Is Your Communication Feeling Blocked Lately? Check this out...

So, my thought process today, well actually this week, has been a lot about relationship building and how to ensure that those relationships you've been building are positive and healthy.

As we all know with our profession, it is important to have balance in our lives in order to be more energetically available for our clients and in turn make us feel more energized in our personal lives. While these thoughts have been rolling around in my mind today like a bunch of tumbleweeds I came across this flyer that I've been holding on to. Guess what it is about?

Well, the title is actually "Dealing with Difficult Clients" but the underlying truth of what this class is referring to...the ultimate bottom line is Non-violent Communication. This flyer which I hold happens to be outdated, but I decided to check out the website anyways: hollyeckert.com/.

What I found out is she has a free intro on Nov. 14th if anybody is interested in going. I will post more details on the community forum. Thought I would share, I don't know if it's the summer/fall (all of a sudden winter) transition or what... but you know the deep thoughts are coming on strong.

If anybody else has any thoughts or ideas or book recommendations on building positive, open and healthy relationships...do share! Have a great weekend!

Michelle B, LMP

What is Your Favorite Pumpkin Patch?

So, today I was thinking...how can I make this blog more interesting? What do we LMPs want to read about, really? Of course it is lovely to hear about various aspects of the massage community, and I love to keep everyone in the loop as well as share positive information, but today I've chosen to take a break from all that and talk about pumpkin patches for a minute. My neighbor, whether she realizes it or not, totally inspired me!

Have you ever even been to a pumpkin patch? Yesterday was my first time, and let me tell you...I'm so glad I went! It was as if yesterday's motto was..."Take it easy", as traffic was a bit on the slow side, but sometimes it really is necessary to remove yourself from everyone else's hustle and bustle and take it slow, right? Although I surprisingly enough didn't even hear one single Eagles song on the radio...I just continued to think to myself "Take it Eeeeaasy".

I'm guessing you might be wondering where in the heck this mysterious pumpkin patch could be, not to mention where this write up is going, don't mind if I eeeaase into it do you? Okay, so the pumpkin patch, Fall City Farms, yep, that's right...Fall City. Have you been? I highly recommend it, for the drive alone is worth it. The leaves are changing right now, so it really is the perfect time, and if you're in the mood for a hike, you just so happen to be on your way to Snoqualmie Falls!

Now, I'm going to let you have the experience on your own, but I will tell you, it is a small, family operation, and if you need to get in touch with your country roots, go out there and pick yourself out a pumpkin! If I could make one recommendation, it would be to stop and visit the cute teenage cow that greets you on your way in...she really loves and appreciates massages. She even gives you a thank you moo on your way out:)

Thanks for letting me be random today! Have a happy halloween!

Michelle B, LMP

**If you have a favorite pumpkin patch or halloween idea. We would love to hear your comments!

Fall City Farms link: http://www.fallcityfarms.com/

Elements Therapeutic Massage

I recently visited Elements, a therapeutic massage studio located in the heart of Issaquah. They offer a variety of treatments including: Deep Tissue, Swedish, Sports Massage, Pre-natal Massage, and Hot Stone. The complex they are located in also offers a fitness center, yoga studio and chiropractic care.

Upon my arrival to Elements I felt a very calm, mellow vibe. Their front desk gal was very professional and friendly, not to mention, Amy, the manager, is bubbly, yet down to earth and has a presence that makes a person feel very welcome right away!

Amy took the time to show me around and introduce me to some of the massage therapists working at Elements who were all very interested in sharing their positive work experiences. They all seem to appreciate that they can use their own techniques and share their individual talents as a massage therapist and feel like their limits are respected in regards to scheduling.

You will find a nice little employee break room which has a computer available for you to keep track of your clients, a table and chairs, plus, a refrigerator which Amy just so happens to be generous enough to stock with snacks and beverages to keep you going throughout the day!

If you are interested in growth, stability and a professional and positive environment, Elements may be the place for you! They are currently looking for massage therapists who are approachable and enjoy building positive client relationships.

