Find Touch Massage Community Blog

Banishing Our Demons

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:04:39 PDT

The history of massage includes some interesting twists and fascinating ironies. For example, The History of Massage by Robert Noah Calvert notes that ancient cultures primarily used massage to heal those afflicted by demons or demonic influences. And because pain and disease were believed to be caused by the inhabitation of demons or demonic forces, the direction of massage was downward, toward to the distal parts of the limbs, to force the demons out.

Later, when massage reached the great Greek physicians, massage became much less about spirit, much more about body. So we see the beginnings of what we know as modern massage, with strokes going upward, what the Greeks called anatripsis, toward the heart. And yet when the Greeks fell to the Romans, and then the Roman Empire itself declined, massage almost died away in Western civilization due to the fact that the medieval church considered massage a pagan practice: the same practice that had originally been used for the same type of exorcism that the church upheld. Fascinating, isn’t it?

But of course, the art and science of touch—or massage—did not die away everywhere or for very long even in the Western world, despite any pagan associations. However, like many healing modalities that the Western world “rediscovered,” massage as a healing profession struggled to attain a serious and respectable image as scientific theory and modern medicine were born, grew, and threatened to overshadow anything that did not fit whatever current paradigm they had established.

In my opinion, the whole reason massage did not die, in spite of everything, goes back to its very beginnings. Because we—modern though we are—still have demons, whether they are spirits, or whether they our knots in our emotions and bodily tissues. We call them problems, call them issues, call them needs, call them painful falls in the bathtub, but they are our demons. And we will always have them. And thus the history of massage continues, ironically, much as it first began. Only now, the strokes go both ways.

So Many Lubricants, So Little Time!

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:20:52 PDT

Some people think that massage therapists are a perhaps a little too obsessed with lubricants. But you know, lubricants are one of the most important tools of the trade next to linens, liniments, and tables.

In school, they teach you about the Big Four: lotions, crèmes, oils, and gels. Generally, they provide you with a basic, but generous, stock of lubricants and just leave you to find your own way. Soon, you’ve been smeared with just about everything and have heard stories from all the instructors on why they prefer x or y lubricant and how they prefer to x or y apply it. For example, you’ve seen lomi lomi people basically take a handful or oil or crème and just SPLAT! it onto a back, and you’ve seen garden-variety lotion lovers walking around looking confident yet goofy with big dabs of the stuff on their arms because God forbid they should have to reach down and pump a bottle and concentrate on massage at the same time. Eventually, you begin to lean toward a particular lubricant for your own work, and then just when that gets easy, BANG! You’re out of school and have to choose a type and brand of your own. If you want oil, you can certainly have it: but do you want olive, emu, avocado, sesame, sunflower, apricot, or fractionated coconut? Scented or unscented? Organic or non-organic? Blessed-under-a-full-moon-by-a-Peruvian-shaman or non-blessed-under-a-full-moon-by-a-Peruvian-shaman? Biotone, Sacred Earth, Bon Vital, blah, blah, blah, etc ., etc.?? The possibilities can be mind-boggling. The resulting obsessive opinions are really no different than the parallel situations you see with artists (oils, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, pencil, etc.) or rural Southern bass fishermen (frozen corn, chicken livers, anything-you-can mash-together-with-peanut-butter, etc.)

Lately, since I’m even pickier than most, and tend to mix gel and lotion as I work (in different proportions based on skin type), I’ve been working with one that seems to be the best of all possible worlds for me: Soothing Touch Desert Bliss Massage Lotion. It has the “soak” of a lotion with the “glide” of a gel or an oil, perhaps because aloe vera gel is one of the ingredients. Anyone else want to weigh in on your own favorite?

Where to get your Professional Liability Insurance

noreply@blogger.com (Lara) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:49:54 PDT

"What's the best place to get my liability insurance?" I think I have heard this question more often than any other since I graduated from massage school in 2002. Insurance is insurance. Some therapists go with one insurer over another because of additional benefits offered, for example by an AMTA membership. But, some of us are just looking for the best deal.

So, for those that want to do their own shopping, here is a list of masage insurance carriers currently known to me. I hope you find this helpful:

- ABMP
- Affinity Insurance Services
- American Massage Council
- AMTA
- Hands On Trades
- IMA

All good things come from plants.. right?

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Peterson) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:03:00 PDT

I was sitting in my office, with its organic cotton sheets, organic, crystal-clear oil and a drawer full of matrix-shifting essential oils and root extracts when a new client came in. She plopped a bottle of paraffin massage oil on my desk.

"I can’t have any plant oils or products on my skin. Is that going to be a problem?"

Of course, not a problem, I explained, I could use whatever oil she wanted. The prospect of using mineral-based oils was something new to me. If anything, I would hear the occasional horror story about people reacting to heavy massage oils, petroleum-based oils or ones with lots of preservatives, and her request made me curious.

Healthy stuff comes from plants - fabulous foods, great oils, therapeutic smells, anti-inflammatory substances, organic materials, and all kinds of stuff things that make us feel better, cope better and love better.

Well, fudge crumpets. At least I thought so.

The client - a very nice lady with a very tight neck and a classroom full of first-graders - was on a protocol for fibromyalgia that included taking the drug guafinesin. Guafinesin is a mucus-thinning drug that helps break up thick secretions. It is something I have taken occasionally in a cough syrup. I also had a client, years ago, who went on the drug to help with fibro, but it had not helped her much.

Turns out her doctor, a fibromyalgia specialist in Santa Monica had found a link between lack of response to the drug and use of plant products on the skin. To keep the drug active, no arnica, veggie oil, essential oils or anything else on the skin.

I used the paraffin oil, and despite its sort-of weird lube feel and clear thin-ness to my hands, it seemed to work quite well. After she left, I sat at my desk wondering if all these years searching for the best, most fab oil of all time, if I had missed the boat, the dock and the mainland.

I mentioned my new client’s request to my office-mate when she came in later that day. She made a sound that I can spell only as "AAGH!" But plants are so healing, so good for you, so good for everyone, etc. It took a few minutes to sink in; while I watched, her head shook in disbelief.

