The Ariana Institute’s Self Care for the Massage Therapist Manual is part of a series of massage manuals that are designed to help deepen the knowledge of current massage therapists and introduce new massage therapists to the world of massage and bodywork. The Self Care for the Massage Therapist Manual features topics that are also available as NCBTMB approved online CE courses through the Ariana Institute at www.arianainstitute.com/ce-online/, including:
- Self Care and Body Mechanics
- Stretching and Breathing
- Meditation as a Therapeutic Tool
- Mindfulness in a Therapeutic Setting
This manual incorporates detailed protocols, photos, links to online videos, marketing strategies, personal stories, and resources to encourage a comprehensive understanding of self-care modalities beneficial for yourself and your massage practice.
Here’s a personal story about self-care for massage therapists featured in the Self Care for the Massage Therapist Manual.
SELF CARE FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS
My focus on self-care has been an ongoing evolution throughout the course of my massage therapy career. I am constantly seeking ways to make work easier for myself by focusing on using good body mechanics, implementing basic self-care techniques, and setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Prior to becoming a full-time educator and author, I worked as a massage therapist in high-volume medical offices and quick-paced spa environments while maintaining my own massage therapy practice. During the lean years, I frequently had two or three jobs just to keep my head above water economically, so I found it of tantamount importance to practice good self-care in order to maintain a life in balance especially during times of intensity.
The more I learned about effective body mechanics and preventative measures, the better I felt at the end of the day. I could see many highly skilled practitioners leaving the massage profession as they blew their thumbs, injured their wrists or hurt their backs. I am grateful for the ever-evolving focus on self-care and good body mechanics in many of the core curriculum and advanced classes for massage therapists. Thanks in great part to the excellent instruction I’ve received in self-care and body mechanics, here I am at the other end of my career, in the golden years, still standing upright when called for and able to bend like a willow in the wind when the moment calls for it.
What I’ve noticed is that the massage therapists who practice good self-care throughout the course of their careers are much less likely to feel depleted at the end of a session, the end of a day, or the end of their careers. By staying physically fit and emotionally healthy, utilizing good body mechanics, and practicing self-care techniques on a consistent basis, massage therapists can enjoy a long and successful career and serve as good role models for those in the community who have yet to embrace their own formula for self care and well being. As Rebecca Gordon said, “Each positive thought, every vibrant attitude, all purposeful activities water the seeds for success along your path. Pay attention to these and feed them appropriately. Then maintain their beautiful growth through conscious self-care.”
I am grateful for the reminders I have in place for drawing myself back to my center. The reminders signal me to nurture myself while nurturing others and to set and maintain healthy boundaries. I don’t know where I’d be today if I didn’t have some tools in my tool belt for returning to a peaceful center through good self care techniques. It took a conscious effort to set up my life in a way that I could work in a healthcare environment without completely depleting myself. Creating the Self Care For Massage Therapists Manual has been a good additional reminder for me on the importance of loving ourselves and caring for ourselves with as much reverence as we care for others.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – ARIANA VINCENT, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Ariana Vincent was awarded the 2015 CE Provider of the Year Award by the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education. She is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapy Instructor whose classes are accepted throughout the United States. Ariana is also a Massage Therapy Hall of Fame Honoree and author of the Ariana Institute’s therapy manual series available on Amazon.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To read the foreword of the Self Care for the Massage Therapist Manual, visit https://arianainstitute.com/the-ariana-institutes-self-care-for-massage-therapists-manual-and-ce-courses/.
The Ariana Institute’s video introduction to the Self Care and Body Mechanics, Stretching and Breathing, Meditation as a Therapeutic Tool and Mindfulness in a Therapeutic Setting CE courses can be accessed on the Ariana Institute’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/ArianaInstitute.
To order your copies of the Ariana Institute’s Self Care for the Massage Therapist Manual, visit www.amazon.com/author/arianavincent.
For additional information about the Ariana Institute and to register for online continuing education and MTI courses visit www.arianainstitute.com/ce-online/. 
Ariana Vincent, LMT, MTI, NCTMB