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East West College of the Healing Arts

About East West College of the Healing Arts

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So far East West College of the Healing Arts has created 189 blog entries.

Introducing the East West College Staff: Meet Cindy Boyum, Clinic Manager

2014-09-14T16:45:44-07:00September 14th, 2014|

Dozens of incredible individuals make up our Oregon school of massage. Each member of our staff has a unique story of how they found massage as a career. Today we’re kicking off a new series of staff profiles highlighting the talented people behind East West College. We begin with Cindy Boyum, our massage clinic manager and a talented LMT in her own right.

Ask Cindy to describe her career in one word, and she comes up with love. Ask her to add three more, and she tacks on calm, healing and giving. Altogether, those four words have guided Cindy’s journey into the […]

Computer Strain: How it Causes Tight Scalenes, and How Massage Can Help

2014-09-07T16:44:34-07:00September 7th, 2014|

While sitting at a computer or reading our digital devices, many of us unwittingly jut the chin forward. This forward head posture may also appear when driving. In this position, the upper back will tend to hunch, as the abdominals grow soft. Upper back and neck tension are common results, as these muscles must support the head when it’s pushed forward in this way. (With proper posture, the skeleton would support the weight of the head instead.) This shape also causes the scalene muscles on the neck to tighten, which in turn can cause pain and even numbness down the arms. […]

Deep Tissue Massage: Benefits, What to Expect, and After Care

2014-09-05T16:39:52-07:00September 5th, 2014|

Deep tissue massage can help alleviate muscle adhesions, or “knots” as they are commonly known. Dehydration, injury, and overuse of a muscle can cause adhesions to form. An adhesion is comprised of continually contracting muscles. Muscles may become “too tight” in this way when we use them repetitively.

Like all contracted muscle, adhesions suffer poor circulation of lymph and blood; waste removal is also restricted as circulation decreases. Deep tissue massage works on the sub-layers of muscle and connective tissues that may feel “frozen” in place through repetitive movement or injury. By breaking up scar tissue, deep tissue helps release waste toxins, […]

Join us on 9/20 for our Massage College Preview Event!

2014-08-20T16:28:07-07:00August 20th, 2014|

Do you find yourself Googling phrases like “massage schools in Phoenix and Portland”? Do you catch yourself daydreaming about how life would be as a Licensed Massage Therapist? Get your questions answered and learn how to make your dreams a reality—attend our next massage career preview event on 9/20.

Every month, we host a massage career preview to let potential students know about our Portland, OR massage program. We also address general questions about massage therapy careers. Here’s the schedule for our massage career preview on September 20th:

10:00am to 12:00pm – Massage Career Preview
Bring your questions about massage. We’ll discuss life as […]

Massage Therapy Continuing Education: Online or In Person?

2014-08-14T16:26:16-07:00August 14th, 2014|

Given Oregon’s continuing education requirements for massage license renewal, all active massage therapists must regularly add to their professional knowledge. As a leading massage therapy school in Oregon, East West College offers continuing massage therapist schooling for alumni and non-alumni alike. Our continuing education (CE) courses are offered in person, on our NE Portland campus. However, many Oregon LMTs complete their CE hours through online courses. Today we’re comparing the advantages of in-person vs. online courses for massage therapy continuing education.

Advantages of In-Person Continuing Education for Massage Therapy

—Support and Accountability. When facing a room full of fellow learners, people are […]

From Thailand to Portland: Meet East West College Student Abbey M.

2014-08-05T16:22:44-07:00August 5th, 2014|

East West College attracts students from around the globe. No matter what their homeland, they share a common goal: Earning a massage therapy license with the state of Oregon. Today we’re introducing first year East West College student Abbey Mark, who chose to come to our school all the way from Phuket, Thailand.

The Road to East West College of the Healing Arts

Abbey’s journey to our Oregon massage school has been winding. Growing up between Japan and Thailand, Abbey always knew that she wanted to help heal people. While attending an international high school, Abbey was also engaged in her own independent […]

Join us on 8/16 for our Massage College Preview Event!

2014-07-27T16:20:08-07:00July 27th, 2014|

As one of the leading massage schools in Oregon, we recognize that signing up for a Portland massage therapy program is a huge step—and one that can’t be taken lightly. It takes reflection, research, and hands-on experience to decide to become an LMT. That’s why we offer a monthly Massage Career Preview Event every month—to help you decide if a massage career would be a good fit for you.

In August, our career preview event will be held on Saturday the 16th. Here’s the planned schedule for the day:

10:00am to 12:00pm: Massage Career Preview
What does a person need to practice massage in […]

5 Ways to Create an Amazing Massage Room

2014-07-10T16:18:17-07:00July 10th, 2014|

We’re often told not to judge a book by its cover, yet it’s only human to do just that. We do make judgments based on physical appearance—and no wonder, given what a visual species we are! It’s not something that’s deeply discussed in every massage training school, but creating a visually welcoming space can do wonders for attracting a consistent client base. For those of you who are completing a massage therapist certification, now is the perfect time to plan how you’ll decorate your new workplace (i.e., your massage clinic). Read on for our tips on decorating a massage space.

5 Ways […]

Criminal Background Checks: Required for Massage Licensure in Most States

2014-07-07T16:17:13-07:00July 7th, 2014|

Massage standards vary significantly from state to state. Massage schools in Michigan face different standards than those in our home state of Oregon. As of March of 2014, twenty-six states required fingerprinting and background checks for massage licensure or certification. On July 1st, Florida joined this group, passing a law to set up fingerprinting for massage therapists. Today we’re taking a look at which states require criminal background checks.

Our home state of Oregon requires fingerprints for first-time licensure applicants, but it does not currently require additional rounds of fingerprinting for renewals. The exception is coming back from inactive status—then the state […]

10 Ways to Gain New Massage Clients

2014-07-05T16:15:25-07:00July 5th, 2014|

You’re entering your massage therapist career. The education is done, you’ve passed state licensing, and your new massage space looks perfect. Now for actually getting a client in the door for a massage! Portland, OR is a haven for health nuts who love taking care of themselves with massage, so it’s not too tough to begin building a client base. Regardless of whether you’re in the Rose City, the following ten approaches will win you new massage clients.

  1. Volunteer at Athletic Events. Post-run, post-triathalon, post-ride: Massage never feels better than after a long athletic event. Contact event organizers and inquire about […]
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