As a few weeks went by, my client became at ease enough to tell me about her troubles finding massage with paraffin. One therapist had promised to use her paraffin oil and after going to her for a month she found out the therapist just thought she was crazy and was really using her safflower oil. The client had understandably gotten quite indignant, and that is why she came in my door she addressed the question head-on.

I used my standard answer for commenting on what I think of as "great moments in customer service."

"She must have gone to a different school than I did."

A Rose by Any Other Name?: Massage and the Word Masseuse

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:26:47 PDT

About six weeks ago, the American Massage Therapy Association sent out an email with an attached press release about a recent Craigslist.com decision. The decision involved the Craigslist.com “Erotic Services” section and the use of the word masseuse in that section as a “cover” word for prostitutes. Although the document’s wording was a bit difficult for me to unravel, what I took away from it was that the AMTA does not support the use of the word masseuse not only because prostitutes often use the word as an attempted legitimate cover for illicit activities, but also because some licensed massage practitioners still use the word as a legitimate title. Clear as mud? Okay, let’s try this instead: “Hookers cannot call themselves masseuses because everyone knows they are not really giving massage, and even though we don’t generally use the word anymore because it makes us sound like hookers, a few of us either still use it or might want to use it in the future, so it should be off-limits to... hookers.” Hmmm... well, I tried.

In any case, I have to wonder if the massage community as whole can ever really use the word masseuse again in any lasting legitimate fashion. Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” but that’s not quite true when you’re dealing with language and connotation. Anyone who got uncomfortable at my use of the word “hooker” knows on a gut-level what connotation is. It’s a word plus any associated ideas and baggage that word has picked up through cultural use. Which is why, no doubt, the author(s) of the AMTA press release used the word prostitute, not hooker or whore. The first is cleaner and more objective; the others are... not. The word masseuse has fewer negative connotations for me personally, probably because I grew up in the rural Bible Belt where there were almost no massage practitioners, legitimate or otherwise, and masseuse (and masseur for that matter) was a word I encountered only in fantasy romance novels where rich people go to fancy hotels and spas and get pampered. However, it no doubt has extremely negative connotations for some people.

Language is a funny thing. And I don’t mean funny/humorous, although it can be. Such as the time my grandmother was gossiping in shock about a distant cousin of mine who had “gotten mixed up” with someone paralyzed from the neck down—in her words, “a quadra-pubic.” I confess, I still can’t drink carbonated beverages and recount that conversation at the same time. But when it comes to the word masseuse, language can be a bit more funny/strange and far more politically and socially complex.

The Mana of Lomi Lomi

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:57:38 PDT

When I began massage school, I had never heard of Lomi Lomi. Later, having been introduced to the few odd strokes, I became very enthusiastic about learning more, given that I have a tendency to want to listen with and use my whole body in massage, and Lomi Lomi seemed as much like dancing as massaging. On the other hand, I was leery of the spiritual aspect. Though I am a very spiritual person, all things Hawaiian in my upbringing were tainted with shameless tourism, plastic hula girls, and the kind of plinky music that sounds like the background advertising for a Girls Gone Wild video.

As I quickly found out, there was a lot more to Lomi than excuses for tropical debauchery. There are actually at least two main types of Lomi-Lomi: Temple Lomi and Clinical Lomi. Temple Lomi is quite energetic, and more like a dance: long flowing strokes, close to the body, and very spiritual. While Clinical Lomi is also spiritual, is it much slower and more focused to specific areas with specific thoughts. Mana Lomi™, the style I have been studying and practicing, is a form of Clinical Lomi. The Hawaiians believed the soul resides in the bones as much as anything else, so all types of Lomi massage reach into the bones as well as touch the muscle.

A little terminology goes a long way in better understanding Lomi. Lomi means to rub. Repetitions in this language often seem to amplify meaning so Lomi Lomi is roughly big rub or massage. Mana, as in Mana Lomi™, means life force or energy. Thus mana is similar to chi, prana, etc. Pule means to bless or pray. A Lomi session will typically begin with a spoken or silent pule to ask for permission or help or to express gratitude to the guiding forces. And finally, there is piko, which literally means navel, but also has an extended meaning similar to chakra. Hawaiians envisioned a triple piko: one on the head, connecting us to ancestors and the past; one at the navel, connecting us to our current generation of family; and the third at the genitals, connecting us to our descendants and the future. Between the three pikos runs the spine, a structural timeline connecting our past, present and future. Blockages in any piko can cause blockages and movement problems along the spine, in turn affecting parts of the whole body.

But Lomi Lomi is not just about words or even touch in general. It’s about deep, soft, loving spiritual touch. My first Lomi teacher, Barbara Helynn Heard, taught me once of the most useful things I know about massage. If I feel lost or unsure about what to do, or I can’t seem to focus, or some aspect of the client is resisting the massage, I silently say “I love you,” adding the client’s name, and I am always surprised how the message seems to go to the bone, and the muscle and other tissue opens up to me. There is indeed great mana in Lomi.

The Forgotten Muscle

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Peterson) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:36:00 PDT

My nominee for the most forgotten muscle is the tricep. Sight unseen on the back of the arm, it can create finger and arm tingles so gnarly even experienced therapists are convinced it is C6 compression in action.

How do we take it for granted? Many times the first basic Swedish massage we learn skips the tricep completely. Then on top of that, many therapists are so concerned with the bicep and its tendons the tricep is forgotten completely. Yet the tricep hides a somatic funhouse of trigger points that can not only affect the neck but also cause some darn interesting tingles in the hands.

Before I became a massage therapist, I worked – no slaved – at a computer for most of the day. They were the old computers with metal-to-metal contact keys that caused a lot of vibration echoing up the arms. The tricep, it turned out, keeps your average computer gnome in position to type away, which means it has a very static, isometric role in computer posture. Not knowing much about anatomy, and even less about somatics, the importance of the tricep completely eluded me. My tricep never really got a full contraction or stretch, and simply toiled in its isometric little crunch all day. Then when I drove the car, it continued to toil. Poor triceps, they got no respect.

