“Our task is not to seek certainty. Our task is to remain present while certainty has not yet arrived.”

There is a season that every healthcare professional recognizes.

It begins with waiting.

Not treatment.

Not recovery.

Waiting.

The phone rings, and someone is told they need another scan. A biopsy. An MRI. More blood work. A consultation with a specialist. Sometimes the appointment comes quickly. Sometimes it doesn’t. Then comes another kind of waiting—the days between the test and the results.

Patients have a name for it now.

Scanxiety.

It is an honest word.

One that captures what the body already knows.

The waiting is often harder than the procedure itself.

I have had the privilege of offering massage to people before scans, before surgeries, before chemotherapy, before radiation, before appointments that may change the course of a life. Their shoulders soften. Their breathing slows. Their nervous systems settle, if only for a little while.

Then the massage ends.

The waiting remains.

And lately, it has become even more difficult. Across many parts of the country, shortages of radiologists and increasing demands on healthcare have meant that people sometimes wait days, or even a week or more for MRI and imaging results. The technology has become astonishingly sophisticated. The human beings interpreting those images are stretched thin.

For the patient, every hour feels longer than the last.

We are not very good at waiting.

Perhaps we never were.

Human beings have always searched for certainty.

We have sought it in religion, in science, in fortune tellers, in astrology, in statistics, in personality tests, in politics, even in tomorrow’s weather forecast.

Not because certainty is always possible.

Because uncertainty is exhausting.

Modern neuroscience offers an interesting perspective. Our brains are remarkable prediction machines. Much of what they do every waking moment is anticipate what comes next. They compare the present with past experience, constantly trying to reduce surprise and make the world feel more manageable. Prediction helps us survive.

When the future becomes uncertain, our nervous system notices.

Our breathing changes.

Our muscles tighten.

Sleep becomes restless.

Attention narrows.

The body prepares for danger, even when there is nothing to do but wait.

Knowing this has made me more compassionate toward the well-meaning phrases we often offer one another.

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“It was meant to be.”

“You’ve got this.”

Most of the time these words are not born from wisdom.

They are born from love.

We want to help.

We want to remove uncertainty for someone we care about.

Sometimes we also want to remove it from ourselves.

Yet I have begun to wonder if certainty is not always what people are asking for.

Perhaps they are asking for company.

Long before I understood any of this, I learned something about waiting from a horse.

I was ten years old at a livestock auction in Claremore, Oklahoma. My father and I had spent countless Saturdays there. We had bought horses before. Sometimes they fit our lives. Sometimes they didn’t. If one wasn’t the right horse, my father never called it a failure. He would simply smile and say, “I guess this might not be your horse.” We would bring it back to the sale, and life moved on.

One afternoon I noticed a paint horse unlike any I had ever seen.

He was beautiful.

He was also furious.

He kicked the walls of the stall. He reared. He snorted clouds of hot breath. No one wanted to get near him. Around me people called him crazy. Dangerous. A lost cause.

I thought he was magnificent.

Instead of walking directly toward the stall, I climbed across the livestock pens until I reached the far side where no one was crowding him. Then I sat down in the dirt.

I didn’t speak.

I didn’t coax.

I simply stayed.

My father had taught me something years earlier. When you encounter something frightened or something that might frighten you, you don’t always move first.

Sometimes you become still.

For nearly half an hour I waited.

The horse watched me.

I watched him.

Gradually his breathing changed.

Mine did too.

Eventually he walked toward the front of the stall. I can still remember the warmth of his breath as he looked at me through the rails.

My father finally appeared at the end of the aisle, smiled, and asked, “You want the crazy horse?”

“I do.”

He bought him for fifty dollars.

He had papers. Even though he was a mixed breed, ½ Arabian, ½ Paint.

It took months before I could actually ride him. But, he was my main horse for over a decade. I rode him bareback alone and with other horse girls. I rode him fancy in parades and people laughed when I did barrel racing with him but, I still won a few ribbons.

Looking back now, I don’t think I was taming him.

I think we were both learning something together.

Healing does not always begin with certainty.

Sometimes it begins with someone willing to stay.

Years later, when I place my feet firmly on the floor before entering a treatment room, once in a while I think of Stormy. I sometimes think of Charlotte Selver’s invitation to notice before acting. I often think of Carl Rogers’ conviction that understanding begins with presence, not explanation.

Then I take a breath.

I don’t know what the scan will show.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring for the person waiting in front of me.

But I can know this.

For the awhile, they will not wait alone.

Learning to Share the Table

Leaving the classroom
can feel like stepping into weather.

You thought the world would look familiar
the same language,
the same shared purpose
but suddenly the room is louder,
and not everyone is kind.

You learn that not all healers heal well.
That skill does not guarantee generosity.
That some guard their corner fiercely,
mistaking proximity for threat.

This realization stings.
It is not what you practiced for.

But wanting what others want
is not wrong or an attack.
Standing beside someone
does not erase your right
to stand at all.

There is room here
more than fear may have you believe.

Some of the strongest work
happens side by side.
Friends can hold parallel paths,
even intersecting ones,
without injury.

The trick is not to shrink the circle
but to widen it.

If the table feels crowded,
build another table.
If the portion looks small,
learn how to bake.

This is not Ignorance.

It is strategy rooted in trust.

Collaboration multiplies.
Isolation exhausts.

A profession grows healthier
when hands reach outward,
when businesses rise together,
when success is not hoarded
but echoed.

Peace doesn’t arrive
by defending every difference
like a border.
It emerges
when we lean in,
listen longer,
and discover how much ground
we already share.

This is the next lesson
not just how to work,
but how to belong
without needing someone else
to lose.

~Xerlan Deery

You don’t need to be a scientist to speak the language of research—you just need curiosity, a bit of structure, and a willingness to get your hands dirty in the literature.

In massage therapy, we often work from intuition, presence, and accumulated experience. And that’s beautiful—it’s the heart of the work. But as healthcare becomes increasingly evidence-based, we’re being invited into a larger conversation: one where massage therapy is no longer on the fringes, but at the table. To have a seat there, we need a shared language. That language is research.

And no, that doesn’t mean memorizing statistics or slogging through dense medical journals with glazed-over eyes. It means becoming research articulate, not just literate. Literacy is knowing how to read and write. Articulation is knowing how to translate, apply, and integrate research into your real, hands-on work.

Why Research Articulation Matters

• It sharpens your clinical judgment.

• It boosts your professional credibility.

• It protects you from pseudoscience.

• It empowers you to speak with confidence—to clients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals.

• It connects what happens in your treatment room to a global body of evolving knowledge.

Massage therapy research has exploded in recent years, but navigating it can feel like decoding a foreign language. That’s where this guide comes in. Research Articulate doesn’t just tell you what research says—it shows you how to read it, question it, apply it, and even enjoy it.

You’ll learn how to:

• Decode the anatomy of a research paper (abstract, intro, methods, results, discussion, conclusion)

• Evaluate credibility and bias without cynicism

• Reflect on research meaningfully (yes, even during quiet moments between sessions or while walking your dog)

• Experiment with findings in your practice

• Synthesize knowledge from multiple fields

• Discuss research with colleagues without feeling like an impostor

Most importantly, you’ll discover that research isn’t some cold, academic monolith. It’s alive. It’s curious. It evolves just like you do. And when you engage with it, your practice evolves too.

You Don’t Need to Know Everything. You Just Need to Be Willing to Learn.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about participation. Becoming research-articulate is a practice, not a performance. It’s about cultivating a habit of asking good questions, reflecting critically, and staying open to change.

So let this be your invitation.

Take a moment to pause and read with intention. Save this guide to your device. Bookmark sections that speak to you. Jot down a few questions or insights in your journal or notes app. Bring them into a peer discussion or supervision session. Let the research provoke thought, not perfection—let it be a bridge between what you sense intuitively and what science is steadily revealing.

You already have the hands. Now sharpen the lens.

Research Articulate 2025

63.2MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

To our fellow practitioners and students,

We know your hands are your greatest tool. You have mastered the art of palpation, honed your sequencing, and built a trusted practice. But what happens in the precious moments between appointments? The clock is ticking, and the critical task of documentation looms.

Foundational programs teach us the SOAP format, but they rarely prepare us for the real-world challenge: how do you translate a client's subjective feedback—"my shoulder feels tight," "my low back is a little achy"—into concrete, objective notes? How do you move beyond generic descriptions to create a clinical record that truly reflects the complexity of your work?

We understand that this can feel like a compromise—a necessary evil that often leads to rushed, generic notes. But your clinical record is more than a formality; it is a vital extension of your hands-on work.

That's why we've created SOAP Charting Unlocked: Practical Strategies for Better Documentation.

This isn’t a guide for beginners; it's a resource designed to help you refine your approach and elevate your clinical practice. We want to empower you to transform those shrinking minutes into an opportunity for precision and clarity, creating a clinical record that is both concise and comprehensive.

Inside, you will discover how to:

• Optimize your workflow to chart efficiently and reclaim your valuable time.

• Bridge the gap from subjective to objective, creating a robust clinical narrative that is both informative for you and clear for others.

• Ensure a seamless continuum of care, allowing clients to receive congruent treatment from another therapist while providing you with a concrete journal to validate and track their progress over time.

• Reinforce your professionalism by crafting a detailed, defensible record that protects your practice and showcases your expertise.

