Daniel Hamilton

Range of motion testing, functional tests, postural and biomechanical assessments - all of these can give you clues about a clients’ status, but, as a soft tissue therapist I have come to rely on my greatest skill: palpation.

With experience I have learnt to trust what I feel and now only use other forms of testing for my client’s benefit or to clarify an uncertainty. I think all of these tools are useful but I hope that by having this discussion you can start to ‘see’ more with your hands and learn to trust the process of palpation. I still use other tests but I tend to trust what my hands feel more so.

When your body is the tool that you work with, you learn to take notice of it. It was this that gave me the understanding of how to work effectively without injury or stress to myself as massage therapist.

Preparation for our new masterclass “How to deliver a world class massage treatment”. You will learn the art of using your body mechanics, innovation to deliver an effective treatment for your clients and new techniques that helped both Bojan and myself to recieve multiple gold medals at the World, Europe, Switzerland and the UK Championship in massage !

The masterclass will take place Sheraton Mallorca on 9th & 10th May 2020 Spain.

The event will be created soon, make sure to book yourself in as limited spaces will be available.

Daniel Therapy very true, I’ve met a lot of new therapists who began to have troubles few month after starting their massage career, that’s why we’ve decided to help in this area. We have a whole module only about the proper use of body mechanics.

Exelent. Sadly, some trainers ignore this element. How any one can teach a proficient massage along with good posture and movement for the therapist in four days is totally beyond my comprhension!

I am often asked by new clients how often they should have

massages. A legitimate question with many complicated

answers. I am going to attempt to answer this in a manner

that is understandable.

Massage in the past has been viewed as a luxury that people

cannot afford, until franchised spa’s started popping up

everywhere. By offering massages at a discounted rate

EVERYONE had the ability to get them. Until even they began

to raise their rates and making people sign memberships.

Then social medias like Groupon and Living Social popped

up making it even easier to get massages EVERYWHERE. So

people are flocking to those sites thus becoming “jumpers”.

So when I am asked this question by new clients I have to

wonder if they are just asking because they want to build a

relationship or are they asking because they are keeping

score on how many therapists give them the same response.

In order for someone to really get benefits out of massages

means work on both ends. Yours and mine, we have to build

a relationship of trust and respect. You have to be able to

relax enough to allow your mind and body to respond to

what the massage is doing for you. You have to trust me to

know that I will not hurt you too much. I know that some

places are tender and tight, and in order for your body to get

what it needs you just have to trust me. I do feel the changes

in your energy and muscle tone and I know what is hurting

you more even before you say it. Also, we there is a

connection between us for just a short period of time and I

know as a therapist I have to stay within my boundaries of

this relationship. This is where my respect for you comes

into play. Now! Let me stop here!!

I am not the “normal” massage therapist. I will crack a joke

to make you laugh or just say something to shift your

thoughts from what we are doing. When a person

concentrates too hard on trying to relax it has the adverse reaction. In your first couple of sessions I will often check in

and see how the pressure feels. Not because I want to have a

conversation, but because I want to give you the maximum

benefit from the time we have during your massage.

Also, DEEP tissue isn’t always the best for the body! I have

people who say go deeper, well let me go on record to say

that your body always tells me a different story. Going

deeper might not be what it is telling me. Again this is where

YOU have to let your mind go and trust me to do the work

needed to make your body better. Sometimes people need to

have massages twice a month, sometimes they need

massage weekly but rarely does a once a month work. If you

really want to stop hurting as much, if you want to learn

what your triggers for stress are in your body and if you

really really want to obtain the maximum benefits out of

your massage you will consider doing the following

Find the right therapist. (no it doesn’t have to be me) and

STAY with them until they no longer give you what you

need. This is a long term commitment and not to be entered

lightly.

When you need more or less pressure TELL ME. I am not

afraid of you asking for something else.

Give yourself the time and energy needed to really work out

the problems that you have going on. Be honest about this.

If you want to make changes YOU have to find the time to

make them and REMEMBER this didn’t happen overnight

and it won’t be worked out in 1 massage. I am not a miracle

worker, sorry guys I know you think I am…… but…..