Words go a long way, especially when
you have a professional role. If you want to be reputable and effective, you've
got to find the best way to communicate with customers or clients. In my line
of work there will be skeptics, sensitive people, people who want answers,
people who mistake me for a doctor, or those who have a misconception of the
services I provide.
My official titles are 'Licensed Massage Practitioner, Certified Reiki Master & Certified
Nutritional Coach'. I have scopes of practice to follow, but I also have
different languages to speak with each specialty and with each person I meet.
Let me explain what each is in detail so that you can understand what words I
use and avoid for different purposes.
Massage Therapy
definition: Manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective
tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance a person's health and well-being.
There are dozens of types of massage therapy methods (also called modalities).
There are different
massage techniques as well, including the most common- Swedish (Relaxation) and
Rehabilitative (Deep Tissue/Treatment/Orthopedic/Injury). Many other branches
of Massage include Thai, Reflexology, Ayurvedic, Lomi Lomi/Mana Lomi,
Intraoral, Manual Lymph Drainage, Prenatal, Tui Na and so much more. Many can
simply be learned and adapted without specific credentialing requirements,
others are requried or suggested to have special certification in to
demonstrate that one has taken the necessary steps to show they are fluent in
that modality or technique and to have added liability protection.
In some states,
massage therapists are titled as Licensed Massage Practitioners, others are
known as Licensed Massage Therapists. Either way, we all are licensed to
practice a therapy. I am not a masseuse. I am formerly trained to
know the body and muscular structures, and to help alleviate aches and pains
and promote relaxation. I cannot diagnose or prescribe but I can educate my
clients in how to maintain good posture and movement while avoiding further
pain or injury.
On a side note,
I've also learned to not use the word "relax" with my clients.
Psychologically and physiologically, the client tends to do just the opposite.
They like to see the word as it is enticing, but to hear it lets them know they
aren't relaxed and so their brain sends that message to that tense area of the
body and the muscles do not know how to react. People with a naturally tense
neck or shoulders are used to being in that static tense mode. Words that tend
to be more affective and that are more inviting would be "sink in" or
"let go" or even "let me do the work for you". Yes, massage
therapy uses psychology.
Reiki definition: A
healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy
into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes
of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being.
It consists of 2
japanese words- Rei and Ki. Combined it loosely translates to
Universal
Life Force.
In my experience
over the years, I've learned do not prefer to call it a healing
technique. Heal is a powerful and misleading word. It can denote a
religious tone or even sense of witchcraft or voodoo. My role as the
practitioner is to solely facilitate the flow of energy. I do not provide the
energy, therefore I provide no healing. As a holistic practitioner, my job is
to provide my clients with an open door. They are in charge of their own
healing process. I simply give them momentum. I do not heal.
The moment I
realized I did not want to call it a healing technique is when I had a massage
client interested in my health coaching services. When they found out I
practiced Reiki, they questioned it, stating that it was 'not of God'. Even
though Reiki was not in any way in conjuction with my other services, the
client never returned. It is upsetting to know that something like Reiki can be
viewed as evil or sacrilige. It is not of a religion at all. In fact, it was
discovered by a man during a solo Christian meditation retreat on top of a
mountain. Definitions of Reiki can also state that it is a 'laying of hands'
modality. I do not use that term either, for the same purposes as stated in the
beginning of this paragraph.
The link below is
from the foundation Reiki.org in which I am a part of, but that does not mean I
agree with its definition.
Nutritional
Coaching definition: There is no clear definition for a Nutritional Coach but
coaching is an emerging practice in many areas, such as with finance, health,
spirituality, and life. Although the title of a Nutritional Coach is not
prohibited in any state, but as a coach you must demonstrate the skills and
compenency in that area and stay within the appropriate scope of practice. As a
Nutritional Coach, I cannot diagnose or prescribe. I can only suggest, just
like with my other specialties. I am certified to show that I have thoroughly
studied the subject and I have the skill set to provide nutritional guidance
for my clients. Although my credentialed title is Certified Nutritional Coach,
I title myself a Health Coach due to the fact that I am also a massage
therapist and can provide tips and guidance in other areas of health. With any
certification or licensure in the healthcare field, continuing education is
required- so I am always learning and gaining new information.
I always tell my
clients that I can only suggest changes they can make and that it is
always best to bring these suggestions to their primary physician so they are
aware. The client also needs to pay attention to their body and tune in more in
order to better understand what the body is communicating and if things are
working or not. As any practitioner, even doctors, cannot wave a wand and make
things better. Giving suggestions for the client to make healthy changes
is proven to be the most effective form of healing. Medications are temporary
bandaids, so I encourage my clients to find ways to create and maintain
long-term relief.
We have amazing
life costumes called bodies. They communicate with us and they can heal on
their own if we learn to listen and put in effort to take care of them. Medical
attention can be beneficial, but starting with our own healing capabilities can
deter, soothe, and even prevent many illnesses, ailments and injuries. I take
my job seriously and I love what I do, but it takes the strength and
determination of the client to ultimatley bring the best results.