Mastering documentation with the same intentionality as your hands-on work is the mark of an excellent practitioner. This e-book is the tool you need to get there.

Don't let your documentation fall behind the quality of your work. Get your copy of SOAP Charting Unlocked today.

Soap Charting Unlocked :Practical Strategies for Better Documentation

8.5MB ∙ PDF file

Download

"SOAP Charting Unlocked: Practical Strategies for Better Documentation" is an e-book designed for seasoned massage therapists and students. It addresses the common challenge of translating a client's subjective feedback into objective, professional notes. The book offers strategies to optimize workflow, create a concise and comprehensive clinical record, and ensure a seamless continuum of care for clients. By mastering these strategies and concepts, practitioners can elevate their professionalism and create a defensible record of their work.

Download

Stay Gold,

Christopher Deery, LMT, BCTMB & Xerlan Deery LMT, BCTMB

Anatriptic Alchemy

Sometimes it can be challenging to achieve a state of focused presence, genuine empathy, and quiet reverence for the person before us. One person or situation can shift our attention and attitude in an unexpected direction. There may be times when we are frustrated with our coworkers; they aren’t pulling their weight or don’t understand. We can’t always be perfect, we can be as forgiving of ourselves and others as possible, and use time to reflect, learn, and embrace a more balanced and satisfying practice.

Could a person on the massage table feel if we are having an off day, completely pissed off, frustrated or challenged in the session?

Of course, they can. Yes, even if you don’t believe in energy work. It is a huge thing to show up repeatedly. All of yourself, your attention and intention in one space for one person for an amount of time with a goal to achieve.

A lot of us have provided a massage when it could have been wiser not to. Whether we had a break because of medical adventure or injury or had something emotional going on in our lives. I am not entirely sure we can all always feel it when we are not in the groove. Have you ever had a massage client tell you that their last massage was awful? Yet they didn’t tell the massage therapist and paid for the session (and perhaps even tipped) .

A huge part of our practice is creating the therapeutic relationship and building trust and safety so the client feels they can tell you if something is off, too much or too little pressure, too fast, too slow, not the right location… etc, etc.

What truth does our touch tell? Does it feel mechanical or like a hurried obligation? Does it feel like there is no rushing, just the right amount of careful depth and pressure? Can we be truthful with ourselves, our classmates, coworkers and colleagues?

In massage and bodywork, the true essence of our practice lies not merely in skillful hands but in focused presence, genuine empathy, and a quiet reverence for the human being before us. This presence—and the deep intrinsic motivation that fuels it—is what distinguishes truly transformative work from merely going through the motions. This longing—to connect, contribute, to care—is alive in the massage profession. It is a force far more powerful than fear or obligation.

Drawing inspiration from Sharath Jeevan's insights in Intrinsic, we can recognize that cultivating our inner drive is not a "fluffy" endeavor but a critical pathway to flourishing, both personally and professionally. To support this intrinsic journey and help therapists truly thrive, we should collectively embrace several core principles:

1. Acknowledge the True Cost of Inaction: Overlooking the power of intrinsic motivation isn't benign; it leads to burnout, high attrition rates, and ultimately, a less effective experience for massage therapists and clients.

2. See the Intrinsic Opportunity: Even seemingly small adjustments that address our fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and purpose can profoundly boost engagement, satisfaction, and longevity in the profession.

3. Manage the Extrinsic Downside: While fair compensation, benefits, and healthy working conditions are essential and non-negotiable, we must be vigilant not to let external pressures overshadow the intrinsic rewards that initially drew us to this sacred work. We don't have to suffer to be intrinsically motivated, nor should we judge those who find both purpose and prosperity in their practice.

4. Embrace Small Steps Towards Flourishing: Incremental changes, taken consistently, can build momentum and put us on a self-reinforcing path where our work becomes an integral part of a grateful and deeply engaging life. This means encouraging therapists to identify what "mastery" truly looks and feels like for them, beyond just external recognition.

There are people in every profession and industry driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Some pursue mastery with fierce dedication, those who quietly do what no one else does, those who will always follow the money, and those who merely go through the motions. We cannot always know the unseen battles or motivations that someone is facing in their life. Our collective purpose, however, should be to help more people connect with their innate desire to achieve actual competence, to contribute meaningfully, and to cultivate the powerful, irreplaceable human connection.

The Inward Spark vs. External Rewards: Finding Our Balance

Why do so many of us choose to dedicate our lives to the intimate and demanding work of massage therapy? If you ask massage therapists why they became a massage therapist, they usually don’t lead with the professional advantages of prestige or financial gain. It stems from a deeper place: an intrinsic desire to help people, alleviate pain, facilitate wellness, understand the intricate complexities of the human body, and create moments of profound peace and connection. This internal compass aligns perfectly with the foundational principles of Self-Determination Theory, pioneered by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. This suggests that intrinsic motivation is fueled by three innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence (mastery), and relatedness (purpose).

• Autonomy: The sense of control and choice over one’s actions and path.

• Competence (Mastery): The feeling of effectiveness and skill in one’s endeavors.

• Relatedness (Purpose): The experience of connection and belonging, contributing to something larger than oneself.

These principles are not just lofty theoretical ideas. Many of you reading this could reflect and realize that these principles are things you have or want in your practice. During a session, massage therapists engage with humans not only physically, but also emotionally and empathetically, as they use their focused attention to respond to the unique needs of the human in that session.

Yet, our profession, like any other, also involves extrinsic motivations: the need to earn a living, to build a practice, to achieve financial stability. When the focus shifts solely to these external rewards, or when practice becomes rote and detached, the very heart of the work can be diminished. Think of the therapist whose hands move mechanically, whose mind wanders, or whose sessions seem to be draining and about the money, contrast to the one fully present, listening with their whole being and enjoying doing the work with each person.

For a truly balanced and sustainable practice, we need a harmonious blending of both. It's not about sacrificing one for the other. We don't have to suffer or take a vow of poverty to be intrinsically motivated, nor should we judge those who find both deep purpose and financial stability in their practice. In fact, being able to provide for oneself and one's family can create the very balance and peace of mind necessary to engage more fully and intrinsically with clients.

It can be quite a challenge. Just a quick tour across social media can show us so many things massage therapists are experiencing in their practices that some of us may have never dreamed of. Things like a boss that knocks on the door the minute the session time is up to get the next person in. Thinking you were doing your last session only to find out they scheduled you another one, and they knew you wouldn’t mind. Having to share a room with another therapist that is a slob or uses a lot of aromatherapy oils or perfume.

Or how about therapists that are answering a cell phone or texting during a session. Wearing one ear bud and listening to audible books or true crime podcasts because that helps them get through the day. Even having to figure out the best little holster to wear a loaded gun during their sessions, where it isn’t noticeable and they can be in control, feel safe, still move well and mind their body mechanics.

We wish everyone has a safe and supportive environment to practice. While the core of our work remains deeply human and intrinsically motivated, the contemporary massage therapy landscape presents unique challenges that can test even the most dedicated practitioner. We've touched on the internal struggles—the "off days" and the need for self-forgiveness—but what about the external pressures that can chip away at our presence and purpose? From demanding work environments and unrealistic expectations to the pervasive influence of a world increasingly driven by metrics and instant gratification, these external forces can significantly impact our ability to foster that vital therapeutic connection. It's in this complex interplay between our innate desire to heal and the realities of our working lives that we must continually strive to find our balance, ensuring that the art of our touch remains authentic and impactful.

Embracing Challenge: The Crucible of Care

Our profession presents unique challenges that test our presence and compassion. Consider the therapist working with:

• Challenging and/or demanding clients: These interactions require profound patience, clear boundaries, and an unwavering commitment to professional composure. It's in these moments that our capacity for non-judgmental presence is truly honed.

• Vulnerable populations: Working with people who are medically complex, cancer patients, the elderly, or those navigating chronic illness demands exquisite sensitivity. Here, work often shifts from addressing physical discomfort to providing comfort, connection, and dignity through touch. The stakes may seem higher, the needs more profound, and the impact of genuine care immeasurable.

In both scenarios, the therapist has the profound opportunity to rise to the occasion, embracing the challenge with a person-centered approach. It's a powerful reminder of how important what they do and how they do it truly matters.

The Art of Presence: Beyond Technique

So many people think our touch is magic. Let them. While it may not be actual magic, it does go far beyond learned techniques. It resides in the presence of the practitioner.

A massage therapist doesn’t just apply pressure, push and shove humans around. We have actual strokes, techniques, and highly refined skills; massage therapists seem to be able to listen with their whole body, mind, and heart. This kind of work is fundamentally relational. It’s built on trust, informed consent, intuitive understanding, a therapeutic relationship, and genuine human responsiveness.

Massage therapists work in a variety of settings, from Spas to Gyms to Hospitals, and everything in between. Sometimes it isn’t quiet or private, sometimes they don’t have a whole hour or longer to work with people, and yet it is still effective. Even an evidence-informed practice can still seem incredible, inspiring awe at what was achieved with bare hands, and evoke reverence and appreciation in the moment.

None of the people quoted are massage therapists. However, their words may seem to relate to us and our practices. It is worth taking the time to reflect on how we feel about all this and where we are in our own practices. It is okay to feel very good about what we do.

