Polarity therapy is an energy-based system that aims to address the body, mind, and spirit of the client through energetic bodywork, diet, exercise, and improved self-awareness. Dr. Randolph Stone, a naturopathic physician, osteopath, and chiropractor who emigrated from Austria to America in the early 1800s, developed polarity therapy because he was disillusioned by the “mechanistic” […]
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Reiki is composed of two Japanese words. Rei is roughly translated to mean “higher intelligence,” and ki is the word for “life-force energy.” Reiki is an energetic approach to health and healing in which a reiki practitioner places their hands on or above a recipient or heals from a distance. This therapy was developed in
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Energy medicine is one of five domains of CAM therapy identified by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Energy medicine can take many forms, and the philosophies behind particular approaches can vary widely. Well-known energy medicine systems commonly practiced by massage therapists include polarity therapy, reiki, therapeutic touch, Healing Touch, Zero Balancing,
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In general, energetic bodywork systems seek to harmonize the flow of energy throughout and around the body allowing the body to find emotional, spiritual, and physical balance. This balanced state encourages the body’s healing mechanisms to correct disordered body systems or functions. The body is able to focus its resources on healing itself. In some
Lesson 18-0: Introduction Read More »
Ayurveda is both a traditional medical system and a philosophy that offers keys for creating harmony and balance in life. Ayurveda developed in Southern India and Sri Lanka, with early texts written before the 5th century BC. In Sanskrit, “ayur” means life, and “veda” means knowledge.11 Like TCM, traditional ayurveda includes many elements of practice
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Asian bodywork therapy (ABT) is a general term used to describe a number of different forms of bodywork that have developed over the centuries in Asian countries and, more recently, in the West. The treatment principles, goals, and methods used in Asian bodywork therapies are based on concepts from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Therefore, one
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Eastern approaches to massage and bodywork are based on traditional medical systems that view the body differently than in Western medicine (Box 17-1). While many Eastern techniques share similar treatment methods with Western-based approaches, they are applied with different intent. This broad overview of Eastern approaches provides a basis for you to begin exploring areas
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This lesson discusses how to clean and sanitize hydrotherapy equipment, how to recognize contraindications and adapt sessions to ensure client safety, and how to apply common hydrotherapy treatments.
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Hydrotherapy applications support many of the benefits and effects of massage and can improve the results clients experience from the massage session. The benefits of hydrotherapy include the pleasure and comfort clients receive through hydrotherapy applications. The effects of hydrotherapy usually depend on the temperature of the application and the delivery method (bath, pack, shower,
Lesson 16-2: Hydrotherapy Benefits and Effects Read More »
The term hydrotherapy originates in two Greek words, hydro, meaning water, and therapeia, meaning therapy. It is an external application of water as a liquid, solid, or vapor for therapeutic purposes. The use of water in healing dates back before recorded history, and many cultures around the globe have traditions that include hydrotherapy. North American
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Interactive and engaging digital textbooks and online continuing education for the 21st century massage therapist.