I didn’t appreciate the role of the tricep in hand troubles, really, until well after massage school when I worked on another therapist who was having hand tingles – chiefly in the palm and fingers. This therapist did massage half-time and also worked on a computer doing accounting for small businesses. The therapist was convinced that the problem came from C6 compression, but I was not so sure. While in the prone position, I put the arms aside at 45 degrees from the body with a rolled towel supporting the acromium and humerus. I did some compressive effleurages. As I pushed up to the shoulder, the tingles got a little worse, then got a little better. I used the flat part of my forearm to clear out the big trigger points, my buddy therapist’s hands tingling away.

The tricep stretch felt like a door opening that you didn’t even know was closed. The palm and arm tingles cleared out. There was still plenty to do in the forearm and shoulder girdle, but the hand tingles left with the tricep trigger points.

Since then, the tricep is forgotten no more. Everyone uses a computer, drives, pretty much nailing the triceps to indentured servitude. Clearing the triceps has made a lot of seemingly carpal problems clear out.

I assume I have a lot to learn about hand and arm tingles, as well as cervical compression, but as a rule I now prop up the humerus and clear the triceps. Saves me a lot of work.

Don't You Love Me Anymore?: Referring Clients to Other Massage Practitioners

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:48:13 PDT

I have always been very comfortable referring clients to other health care practitioners, such as chiropractors and acupuncturists. I feel that many other forms of healing are complementary to massage, and most therapists I know feel the same way. Referring a client to a chiropractor for structural issues, for example, should never make a massage practitioner feel “less than.” After all, the goal is to get the patient out of pain in the most effective way possible.

However, feelings can sometimes change when it comes to referring to other MASSAGE practitioners. Then various issues have been known to emerge, such as:

1. The therapist can feel ashamed: “She wants Reiki? Stupid me, I only specialized in deep tissue, lomi lomi, cranial-sacral, and Rolfing . . . I completely forgot Reiki! Is that the energy thing or the foot thing? Stupid me . . .”

2. The therapist can feel hurt: “Reiki? We were doing just fine with deep tissue, and now she wants someone to wiggle their fingers at her or mash her toes or something?”

3. The therapist can feel fearful: “Am I becoming outdated? Will people stop coming to see me if I don’t do Reiki? Because I was never good with that kind of . . . thing.”

4. The client can feel hurt, ashamed, and/or fearful. “I like my therapist. I know she cares about me, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but I still want to try Reiki. What if she cries or gets mad and refuses to see me again and do that one thing with my foot that makes my whole leg feel good?”

Although most of us have “sensitive” days, and we can find ourselves forming close relationships with regular clients, the primary goal is STILL the client’s welfare and what is best for her. Frankly, sometimes a client’s healing journey requires that she try several things to find out what works best for her, and too much drama around this can be rather counter-productive. And intentionally or unintentionally sending the client on a guilt trip is definitely not healing and can even cause a client who would have come back decide to stay away after all. Besides, it’s often extremely beneficial for a client to have more than one therapist; for example, the client may have more than one special issue or need massage at a time when one therapist is unavailable.

So when it comes to referrals to other massage therapists, I find it useful to ground myself in my own strengths and not to take the process personally, even if my inner child occasionally wants to blurt out “Don’t you love me anymore?” Because I have found that if I open myself up to the universe in a giving way, even giving of income or clientele, etc.—then it DOES come back to ME as a blessing—in sometimes strange and wonderful ways.

How Many Massages Can You Do?

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Peterson) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:00:20 PDT

Sue Peterson, LMT, NCTMB, continues her series on our blog. Sue has a private practice in Orange County, California.

After a few years of practice, I thought I was quite the massage stud. I managed in a six-day week to do about 25 massages, sometimes 30. The AMTA polls showed most therapists reported full-time as 15 to 20 massages a week. Very few went to the 25 to 30 range.

Then a client came back from a three-week trip to a Swiss spa and popped the question: "How many massages can you do in a day?"

"Oh, I can do about five to six massages a day before I feel overworked," I said proudly. "My personal record is 13 in one day – the result of being accidentally put on for a double shift when I worked in a clinic for women with chronic pelvic pain. I don't ever want to do that many ever again."

My client's explained that his curiosity came through observation. The very expensive, very therapeutic spa he went to their therapists did eight massages a day, five days a week. Forty a week.

Suddenly I was the one asking questions.

"I really don't know how they could do so many massages..Are they real massages? Not quick-glide slides? Do you feel like the therapist was present?" "Yes, they were very good," he said.

I really had to ponder that one for a bit. Don't ask me what a quick-glide slide is, but you know it when you get one. "Perhaps they can do so many because of all the espresso and pastries," I speculated. As my client dozed back to waking sleep, I felt somewhat humbled. I looked at the view outside the window. Eight a day. Lots of deep tissue. Massages by prescription – to improve blood flow, alter structural problems, remedy deficits in flexibility and relieve pain. How could those folks do it?

I had never felt lazy before. Most of the time, no matter how many hours I work in a week, actual massage time doesn't exceed 30 hours. And those weeks can be tough.

That begs the question. In our area of the world, in our slice of the therapist community, how many massages are too many?

Swimming: Sweet Idea!

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:13:11 PDT

After an absurdly long stretch of gray, ugly rain, it seems that Seattle has finally decided that it will indeed join the rest of the civilized world in hosting Summer 2009. THE SUN IS OUT! Finally! It makes a Southern girl like me just want to sit on a porch swing and drink sunlight and sweet tea. And I do mean SIT. Not run, jog, or cycle. Okay, walking might be all right, but nothing faster than a brisk amble. Anything faster than that, and I’d miss the scenery, like all these gorgeous orange poppies blooming near my Northgate apartment. Anything faster, and one could be in serious danger of spilling one’s sweet tea, and that’s just wrong . . . unless the sweet tea is that nasty fake stuff from McDonald’s (which is no doubt making several past generations of Southern mothers and grandmothers spin in their graves).

Exercise doesn’t have to be intense to be effective. I’ve noticed that Seattleites almost seem to think that they must pay for the blessing of good weather by attempting to kill themselves reenacting Nike commercials while it’s here. Is it wrong to enjoy sitting on a sunny porch or taking a sunny walk, and right to enjoy sweating off half of one’s body weight climbing a sunny mountain? Well, no. Still, I’ve noticed that many of my out-of-shape clients, or those whose bodies have suffered injuries over the years, feel very guilty about not being able to get out and become Lance Armstrong on a bike or one of the Williams sisters on a tennis court. And what happens sometimes is that they injure or re-injure themselves trying to “exercise and be healthy.”