Cultivating a Flourishing Practice: Beyond "Just Getting By"

The notion that "nobody wants to work anymore" often masks a deeper truth: people don't want to be unfulfilled or exploited. Massage therapists face environments that prioritize volume and profit over the quality of care and the well-being of therapists. This often pushes passionate practitioners towards self-employment, with over 70% of licensed massage therapists operating as sole practitioners, seeking autonomy and purpose that are usually absent in transactional settings.

When people are given the chance to work with purpose, connect deeply, and feel respected and supported, they are eager to work. This innate human longing to connect, contribute, and care is vibrantly alive in the massage profession. It is a far more potent and sustainable force than fear or mere obligation.

For massage therapists to truly flourish, we must:

• Embrace Autonomy: Foster environments where therapists have agency over their practice, allowing them to tailor sessions to individual client needs rather than adhering to rigid, time-driven protocols.

• Prioritize Mastery: Encourage continuous learning and skill refinement, understanding that mastery is a lifelong journey of deepening competence and intuitive understanding.

• Connect to Purpose: Help therapists articulate and reconnect with why they do this work, beyond financial necessity. Knowing their purpose and how their work contributes to a larger mission of well-being can be profoundly re-energizing.

Intrinsic work can be an integral part of a grateful and deeply engaging life. This means recognizing that a healthy blending of intrinsic motivation (liking or loving your job, knowing your purpose) and extrinsic motivation (desiring fair compensation, benefits, and financial security) is not only possible but desirable for a truly balanced and sustainable career. We don't have to suffer to be intrinsically motivated, nor should we assume that financial success negates one's intrinsic drive. There are people who don't need to work, yet choose to, out of pure love for their craft and its impact.

We must also be mindful of the subtle pitfalls: narcissistic tendencies and the singular quest for power or popularity can derail people and programs away from their core purpose. It's crucial to guard against these diversions, always re-centering on the client's well-being and the integrity of the therapeutic relationship.

So many in our profession may not yet know what true mastery could look like for them, or they might be afraid to envision such accomplishments. We can be supportive, listeners, mentors and encouragers.

The first part of solidifying our communication is recognizing that words may seem similar but not the same. This is not massagesplaining, it is the challenge to admit exactly who we are and what we have accomplished. Let’s face it: massage started as a medical discipline, formal or informal, and continued to evolve into the 19^th and early 20^th century. As popularity grew and the educational requirements became a thing, while the Flexner Report was winnowing medical schools, massage therapists remained external to the conflict, but sacrificed their professional identity. We embraced being independent, even entrepreneurial. Massage therapists, massage therapy schools, and massage therapy educators started emulating more of a competitive business model, and progressively less collegiality. Providers looked for ways to be more appealing to potential clients, referral sources, and the emerging industrial medical complex. In this entrepreneurial zeal, certifications emerged in different specialties, and massage therapists obtained them and promoted them to others in the profession.

The thing is, now, in 2025, there is confusion. Massage therapists are still using that same model – the “I’m better/more appropriate/ more knowledgeable because of my certification”, not realizing the depth that the word ‘certification’ has achieved. Certificates are one thing, Certification is another, and both are different than certification programs. There are benefits and challenges to all of them, and where I have been immersed in this dialogue for a while now (read that as 25+ years), the confusion is being exploited. So I wrote about it – much larger than you may have the time to read right now, but I think it is thorough. Enjoy!

Certification Explanation

4.07MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Examining certificates, certifications, and certification programs in the massage therapy profession.

Download

Reading Paul Woodruff’s Reverence: Renewing a Forgotten Virtue reminds us that reverence is not about religiousness or submission; it is about recognizing that there are greater forces in life than our own individual will — forces like healing, trust, and connection. Reverence is more about community. Reverence calls us to meet these forces with humility, gratitude, awe and care.

As I read this book I thought about massage therapists, showing up late for their appointments, or just a few minutes before the client, rushing to get the room ready. You might think it is easy to get the room ready the last time you are there. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work. Some people don’t have one room of their own, they may share a room with other therapists or work in a space that they may rarely use the same room day to day. They may need to heat things up or get some supplies ready. If you don’t use hot stones or aromatherapy like the last person that used the room did, you may want to put that out of your way.

I have to confess. I was born with the punctual gene. I am usually there early. There usually isn’t anyone there to appreciate it.

One day I showed up to work and someone was all spread out in the room I was assigned to use. I had an appointment in 45 min. They had their laptop up on the massage table, a sandwich and chips and a drink because it was their lunch break. They had no awareness or thought beyond… that room is empty. They had another appointment too. They didn’t want to have the food smell in their room. They could have eaten in a couple other places that were not session rooms.

Sigh… it makes me wonder if some massage therapists really don’t care, just don’t have the bandwidth for that level of awareness, do not consider the space like I do, or are not consciously aware while others are consistently aware.

I remembered several therapists who also had reverence. One was someone I got to work with. They came in earlier than they needed to. They got their room ready. They checked their schedule and reviewed the charts to prepare for each person, they would check if there was any laundry to fold or put away, they had their breakfast yogurt and fruit with some tea. They were always about an hour early. One day I asked them why. They said it was their way of beginning the day with peace.

Another lovely person was at a Lymphatic Drainage class I went to in Texas. I was traveling there and didn’t have a table. They offered to share with me immediately. As they pulled their sheets out, they had fresh lavender stems folded into them. It was so thoughtful. Two sets of sheets for four days in a row. Always perfectly folded with fresh lavender stems. It was clear they had prepared to do this and share with another human.

I have never understood how some massage therapists that believe in energy work could just wad sheets and toss them in the cabinet while they were bitching or upset about something. I wonder if they took their belief seriously, they might think the client could feel that negative energy.

While I am not an energy worker, my guilty secret is I play The Sims. There is an environment score for every item in a space and it can affect your sims’ happiness too. Décor, furniture, etc all matters. I often wish we could understand that environment, space and everything in it matters. If we could have meter, score or something like the sims to inform us the space is not as good as we think it is.

I used to teach students to pack an invisible bag before they went to give a massage to another person. Put all the stuff that is cluttering around their mind in there, that grocery list, what is for dinner, worries, things they don’t want to forget. I assured them they would all still be in the invisible bag when their session was over. I was lying or just making something up to try to get them to give a person their full attention and stay focused during the time they are with that other person.

Every time I step into a treatment room, I am stepping into something sacred, whether I consciously acknowledge it or not. When I am in a chemotherapy infusion room, getting to work with a person while they are getting chemotherapy I consider that space too. One of the highest compliments I have ever gotten was “I do not know how you brought the zen in here with you but, you just smoothed over everything. Thank You.”

Reverence for the Profession

I didn’t stumble into massage therapy by accident. Like so many of us, I was called to it — drawn by a feeling that hands-on care mattered in a way that words sometimes couldn’t reach. My hands have always been warm. I was one of those kids on a farm whose small warm hands could reach slowly under a hen and gather eggs without getting them all flapping about. Dad taught me to milk the goats too, they would jump on the stand when they saw me coming. And yes, we had horses, if you ride them you take care of them, grooming them, brushing them. Add a constant bunch of dogs, and barn cats to pet and play with, shelling peas and snapping beans, it seemed I was learning to be in the flow quite early, experiencing using my hands in caring, specific, rhythmical ways. It was way before I went to massage school. I was inspired by the Osteopathic Physicians that took good care of us all. I had a great massage education, an amazing teacher, and I worked hard to do well. I think almost every massage therapist has been told they just did the best massage ever or they were the best massage therapist. Over time, it’s easy to let the extraordinary become ordinary. The rhythms of the work, the pressures of business, the cultural tendency to devalue "soft" skills — they can all make it tempting to forget how precious this profession is.

When I think reverently about massage therapy, I believe touch and massage to help others has been with us always as humans. It is part of a human story older than any modern credential or job description. To honor that story means continuing to learn, to deepen my skills, to stay curious. It means treating my education, my touch, and my very presence as things worthy of care and respect.

Reverence for Skill

One of Woodruff’s most striking points is that real learning requires humility. I’ve come to see that humility is essential to our craft. No matter how many techniques I master, no matter how many clients I serve, the human body will always be more complex than my full understanding. Each session is an invitation to meet a challenge.

Reverence reminds me not to get complacent. To stretch deeper into my listening. To honor that a "simple" Swedish massage or a "routine" shoulder session still has the potential to touch someone’s life in profound ways. Skill, when treated reverently, is not something I own — it’s something I constantly steward.

Reverence for Clients

Every time a client rests on my table, invites me into their hospital room or an infusion suite, they are offering me a tremendous gift: their trust. They are allowing themselves to be vulnerable in ways most people rarely are in daily life. It’s humbling when I really pause and think about it. Reverence asks me to never take that trust for granted.

It means not seeing my clients as puzzles to solve or problems to fix, but as whole beings — carrying stories, histories, griefs, and hopes inside their bodies. It means practicing consent at every step. Listening not just with my ears and hands, but with my heart. Showing up fully, not distracted, not rushed.

Reverence, at its heart, is about that attentive presence.

Reverence for Colleagues

According to the AMTA 2025 Massage Profession Research Report 73% of massage therapists are sole practitioners.

Massage therapy can feel isolating sometimes. We close the treatment room door, and for an hour or more, it's just us and the client. But beyond those walls is a larger community — a network of therapists, teachers, mentors, and colleagues, all working toward similar goals.

I've seen competition creep in at times — the idea that we must hoard clients or guard our techniques like secrets. But reverence shows me a better way: one where we lift each other up, share generously, and celebrate one another’s growth. We all may carry different pieces of wisdom and experience, when we recognize that, we may all become richer.