To find out more about Elements, check out their website: http://www.etmissaquah.com/. To apply for a position, please contact Amy O'Bryant by applying through the Find Touch website: http://www.findtouch.com/.

Monday Oct. 6- Massage For the Cure!

I'm sure you are all familiar with the "Race for the Cure", but have you heard of "Massage for the Cure"? This is an opportunity for you to share your gift while contributing to a good cause- the Susan G. Komen fund for the cure. On this particular day, clients will be donating to the cause rather than paying directly for their massage. This does not however mean that you will not be paid as a massage therapist. You will both be paid and appreciated for contributing your time and love. If you are interesting in making a donation yourself, you can opt to donate your tips to the fund for this day!

This wonderful event is sponsored by Massage Envy. To apply for a time slot, please contact one of the convenient locations throughout the Seattle area. To save you a step, here is a direct link to their website with available locations throughout Western Washington:

http://www.massageenvy.com/locations.aspx?zip=98105&radius=150&city=&state=WA

Don't forget to save the date! I look forward to seeing you there!

CEU Update!

Here are some upcoming opportunities for CEUs along with an opportunity to work with the Reiki Fellowship in October for those who are interested!

Provided by: The Hands That Heal Center for the Healing Arts...

"How to do Groovy Neck Work"
Sept. 13 (Saturday) 10am-3pm **Therapeutic, Headache and Whiplash Workshop

"How to Run a $1000 Weekend Seated Massage Event
Sept. 13 (Saturday) 3pm-7pm

"Nooks and Crannies"
Sept. 14 (Sunday) 10am-2pm **Illio-Psoas, Sub-Scap, Piriformis, Adductors

"Manifesting an Amazing Massage Busines Today!"
Sept. 14 (Sunday) 3pm-7pm **Achieve Your Business Goals, Dreams and Desires


**About the workshops-

• Each workshop has a muscle review and time to practice the new treatment strokes on other class participants
• Each 4 hour class fee is $100 with 4 CEU's available upon successful course completion
• Take all 4 classes in the full 2 day "Make It Work For You" workshop

CPR/ First Aid Recertification class

Sept. 28th (Sunday) 1pm-5pm $60

You may e-mail Pamela directly to find out more about these CEUs: thehandsthathealcenter@yahoo.com

Pamela Rapiñan NCTMB-LMP,CSH 206-501-6608

**The Reiki Fellowship will be sharing at the "Alive Expo-Lynnwood Convention Center"

Dates: Nov. 8 and Nov. 9

Registration: You may find out more information in regards to joining the Reiki Fellowship at: http://www.reikifellowship.com/

If you know of other interesting opportunities and learning experiences to share with the massage community, I will be happy to pass them along. You can also share by posting a comment to this blog!

Filling Out Your Profile Saves Time!

I have been compiling feedback from some of the employers posting job opportunities with Find Touch, and discovered they are much more likely to consider candidates who have taken the time to fill out their profiles.

Not only does this show that you are really interested in finding work, but in the long-run, this will save both you and the employer time during the decision making process. If you have enough information within your profile that makes them feel like they have a good sense of who you are as a massage therapist before even meeting you in person, how wonderful is that!?

Another note I would like to share, is when an employer lists specific instructions in the details of the job opportunity, most of them are looking for follow through on those steps. For those of you who are doing this already...Nice Work!!

Yet to come...an option to send a nice note/ cover letter when you hit the apply button to a job opportunity. This may be a couple months yet, but it is in the works, as we realize it would be nice to add a personal touch to your application, which is really what the Find Touch community is about! If you have anything else that you feel would enhance the experience, we are always open to ideas!

Thank You so Much!!

Just thought I would send out a big thank you to all of you who have been spreading the word and sharing Find Touch with others! The number of registered users with Find Touch has increased tremendously over the past few months, and we even have new employers posting job opportunities thanks to your referrals!

As the Find touch community continues to grow, we are always considering ways to make it an even more positive resource for the massage community. If you have any feedback and/or ideas, do share, we would love to hear!

Thanks again for all of your support! We appreciate it so much!