Working On Location

One of the joys of working in a big city is you never know who you are going to meet. I've worked on CEO's lawyers, students, housewives, construction workers and detectives. When the big city is Los Angeles, the client mix can be actors, directors, writers, producers, Foley artists, grips, cameramen, publicists, production accountants, wardrobe assistants, make-up chiefs, hairstylists, .... well, you get the idea.

ART Massage is based in he San Fernando Valley and can easily reach the Warner Bros, Universal, CBS Radford, and Disney studios within 15-20 minutes. I can also quickly reach the Hollywood and Culver City studios.

I mention this because one of my television director clients offered me a 2-day job on his show. This is a great networking opportunity for me. I've worked with some of the cast and crew members before, so it will be a nice chance to remind them what they liked about me. (I see a lot of reflexology and trigger point therapy in the immediate future.)

Since this blog is supposed to help other therapists (not just brag about what I get to do) here is a simple list of supplies that I think are good to have for any location work:

• Massage Chair and/or Table (varies by job)
• Business Cards and Guestbook (Every person you work on should get your card. How will they contact you for another massage without your number? Try to get the name and contact info of everyone you work on as well. This is your proof that they agreed to let you work on them and it builds your marketing database for future massage events and services.)
• UN-scented, hypoallergenic lotion (oil can stain clothes or leave an "icky" feeling, plus, you might not have a washroom available for washing up - lotion can add glide if you are working on exposed skin but generally isn't needed for chair massage)
• Spray Cleaner and Hand Sanitizer (Even though you will use face cradle covers, it is reassuring to customers and more sanitary to clean the equipment between each client. Also, to prevent the spread of germs, ALWAYS have a way to clean your hands.)
• Paper Towels (to clean with between clients and can be used as face cradle covers)
• Clock (small enough to be discreet but big enough for you to read while working)
• Tip Jar and/or Money Box (I use a Rosie the Riveter lunch box because you can hear it if someone tries to open it, it's a unique conversation starter for those waiting their turn, and it hides the money if the job requires discretion - example: client is paying and tipping me so no need to ask for tips but can still accept them)
• Face Cradle Covers (disposable, fabric, really depends on your set-up and how much you are willing to carry)
• Baby-Wipes (optional yet self-explanatory)
• Rolling Luggage - Small (I use the kind that airline attendants use to carry all of my optional items and to store my purse, clipboard and extra supplies. I can fit my needed supplies for most chair massage jobs of 20 people or less in the massage chair bag. For full body massage jobs of 3 or more people, the suitcase keeps everything from being unwieldy and helps maintain a professional appearance.)

And of course, the most important things to bring to any location are a warm smile and your positive, healing energy! The list above is for working a more formal massage set-up. This week, I'll be working freestyle: just a discreet bag to hold my smartphone, business cards, and hand sanitizer. I can massage people for 2-5 minutes each while they are standing or sitting in a regular folding chair using my shiatsu, reflexology, and trigger point training. Anyone interested in a longer massage can trade contact info with me and I will follow up in a couple of days. I can't wait.

Sometimes We Just Need To Laugh

Here's how it is: this blog post has nothing to do with massage (though I reckon I still would like to work on some of the very tall folks at CASTLE but missed my chance last October when Jose Molina hired me to work there).

Just like folks needs a bit of rest for their bodies, the mind could use a vacation too. I was wandering the interwebs and found this little quiz.

If you know me, make a comment about how accurate you think it is. If you don't know me, what would you like to read in my blog?

Which SERENITY crew member are you?
Your results:
You are Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)

Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 80% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 80% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 75% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 70% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 60% Inara Serra (Companion) 50% River (Stowaway) 50% Wash (Ship Pilot) 45% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 40% Alliance 40% A Reaver (Cannibal) 5%

Honest and a defender of the innocent. You sometimes make mistakes in judgment but you are generally good and would protect your crew from harm.

Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz

At least I wasn't in the car

You know the commercial where Mother Nature shows up with a "gift" to ruin your plans? Happy Easter Monday, here's what happened to me:

The acupuncture clinic I work at was closed because the acupuncturist's kids were on spring break.
I overslept and missed an appointment. (Sleeping through an alarm that rings 180 minutes is probably a sign you shouldn't work anyway.)
I forgot (or rather, didn't notice) that LAVC's spring break goes through Easter Monday and hightailed it to school so I wouldn't miss the daily quiz. (No school = no class = no quiz = no need to be there)
Return to parking lot to find ENTIRE FRONT bumper hanging by 1 bolt.

Is this what's known as irony?

The kid who hit my PARKED car then had the audacity to say I "parked to close to" his truck.

I made the sheriff's and public safety officers laugh with the following:

"Excuse me? Uh, No. I saw you get out of your truck. We left our cars at the same time; I was walking right next to you.
I made a point of not hitting your car with my door when I got out.
You would have heard or felt it if I hit your truck.
You hit me. Not the other way around.
If I had parked that close, I would not have been able to get out of my car and (doing Vanna-style presentation of self) I AM NOT A SMALL PERSON."
see photo for proof

I've labeled this post "stress" and "TerribleHorribleNoGoodDay" because sometimes, that's just how it goes. We can't get up because we're sick (from illness, cycles, worry) and things don't work out how we plan.

