CHARLOTTE – I just got back from taking a class on SMRT massage techniques. The SMRT technique was created by Dawn Lewis and the acronym stands for Spontaneous Muscle Release Technique. It’s a new modality for me and it challenges the very basis of massage. I’ll go into more of this technique in a later column. What I want to share with you is that when I take classes during the year, they are to expand my massage ‘toolbox’. These classes show me innovation, they show me different techniques and they help me hone my craft.

Every time I take on this extra-curriculum, it changes me. It refreshes me. It makes me see clearer. We are all guilty of falling into a rut. Especially during these times, it’s almost certain that we’ll be in a stagnant place at times. But we can all change this! You as a client can ask for different things to be tried. As an LMT, I can reassess your condition, and we can look at making your goals happen while trying different and refreshing things. Sometimes that’s what we all need: a positive change; a recharge so to speak.

Yes, we take some of these classes because we have to in order to renew and keep our state licensure, but these classes are designed to make your massage experience better. They take both your experience and my experience to a greater level. Ask your therapist what he/she’s learned lately and I bet they’ll be excited to share.