Scope of practice

Your massage school is temporarily closed. What now? By: Shelly Diez, LMT CFSMT Instructor To a screeching halt. That’s how my massage school closed. We arrived on Monday at 9am, ready to teach. Sadly, the owner updated the faculty & staff on the newest CoVid-19 statistics and made the most difficult yet ethical decision – he temporarily closed the massage school. Ideally, in two weeks, we can return. But let’s be honest, we don’t really know when.  So, what can a massage student do in the meantime? Well, you study. Ha! As a former student, I can relate to the common response, “Uhm, excuse me but I need some guidance. I can’t do this by myself!” Well, in social distancing, you have to. You must. And, I am here to tell you how. Make anatomy notecards. In your own handwriting, make notecards of your most challenging topics. On the front of the card, jot down a term or concept, and on the back, place the meaning or description. Don’t worry about the stuff you know. Not one bit. You need to review the terms & topics that never seem to stick. Use those cards to quiz yourself during this social distancing. Review the organs of the digestive system before binging that show; quiz yourself on the cranial nerves whilst walking the dog; assess your understanding of the eye’s structure and function until the pizza delivery arrives. Notecards never need recharging and they can fit in your pocket. Repetition to master muscle OIA. Write a muscle’s origin, insertion, and action. Over, and over… and over. Five times, to be exact. Repetition and the number five is what your brain craves when memorizing heaps of unfamiliar information. The first and second iteration is simply practice. By the fourth repetition, you will feel your memory kicking in. So by the fifth time, not only is your hand cramping, those neurons in your brain have been firing long enough to create a solid connection to that impossible-to-memorize fact. What do you do when you don’t have it memorized by the fifth time? You guessed it, do it five times each again. And maybe use a notecard to make absolutely sure you know that muscle. Summarize one pathology per day. Create a shorthand version of the vast information involved in one pathology. Think of it as a large notecard. In your own words, summarize all that data to include demographics, pathophysiology, signs & symptoms, treatments, medications and other cautions for massage. And then, explain that pathology to a willing audience. Make a Pictionary game out of the skin pathologies to bring everyone up to date on the differences between ringworm and dermatitis. Practice massage. On yourself, significant other, your children, and pets. That’s it. Everyone else must wait for their free student massage until after this crippling pandemic passes. And if you don’t have any of those options, make some pizza dough and proceed to knead, compress, lift & spread. This will keep those fingers and wrist joints in shape. And while you’re at it, describe the history of the massage to your cockatiel. While massaging her little birdy feet, I’m sure she would appreciate knowing who the father of Swedish massage is. Until our lives can return to the new normal. Until we can return to our center of learning. Read, write, quiz, and repeat. Stick to the topics that give you the most trouble. Keep it simple by practicing just one topic at a time. Talk to anyone and anything about what you find so darn interesting in massage school. Do they know how many muscles and bones make up the human body? Would they like to?

Central Florida School of Massage Therapy Why are some Massage Schools better than others? One of the first questions that might be asked about a massage school is: “What is the schools mission?” The Institutional Mission of the Central Florida School of Massage Therapy is; “The Central Florida School of Massage Therapy’s faculty and staff provide comprehensive education in the art and science of Massage Therapy, balancing professional expertise with personal growth in a supportive environment.” What’s in the Mission Statement? It is important for the student considering attending a massage school to know what the schools mission is all about. At the Central Florida School of Massage Therapy the philosophy is about learning to treat people holistically. What does treating people holistically mean? The learning at the school is designed to teach students to consider the people they treat as spiritual, mental, emotional and physical beings. Is the school mission just about providing massage therapy education? No, it’s about teaching people who want to become massage therapists about massage therapy while allowing them to experience personal growth. Our students proclaim attending the school is “A Life Evolving Experience!” A second question commonly considered is: “Who owns the massage school?” Massage school ownership varies from public schools, vocational, technical, colleges, large corporate schools and smaller private schools. Many of the original massage schools were owned by massage therapists who loved massage and wanted to share their knowledge of massage with those students who had a sincere desire to help people. What type of students are the admissions personnel trying to attract to the school? Not everyone is a good candidate for massage school. The admissions director is there to screen potential students to make sure they are candidates for massage therapy school. The admissions director needs to make sure a potential student can pass the academic requirements, has the physical ability to perform massage and is mature enough to handle the one on one relationship required of a massage therapist with diverse clients. What are the qualities of the teachers working at the school? In Florida, all of the teachers that teach massage must have a massage therapy license. They must have a thorough understanding of the subjects they are responsible to teach and they must be able to present the information in a kind and compassionate way. What role do the administrators at the school play in providing a quality experience? The administrators are extremely important in keeping all the records necessary for a student to receive their diploma, graduate and provide the student paperwork necessary for state licensure. Administrators provide the students with class schedules, record grades, track class rolls, record make-ups and issue diplomas. A great massage school starts with good ownership and a great mission. A great massage school requires great admissions people who assure the students are going to be successful. A great massage school has great administrators who have a well thought out curriculum that is scheduled properly. A great massage school has great teachers who love what they teach and who they are teaching to. Quality massage schools require that everyone working at and attending the school really are living by the mission of the school. This is what we have successfully had since 1996, the longest operating massage school in Central Florida.

At the Central Florida School of Massage Therapy we take pride in the fact that our school offers so much more to its students than other schools. We not only offer a quality education in massage therapy, but also offer a learning environment that is uplifting and inspiring. Our staff and faculty members invest their time and energy into the wellbeing of each student, doing all they can to assist in helping our students through the massage program. Each instructor brings their specialized knowledge into the classroom, giving you confidence in knowing you are learning from experienced practitioners. It is easy to thrive in an environment where the instructors are so passionate about what they do and are eager to pass on their knowledge. Anyone can learn the mechanical strokes of massage from a book, a DVD or video. You can’t however, learn the true essence of healing unless you are in an environment that allows you to challenge yourself. To be a great massage therapist, you must look within and face those fears that you have tucked away for years, and strip away the limitations you have set for yourself. The Central Florida School of Massage Therapy not only teaches you all that is required to pass the National Exam, but it also introduces you to modalities of massage that you may want to specialize in once you graduate. Attending the Central Florida School of Massage Therapy opens the doors to change, to a lifetime of learning and fulfillment in helping others! Our next session for day and evening classes begins March 16th. For more information and to tour our school, please contact our Admissions Advisor, Lindsey Manz at 407-673-6776 .