Daily Practices of Reverence

I'm learning that reverence isn’t something I can just think about; it’s something I have to practice. Slowly, quietly, intentionally.

• I start each session with gratitude. Even if it’s just a brief silent breath, I honor the moment before placing my hands on another human being.

• I move slowly when I can. Rushing is the enemy of reverence. It dulls the senses and crowds out presence.

• I stay teachable. Every client has something new to teach me if I’m willing to listen.

• I honor boundaries fiercely. Ethical practice is a fundamental expression of reverence — for myself and for those I serve.

The Heart of the Work

With all the noise, social media and our busy world it is a challenge for us as massage therapists to do this over and over again throughout a day. Each human we get to work with is different. Even if we specialize in Sports Massage, Cranial Sacral, Oncology Massage or work in a franchise. Being focused is my goal.

In my opinion it is a reverence in each moment, presence, connection and flow. I call it “Beingtherewithness”.

I am also surprised that massage therapists may have their phone in the room and ear buds in and be listening to a podcast or audible book while they were working with a client.

I wonder if they really do enjoy what they do. I wonder if they are missing anything with the work they are doing because they are listening to another thing. Or do they not miss the flow or connection because that just is not what they do.

We are not replaceable by robots, not because we have magic fingers, but because we offer something that can’t be manufactured: real attention. Sensitive, caring, responsive, human contact.

As Margaret Atwood said,

“Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.”

When we treat our work with reverence, we become part of that first language. We become part of the truth that every human being longs to be seen, known, touched, and honored exactly as they are.

This is what I want to remember. This is why I keep showing up.

Hello dear friends, fellow massage enthusiasts, and anyone who's ever paused during a CE course to ponder, "...hmm, is that really how it works?"

Xerlan and Christopher (that curious duo!) are so happy to share our very first e-book with you: "Practical Clarity for Massage Therapists." Think of it as a thoughtful revisit to some of the foundational ideas we learned along the way – perhaps some that feel a little like relics from a bygone era (remember when lavender oil was for everything and the internet was a sound?). 😉

Our aim with this guide is simple: to offer a gentle, evidence-informed look at concepts we often encounter in massage therapy. We delve into topics like circulation, considerations for clients with cancer, the concept of "toxins," adapting work for pregnancy, the fascinating world of fascia, and even understanding vaccines – all with a fresh and contemporary perspective. We intend to encourage thoughtful exploration, not to assign blame or create shame, just practical clarity. 🌱

And here's a little gift for you: For a little while, "Practical Clarity for Massage Therapists" is free. Every massage therapist deserves access to well-researched, current information, as it can profoundly influence how we support our clients— and ourselves. Eventually, this e-book (and other resources we're developing with care) will find a home in our Catalyst Corner – a growing collection for our subscribers who choose to support our work. Think of it as a thoughtfully curated space filled with ideas and insights.

We'd be so pleased if you'd take a look! Feel free to share it with colleagues who might also appreciate a fresh perspective.

Practical Clarity for Massage Therapists

31.7MB ∙ PDF file

Download

"Practical Clarity for Massage Therapists" by Christopher and Xerlan Deery is a comprehensive guide that debunks common myths in massage therapy, provides evidence-based insights into its physiological effects, and emphasizes the importance of scientific accuracy and professional integrity in practice.

Download

We'd love to hear what resonates with you as you read. Are there any topics that spark a new way of thinking? Or perhaps a long-held idea you've been curious to explore further?

Here's to the ongoing evolution of our profession, one clear and considered thought at a time.

With warmth and genuine curiosity,

Xerlan & Christopher

P.S. If this resonates with you, feel free to share it with a fellow therapist who enjoys a bit of thoughtful exploration.

(P.P.S. If you're interested in supporting our work and gaining access to our full resource library and community, you can learn more about the Catalyst Corner here: )

Subscribe now

I am committed to providing inclusive, knowledgeable and compassionate massage therapy and bodywork in my practice. This is a LGBTQ friendly practice. I want to be inclusive of everyone regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, beliefs, size, diagnosis etc. In my opinion there are way too many people that are not being treated well in this world. It is not a contest of who is discriminated against the most. I know that sounds good in theory and can be messy in practice which is why I want to invite you to contact me, let’s have a conversation and we can share information before we schedule a session together.

Everyone says “Safety First!” but, really it usually comes later. Later after coffee, after someone has already been hurt or offended. I have now spent over half my life doing massage and diligently attempting to serve in a manner that is safe for all of us. 30 years ago there were few advanced classes and continuing education for massage therapists. I continue to do a lot of background work, research, going to support groups and in-services for other health professions, asking for assistance, information, being mentored in order to work safely with people that are medically involved, expecting and elderly. I am still doing this. New procedures and processes are occurring all the time. Massage Therapists are sometimes the last to get the education and information about how to support people, work safely and effectively with specific current surgical procedures or new treatments. Sadly some people are aware of this and hesitate, or are very cautious to receive massage therapy and bodywork, or they just avoid it all together because it is too scary. I don’t blame you one bit.

My table is a hydraulic lift table so you do not have jump up on it or climb on it using a step stool. It is wider than your average massage table with additional options and spaces for breasts and abdomens. This is not just for prenatal, it is for larger people, post-surgical situations and people with medical devices like feeding tubes, implants or colostomy bags. I have plenty of pillows, bolsters and cushions for your comfort. I have plenty of linens and blankets to keep your warm and comfortable.

You have permission to keep all your clothes on or take all your clothes off for your session. You will be required to be covered and draped appropriately. It is so very important that you are comfortable. If you are not comfortable the session will not be as effective. If you are on the massage table and your brain is busy considering if you should have taken something off or left something on you are not comfortable. People think this is for modesty and it can be however, it is not only for modesty. There are other reasons;

· It is not necessary. You can wear a wet suit and a trench coat and I can still work with you , I will make some adjustments and use less massage cream or lotion.

· Because of an injury, condition or post-op situation, removing clothing may cause you additional pain or discomfort. So, let’s not do that.

· You may be very fatigued from life, a competition or a side effect of a medical treatment or procedure. If you have a limited amount of energy and don’t want to spend it getting undressed and dressed again that is fine.

So come as you are, be who you are, let me know what your preferred pronoun is and know I want you to feel safe on my table.

I am cisgendered and do not even want to start a first time I met, encountered, how many friends and family I have that identify and/or express differently, went to pride, volunteered or worked with thus and so post… I don’t want that to matter. I want you to matter. You will not be rushed, I will hold space and time for your comfort. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me

An oncology massage is an individual massage session designed to meet you where you are in the moment. Taking into consideration whether you are in active treatment or have a history of cancer, what type of cancer you have or have had, what treatments you are having or have had in the past. What you are experiencing and how we can work together to create and collaborate a safe and effective session to meet your needs, goals and expectations.

If you are in cancer treatment this may not be the best time to have a 90 minute deep tissue, hot stone, cupping session with fresh mango butter. I will guarantee you that safe and effective does not mean you have to be part of the human petting zoo. Your massage will be safe and effective, comforting and artistic it will not be completely clinical or boring.

Oncology Massage is not a technique, it is an evidence informed process to make adjustments in classical massage therapy strokes and modalities to be safe and effective. It includes a whole range of humans in the oncology spectrum; the Active Survivor that is competing during and/or after treatment, humans in chemotherapy, radiation and post-op, survivors (and the numbers are increasing every day), members of the “I’m Still Here!” club of metastatic survivors and hospice.

Benefits of Oncology Massage for Surgical Interventions; Not everyone can have a massage in the hospital after surgery. It is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage post-op as an inpatient and outside of your hospital or treatment center. Here is a list of some desired outcomes.

· reduced anxiety in advance of surgery

· reduced swelling

· reduced post-surgical pain

· improved range of motion

· easier adaptation to implants and expanders

· improved mobility and appearance of surgical scars

· early detection and care for lymphedema and axillary cording

Oncology Massage Can Improve Some Chemotherapy Side Effects; Not all chemotherapy centers provide massage during chemotherapy. It is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage during the weeks you are receiving chemotherapy. We may need to collaborate on timing in between chemotherapy treatments and also how long the massage session is because we do not want to cause more fatigue. Here are some of the most common goals we can work on during your chemotherapy regimen.

· Reduce pain

· Reduce fatigue

· Decreased anxiety

· Less nausea

· Improved sleep

· Reduce neuropathy symptoms

· Eased isolation

· Enhanced body image

· Greater sense of well-being

Oncology Massage to Support Radiation Treatments; Fewer hospitals and cancer centers provide massage during radiation treatment schedules. Once again, it is best to ask your Oncologist and/or Nurse Navigator if you can receive massage during the weeks you are receiving radiation. I will not massage the radiated area until well after radiation is over and safe to do so. We will need to collaborate on timing. It may be best for you to have a session prior to or after a radiation treatment depending on what your goals and needs are. We will also have to discuss and decide how long the massage session is to not cause more fatigue. Here are some of the most common goals we can work on during your radiation schedule.

· Reduce pain

· Reduce fatigue

· Decreased anxiety

· Support flexibility and range of motion

· Improved sleep

· Greater sense of well-being

I thought of this quote last week when someone was describing their fatigue. I do my best to understand the challenge to put it into words. “Why, I feel all thin,” Bilbo said. “Sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.”

