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Massage Therapy for Cancer Patients
To say that cancer is hard on the patients and their families would be an incredible understatement. A terrifying disease whose treatment can be even more brutal than the disease itself, just hearing the diagnosis can leave devastating impacts on a person’s mental health and wellness. Physically, cancer and chemotherapy wreaks havoc on the body, but the emotional toll from the start and even years after treatment is significant. Thankfully, many sufferers of cancer find relief with massage therapy. A study done by The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that many cancer survivors are already using massage therapy to cope with lingering physical issues, anxiety related to fear of recurrence, and other symptoms.
Studies have shown massage therapy to be effective for reducing the pain associated with cancer and its treatment. Results from 12 different international studies were compared and concluded that “Massage therapy significantly reduced cancer pain compared with no massage treatment or conventional care.” There are also countless studies confirming that the quality of life of cancer patients is improved by bodywork, as well as a few other practices such as meditation and yoga.
While massage therapy is safe throughout many stages of cancer treatment, anyone with a medical condition should consult their healthcare practitioner before receiving bodywork. Not only is massage helpful for cancer patients, it’s also beneficial for caretakers. A caretaker’s stress is significant, and too many times we see family members who nurture and provide for their loved ones, but never make time for themselves. Self-care isn’t selfish, and can be relieving for the friends and family members who are affected by the illness. Pain comes in many forms; We want to help alleviate as much of it as possible.
-Breanna Kinman, Licensed Massage Therapist
On Being Present: Struggles of a Frantic Girl
It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly four months since the official opening of White Willow! It’s been great. Now, at the end of October, I’ve hit a good routine. I feel settled into my treatment room and happy in our office. It’s all perfect, really. A couple of weeks ago, when I realized that I’d worked through all the business projects on my list, I thought, “What’s next?”
The truth is, all of my life I’m thinking, “What’s next?” Even more than I love a good project, I love dreaming of the next project. Plotting, planning, stressing, calculating, juggling, it’s all part of my familiar routine. I needed to learn something new. A new massage modality for my tool belt, perhaps, or maybe something different altogether.
When I couldn’t land on any one thing to study, I decided to meet with an advisor. I talked to him about what I’ve been doing the past few years and asked for his assistance in setting new goals. He said “It looks like you’re in a good place right now. Why do you want to learn something new?” I replied, “Well, if I’m not learning then I’m stagnant, right?” He chuckled a bit and said, “No, I’m not sure that’s how it works. I think you have plenty to learn right in your massage room. You’re learning every day.” I protested, “I think maybe I’m bored.” Sternly, he said “You’re not bored, you’re frantic. You’ve gotten accustomed to being so busy all of the time, but did you ever wonder what it would feel like to slow down? You’ve worked hard to get to where you are. Maybe you could be comfortable with a slower pace. How long has it been since you enjoyed your day without thinking ‘What’s next?’ I think you need to learn to be in the moment and appreciate your life as it is now. Learn to be present.”
For two whole days after meeting with the advisor, I thought I’d wasted my money. He didn’t help me find my next direction, and he definitely didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear. But then, as I was recounting the meeting with a friend, I suddenly understood what he was telling me. It’s funny how you can hear and repeat the same advice over and over, but never really understand it. As cliche as it sounds, I realized that if I keep my current pace, I could let my whole life pass me by. How can I possibly enjoy my life if I’m firmly rooted in the future?
The next day, I decided that I would make an effort to slow down my thoughts and learn to be present by walking to and from work. My walk is 30 minutes, each way. The first day that I walked, the only thing I could see was the finish line. It wasn’t until I reached my destination that I realized I hadn’t done what I intended at all. The next day, I tried to view it differently. Instead of walking to get somewhere, I tried to be conscious of my thoughts and to think only about what I saw and felt. Still, that proved to be quite a struggle, so I thought that a photo project might help. Baby steps.
Here are some things I’ve seen on my walks:
Dewdrops on a spider web, right outside White Willow.
A lovely fall arrangement
Milkweed?
A neat little gate
Some perfect flowers. Seriously, Mother Nature is so talented.
Lots of gorgeous autumn flowers
Wilson’s Grocery.
Flowers, flowers everywhere.
A garden behind a church
A twisty tree
A dog, who frightened me when he barked.
