of massage is very much about learning how to manage in a hospital based environment, usually without the luxury of massage tables. Just as there are no "standard" 80-year-olds, each treatment must adapt and be flexible to the individual and the aging process, as opposed to age-based treatments.

One benefit for the elderly is simply the presence of another caring human being. It is difficult to quantify the effects and importance of this very basic aspect of human existence: the capacity and necessity for touch and presence. Holding space for the client can help with their feelings of loneliness, depression and disorientation, and can offer an overall calming effect. There is growing empirical evidence of the benefits of touch-but ultimately, touch is something that is felt and experienced. How do you put into charts or data the abstract emotional effects experienced after massage, or the increased energy or even mental clarity that you experience after a session? Massage is often about the communication between bodies, emotion, and the greater environment. One of the greatest benefits of massage lies in a deeper understanding of our bodies; it is about so much more than just a therapist putting her hands on a client-it always involves intention and listening to what the body is saying.

Published in Vision magazine
by Cindy Chen

A path to self love..

When you ask people how they practice self-love, common answers that arise
are exercising, eating well, and positive thinking. However, learning to be a Holistic Heath Practitioner and taking classes in massage therapy and energy work at Healing Hands have truly made a positive impact on the way I feel about myself intellectually, physically and emotionally. Giving massages and receiving work as a client have also contributed in bringing forth more self-awareness, self-growth, and self-love than I would have ever thought possible.

My massage therapy and energy work classes have enhanced my confidence and encouraged me to trust my abilities. I have taken a variety of classes in circulatory and sports massage, traditional oriental healing techniques, anatomy, deep tissue manipulation, and energy work. Energy work, such as Reiki and Energetic Bodywork, can be described as a healing modalities that use positive energy to promote healing in your clients bodies, hearts and spirits. I truly felt supported by my teachers who enable students to realize their potential as professional healers and provide them with an environment where they can feel secure in their learning and growth process. HHP students, Nicole Krause, shares that being around her fellow students "encourages me and continues to encourage me to seek knowledge and that leads me to greater self-esteem." This process of building up each others energies is needed to create good healers.

The Holistic Health Practitioners Program has also helped me in seeing the value of taking care of my body and nurturing it more. Research has shown that massage therapy benefits the body in several different ways and assists in maintain food health. My classes have taught me to have an understanding of the structure and function of the body and have given me the opportunity to fine-tune my craft with many hours of practical experience. Since it is important to take care of your own body in order to practice massage therapy, my classes often set time aside for physical activity such as yoga, stretching, tai chi or qigong. My teachers emphasize the importance of proper body mechanics and care about our health and longevity in the field. Many of my classmates agree that their own body awareness and body image have improved as a result.

My education at healing Hands has been extremely beneficial to me emotionally. Energy work has been shown to successfully help people overcome fear, deal with their grief, and release intense emotions. In my Energetic Bodywork class, I was challenged to confront my inaccurate beliefs about myself. One assignment was to create my "dream book" in which I made a collage of everything I wanted in life. Everything in the book has miraculously come to fruition.

Taking time to get massage shows that you have respect for your mind, body and soul. For a client, massage reduces mental stress, improves concentration, and encourages calm thinking and creativity. Physically, it reduces muscle tension, increases circulation, improves posture, and strengthens the immune system. Massage also benefits a persons emotional health. Receiving massage enables us to receive love and teaches us that others can nurture us despite any of our perceived imperfections. A client of mine who makes time in her busy schedule to get regular massages says that the bodywork improves her general well being and spirit ans is a peaceful escape to sync her mind and body. She adds that massages are available and can be tailored to anybody, from all walks of life, no matter what their own individual reasons for needing or wanting one.

As a practitioner, you learn how to give love through your work and that, in turn fuels the love I have for myself. Raina Colvin , a Healing Hands Instructor, shares " I am more accepting of myself. I have found that showing others respect and honor to myself helps them to see the value in themselves." One of the Healing Hands School's Founder and Director, states, "Your client is never just a pile of muscle and bones on your massage table; they bring to your table everything, truly everything, that has ever happened to them; the sum if their life is on your table, under your hands. In order to teach this kind of reverence, our faculty and staff must constantly engender respect and dignity in our deliberations with each other, with our students and with the healing community.

The physics of muscle stress are important to understand, but a true healer must also heal emotions. In order to hold that space for your client, you must channel love through your work. Such energy is used in all people who practise massage, from a tender wife working on her husbands neck for a few moments to a professional who helps athletes recover from a hard game. In order to channel that love in our work, we must have respect and love for our work, and more importantly, for our self.

Through all of my education at Healing Hands, I have learned so much more about self-love than I ever expected. Having the experiences of being a practitioner and being a client have taught me how to love and care for others. It has also taught me how to treat my own mind, body, and spirit with respect. HHP students Aimee Porter says "Being able to have goods self-esteem and acceptance of yourself is key to being a good massage therapist. We need to be able to love ourselves!"