Monday night I facilitated the first everflowing Massage support group that ive held in over 10 years. In the 1990's I stopped the groups because no one came.
With massage so in the forefront of hospice offerings Ive decided to start the group again. I am very pleased that this Monday there were 3 therapists here all representing different areas. Two volunteers came from the same hospice group but from different county's, and there was one therapist from a nursing home.
The group was needed and well received. I have had calls from as far as Southern California stating a desire to come to the next support group in San Francisco.
Why?
Massage therapists have specific challenges . at the group this monday we named a few.
* The emotional impact of touch ......the core factor in touching is bonding.
* Grieving the loss of this deep bonding
*The intimacy of touching someone so vulnerable needs to be shared
* Therapists need to talk about physical practicle things like body mechanics and how to access a leg underneath a client or how to sit in a bed or what to do when the client can't give feedback anymore. They need to hear from other therapists .
*They need to have someone facilitating the group that can understand their massage specific needs .
Most of the hospices I know have support groups but do not have groups specific to massage therapists.
I believe if you are going to have massage therapists you need to give them an appropriate group. This is the only way to conduct a program that is safe for the therapist and the massage client. The facilator of this group should be a practitioner who has been a hospice massage therapist.
what do you think?
blessings Irene smith www.everflowing.org
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