In response to this tragic phenomenon, I try to suggest to my clients forms of exercise that are gentler, kinder, and in my opinion, infinitely more fun and more easily accomplished with a tea glass nearby. Take swimming, for example. I have suggested it to a LOT of clients who have seen a LOT of benefits. You don’t have the impact issues you have with many activities, and you work about three times as hard doing it as you think you are due to the resistance factor. Furthermore, you don’t have to know special strokes or even do laps. I have clients who take Styrofoam boards like little kids and kick up and down the pool and who are now enjoying greater range of motion and have less pain than they’ve had in years. This is a very good thing, people! Seattle is blessed with a number of public pools, many of them indoors and most of them easily accessible. Swimming is beneficial and fun, so remember to go splash around this summer and encourage your clients to do the same—sweet tea optional :-)

Peace Be With You: Using Guided Imagery to Promote Relaxation

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sun, 31 May 2009 00:03:46 PDT

Like many of my clients, I have had trouble in the past with stress, anxiety, and insomnia. I tried many things to combat these problems, some with more success than others. And I have to say that one of my favorite methods by far for reducing stress and promoting peace in my life is guided imagery.

I first encountered guided imagery several years ago in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I was working with a psychiatrist who practiced hypnotherapy. One of her techniques for relaxing clients was to have them close their eyes and breathe quietly and regularly while she painted a soothing picture with her voice. The goal was to have the client mentally insert herself into that peaceful picture and relax, as relaxation can make hypnotic regression processes, etc., much more effective. Often, she would record that part of the session so that the client could go back and listen again for further relaxation purposes.

I was so impressed with how much guided imagery calmed me, that I began to look for more variation in my diet. For the last several years, my two favorites have been Tuning Your Chakras (from the Edgar Cayce Pre-Sleep series) and Hara Breathing Meditation (by Iona Marsaa Teeguarden).

I suggest such CDs for client use (particularly at bedtime or naptime), and I also use very simple guided imagery in massage sessions. For example, when I have a client who is extremely stressed or whose purpose in massage is deep relaxation, I will sometimes end with a general Polarity Energy routine to rebalance the chakras. In beginning this, I will simply ask the client to breathe and relax as much as possible while we “go away somewhere.” Occasionally I ask the client where she wants to go, but generally, I pick the place according to whatever occurs to me at the time, and tend to go with my gut instincts for guided imagery travel. For example, as the weather has improved in Seattle, I have been doing a lot of walking around Green Lake. A few weeks ago, the cherry trees were in bloom, and as I walked, I watched the breeze shake them down like pink snow. And so in my session, I painted the scene of the lake that day: pink snow, dandelion seed parachutes, bright kites, and a tiny Chihuahua in a pink coat. “Can there really be anything too bad or scary about a world where Chihuahuas wear pink coats?” I asked. My client smiled, and the body under my hands instantly relaxed.

Sometimes we need to get out of our daily lives or at least change the scenery in our heads to achieve peace: guided imagery is a great, easy way to do this.

What Gift Do You Bring?

lynna_dunn@hotmail.com (Lynna Dunn) — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:43:17 PDT

Hello out there, and Happy Memorial Day weekend to all of you in the Find Touch community! Since I’m brand-new to the Find Touch blog, allow me to introduce myself: My name is Lynna Dunn, and although I’m a Washington state-certified massage practitioner and graduate of Seattle’s Brenneke School of Massage, I originally hail from Arkansas. Furthermore, before I was reincarnated as a massage therapist, I was a college English professor. I mention these fun facts because no doubt you’ll notice the eclectic geographical/cultural/former-career quirkiness coloring my writing :-)

I am very excited to have this opportunity to communicate with Seattle’s massage community via the Find Touch blog. I have in mind a list of topics to explore in the coming months that I hope you find interesting, thought-provoking, entertaining, and occasionally a little zany.

I’d like to begin this week with a question I heard one therapist ask another: “What gift do you think you bring into the massage besides the massage itself?” Hmmm. Interesting question. I’m going to add another twist here, and ask, “What do you think you bring into the massage besides your healing hands that helps you bond with the client or put the client at ease?” In my own case, I’d have to say my own unique gift in the whole bonding and relaxing process is my voice, which though not exactly a drawl, is definitely slower, rounder, softer and more idiom-rich than the Northwest dialects around me. Clients often say things like, “I love the way you talk . . . it’s so relaxing. Are you from . . . Alabama?” Why they are so tentative and why Alabama is such a popular choice, I’m not exactly sure. I’m certainly not going to get hurt and say, “Alabama? Do I LOOK like someone with ‘Heart of Dixie’ on the back of my car??? I am from the NATURAL STATE!” No, I just say, “Almost there; just slow down and back up a couple of states east.” And then if they look like they might want to ask more questions, I say quickly, “Yes, I met him once at my high school awards ceremony, and the gym was sweltering, and I paraded past him and shook his hand, which was very sweaty, but as no one thought he’d be president then, I just rubbed my hands on my skirt and forgot about the whole thing for about twelve years.” And then we both laugh, and a bond is formed, at least for that massage. So my voice is my gift, and a gift in truth, as I acquired it naturally and did nothing to earn it.

And now I invite you to comment in the same context: “What gift do you bring into the massage besides your touch that forms a bond and makes you unique?”

My Left Foot

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:45:02 PDT

Find Touch welcomes a new blogger - Sue Peterson, LMT, NCTMB. Sue has been a licensed, board-certified massage therapist since 1995. Her specialty is therapeutic massage. Sue practices massage in the the Los Angeles area.

It was a beautiful, bright California Sunday afternoon – so we headed straight to the mall. The sports clothing store my spouse thought was at the north end of the mall was actually at the south end, so we hoofed it. I had given a lot of massages the day before, so a quick walk would be good for me. Was I wrong!

On the way back to the car I felt as though a spike was coming up through the bottom of my left foot. I shifted more weight to the right foot to avoid the pain. I wondered if I had twisted my ankle somehow. I wouldn't be able to take the dog for a long walk. No bike ride. Bummer.