Haven’t got time for the pain? During and after cancer treatment there are different reasons you may have pain and discomfort. Sometimes it is more than one. If you are in pain or discomfort I will want to hear about it and do my best to take the edge off and provide some relief for you. Sometimes it is more than one of these too.

· Oncologic pain

· post-op pain

· pain from pharmacological side effects

· pain due to radiation procedures

· pain from being less active

· pain from another injury or condition

For the longest time people have been concerned that massage was not safe for cancer patients. When I first began massage training in the 80’s we were being told by the “experts” that cancer was a contraindication to massage. Period. Cancer = no massage for you. Now it has finally been better understood, has some research and about 200 hospitals and cancer centers in the US have massage available for cancer patients. Unfortunately the pendulum may have swung a little too far. Licensed Massage Therapists will perform, provide or offer Oncology Massage with very little or no training at all. Some massage schools merely have a guest speaker who is a specialist give a talk, a massage business may require any massage therapists that works for them to have a whole two hour webinar before they work with cancer patients. Some therapists have reported they were told they just needed to go light. Now we all know that isn’t enough.

What is enough? Not every oncology therapist has achieved all of these. I have and I continue to read voraciously, go to classes, conferences and do my best to get the latest information.

· Graduate of a Massage Therapy Program of at least 500 hours.

· Licensed as a Massage Therapist (only 4 states are not regulated)

· A minimum of 24 hours of training in a live class that is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork and The Society for Oncology Massage. www.s4om.org

· Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, this has additional requirements, competencies and a very challenging exam.

https://www.ncbtmb.org/

· Specialty Certificate in Oncology Massage which requires 100 hours of approved specialized training and the successful passing of another exam. https://exam.ncbtmb.org/oncology-massage

· Professional membership in a massage therapy association which requires education, supports research and provides liability insurance.

Some other things you may want to know;

· I keep up my vaccinations and flu shots. It is the responsible thing to do. I have chosen to work with people that may be medically involved and/or in cancer treatment and understand they may be immune compromised.

· My private office in Malvern is ADA.

· There is handicap parking available.

· My office is on the second floor, there is an elevator.

Perhaps one of the greatest affects of any cancer treatment is the feeling of separation between your body and your person. Feelings of “why did this happen to me” and other frustrations can create anxiety and emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Massage and bodywork is an excellent way to address these issues from a mind/body perspective. Please note; massage therapists are not equivalent to professional counselors or psychologists, chaplains, nurse navigators or physicians. We are not licensed to do talk therapy or coaching. While support, active listening and compassion may be crucial from a massage therapist, it does not replace other licensed professionals. I am honored to be part of a treatment team working together for your benefit.

Affiliations and Volunteer Disclosures;

· Preferred Practitioner, Recognized Educational Provider and Regional Champion PA/NJ/DE for the Society for Oncology Massage

· Preferred Provider with Unite for Her

· Young Survivors Coalition and Tour de Pink

· Former Board Member of Y-Me Breast Cancer Network of Strength, Tulsa, Oklahoma Affiliate

There is some confusion about the practicality of massage during cancer treatment. Some physicians and medical professionals have voiced concerns about massage and bodywork actually spreading cancer. Rest assured massage will not spread cancer. There has been quite a bit of research on this topic, and there is a link to an article concerning this below. Another concern that the medical field has about massage during active cancers is that the medical profession does not know the specifics of (or the effects of) individual massage treatments. For that reason, if there are questions about what treatments, modalities or types of massage I offer or may incorporate with humans with active cancer, please contact me or ask your oncologist or social worker or nurse navigator to contact me with their questions. Feel free to share the links below as well.

Here are some good links on the topic of massage and cancer:

· Massage Doesn’t Spread Cancer https://www.amtamassage.org/articles/3/MTJ/detail/3747/navigating-the-path-to-wellness-with-massage-therapy (MTJ)

· Massage therapy for symptom control: outcome study at a major cancer center. (pubmed)

· Role of massage therapy in cancer care.(pubmed)

· The American Cancer Society’s Page on Massage. (ACS)

· Massage Therapy Helps Those With Advanced Cancer (USN&WR)

· The impact of massage therapy on function in pain populations–a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials: Part II, cancer pain populations https://uic.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/the-impact-of-massage-therapy-on-function-in-pain-populationsa-sy

· The impact of massage therapy on function in pain populations—a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials: Part III, surgical pain populations https://uic.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/the-impact-of-massage-therapy-on-function-in-pain-populationsa-sy-2

I am constantly grateful to be able to work with, respect and support healthcare professionals. Most people do not know how many years of academic and clinical education they have had, how hard they work, how much they care and how committed they are to their professions. Physicians, Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Chaplains, Athletic Trainers, EMTs and everyone else do so many things to help people and save lives and every day. (Please don’t be upset if I didn’t list your profession. If you want me to add another one, message me and I just might.)

How do I, as a Massage Therapist support healthcare professionals?

I keep my vaccinations and flu shots up to date. I understand universal precautions and cross contamination issues. I adhere to best practices.

I will tell all my clients to please inform you, their physician, nurse or other healthcare professional that they are planning on and/or receiving massage therapy. If I am significantly concerned I may request a client gets a consent or permission to have massage therapy. I will respect confidentiality and privacy. I follow HIPAA guidelines and have stringent confidentiality guidelines in real life. I will refer individuals back to their health providers if there is a question or concern.

I stay in my lane and adhere to my scope of practice, Massage Therapy and Bodywork. Things I don’t do;

· I do not provide medical treatment or advice

· I do not do counseling, I am no one’s life coach or health coach

· I do not do physical or occupational therapy

· I do not do spiritual healing or chakra balancing

· I do not suggest, provide or sell anything or promote MLMs or products that may be in conflict with medical treatments or medications, such as; supplements, essential oils and/or cbd products

· I do not sell any products and am usually referring people back to their physician, nurse navigator, pharmacist, etc.

I constantly balance the art and science of massage therapy and bodywork. I consider my practice many things; evidence informed, outcome based, person centered, holistically oriented and clinically responsible.

I am willing to share information about Massage and Bodywork: What credentials they should look for, what we do, how to find the best therapists to refer to, why they could or should refer to a massage therapist. I have done grand rounds, had new med students follow me through a hospital to watch what I do, I am comfortable being a speaker for a professional meeting or even a short in-service for a practice. I am experienced in creating and consulting on hospital based massage therapy and integrative programs. Please let me know how I could serve you and your patients best.

I love to ethically and responsibly refer to other health care professionals. I do not participate in kickbacks or “special” referral programs.

Wherever the art of medicine is respected, there is also respect for humanity.

~Hippocrates, Aphorism 400bc

I had the sneaking suspicion I had done something like this before. Stayed inside somewhere, I ate and drank whatever was available and just kept working. It was at the edges of my mind. I could not place it until I woke up this morning and realized that this was the anniversary… the 25^th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing.

We arrived 3 days after the bombing with everyone and set up at the Myriad Center in OKC. I know every time something happens massage therapists want to be there immediately and unless they have had training don’t understand that there is a lot that needs to happen before we get there and can be granted a safe space to work. I went in and helped set up and we got to work. Moving past and working with drama, grief, pain and deep lack of understanding about what happened and how could something so awful happen… here. I stepped outside about 36 hours later so I could go sleep in a trailer one of the massage therapists brought for us to use that was parked close by. I woke up about 6 hours later to the most horrible stench, walked outside and realized it was not good. Then I cleaned up, changed clothes went back inside and worked and did not come outside again for about 3 1/2 weeks. I did not have to. I survived inside for weeks. I could have walked out, went shopping, went to dinner, took half day break and wandered around and yet I was somehow committed to staying and I was not unhappy about it at all.

I blogged about it here years ago.

And yet today was the day I realized something many of us had done. Some for a few hours, some for days, some for a week or more. As if we had taken a vow of poverty and really did sacrifice not seeing our families, our kids, not eating normal food, we were doing our work which is massage and helping people so they could help others. That is what we do best. This is our work, our profession, our purpose, our lifework.

I got it. Yes, Massage Therapists are so used to working through emergencies and supporting people during horrible times that this is an extra challenging time for us. During this pandemic it is as if we must sit on our hands or do all kinds of other things with our hands that is not massage. As non-essential businesses we legally cannot work in many states. As ethical, informed, and accountable practitioners we will strive to …. Do No Harm. This means not working when we cannot be absolutely certain that we will not spread or carry this Covid-19 Glitter anywhere to anyone. We want to keep our patients, clients, our families, our communities, and ourselves safe. It is a huge issue that we have no true idea if we have already had it, do have it or could pick it up on our shoe or the air on the way to the massage table. So, most of are not even taking that chance. And let me tell you we miss it, we miss you. We know you hurt, we know people are in pain and we want to work and help people. It just is not worth the risk. We also do not want to be that massage therapist that gets the call or message and apology that we have now been exposed because we helped someone and did our work with our hands. We also do not want to be that massage therapist that has to call every person they had in contact within a certain time period to apologize and inform them they have now been exposed.