Lots of leaves
A magical canopy of trees
And a cat, mid meow. This one is my own back yard. ^_^
After seeing all these beautiful things, I realized that I never would have noticed them if I hadn’t slowed down. I couldn’t possibly appreciate an autumn blossom or tree canopy from my car. I think it’s pretty obvious that I haven’t mastered the art of being present, but I do feel different. Without any particular goal in mind, I think I’ll keep walking to work, just to see what happens.
-Charley Caudill, LMT
Self care: Preventing A Breakdown
Image source: Society for Psychotherapy
Do you ever have those days where you feel like all you do is run, run, run and still feel like you’re behind? Maybe you skip lunch one day or only get a few hours of sleep another day. Or maybe you don’t realize that you were so caught up until the end of the day when you finally lie down and take a deep breath? These are all, unfortunately, very common habits of modern day, fast living Americans. I fully believe that our fast- paced society is leading us astray from personal wellness and respect, which in turn affects everyone’s human experience in this life.
With extreme stress inevitably comes “burnout.” Burnout is the last phase of months or even years of using your reserve fuel and never taking the time to refill. With burnout comes exhaustion, both mentally and physically, and often leaves you sick and with no choice but to rest.
Not only does stress leave an impact on our wellbeing, but changes in the seasons can have a noticeable impact on our bodies and moods. According to Ayurvedic medicine, we are now in the time of Navaratri. Ayurveda follows closely with the cycles and rhythms of nature and especially the moon. Navaratri occurs twice a year in the “gap” seasons. Winter into Spring and Summer into Fall. They are both times of the year where it is very easy to get wrapped up in an accelerated pace and to let our self care fall by the wayside. During this Navaratri with the cooler temperatures blowing in, it is of the utmost importance that we take the time to fully appreciate and nourish our bodies with quality rest and whole, healing foods.
It is entirely too common for stressed individuals to ignore our bodies signals until it is too late and we fall ill. Here is my compiled list of self care habits:
1. Get some sleep!
It is the basis for a healthy lifestyle- It will literally improve your body and brain function.
2. Nourish.
No more quick stops at McDonalds/ Taco Bell, etc. If we expect our bodies to keep up with our busy lifestyle, we need to give it adequate energy.
3. Get your massage/acupuncture/therapy.
So many times I, personally, have rescheduled my self care so that I may help others. Make time for yourself and stick to it! No one else is going to do it for you!
4. Breathe.
Remember, in times of stress, it’s very likely that you are holding your breath which is depriving your body and creating more of a problem. Take those deep breaths and feel your mind and body slowly come back to a level playing field.
5. Do the things that bring your soul joy.
Just as important as work is to your life, so is play. When you give your spirit the time to restore, it will keep you healthy and enlivened. To be stuck in the same routine of comfort is to disengage. We must keep learning and discovering and experiencing to fully nourish our mind and spirit. Take some time to go for a walk or to plant your bare feet in the grass. Watch the leaves fall and admire the ebbs and flows our lives take us through.
Every season can teach us something about ourselves and the cycles of life. I believe that the fall is a time for us to fully appreciate our vitality and our mortality. We are only given one body in this life and we must treat it with the respect and love that it deserves.
-Arielle Ferrell, LMT
Image source: Where Easy Living Begins
Massage Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that is currently incurable, but treatable. The symptoms range from mild to severe, coming and going, while never going away for good. Like any chronic disease or syndrome, it can be hard to cope with the constant pain, fatigue, and variety of other symptoms. Fortunately, also like many other chronic issues, massage therapy can help.
If you or someone you care about has MS, you know that even a few hours of relief can be worth more than gold. Massage has been proven to reduce pain levels and may even lengthen the remission period between flare ups in some people. According to a study reported in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, participants who received 10 weeks of massage therapy reported pain levels up to 50 percent lower than the control group. The proven stress reducing benefits of massage may also help reduce the frequency of flare ups in people whose symptoms often worsen in time of stress.
This article from MultipleSclerosis.net was written by an MS sufferer and her experience with massage. It’s worth a read, but the bottom line: she’s a fan.
When looking for a massage therapist, be sure to find someone licensed in their state, knowledgeable about your condition, and willing to work with your individual case. In cases of chronic illness, it’s always a good idea to inform you therapist of any sensitive areas of you body that may need to be avoided or treated gently. During your massage, you comfort is top priority and an important part of your treatment.
If you have any questions about whether or not massage is right for you, please talk with your health care practitioner and give us a call to discuss your particular plan.