At home, I soaked my feet in Epsom salts and my saintly spouse tried to rub my aching left metatarsal. I wondered how it came to be so painful to place weight on my left foot. I hadn't twisted or turned or half-fallen or stepped on a stone. Why was my foot so painful?

Then I suspected that I had done something I often warn clients about. I went to the closet, pulled out my slip-on, ergonomic shoes with orthotics. The shoes that I enjoyed so much I'd been wearing them every day. For two years.

The lateral sides of the soles were worn smooth, while the area around the big toe and inside heel showed plenty of tread. I had beaten my shoes to death and hadn't even realized it. When we quick-walked the hard stone floors of the mall, my favorite ergonomic shoes and orthotics were too worn out to support a rolling arch. Yup, I did it to myself.

In 14 years of massage practice, I knew worn shoes were a common factor in hip, back, and foot pain for many massage clients. Sometimes removing trigger points and stretching the Quadratus lumborum solved the problem. For many clients, however, the problem would return because of lack of support for the arch, particularly when walking barefoot on travertine/marble/cement floors so common in houses and stores.

Clients, of course, dislike the idea of wearing sensible shoes. Sensible shoes conjure images of boxy, downright ugly gunboats. They may have had a pair of the old-style hard orthotics made years ago and never wore because they hurt. Lots of women simply accept the idea of foot and back pain as a price for being attractive.

New, softer orthotic materials and better shoe design and stores that specialize in fitting shoes have all made “good” shoes much more comfortable. After trying to convince clients that shoe technology has changed, I often would drive home the point saying they could make me rich or they could wear better shoes.

I took my slice of humble pie and took my own advice. Back at the mall Monday night, I found a nice pair of ergonomic shoes at one of the stores that specialize in fitting people like me with funny feet. When I walked back to my car, I realized the pain in my left foot had disappeared.

What's on Your Facebook Page?

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:43:45 PDT

Would you show it to your mom? And don't tell me "yeah, my mom's totally cool with my nudie pictures..." You know what I mean.

I currently hire therapists, and in the past I've done hiring in other fields. When I get a resume, I do a couple of things (in addition to reading the resume, of course). If the applicant provides a url to a personal or business website, I usually check it out. I can get a lot of info about the person's treatment philosophy and experience from their web page. And I often Google the applicant's name.

CNN recently ran an interesting article, Should Your Boss Be Your Facebook Friend? As Facebook's logo states, it's "a place for friends." Well yeah, but it's not like having a private chat with your bff.

From CNN's article: "If you use Facebook to air political rants, document your wild weekend escapades, post wacky photos or vent about your job, you should obviously have some concerns about letting your boss view this aspect of your life," Rutledge cautions. "But what's important to remember is that no online content is truly private, even if your intention is to share this information only with your Facebook friends. Facebook makes your profile viewable to anyone in the networks you belong to, even if you're not directly connected with or even know all the network members," Rutledge says."

"Unprofessional online content, or 'digital dirt' as it's often called, is a problem that goes beyond Facebook. Anything you post online is essentially public and can affect your career and job prospects, both positively and negatively."

So just think about it before you Digg, flame someone in a newsgroup, or post to your MySpace or Facebook page.

Employer Improvements for Hiring Workflow

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:55:58 PDT

First off, thank you to every one for continuing to use Find Touch! Your feedback has been behind our success all along and now, based on feedback from a number of you, we have made yet another improvement I would like to let you know about:

Email notifications to job applicants are now optional

Previously, when you clicked the Hire or Eliminate action button next to any candidate for one of your jobs, two things would happen. The candidate would be categorized accordingly (as hired or eliminated from consideration) based on the action button you clicked and also Find Touch would send out a courtesy email notification on your behalf letting candidates know of your decision.

You let us know that you wanted to have the option whether an email was sent to an applicant when you click the Hire or Eliminate action next to their name and we have provided this option. Now you can organize and categorize your job applicants, at any time, without worrying about unwanted email communication. At the same time, you still have the time-saving convenience of having Find Touch send a notice on your behalf so you can manage your hiring activities most efficiently.

Keep enjoying Find Touch and keep your feedback coming!

Faces of the Find Touch Community

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:23:14 PDT

The Find Touch community is growing! We've made a little poster with the faces of some Find Touch massage therapists - take a look if you'd like.

If you'd like your picture to be featured in the next version of the poster, just add it to your Find Touch profile - it's super-easy!

Hope you're having a great day!

Laptop Ergonomics

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:04:51 PDT

How many of you use a laptop as your primary computer? How many of your clients do?

I confess. I'm a laptop user. I got rid of my desktop computer about two years ago when laptop prices and features got to the point where it seemed to make sense to get rid of the bulky old thing in favor of something I could use anywhere. I LOVE the convenience and flexibility. But...

Are Laptops a Pain in the...?
Ever since laptops came out, ergonomics experts have been (justifiably) harping on the inherent problems with extended laptop use. Because the monitor and keyboard are connected, you can't adjust them separately. It's interesting—even though laptops are supposed to be the "latest and greatest," their design actually goes back to the very early days of personal computing when screens and keyboards were integrated in a single unit. It was quickly discovered that this design caused a lot of musculoskeletal issues. Ergonomic design guidelines were written in the 1970's that called for separation of the screen and keyboard, and that's how pc's (and Macs) have been designed ever since. Until we "progressed" to laptops.

So what's the problem with laptops? In a nutshell, If the keyboard's at the right height, you're looking down at the monitor and putting strain on your neck muscles; if you raise the monitor to eye level, the keyboard's too high and you end up hunching your shoulders and elevating your arms and wrists to type.

Comfortable Laptop Computing
The best way to work ergonomically at a laptop is to connect either a separate keyboard or monitor to your laptop. That way you can position the separate pieces at the right height.

When you're using your laptop away from your primary location, think about whether you're going to be doing more typing or more reading. If you're going to be doing a lot of typing, position the keyboard at the correct height for typing, so your wrists are in a neutral position, your elbows at a 90 degree angle, and your shoulders relaxed. If the table or desk you're using doesn't allow proper positioning, try putting the laptop on your lap.

If you're going to be doing a lot of reading and not so much typing (checking email, watching a dvd, etc.) position the monitor at eye level (if you're at a standard-height table, this could involve putting something like a phone book or two under the laptop).