Let me tell you what a lot of massage therapists have been doing with their hands. We have been spending our weeks cleaning as if we could clean, sanitize, sterilize, and sanctify the whole world by decluttering and cleaning each room but, there is no place to put the clutter. Now that we are ready to let it go and get rid of it. Most of the places we would normally donate it to are not accepting donations so now we have to just toss it in the trash and hope someone re-purposes it or create another pile of boxes and things we are saving to not save. We have put our hands in the dirt, gardening, as if our lives depend on it because it just might. We have pulled our sewing machines out and found gifts from the past of bias tape and elastic and fabric we never had time to do anything with and now we make masks to donate to those who need them, some to people who will be able to go where we cannot and help people we cannot help. It is a far reach but, feels like we are doing something to help. And maybe some people may sell a few to cover some groceries because they have no income. We are reading, writing, coloring, and making art. Playing board games, computer games, playing solitaire, pulling the tarot cards wishing to see clear answers and promises of a future that is good for us all. We have been cooking, baking using our hands to knead dough, shape cookies, perogies, pie crusts and pretzels to create something for people to eat because everyone needs to eat. Then we may feel guilty and start beating ourselves up for being overweight, not exercising enough, not doing enough and in the back of our brains there may be the remnants of an old verse 2 Thessalonians 3:10; “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Trust me when I say we would rather be working. Massage Therapists are some of the hardest working, generous and compassionate people in the world. We normally do think of others first. Being put in this place of not working and having a forced rest and separation from our practices, taking care of others weird. Having so much time to make sure we take care of ourselves and our families if we are isolating with them is just so different. So sharply focused and yet surreal. We are not all great at self-care and having time to accomplish things we put off and focus on ourselves it just does not feel okay all the time, we are definitely out of our comfort zone.

We have gained new skills with skype, facetime, zoom and other online things, which at first is nice to see another face. Then perhaps because we are so kinesthetically attuned, used to touch and physical presence, it becomes so much awareness of the distance, the physical disconnect with the virtual connection, that it can be unsettling for us. Some of us want to be available to do a virtual self-care support, self-massage/movement instruction but, it is a challenge for not only us but, you all that are hopefully looking forward to be on our tables again and not have to learn another new thing that most likely is not going to work as well as a massage. The thought that one might spend 8 hours on zoom in one day for a massage continuing education class without any hands on is appalling. We know that somewhere in the future the reality of high technology will create a deeper need for touch and connection. We have been saying this for many years, now we are feeling it.

“There is something very sacred about our nature and the nature of things – the nature of coming together, being together, getting in contact with each other and having a sensitive connection to what we are doing.” ~ Charlotte Selver

I genuinely believe that Massage Therapists with the insight, oversight, guidance and requirements from FEMA, the Red Cross and other entities did their best to follow Universal Precautions and create a “safe” workspace in the middle of a disasters. This happened over and over, from the San Francisco Earthquake to the Oklahoma City Bombing to 9/11 sites in NY and PA, to Katrina & Sandy and so many other hurricanes, after Tornados laid communities in pieces like Joplin, MO, Forest Fires in California, Washington & Oregon, and so many more. We do not know how to do this one though. No one was prepared for a pandemic.

I have to say I am done with the words “Social Distancing”…. It is physical distancing and we cannot maintain a minimum six foot of physical distance between us and provide a massage.

We know that when we get to practice massage again in the future it is going to have to be different. Massage Therapists were supposed to be taught, know and practice Universal Precautions consistently, as a whole profession. Except they didn’t always. We have to admit that some massage therapists, businesses and educators got lazy. So, we are reviewing everything we do, everything in our workspace, everything we or a human we work with could possibly come in contact with to see if we need to change anything to make it safer. Then we have to figure out if we need new products and/or equipment to keep our spaces uber tidy. And how much is that going to cost and how much more time is that going to take?

Some of the most important things that we can take away from our experiences is that;

· We are committed to being massage therapists, some of us may take other jobs to get by during this time, but we miss you, we appreciate you staying in contact, we know you value us and don’t think of us as non-essential, we want to work again as soon as it is safe.

· We can spend some time with ourselves, our families and our spaces and focus on appreciating being here now and being able to take the time to clean, repair, rearrange, paint, weed, plant and improve everything.

· We can learn new things, do things we have not done in a long time, do things in new ways and add other things to our lives to benefit ourselves and others.

· We can take a break, experience rest, eat well and exercise, it is good to renew ourselves and be ready to work again and be able to be truly well, vibrant, and present.

· We can take time to read those books, watch movies, listen to the music, write, make things, move, explore, and dance.

· We now have the time to connect by phone, email, social media or whatever with people and have those fun, fierce, deep, soul feeding conversations and let them know we care about them.

· We can all get along when it matters. And right now, it matters a whole lot.

And this last thing, that I want to share with you came back to me full circle today. I do love quotes and had printed some out to bring with me to Oklahoma City 25 years ago, in case I could hang them up somewhere for inspiration. I hung a few on several columns in the Myriad Center in the area where we were working. One disappeared within 24 hours. I put up another of the same one, it disappeared. I got someone to go get a few more printed and they just kept disappearing. Then I thought I might be in trouble and maybe that one was offensive or something. So, I asked the Chaplain. Who said, “it is good, keep printing them up or I will do it for you, the rescue team members are taking them with them.”

Then on the last day in almost mid-May, the last handful of us had cleaned everything up and packed it all up to go. As we walked out, I am outside for the first time in weeks and I felt this warm somatic collision with the sun and the air and the world again and I paused, basking, baking, enjoying this odd unexpected reunion. Behind me I heard a voice reciting that quote. I turned, and one of the rescue team members waved the last copy that I had left hanging on a column and walked off the other direction.

Here is the quote and I may be reciting every day now.

“This is the day when healing comes to us. This is the day when separation ends, and we remember who we really are.” ~Course in Miracles

May we all look forward to each day and our future reunions with the world, other humans, closeness, physical touch and the beingtherewithness we are missing.

Does this show we could have done better, can still make changes to improve our environment?

I think so!

Global Drop in Air Pollution https://www.wired.com/story/the-pandemic-has-led-to-a-huge-global-drop-in-air-pollution/

People in India can see the Himalayas for the first time in decades…. well maybe not three decades…. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/himalayas-visible-india-30-years/

The turtles came ashore and laid their eggs https://weather.com/health/coronavirus/news/2020-04-02-sea-turtle-nesting-season-coronavirus-less-crowds-closed-beaches

The bears are out rambling about Yosemite https://www.ecowatch.com/wild-bears-yosemite-national-park-2645728901.html

Some things are not true though https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/coronavirus-pandemic-fake-animal-viral-social-media-posts/#close

Several years ago I blogged this https://www.phoenixville-massage.com/archives/earth-day-is-every-day , and yes I still believe that Earth Day is everyday. It may be quite different for us as Massage Therapists however. We going to continue to up our game to create a safe environment for us to provide massage therapy sessions. As if I wasn’t already doing quite a bit more than some because the humans I work with are more likely to be medically involved and/or immune compromised.

In the future where I was limiting my practice to 10 sessions a week it may have to be less and I may choose to start it at two or three a week to leave a day or two in between sessions.

In the future I may opt to expand the the normal 30 minutes I usually scheduled between sessions to thoroughly clean.

In the future I may change a lot of things that you may not see or be aware of but, please do not hesitate to ask.

As the rules change for more businesses to be open that may not be enough. Just because we can may not mean we should. I appreciate your continued patience and understanding.

50 years ago today in 1970 I was an 11 year old kid that was thrilled we would be having cool teach-in classes outside at school. After school I went horseback riding (bareback was normal for me) with a feed sack and gathered up some litter while I was out. I went by a park where a bunch of people were having a thing. Being a kid on a horse I stayed back a ways. A bunch of these people waved and then they started clapping. I was really embarrassed. I am sure I blushed and then I waved, yelled have fun, turned and rode away.

On this Earth Day a lot of us are not out in the world. We are staying in. We sure don’t need any applause but, I am choosing to appreciate the pause.

Happy Earth Day 2020

This year has been a huge surprise and challenge for all of us. I am sure you have been doing your best and staying busy as have I. I have missed you. I have missed working. I won’t lie, I miss being able to work at the hospital. I miss it so much but, it just isn’t safe or worth the risk. I know I will be get to be there again one day and will continue to look forward to that. I cried when we had to close our private practice and move everything out and end the lease. It truly wasn’t safe. In a building we loved, with office staff, cleaning, free coffee service and a lovely office of our own it was heartbreaking. With over a hundred other private offices, the trajectories of humans and surfaces for the virus and no income to pay for rent it was suddenly overwhelming.

As Licensed Massage Therapists we were told, we truly were not allowed to practice in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania until much later in the Summer of 2020 and then, as now we are only allowed to practice at 50%. Even at that it is concerning with the lovely, deep and complete 45 page document provided for us by the Federation of State Massage Boards (FSTMB) and recommended by the State Board of Massage Therapy in Pennsylvania and many other states. In order to safely practice we needed to remove many things from our practices. Things such as curtains, books, tchotchkes; anything we couldn’t put behind a glass door or closed cabinet or couldn’t completely clean and sanitize after each session. This led to us even purchasing rugs we could wash after each session. Yes, ourselves and massage therapists across the country spent lots of money on masks, goggles, aprons, gloves, air purifiers, cleaning products and so many other products in order to practice safely again one day. Of course more time has to be put in between sessions in order to have additional time to clean and either allow the air purifier to process or air out the session room. Even then we were not certain that ourselves and you would be 100% safe.

