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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 186 blog entries.

East West College’s New Location in Downtown Portland: Opening on July 1st, 2019

2019-05-21T13:27:06-07:00May 21st, 2019|

We’re moving! This July, East West College is starting a new chapter in the education district of downtown Portland, Oregon. Our new building will be at 1515 SW Fifth Avenue, on the fourth floor.

Massage school students and clients will be happy to know that our new home is easy to access via public transit, with multiple options for MAX light rail, bus, and streetcar routes. To facilitate a smooth transition, we are providing each student with a transit pass for the month of July, upon request.

Additional amenities at our new location include:

  • 30,000 square feet of totally remodeled space with energy-efficient […]

Common Injuries for Massage Therapists, and How to Avoid Them

2019-07-02T15:19:36-07:00May 2nd, 2019|

Do you shudder at the prospect of working at a desk for 40 hours per week? Do you long to heal others? Does the human body fascinate you? If you answered yes to all these questions, you should be a massage therapist (if you’re not already one!). There are few other jobs that allow for such active, fulfilling work. Yet at the same time, the repetitive nature of massage therapy presents the potential for injury. In this blog, we’re looking at the most common injuries among massage therapists, as well as how you can avoid injury while providing massage. Portland massage […]

Challenges and Rewards of Sports Massage Therapy

2019-07-02T15:17:41-07:00April 2nd, 2019|

While becoming a sports massage therapist may seem glamorous—think of traveling with a team! Being on the sidelines! Celebrating wins with your massage clients! —the ins and outs of sports massage therapy can be challenging. Let’s take a look at the more difficult aspects of a job in sports therapy. We’ll also review the career rewards that successful sports therapists enjoy.

Sports Massage Therapy: An Introduction
Sports massage therapists provide massage to athletes at all levels, and many different venues. Some therapists work with a team throughout the season to keep athletes in top condition. Others may contract work for certain events, such […]

Massage Modalities: Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage

2019-03-11T16:40:10-07:00March 11th, 2019|

What is Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage?

Literally, the word Ashiatsu translates to “foot pressure.” In this type of massage, therapists deliver strokes through their feet, rather than their hands. Traditionally, the therapist stands over the massage table, with parallel bars overhead for support. Using their feet as well as their body weight, the therapist delivers consistent, deep, broad pressure.

Benefits of Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage

—Deep pressure without pointy elbows or thumbs. The broad surface of the foot decreases the sharpness clients sometimes experience with deep tissue work.
—More power. As this type of massage utilizes the therapist’s body weight, it allows for up to three times […]

Couples Massage 101: Benefits, Marketing, and other Considerations for Massage Therapists

2019-02-27T21:27:49-08:00February 27th, 2019|

Couples massage consists of concurrent massage sessions given to two people in the same room, with two massage therapists working simultaneously. The massage tables are typically arranged side-by-side. Therapists may select to intensify the shared aspect of the experience by carrying out similar strokes at the same time. Long, soothing strokes, such as in Swedish massage, are perfect for this tandem relaxation. Couples massage may be offered in spas, private massage practices, or in clients’ homes. Read on to learn benefits of couples massage, as well as marketing, pricing, and space considerations.

Client Benefits of Couples Massage
—Bonding. During massage, feel-good neurochemicals and […]

Interoception: How Body Awareness can Prevent Burnout

2019-02-28T16:48:47-08:00December 1st, 2018|

In early days of intelligence research, IQ was the all-important number. Later, researchers such as Daniel Goleman added social and emotional components to human development. Today, interoception is gaining recognition as a new form of intelligence that may help individuals offset the intensity of modern life. What is interoception? How does it work in the body? And how can improving interoception fight burnout? Answering these questions can help us appreciate the importance of receiving regular massage.

What is Interoception?
Interoception is awareness of the body’s internal state. Interoception receptors relay internal body information to the […]

Customizing Massage: Questions to Ask to Improve Client Comfort

2019-02-28T16:41:52-08:00November 14th, 2018|

When dreaming of how to become a massage therapist, a person might think of all the incredible healing techniques they’ll learn at massage therapy school. However, a high-quality school of massage must also teach therapists how to communicate with clients before, during, and after the massage. Asking the right questions can help create a customized healing experience that clients won’t soon forget.

Here are a few questions students at our school of massage are trained to ask to optimize each client’s massage session:

1. Do you prefer lotion or oil?
Each emollient provides a different viscosity for delivering massage strokes. However, it is also […]

Touch and Human Development

2019-02-28T16:43:19-08:00November 1st, 2018|

Touch may seem simple, but is actually quite complex. The human brain is capable of differentiating sensations (a pin prick vs. an itch), temperature, pressure, and even emotional intention. Touch is critical in that it allows us to navigate worlds both physical and social. Affective, culture-based information is conveyed through touch. Today we’re considering how pleasant, non-sexual affective touch affects learning and development across the human lifespan.

First, let’s define social, affective touch. According to a recent article in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, This type of touch is distinguished by special nerve fibers, called C fibers, C-touch fibers, or CT fibers. […]

Creating a Safe Place for Healing: Scar Tissue Massage

2019-02-28T16:43:55-08:00October 14th, 2018|

Following an accident or surgery, patients need a safe place to heal. A massage therapist can create an atmosphere of trust and safe touch, to allow for deep healing. Massage therapy can help heal scar tissue on physical as well as emotional levels. From minor cuts to surgery scars, massage therapy can benefit all types of scar tissue.

Scar Tissue Issues
There’s a common misconception that scar tissue is inevitable—that it’s impossible to change or heal. In truth, scar tissue is part of the living matrix. All tissues are made up of the same elements, such as collagen and elastin. Cells deliver nutrients […]

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