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East West College of the Healing Arts

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So far East West College of the Healing Arts has created 156 blog entries.

How to Safely Practice Massage Therapy in Coronavirus Times

2020-08-28T13:15:10-04:00August 28th, 2020|

Five months ago, Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 20-12, which closed all “non-medical massage services” to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. Unless prescribed by a doctor for medical purposes, massage therapy was prohibited across the state. Most massage facilities closed at that time, including our own on-campus Portland massage clinic. Three months ago, the Governor outlined reopening procedures, specifying requirements for each phase of restarting the economy. If their county was approved for Phase One, non-medical massage providers could reopen. As of late August, every county in the state has been approved for Phase One reopening. Assuming massage [...]

Questions for LMTs to Ask Themselves Before Reopening a Massage Clinic following Covid-19 Lockdown

2020-07-24T10:37:28-04:00July 24th, 2020|

Portland massage therapy practitioners may now set client appointments as part of stage one Coronavirus reopening. At the same time, state guidelines set strict reopening criteria for the safety of clients and LMTs. In such amorphous times, how can therapists decide if the time is right to go back to the tableCovid-19 LMT Questions? This question isn’t covered in massage therapist schooling, as modern times have never featured this sort of extended lockdown. To help LMTs assess their own readiness to reopen, we are providing the following relevant questions. These standards are set by the Oregon Health Authority’s Phase 1 Reopening [...]

Forward Movement in Tricky Times: Tips for LMTs in the Age of the Coronavirus

2020-04-29T12:23:53-04:00April 29th, 2020|

Early in the coronavirus crisis, many were hopeful that Oregon’s massage businesses would be able to reopen by April 15th, the original end date in Kate Brown’s first executive order. Then, on April 14th, the governor outlined three indicators for when the economy can be reopened: 1) a “flattened curve,” meaning fewer recorded cases of COVID-19; 2) adequate protective gear for essential frontline workers, and 3) increased testing capabilities, to track any resurgence of the virus. When can we estimate these three items will be in place? Experts predict that flattening the curve will extend through at least mid-May, and Governor [...]

How the CARES Act Affects Massage Therapists: Individual Payments, Unemployment Benefits and SBA Loans to Battle the Coronavirus Crisis

2020-04-02T18:55:54-04:00April 2nd, 2020|

Congress worked fervently last week to complete the CARES Act. This $2-trillion, bipartisan deal, short for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities Act, includes cash payments to individuals, expanded unemployment benefits, and Small Business Administration Disaster Loans. If your massage therapy career is facing a major hurdle in the form of COVID-19, financial relief may be on the horizon. Let’s analyze how massage therapists can access the CARES Act’s resources. Individual Cash Transfers The CARES Act includes direct payments to individuals, to be distributed in the next couple of weeks. Eligible families will generally receive $1,200 per adult and $500 [...]

Updates & Support for Massage Therapists in the Age of Coronavirus

2020-03-24T17:39:56-04:00March 24th, 2020|

Life in the era of the novel coronavirus would have been unrecognizable ten days ago. Day by day, we are witnessing enormous shifts, from how we greet others to employment prospects. To date, almost 400,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across the globe, with nearly 16,500 deaths. To “flatten the curve,” i.e. slow the rate of infection, many leaders are limiting interactions through social distancing measures. Here in Oregon, the governor has just announced a “Stay Home” executive order which closes all gyms, day spas, fitness studios, and “non-medical massage therapy services.” Clearly, life is changing rapidly for all Americans, [...]

Proactive Massage: PNF, Range of Motion and Client Engagement During Massage

2020-03-18T16:03:39-04:00March 18th, 2020|

Ask the average person why they get massage, and they might answer “for stress relief” or “to feel good!” It is unlikely that the first words out of their mouth would be “To improve communication between my nervous system and my muscles.” Yet mind/body proprioceptive learning is at the heart of proactive massage techniques. In proactive massage, the client participates through stretching, awareness of sensation, and mindful breathing. By improving the connection between brain and body, these unique massage approaches can successfully decrease pain, increase range of motion, and empower clients to become aware of their own muscular holding patterns. Let’s [...]

Research Review: The Efficacy of CBD Massage

2020-03-18T15:57:43-04:00February 18th, 2020|

CBD is a buzzword the modern massage industry. Indeed, as cannabis is legalized in more states, multiple trades are considering how the addition of CBD and cannabis products can add value.  Is CBD massage a novelty that will soon fade? Or can today’s LMTs expect CBD massage to become commonplace? Today we’re reviewing the current research on CBD, particularly on how CBD can reduce inflammation. Our hope is to keep LMTs and massage clients informed on why CBD massage is appealing, how it works, and why you might want to consider adding it to your next massage session. We begin with [...]

Massage Therapist Self-Care Questions to Assess Injury Risk

2020-03-18T15:50:02-04:00February 1st, 2020|

Did you know that three out of four therapists have experienced work-related pain or discomfort in the past two years? It’s true, according to a survey on injury among 601 American massage therapists. The same survey found that 64% of LMTs have sought medical treatment for their injuries. To enjoy a long, successful massage therapy career, therapists must cultivate good self-care habits, including injury prevention. Today we’re examining workplace injuries for massage therapists. We also include a list of questions therapists can ask themselves to understand their risk. Let’s begin with a review of injury in the massage profession. Massage Magazine [...]

Massage Modalities: Lymphatic Drainage Massage

2020-03-18T15:38:41-04:00January 18th, 2020|

The world of massage is not monotone. There are multitudes of massage modalities, several of which we have covered in previous articles. While completing massage therapy training at East West College, our students can take specialized classes in different massage techniques. Today we’re reviewing Lymphatic Drainage Massage. We will provide a basic definition, as well as listing benefits, techniques, and contraindications. First, let’s review how the lymphatic system works. This portion of the circulatory system has two big jobs: 1. Removing waste and excess fluid, and 2. Fighting off infections. The lymphatic system exists throughout the body, and includes vessels, tissues [...]

Stretch Mark Massage

2020-01-14T17:30:09-05:00January 2nd, 2020|

Did you know that most babies are born in August? In fall and winter months, new mothers may be thinking about self-care, and wondering about stretch marks. Of course, stretch marks are not exclusive to mothers. What are stretch marks? What kind of treatment helps rebuild stretched tissue? Read on to discover answers to these questions, and more. What are Stretch Marks? Stretch marks occur as the body expands to accommodate changing dimensions, such as during pregnancy. A stretch mark appears where connective tissue breaks down. The epidermis, dermis, and superficial fascia of the skin is stretched more quickly than the [...]

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