As practices reopened across the country there were those that in spite of doing everything perfect, had to close down again, and again. Through no fault of their own, no lack of dedication in additional cleaning and ppe usage. So forgive us for our conservative approaches, adjustments to our older office setting, the severely reduced number of appointment times available, our additional requirements of orienting to the new way to practice and how to utilize more touchless processes for our intake processes and payment methods. In consideration, we had always felt like we had more effort in cleaning, more time between appointments, more awareness of working with people who were immune compromised and informing people when we got our annual flu shots. Perhaps the real key is this awareness of how we could continue to do these things and yes, even wearing masks. We have to consider that there seems to be significantly less colds and flu this year. Even now that I have my two vaccines, there is still a concern, a new strain that is more infectious, a constant awareness that I have the honor to practice with people such as you, that may be immune compromised, may need to take extra precautions and have been doing your best to see you and your families through this challenge too.

During this time this website suddenly became a problem with multiple scam comments each day. So of course I shut it down a bit and still have not enabled comments. I have appreciated all the cards, calls, texts and facebook messages and staying in contact with many of you. In the meantime we grew a bunch of veggies, I reconnected with my sewing and embroidery, read a lot of books, have been doing a lot of writing with my dear husband, maintained a good amount of volunteer work and did our best to support our family, physically, spiritually, mentally and fiscally, through this ridiculousness. I have not completed watching all of Schitt’s Creek or The Crown, I did manage to finish The Queen’s Gambit though.

So, I look forward to Spring, seeing a few more of you in the future and hearing about your adventures, misadventures and things you have been doing during this odd time.

Dear clients, friends, & family:

We appreciate your loyalty, concern, and trust.

As many of you may already know, we take our profession and practice very seriously and have been keeping informed about the COVID-19/ Coronovirus pandemic.

You may have seen that we participated in the Mutter Museum “Spit Spreads Death” parade and event commemorating the 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic last fall. We know how important it is for all of us to do everything we can to not let something like that happen again. In the last two weeks, we have canceled all classes, teaching, and conference trips until May 1st. We will continue to monitor the situation and continue to withdraw or postpone these to keep everyone safe.

Chris ceased providing massage therapy at the tech company and gym as well, for the time being.

Xerlan has also ceased providing massage therapy at the hospital.

As you know, our private practice is minimal and specially curated. No one shows up on our appointment schedule without a referral. We shut down online booking over a year ago. We are grateful to use our skills with those we feel we can best serve safely and effectively. Many of you are immune-compromised, in cancer treatment, are elite athletes, or may be recovering from surgery or injuries. Because of this, we understand you may consider us as an “essential healthcare practice.” We appreciate that very much. Our sessions with you are our focus, and we enjoy working with you.

We have always understood, practiced, and taught other massage therapists about universal precautions and safe practices. While these are things we usually do, we thought it might be reassuring to let you know again.

– We schedule 30 minutes between every session. We want to make sure we have time to clean and time to do appropriate and in-depth check-ins before every session.

– We always wash our hands properly using a variety of songs, long quotes, and poems before and after each session, and before and after cleaning the room between appointments.

– All linens, sheets, face cradle covers, and blankets are laundered after each use.

– We always wipe down the table and bolsters after each session.

– We use cold and warm packs with medical-grade covers that can be safely and appropriately cleaned after each use.

– There is always an appropriate sanitizer in the session room. We use it in addition to handwashing, before, during, and after each session. We usually keep some out for you to use at any time as well.

If we have felt ill or even thought we might have a cold coming on, some of you have received that call letting you know it is in all our best health interests to cancel and reschedule your massage therapy appointment for a later date.

We have always asked that you give us the same notice, and we have not charged anyone for canceling for this reason.

Now, this COVID-19/Coronavirus situation creates many more concerns for all of us. We could reserve the right to ask if you have symptoms, we could have a forehead thermometer to check you when you arrived, we can request that if you have returned from a recent trip, please let us know before you schedule an appointment so that we can schedule it safely in the future.

That may not be enough, though.

Unfortunately, the Coronavirus brought this awful plot twist with it. Anyone can be asymptomatic and still be contagious.

In a perfect world, a small private massage therapy practice should be one of the safest places to be. Where else do people practice standard universal precautions while providing therapy to individuals, one at a time, a very few each day.

It should be safer than going to the library or a walk in the park. But they just closed those in our area. All of us have been informed that “social distancing” and voluntarily staying home is the recommended approach for at least the next two weeks. It could be longer. That is going to create a challenge for many massage practices.

Since we do not have a supply of hazmat suits, nor could we imagine anyone getting a massage by someone wearing one, we have already been slowing down our private practice. While this does present financial challenges, we know we are not alone in facing those right now.

We understand that many of you depend on us for pain and symptom management. So, while we are suspending our, in person practice for a few weeks, please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions, are stressed, anxious, uncomfortable, or in pain. We can discuss your options for future sessions and/or provide some online support for stress management, lymph involvement, neuropathy, and pain management. What we do not want is to create any form of obligation to pay for or keep an appointment because it is just not safe now.

We appreciate those of you that offered to pay us for staying home or needing to cancel an appointment. We will counter with ‘you may purchase a gift certificate for a future session’ if you like. In the meantime, we will be working on some projects, listening to music, reading, researching, writing, and generally staying in, and we recommend that you do the same.

This really isn’t easy for anyone, but we are glad to be your Massage Therapists, and we look forward to seeing you again once this challenge has passed.

Xerlan Deery, LMT, BCTMB
Christopher Deery, LMT, BCTMB
Anatriptic Alchemy / Phoenixville Massage & Bodywork

I have had the honor and privilege of working with people in cancer treatment and survivors for over 25 years. I often hear how challenging and awkward the holidays may be for them. None of us is ever prepared for cancer, having it ourselves or having friends and family that have cancer, especially during the holidays. I am not a licensed counselor however I am a licensed and board certified massage therapist and human that has been in this situation more times than I like. So, I wanted to write this short list to help a bit.

1. If they have told you they have cancer but, explained they were not telling a lot of people, not making it public knowledge, please do not share it with anyone unless they give you permission to do so. Understand you are a valued and close family member or friend. Keep it that way. They will need you and you want to be present for them. Start now. They really may want to spend the holidays as the holidays without a focus on them. They really don’t want to be surprised with everyone knowing when they didn’t tell everyone. Zip It!

2. Understand that if this is a recent diagnosis, they may not have all the answers yet. They may not have all the plans and schedules yet. Or they may be going through treatments during the holidays. Ask them how you can best support them and let them know you will keep in contact in case they need anything.

3. A holiday gathering is not the time to ask if they have gotten a second opinion. Really, trust me on this. They have most likely been asked this question at least 50 times already. Instead, ask them if they want to talk about their diagnosis and/or treatment and then….Listen.

4. Please don’t say… “You look great!”. Instead, let them know how glad you are to see them.

5. Don’t try to overdo it with unusually generous gifts. If you do please make sure it is something they really do want, clear it with another close family member and maybe don’t do it in front of a large group of people.

6. Please don’t buy “cancer” gifts. Once again check with a close family member for certain but, gifts of books, hats, everything in their type of cancer ribbon color can be a little weird. Not that these things may not be appreciated but, perhaps they don’t need to be under the tree or replacing the things they usually may appreciate receiving as gift.

7. In conversation I recommend you do not bring up Keto, other fad diets, talk about how diets cure cancer or how cancer loves sugar. Even if you are a licensed dietician or certified nutrition specialist you will want to respect their treatment team and these days in almost every hospital and cancer center, they have dieticians and nutritionists available. If you really want to talk about food and diets, ask them what they wish they had in the freezer at home. Then think about delivering it soon.

8. Honestly, they probably would like to enjoy the holiday and not talk about cancer. So please don’t start telling them stories about other people you know that had cancer or celebrities that had cancer. Instead, focus on them as a person, as them, not as their condition.

9. Please don’t show up at a holiday gathering with the “cure cancer” diet book, essential oils, your homemade Kancer Killing Kombucha, cannabis etc. We know you mean well but, you may not understand how complex cancer treatment is now and that some of these things may not be compatible or safe at this time. Instead, ask them what their favorite cookie or holiday treat is. Maybe see if you can make it or get it for them during the holidays.

Please try to avoid telling them how brave, strong and inspirational they are. They really don’t need to hear that God doesn’t give them more than they can handle or that what doesn’t kill them will make them stronger at this point. Instead, please listen to them, give them a hug and enjoy the holidays together.

This whole week could use some attention. This is the week that some of us really start stressing about the holidays. And there is so much to this; from family to finances, which holidays and where, so much to do and taking care of you, presence and presents.

So, here are a few thoughts to help us all make it through this week and the holidays.

This is the week you may be pushing it and could really use a massage. Do you have a massage therapist? Are they local and part of your community?

As many people get focused on the holidays and travel, even some of the busiest, most constantly booked massage therapist might just have a few session times available this week or before the end of the year.

Think about the concept of skipping the black Friday nonsense and getting a massage instead. What a concept to start the holiday season with self-care, if not massage then something, try a yoga class or a new restaurant, take a nap or just take time to have tea and relax before you start a mad baking, decorating or shopping scramble.

Oh, and please think twice or at least three times before you buy gift certificates for massage therapy.

Don’t just purchase gift certificates because they are the right color and size for everyone. They really are not.

If you are going to be purchasing massage therapy gift certificates, please make sure you are buying them for someone that wants it. If they don’t like massage getting them a gift certificate isn’t going to change their mind. This can be potentially very awkward, please, just don’t.