And when you're using the laptop in a way that compromises either keyboard or screen position, it's even more important to take regular stretch breaks, at least every 30 minutes or so!

To get more in-depth info on laptop ergonomics, check out this Macworld Magazine article and Cornell University's Laptop Ergonomics Guidelines.

Advanced Myofascial Techniques Workshops

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:00:56 PDT

On April 25th and 26th, Til Luchau and Larry Koliha, instructors at the Rolfing Institute, will be teaching Advanced Myofascial Techniques (Neck, Jaw and Head) in Portland. You have four days left (until April 2nd) to get the early-bird discount of $295 (normally $315). You can get even more of a discount if you sign up for the entire 5-course series of weekend workshops, which leads to a certification in Advanced Myofascial Techniques.

And they'll be in Seattle for Spine, Ribs and Low Back on May 2nd and 3rd. They're coming back to both Seattle and Portland in July and September. The early-bird registration discount is good until April 9th.

I took two of their workshops a couple of years ago. One of my concerns, having experienced Rolfing back in the 1970's, was that the work would be extremely deep and invasive, to the point of pain. I had a lot to learn. As Til and Larry told me, Rolfing has evolved, and if done properly, should not be painful. What I was exposed to were very slow, very specific, very delicious techniques that can integrate well into almost any type of massage.

Rather than going into a long description, check out these Advanced Myofascial Techniques YouTube videos and see for yourself what this work involves. Note: The image on the right is by Wonderlane via Flickr.

Anterior Neck/Shoulder Differentiation

Interosseus Membrane

Posterior Cervical Wedge Technique

You can also attend a free 90-minute slide show and course introduction. If you're interested, email info@advanced-trainings.com to get more info.

To register for the workshops or get more info, go to Advanced-Trainings.com.

I highly recommend this workshop series. If you take it, please comment on your experience!

Have You Tried Jojoba Oil?

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:53:07 PDT

Over the years I've used various massage oils, creams and lotions. Everyone seems to have his or her favorite, and it's rarely possible to convince a "lotion person" to switch to oil or vice versa. That's cool. Different strokes and all that (pun intended). But for me, I never seemed to be able to find just the right combination. Oils gave me a good glide (although not always enough grip), but they're messy and sticky. I hated the way my oil bottles ended up with a sticky film that was almost impossible to get rid of. And it can be difficult to deal with oil-stained sheets and the resulting rancid odors. Lotions tend to absorb too quickly. I found one cream that had a great glide, but it contained ingredients that made it less than pure. So what to do?

About five years ago, I discovered jojoba oil, and I'll never use anything else. It has fantastic glide and grip, better than any other lubricant I've used. It works especially well for deep tissue and myofascial release—you just have to use a little and it provides great control. It doesn't go rancid, it doesn't stain the sheets, no more sticky residue on my bottles!.

What is Jojoba Oil?
Did you know that jojoba oil isn't really an oil? It's actually a wax that becomes liquid at room temperature. Trivia time: Jojoba was given its botanical name, Simmondsia chinensis, by H. F. Link, who "discovered" the jojoba plant (a small desert shrub) near Baja California in 1822. Link named the plant after a fellow botanist, T.W. Simmonds. As with the "discovery" of America, although Link might have been the first westerner to find jojoba, Native Americans and Mexicans had been using it for hundreds of years. Father Junipero Serra, who founded 21 missions in California in the 18th century, documented jojoba's use as a skin and hair conditioner, for healing bruises and burns, as a treatment for sunburn, and even as an appetite suppressant.

Okay. History lesson over. If you're into these kinds of details though, you might have fun doing a little research on your own. It's pretty cool to see how jojoba began to be used in cosmetics and skin care products. Hint: it happened when sperm whales were declared an endangered species in the early 1970's. Jojoba oil's chemical properties are almost identical to sperm whale oil, which, interestingly, is also a liquid wax.

Jojoba: The Swiss Army Knife of Oils
Jojoba is truly amazing stuff. If I hadn't read the studies and experienced the benefits of jojoba on my clients and myself, I'd think it sounded too good to be true.

In dermatological tests, it was proven that Jojoba oil increases the skin's suppleness by 45%, and the effect lasted for more than eight hours.
Studies at Michigan University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Port Elizabeth supported the conclusion that five of the most common bacteria, including staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosus, as well as the fungus candida albicans, were not capable of growing in jojoba oil and that jojoba oil destroys staphylococcus and pseudomonas within 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Jojoba has anti-inflammatory properties due to its myristic acid content.
Jojoba's chemical similarity to sebum, our natural skin oil, means it's easily absorbed and rarely causes allergic reactions. If you have clients who are allergic or sensitive to other oils or lubricants, you will probably find that they won't have any problem with jojoba.
It's rich in Vitamin E, a natural preservative, giving it a super-long shelf life. I've had my current gallon jug for close to a year, and it's not showing any signs of rancidity.
Jojoba dissolves sebum, making it an excellent hair conditioner and scalp treatment for both dry and oily hair. It's proven to be an excellent treatment for dandruff, and has potential for preventing hair loss. It can also be used as a facial cleanser.
Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and acne have been helped with jojoba. Again, because its composition is so similar to sebum, it works for either dry or oily skin.
You can use jojoba oil instead of shaving cream and soften your skin while you shave.
Get rid of all those fancy wrinkle creams and use jojoba oil instead.

It's a Great Massage Oil!
Jojoba isn't just great for all skin types; it also feels great. It never leaves a greasy, oily feel, even if you use a little bit too much. So your clients will leave feeling silky smooth and fresh. And if you're tired of oil-stained sheets, jojoba will make you really happy. I found this comment on a bodywork forum: "I'm so confident about the washability that I sometimes wear a nice linen dress to work because it's comfy, and it always comes clean." That's a pretty strong endorsement!

Jojoba is also one of the best carrier oils for aromatherapy.

It's Cheaper Than You Might Think
A lot of people think jojoba's expensive. But when you look at the fact that you'll use just a fraction of the amount you use with other oils and it doesn't go rancid, it becomes very affordable. A gallon of jojoba oil from The Jojoba Company (formerly Boston Jojoba Company) costs $55 and will last a lot longer than other oils, lotions or creams. You can get organic jojoba oil from The Jojoba Company for $69 a gallon, but even their regular jojoba oil is pesticide-free.