-Breanna Kinman, Licensed Massage Therapist
“Symptoms of multiple sclerosis” by Mikael Häggström – All used images are in public domain.. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons
Spotlight: Charley Caudill, Licensed Massage Therapist and Professional Birth Doula
- When is your birthday?
- December 28th, right in between Christmas and the New Year.
- Where are you from?
- I’ve lived in Lexington for a while, but I’m originally from Viper, a small town in southeastern Kentucky.
- What is your favorite massage modality to practice?
- I’m especially drawn to the subtle modalities, specifically CranioSacral Therapy. This work, though light in tough, can help the body to self-heal and release deep restrictions that are emotional, physical, and energetic.
- What CEU class are you looking forward to next?
- So many classes, so little time! In November I’ll be flying to Dallas, Texas for SomatoEmotional Release, which is an extension of CranioSacral Therapy and my third class in this modality.
- What is your favorite movie?
- I have a hard time picking a favorite, but I’m especially fond of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. I also love The Fountain. Anything with a bit of magic!
- What is your favorite color?
- Green or turquoise, depending on my mood and the season.
- What is your favorite food?
- Sushi! I recently had some great sushi at Sapporo in Louisville. In October, however, my favorite food is caramel apples.
- If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
- I would like the ability to change my appearance like Mystique of the X-Men, or maybe telepathy.
- What’s the best part about your job?
- I love building a relationship with my clients and helping them to heal. I love being a part of the transformation and growth of bodies and spirits.
- What’s the worst part about your job?
- I don’t like talking on the phone very much, so most of my clients know to text me instead. I’m also not fond of accounting. All in all, it’s a pretty great job. I get to hang out in a sparkly room all day, listening to ambient music and helping my clients to feel better in their bodies. I love it.
Spotlight: Breanna Kinman, Licensed Massage Therapist
- When is your birthday?
- My birthday is September 25th, which is just in a few days as a write this. My husband’s is, oddly enough, the 26th. This year we’re going out of town for a weekend trip.
- Where are you from?
- I’ve lived in Lexington since I was 3, so I consider it my homeland.
- What is your favorite massage modality to practice?
- I love deep tissue and orthopedic work. I recently took a class on Milton Trager’s work though, often called “movement re-education,” and I thoroughly enjoyed that and will be adding aspects of it to my regular practice.
- What CEU class are you looking forward to next?
- All of them that can help me fix people! The list is so long. I want to learn more orthopedic work always, I’m interested in learning cupping, I would love further training in aromatherapy, and I know there are things to learn that I don’t even know I don’t know!
- What is your favorite movie?
- Guardians of the Galaxy. I feel like I waited my whole life for that movie.
- What is your favorite color?
- Rainbow and magenta
- What is your favorite food?
- Ice cream
- If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
- Telekinesis. Because if you master it properly, you can use it to emulate other superpowers. Move yourself telekinetically = now you can fly. Move magnetic stuff = now you’re Magneto.
- What’s the best part about your job?
- Helping people get to where they’re supposed to be. Some people are in pain and they want to not be in pain. Some people want to run marathons. I love that I get to work with so many types of people and help them reach their goals.
- What’s the worst part about your job?
- Folding sheets. So. Many. Sheets.
Inside Out: A Massage Therapist’s Take
Inside Out, Pixar’s newest movie, delves into the brain and processes of our emotional lives. While it is obviously quite fictional (we don’t actually have tiny people in our heads, according to science) there is a lot of truth to the situations that Riley and her gang of emotions get into.
As massage therapists, we know that emotions can have a huge impact on your body. One of the most obvious ways that your emotions manifest in your muscles is when you use your muscles to hold back emotions that you either don’t want to, or feel uncomfortable expressing. In the movie Inside Out, Joy tells Sadness to stay inside of her circle and not touch any of the memories in Riley’s mind.
When we want to keep our own sadness pent up, we don’t quite have the ability to go inside of our heads and draw a chalk line to keep Sadness where we think she belongs, so we usually clench our muscles in the front of our necks and often clench our jaw muscles as well. Constantly biting back our feelings and not saying what needs said can lead to chronic tightness in those areas as well as headaches and various throat and jaw problems.
No one is very good at stopping Anger in Inside Out, but in real life, many people are pros. Anger often manifests most in the jaw, and sometimes the back of the neck. Fear can clench up stomach and diaphragm, Disgust… well that usually just wrinkles the nose.