I can cry and complain about a kid driving a truck that's too big (srsly? can't c honda sedan in daylight?) for him to make a left turn safely or that I shouldn't have scheduled an appointment on a day I thought I had a test or "OMG! Hondas are expensive to fix!" Instead, I am thankful I have an extra two days to study, my insurance (and more importantly, his insurance) will cover the repairs and the car rental while my car is in the shop, and ... at least I wasn't in the car.

Sorry I haven't posted...

Things not to do when recovering from the LA Marathon:

• have dinner with your teammates in Beverly Hills after driving home to The Valley from the Santa Monica finish line (4.5 hours walking, 5 hours in car Sunday)
• have Jury Duty downtown (Monday)
• work from 9a-9p (Tuesday)
• take Algebra (Math 115 Monday & Wednesday & Saturday)
• dogsit a very active poodle (Thursday thru Saturday)

I also have been blessed with private clients on Sunday and Monday a fun Relay For Life dinner on Thursday and today was not busy at the spa. (massage trades, yays!)

So forgive the fact that I haven't posted my marathon training tips... they will be forthcoming ... soon ... I hope.

So I was in the LA Marathon yesterday...

As some of you know, I participated in the 25th Los Angeles Marathon as a charity walker. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I only made it to mile 10. (Darn those hills!)

But my goal wasn't really to walk 26.2 miles through LA, it was to raise $500 for the Patient Services programs at Lupus LA. I raised $300 before the race and have this week to raise the rest.

Will you help me reach this goal?

Any amount will help. Please go to www.firstgiving.com/StefanieLMT and donate what you can. Your donation will provide peer mentoring/counseling for newly diagnosed patients, pediatric services for Lupus patients and their families, and emergency loans to patients who find themselves unable
to work because of a "flare" (a "flare" is when Lupus symptoms go into
overdrive and can be debillitating, even lethal).

I chose to walk for http://www.lupusla.org/ in honor of two friends with
Lupus and in memory of our friend Tara.

Thank you for your help.

Stefanie Ibanez, LMT
www.Twitter.com/StefanieLMT
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P.S. I'll post my marathon training and recovery tips tomorrow -- today I have jury duty.

Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy: Valentine Special#links

Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy: Valentine Special#links

To Reach Your Goals - One Must Stretch

Exercise is a three-step process: stretching, exercising, and abdominal strengthening. Stretching prepares you for the work of exercise, and is done first — before anything else — gently and gradually.
You may be tighter than usual on a particular day. This is not important — you should never try to stretch to where “you think you should be”. Just stretch, making sure to pay attention to what you’re doing. It’s easy to injure a muscle if you’re thinking about something else, or if you’re rushing, trying to squeeze in some stretching before dashing off to the gym.
Every day I remind my clients to stretch and spend some portion of our session demonstrating on them or for them simple Range of Motion (ROM) exercises that will release/reduce chronic muscle tension, increase their flexibility and improve circulation.
Some simple ROM moves you can do before you even get out of the bed in the morning include:

• Massage your pectoral attachments at the clavicle (collar bone) with the opposite hand and then extend the working arm out to the side and let it drop over the side of the bed; this stretches your chest muscles and allows your shoulders to drop back to their normal position -- repeat for the other side.
• Lift one knee toward the "same-side" shoulder (it does not have to touch, just till you feel the stretch) and then move the knee towards the "opposite-side" shoulder; let hip relax by returning the knee to a 90-degree angle with the foot next to the inside of the other knee which straight and laying flat; now allow the knee to fall outward; this will open your hips and stretch your inner thigh -- repeat sequence with the other leg.
• Lift both knees to you chest and gently rock your legs from side to side; this opens up your lower back where so many of us feel our tension.

Stretching helps us not only reach physical fitness and health goals, but also emotional and intellectual goals. (Go with me on this one.) Poor health can make it difficult to interact with others, create or perpetuate self-sabotaging inner dialogues, and lead to depression.[1, 2, 3]. It's hard to focus on learning something new (whether at school or work) if you are distracted by low back pain or chronic headaches. Sometimes the pain is so constant we no longer consciously acknowledge it - it registers instead as fatigue or stiffness or irritability -- and who wants to be around that?
Start your day by stretching. You can do it before you get out of bed or even in the shower [4]. If you're feeling ambitious, exercise! It will help you wake up, shake the "cobwebs" away and prepare you for the day ahead.

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Sources

1. Postnatal depression across countries and cultures: a qualitative study" The British Journal of Psychiatry (2004) 184: s10-S16, © 2004 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
2. "Sustained sleep deprivation impairs host defense" C. A. Everson, Clinical Psychobiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
3. "Depression and insomnia: questions of cause and effect" L Lustberg, CF Reynolds - Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2000
   "Research and treatment approaches to depression" ML Wong, J Licinio - Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2001
4. "Quick Start For The Slow Season" Sigal Meyuhas, aplaceofwellness.blogspot.com, Jan 2010