If you try jojoba, let me know what you think. And if you're already a jojoba fan or have discovered some new uses for it, I'd love to hear about that too!

Recent Improvements Based on Feedback from Therapists

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:54:55 PDT

Greetings, fellow Massage Therapists! On March 15th we updated the Find Touch website with some changes you need to be aware of.

Jobs Digest now only goes out when there are new opportunities

You spoke and we listened. Many of you mentioned that you would prefer not to receive repeat emails from us when there is no new information. So we have changed the timing of when we send out Jobs Digest emails. In the past, the Digest was sent out daily; now you will receive it only when there are new jobs matching your preferences, posted within the last 48 hours. This change was made directly based on your feedback to further improve your experience using the Find Touch service. Please keep the feedback coming, we value your suggestions highly.

Availability Settings now part of your Profile

Previously, your Availability settings were managed through a separate My Availability page in your Find Touch account. These settings allow you to keep your profile Active (included in our searchable database) or Unavailable (not shown to Employers using the searchable database). You can still Manage your Availability as previously but the settings are now included on the My Profile page in the Job Preferences section. This change was made to make it easier for you to manage all your Job related preferences in one place.

Thank you for making Find Touch a great success and keep spreading the word!

Enhancements for Employers Add Power and Convenience

noreply@blogger.com (Alex) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:56:45 PDT

On March 15th, we made some key updates to the Find Touch website that massage therapy employers need to be aware of.

Access to the Find Touch searchable database

You told us that the ability to search for therapists was one of the key features of Find Touch that all employers should have access to. Therefore, as of March 15, whether you have a subscription or not, you can use the searchable database to invite therapists to your opportunity.

If you have not been able to Search and view therapists profiles in the past, you will now find this capability has been enabled when you log in to your account.

Making it easier to sign up for service

Find Touch now allows you to sign up as a paying account directly through our website. Find Touch offers two simple and convenient options for Massage Employers - the first plan is to pay as needed, only when you are posting a new opportunity; the second is a subscription plan with a small monthly fee and a discounted price for job postings. You can select your preferred plan by going to the My Account page once you are logged in to your Find Touch Account. You are also prompted to select a payment plan if you are trying to post a new job after your trial period has expired.

Thank you for being part of the Find Touch community. If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch with us at service@findtouch.com or call us at (206) 419-9889.

Ergonomic Gardening

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:05:20 PDT

Gardening is a matter of your enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it. ~Anonymous

Spring has sprung—well, sort of—well, at least we had a couple of sunny days last week—um, until it snowed on Sunday... Anyway, the hint of warmer weather means hands are itching to start digging in the dirt. My stepmother was a landscape designer so, despite my total lack of a green thumb, I have had close encounters with the obsessive nature of gardening aficionados.

Nothing will stop the true gardener. But some of your clients might find that pain keeps them from enjoying this pastime to the fullest. Weeding, hoeing, raking, digging, and seeding all involve repetitive motions and put strain on various muscles and joints,

Warm Up, Stay Loose, and Enjoy the Dirt
Here are a few tips for pain-free gardening that you can pass along to your clients:

Before you hit the dirt, warm up. Gardening is exercise. You'd warm up your muscles before you do cardio work at the gym—same goes for gardening. It doesn't have to be much—walking around the block a couple of times will get your blood moving and your muscles ready for work.
When you're shoveling or digging, keep the shovel and your load close to your body, just like you would (should) when you're lifting a heavy box.
Keep your wrists in a neutral position (not overly extended or flexed for long periods) and as relaxed as possible. Tools like the ones at the right will help keep your wrists in the proper alignment.
Instead of bending over at the waist, squat or kneel if you have good knees. If your knees aren't so great, use a gardening bench or stool. And if your knees are in good shape, keep them that way by using a kneeling pad.
When you're watering, carry smaller loads and hold them close to your body, with a bent elbow.
Try tools with extended handles to minimize bending and kneeling.
Pause frequently for mini-stretch breaks.

Selecting Ergonomic Tools
Ergonomics is the science of designing tools and environments to fit the body, rather than the other way around. In the past several years, "ergonomic" has become a buzzword, and companies often label items with the term for marketing purposes. Before you spend a bunch of money on ergonomic tools, use the KISS (that's Keep It Simple, uh, Sweetie) principle:

If it doesn't feel right, it's not right for you. That's kind of a big "duh," but it's easy to be misled by ergonomic claims, flowery descriptions, and even "impartial" reviews.
If it feels heavy when you try it out, it'll get heavier with repetitive use.
A lot of so-called ergonomic stuff pretends to be ergonomic by just slapping on a larger, supposedly one-size-fits-all grip. Hands come in different sizes; so should ergonomic tools. If the grip feels in any way uncomfortable at first, it'll just get more uncomfortable with use.

I wish you years of blissful and pain-free gardening!

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The FAQs on CEUs

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:03:16 PDT

Well, it's time to renew my massage license again, and I figured it was a good time to review the CEU requirements. I know I can get some CEU's from watching videos, but I couldn't remember the rules for doing that (as it turns out, you can only use videos/dvds for four hours of credit). So, realizing that I'm probably not the only LMP in Washington State who doesn't have all of this committed to memory, here's a refresher on what you need.

Don't Be Late!
I was shocked when I got my renewal notice this year. Last year I think I paid $30. This year it's $90!! Major bummer. And because the renewal rate has gone up so much, the penalty for renewing late also takes more of a bite. If you're even one day late, you'll pay an additional $40, for a total of $140. I don't know about you, but $90 is more than I want to pay as it is—make sure the Dept. of Health gets your renewal by your birthday so you don't get soaked by the penalty.

How Many CEU's Do You Need?
From the Washington State Department of Health: To renew a massage license, you must have sixteen hours of continuing education every two years. The continuing education hours must have been obtained during the preceding two years, from birth date to birth date. If you are reporting this year any CE that was obtained before your birth date two years ago or after your current birth date, it cannot be used to satisfy the continuing education requirement.

