The Winding Road to Massage Therapy
As an acting student at Pomona college, I was required to take lessons in the Alexander Technique as part of my training. I was told that these lessons would help my body achieve a "neutral state," and instead of carrying my physical habits on stage with me, I would be able to embody the idiosyncratic mannerisms of my character. Over two years I trained with three different teachers, and took part in a four month long intensive study as part of a theater training program in London. After returning from my study abroad in London, Shirley Robbins, the resident Alexander teacher at the Claremont Colleges took me on as her teaching assistant. It certainly helped me in my theater work, but it was evident that this method was more than just an actor's tool.
Understanding how bodily habits affect our daily lives, our thoughts and our emotions has profound implications in the healthcare field as well as the arts. Alexander recognized that the way people engage in daily activities is governed by habitual body patterns, and many of these habits are damaging to the body. Having suffered from respiratory ailments throughout his childhood, Alexander was able to treat his condition by relearning the way he used his body. Before he could change anything, he found that he first had to inhibit the habits of the head, neck, and spine.
After graduating from Pomona with a degree in philosophy, and premed requirements completed, I pursued a career in naturopathy at Bastyr University. Naturopathic medicine uses holistic, least intervention methods to promote health and wellness. Bastyr offered an intensive massage workshop in conjunction with Brenneke School of Massage, which I took advantage of and received my massage license. Realizing that a career in bodywork and massage rather than naturopathy would allow me to pursue my driving interest, I withdrew from the program and have been practicing massage for the past four years.
I am always employing Alexander principles when I release muscle tension, which, when briefly described, translates to a sensitive touch, and working with guided breathing and awareness, but because many clients enjoy a silent massage, I am not always vocal about what I am doing. I tailor my sessions according to each client's expectations, which can vary between relaxation and treatment.