If they like massage and have a massage therapist they prefer, buy a gift certificate from them. Do not buy them a gift certificate your massage therapist because you think yours is better. The only time you get someone a gift certificate from another therapist when they already have a preferred massage therapist. is if they have told you they wanted to try another massage therapist.

If they are recovering from surgery or injury, have a medical condition, are in treatment for cancer or a survivor please make certain you are purchasing a gift certificate from a massage therapist that is fully qualified to work safely and effectively with them. This matters more than you realize. Please feel free to call the massage therapist and visit with them on the phone or in person before you purchase a gift certificate.

Purchasing a gift certificate from a business that hires or contracts massage therapists may not necessarily be able to do this. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the story that someone purchased a gift certificate from ABC place because this wonderful therapist was working there and then when they tried to get an appointment with them, they had moved on.

Don’t fall for Buy One Get One or mad sales from massage therapist you are not familiar with. Every year gift certificates get lost, get stuck in drawers and overlooked. Every year, somewhere in the US some massage therapist or even other companies sell massive amounts of fabulously priced gift certificates only to disappear after the holidays.

Please, please make sure they are a licensed massage therapist, legally licensed to practice massage therapy in Pennsylvania. Do not purchase gift certificates for massage therapy from people that are not licensed to do it.

And if you ever hear the words “that Gift Certificate expired” you might want to inform them of this lovely piece of knowledge. According to the US Credit CARD Act of 2009, “A gift certificate… may contain an expiration date if the expiration date is not earlier than 5 years after the date on which the gift certificate was issued… and the terms of expiration are clearly and conspicuously stated”. http://www.chambersburg.org/blog/2015/09/03/when-do-gift-cards-in-pennsylvania-expire.

So, lighten up, do something that has nothing to do with the holidays and everything to do with taking care of you.

We are having a kinda good autumn here but, I am feeling a little guilty for having so much to be grateful for. Of couse the house isn’t as clean as it should be, there are always things to be fixed and things be cannot afford to do but, look what we got to do!

Chris and I had a great time in Pasadena, CA at the AMTA Massage Convention, I got to volunteer and help at the Society for Oncology Massage Booth, I got to be in a local magazine (http://www.chestercounty-life.com/issue-sept-oct-17/index.html?page=50), we got to volunteer at the Green Earth Festival at the Phoenixville Farmers Market, we got to see Dar Williams in concert and get her book autographed!

We got to do massage for over a hundred riders and survivors during a three day, 200 mile bike ride raising money for breast cancer Tour de Pink, Chris and I got to help out at a firebird fundraiser at a local brewery, Halloween was awesome we gave out 14 bags of candy, and that was just September and October.

Thanks to Unite for Her, I got to speak at two hospitals this month, Paoli and Phoenixville, we both got to speak at the regional S4OM gathering, I got to go to an art show and see some incredible art and three new people decided I get to be their massage therapist!

Chris and I got to work inside the polls for the first time. That is a labor of love and it is a challenge. We are in the largest county that still does handwritten ballots and yes we do have to hand count.

This is a great time for birthdays. Three dear couples brought three beautiful children into this world in three different states! Chris had a pretty decent birthday, he wanted to go the National Dog Show and we got to take our niece with us this time. We have been to the Phoenixville Farmers Market several times, Steel City and Artisans Coffee Shops, Francos, The Eco Store and of course Diving Cat! We had another date night tonight, which may sound strange to some but, for me it is a big deal to go to Lowe’s, the grocery store, have dinner at Zoup’s and hit the bookstore. My husband won my heart in the first place by buying me a book instead of a drink.

It is not that I made it a month or even a week without someone saying something to me or me to them that was misunderstood, awkward, snarky or mean. We gotta know we are not perfect and we are always trying to be better.

We do miss those that are just not with us anymore or cannot be with us. We may even experience some sadness and grief while make pies or checking on the bird. We can still gather and enjoy time with, and appreciate the all of us that are present. I am really thankful for all the people that have crossed my path, those that I have known for years and some I have just met. How can I not be thankful when you can say you have been visiting, got hugs, petted many dogs, explored and learned new things with beautiful people?

I know the world seems really horrid right now for many but, I am thankful and looking forward to work tomorrow at the hospital, doing to cleaning, cooking, baking, reading, writing and having another wonderful gathering with family. So go ahead and share a joy or beauty or cool thing ya got to do. Let’s have some thankfulness and appreciation for ourselves, our families, our friends, our communites and our lives without feeling guilty.

So if you are willing and can donate a few bucks, consider helping with beautiful organizations that allow me and Chris to volunteer with them. Giving Tuesday is coming up soon!

The Society for Oncology Massage www.S4om.org

Unite for Her www.UniteforHer.org

Young Survivors Coalition

https://www.ysctourdepink.org/

The Phoenixville Firebird Festival https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/2017-phoenixville-firebird-festival-music-arts#/

And Paoli Cancer Center https://www.mainlinehealth.org/ways-to-give/paoli-hospital-foundation

“Those who are not grateful soon begin to complain of everything.”
― Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

I have friends who love PSL. I don’t care for them and being able to work with Oncology Patients I know sometimes that fragrance is too strong for some in the infusion room. That being said the PSL is a good reminder of how we work with people who have cancer and survivors.

With a licensed and properly trained massage therapist there is no specific time one should not get massage. It is not the timing or the treatment but, the effects and experiences of the client that requires us to modify a session for safety and effectiveness. Rarely, I have needed to refuse or reschedule a session for another day. Indeed, it seems challenging to think about getting a massage during chemotherapy, before or after a radiation treatment, pre- and post-op but, it happens every day around the world. And while every person is different and every session is different we always make adjustments to create the safest and most effective session for you.

Properly trained Massage Therapists will know how to make the following adjustments and why. So don’t be surprised to have some discussion time about Oncology Massage Adjustments or PSLs.

• Pressure Moderation

  • During cancer treatment and even when you are a survivor getting a deep tissue massage may be too much.

• Position Adjustments

  • You need to be comfortable getting the massage. Sometimes that means we use more pillows and bolsters. Sometimes we use different positions for your comfort.

• Site Restrictions

  • Several times there may be areas or sites we will need to avoid completely or make significant adjustments to work in the area.

• Session Length

  • With everything else going on and fatigue being an issue for many people those 90 minute sessions can be more draining than therapeutic.

• Lymphedema Risks

  • If you’ve had surgery that will affect lymph nodes and/or radiation therapy, you’re considered to be at some risk for lymphedema.

There are many Licensed Massage Therapists in the area that are trained to work safely and effectively with people who have cancer and survivors. I know Christopher and I have limited schedules sometimes but, we will endeavor to get you booked as soon as possible. Feel free to call, text or email us; also please take a look at this resource on the Society for Oncology Massage website if you are a looking for a Massage Therapist trained to work safely and effectively with oncology clients and survivors.

http://www.s4om.org/family-and-friends/is-your-therapist-trained

~Jean Kerr

And it isn’t just Christmas or even always religious. It isn’t just cooking, baking and decorating, cleaning, rearranging and lifting, planning, budgeting and shopping, wrapping, hiding, delivering and mailing, it is the traveling to and fro and stopping all along the way. It is the preparing a place for the family and friends to gather for an afternoon, an evening or a week or more. It is the beautiful and graceful effort one puts in a plate of cookies as a gift to a friend or donating money or time or things in the middle of the holidays that is unnecessary, a complete surprise, a wild, random act of ridiculous thoughtful generosity, which feeds our souls, gives us a sense of accomplishment, validates that we can make a difference and may also fatigue us.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Add in the extra guests, you gladly make room for, things your ran out of, misplaced or forgot and had to get at the last minute, changed plans and people arriving or leaving earlier or later than you thought and the weather. We didn’t have a white Christmas; it was warm, then wet, then cooler. So forgive yourself and any of your family and/or friends that now has a cold, needs to sleep it off, recharge, and had a flare of arthritis, fibromyalgia or any kind of pain or fatigue symptom.

Understand most people have to get back to work immediately or barely had any time off because they are nurses, doctors, firemen, policemen, chefs and retail workers. There are others that will have a bit longer break and still others that just lost their holiday job and will be looking for work. We still have to clean up, do all the dishes, use up all the leftovers, “undecorate”, which may not be a real word but, it is a real thing, and put everything back up or down or stored somewhere for another 10 or 11 months.

When I am looking at a well-decorated Christmas Tree, no amount of adverse experience can convince me that people are anything but good. If people were bad, they wouldn’t go to all that trouble to display that much affection for one another and the world they live in.

~Andy Rooney

So the holiday stress may last longer than we thought. The New Year isn’t here yet but, it is coming. Why wait to make a change or start a resolution or just be good to yourself?
We need it now. Get a Massage, take a walk, read the book you got, try that turmeric milk recipe, and spend time with people who will make you want to do it all over again, next year, smarter and better.

We will be glad to help, between now and Jan. 4th, while we are on break from teaching, we expanded our schedule and would love to finish this year doing something to show our appreciation for the community that we love being part of. So, every session scheduled from December 28th, 2015 thru January 4th, 2016 will be an End of the year Retro Price Session: $75 per hour and a half, $50 per hour or $25 per half hour. Oh Wait! Except this one special day. This day, Wednesday, December 30th will be a donation only day. You may donate what you wish for any 1/2 hour or hour session. You may schedule online here or give us a call to schedule your appointment.

Happy Holidays from Christopher and Xerlan Deery!