What Qualifies for CEU Credits?
Again, straight from the horse's mouth so there's no confusion:

WAC 246-830-475
Qualification of program for continuing education credit. Completion of a formal program of learning which serves to enhance the professional knowledge and development of the licensee shall qualify as continuing education credit. For the purposes of this chapter, a formal program of learning shall be defined as any of the following:

(1) Attendance at a local, state, national or international continuing education program having a featured speaker;

(2) First aid, CPR or emergency related classes;

(3) Viewing of educational video tapes not to exceed four credits;

(4) Teaching a seminar for the first time, not to exceed eight hours;

(5) Business and management courses not to exceed six hours;

(6) Specialized training in an aspect of massage therapy provided by an individual who has expertise in that area, has been licensed in this state for no less than three years, and who charges a fee;

(7) Courses from a state, county, or city school or program or approved massage school, program, or apprenticeship trainer in massage therapy or related topics; or

(8) Training provided by a health care professional certified or licensed in their area of expertise.

You Might Need More CEUs
If you're nationally certified or an AMTA member, you have to deal with additional requirements. NCBTMB and AMTA both require 48 hours of continuing education every four years, and 6 of those hours must be taken in ethics. But the AMTA does accept proof of your NCBTMB or NCCAOM-ABT certification expiration date for renewal as a Professional Active member of AMTA.

An Elegy to Almonds

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:08:15 PST

Oh almonds, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

As a massage therapist, I often need to find something quick and easy to munch on between clients. Sometimes there's no time to heat up soup, or even fix a quick sandwich. Instead of grabbing some chips, or even a "healthy" nutrition bar, I try to have some raw almonds on hand (preferably organic).

I always knew almonds were good guys, but I'd forgotten some of the benefits until recently. Several studies have shown that almonds have the potential to:

Reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease
Help with age-related short-term memory
Lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol
Protect against Type 2 diabetes
Reduce the risk of heart disease and sudden heart attacks
Reduce the glycemic index of meals

Almond Mini-FAQ

Almond flour's gluten-free and can be used in place of wheat flour in a lot of recipes (you can't use it for regular breads because it can't be kneaded, but it's fantastic for quick breads and muffins). Great for low-carbers and those with wheat sensitivities. Tip: When you use almonds for baking, add some extra eggs to make everything stick together.
In a controlled study, 73 grams (just 2.5 ounces) of almonds daily reduced LDL cholesterol (that's the bad kind) by up to 9.4%. It also increased HDLs (the good kind of cholesterol) by 4.6% and reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 12%. The LDL:HDL ratio is considered more important than the total cholesterol count.
An ounce of almonds contains 6 grams of protein, 210 milligrams of potassium, and 3 grams of fiber. They're also high in manganese, magnesium, riboflavin and vitamin E, B2, and copper. At less than 170 calories an ounce, almonds are one of the most nutritionally-dense foods.
In Ayurveda, almonds are thought to benefit the brain and nervous system.
Do you stay away from almonds because of the fat content? Well, 90% of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fat is the same good stuff that's in olive oil.
Get it out of your head that nuts will make you gain weight! A Spanish study followed 8,865 adults over 28 months. Those who ate nuts at least twice a week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who never or almost never ate nuts.
Are you doing the low carb thing? An ounce of almonds contains 2.3 grams of net carbs (that's what you get after subtracting the fiber grams from the total carb count), and they're considered a healthy low carb snack.
Oh, and almonds aren't actually nuts - they're drupes. Nope, I'd never heard of drupes either. From Wikipedia: They're fruits "in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin; and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside." Some other drupes are coffee beans, mangos, pistachios, apricots, nectarines, peaches, cherries and plums. Aren't you glad you know that?

Don't Forget the Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are good too. Yum! But expensive, so they're a rare treat. I've always considered pine nuts kind of a guilty pleasure, and I was surprised to find that they're almost in the same class as almonds when it comes to packing a nutritional punch.

So skip the chips and go nuts!

It's Tax Time Again

seattlejan@gmail.com (Jan) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:12:27 PST

Well, it's that time again. You've received your W2's or 1099's and you're getting ready to file your taxes. But before you do, take note of these tips that can save you money and help you avoid audits by keeping your return off the IRS's "radar screen."

File Your Taxes for Free
Was your gross income for 2008 $56,000 or less? If your answer's yes, you can take advantage of a new service provided by the IRS that allows you to use TurboTax, TaxAct, TaxSlayer or other tax preparation software to file your taxes for free. If you qualify, you get full use of these products without paying a cent! So before you pay for tax software, go to www.irs.gov and click on "Free File is Now Available."

If you click on "I Will Choose a Company," you get a list of all the companies that offer free tax prep. But since each of them have different requirements, choosing this option means you have to check out each company to see if you qualify.

The easiest way to find out which companies will do your taxes for free is to click on "Help Me Find a Company." You just fill out a form that asks stuff like your age, your state of residence, your adjusted gross income, etc., and click "Submit" to get a list of companies you can use based on your answers.

So check it out. Tax software isn't expensive, but why pay if you don't have to?

Avoid Audit "Red Flags"
The latest issue of the AMTA's Massage Therapy Journal (MTJ) has a GREAT article called "Taking Care of Your Taxes." You can even get 2 CEUs for completing it! Cool!

If you're self-employed or work at a clinic or spa as an independent contractor and fill out a Schedule C, this article is a must read. I thought I knew what I was doing with my taxes, but I learned that I was actually raising some red flags based on how I was categorizing some of my expenses. For example, an accountant told me that the expenses for my web site should be put under Advertising, on Line 8 of my Schedule C, and that's what I've been doing for years. Well, that's not exactly wrong, but I found out from this article that advertising expenses average about 3.8% of total income for a typical small business like mine. By grouping everything that could loosely be classified as advertising in this category, I was exceeding this percentage and potentially causing the IRS to take a closer look at my return. BUT, without doing anything sneaky, if I just move the web expenses and a few other things to the Other Expenses category (which is perfectly legitimate), my expenses fall in line with the IRS's averages and I'm less likely to be audited.

This article has tons of tips like that. So get a couple of CEUs and take the stress out of filing your taxes, all at the same time!

Armed with my newfound knowledge, I'm off to file my taxes (for free of course). Bye for now!