Everyone is different of course, we’ve seen clients hold nervousness in their hamstrings or elsewhere in the body. Keeping your emotions pent up can leave your body a mess, so learning to express yourself in a healthy way can lead to more than just mental health. Is your massage therapist always working the same area that has no real physical reason to be tight? Maybe you need to talk to someone, have a good cry, or dance all night. As you know, massage therapists aren’t psychiatrists, but we do know bodies, and we know that constant clenching will do you no good. Maybe watch Inside Out again and feel all the feels.
-Breanna Kinman, LMT
Town Branch Trash Parade with Seven Generations Community Actions Project
Sarah Steele (SGCAP President), Breanna, Arielle, Charley, and Brandon Caudill (SGCAP Ministerial Director)
Last Saturday, the White Willow girls joined forces with Seven Generations Community Action Project in an effort to clean up our town. Or, at least part of our town. We started at Woodland Park, which was relatively free of trash, so it wasn’t long before we were on our way to Town Branch Creek.
The whole group, except for Charley, the photographer.
Armed with gloves, trash pickers, trash bags, sunscreen, and lots and lots of drinking water, we made the slow trash crawl (to the tune of a ukelele!) from Woodland Park on High Street all the way to Town Branch Creek. The walk was less than two miles, but thanks to the thousands of cigarette butts littering the sidewalks (frowny face), it took us a few hours to complete the job.
Don’t worry, we took a break along the way!
Honestly, we had a blast. It was surprisingly peaceful to be unplugged for a few hours. The change of pace was noticeable and we couldn’t help but appreciate how nice it was to be outside, with old friends and new, just talking, walking, and picking up trash. By the end of the day we were ridiculously sweaty and tired, but quite pleased with ourselves for making Lexington a cleaner and more beautiful place.
We made it to Town Branch Creek! Photo by Cameron White
Photo by Cameron White
We’ll be doing this again soon! Be sure to “like” Seven Generations Community Action Project on Facebook so that you can join us next time.
Laurel Branch at Grimes Mill Winery
Have you been to Grimes Mill Winery? We have! Last Saturday, Arielle, Breanna, and Charley visited the winery for a tasting and to see Laurel Branch, a folk-Americana band with members Jane Tatum, Julia Sparks, Ann Caldwell, and Sara Pitney. We had a blast!
Upon arrival, we were greeted by two dogs who live on site. The location is beautiful! The vineyard is home to rows and rows of growing grapes (naturally) and several horses. The tasting room is small, cozy, and smells of cedar. The staff, including the two dogs, is friendly and knowledgable. Oh! And the wine! Simply put, the wine is delicious. We tasted several and liked each one we tried. Arielle and Charley left with a bottle of the Fantasia blush, while Breanna opted for the Chardonnay.
The reason for our visit, though, was to finally see our friends’ band, Laurel Branch. We’re glad we did! These ladies know how to draw a crowd. People came from neighboring cities and even Tennessee just to hear them play! When you’ve been together as long as they have, you tend to have a few loyal fans, it would seem. Their music, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure, is lovely. They sang some crowd favorites, insisting we all sing a long. Who doesn’t love a sing-along? The style, as mentioned earlier, is a folk-Americana blend with all four members taking turns on lead vocals. They fell into perfect harmony, except when they didn’t, and then we all had a good laugh. These ladies know how to have fun with the crowd and inspire a variety of emotions, which is something we can all appreciate in good music.
A perfect evening was had by the White Willow girls, and a much needed break after the whirlwind that a new business brings.
:::WW
Breanna, Charley, and Arielle.
Laurel Branch! Ann (guitar and mandolin), Sara (autoharp, harmonica, kazoo), Jane (guitar), and Julia (bass guitar).
Arielle is doing what she does best: smooching horses.
Wine, growing on the vine.
The view is quite nice.
Arielle captured this lovely view of the sunset.
Open for Business!
As of July 1st, 2015, White Willow Massage Therapy is officially open for business. We couldn’t be more thrilled! We’ve dreamed big, worked hard, and we’re feeling proud as peacocks.
We want to thank you, lovely clients, for your continued support. We have the best clients in the world, or at least in all of Lexington. We truly appreciate you.
Going forward, look forward to hearing from us here on the blog regarding all things massage, health and wellness, tasty recipes, local events, and White Willow updates.
:::WW
