Chair Massage in Harrisburg

Margie Schaeffer, Founder/Director of Synergy who has been the volunteer coordinator for the Pa Chapter AMTA since Oct. 2006...took the day class students plus 1 evening class student (totalled 15 students) plus faculty member, Tamara Gregg, to the Pa Capital Rotunda Monthly Massage Chair Event on Wed Oct 22, 2008. It was quite a celebration here in Pa as we had our license bill signed into law 13 days ago today! We did 54 massage sessions on government staffers plus chair massage & CranioSacral sessions on each other. Margie & Tamara also took the stduents for a tour of the Capital & visited representative offices educating the students on the importance of visiting our government officials for professional licensure. Past PA AMTA president Nancy Porambo & other PA AMTA officials, Mark Singleton, past Lieutenant Governor of Pa, of the lobbying group THE WINTER GROUP were present for pictures of celebration (taken by Dave the Democrat Photographer) around the Celebration Banner special made by Michelle, the Central Pa Chapter Rep that was hung in the East Rotunda in honor of National Massage Therapy Awareness week & our license achievement that took 16 years to pass! Nancy Porambo had the honor of sitting in Majority Whip, Keith McCAll's chair in the House of Representatives for a picture! It was quite a celebration day!

10 foot X3 ft. banner for Massage Awareness Week is hanging in Rotunda was made by Jennifer Callahan’s husband (Pa AMTA Central Rep)

Craig Schaeffer second from left and Margie at the end on the right.

Massages and the Messages they Send

Just ask anyone who’s experienced a few and they would swear to the feel-good factor of a good massage. Not that they understand why they feel so relaxed and stress-free, but they do know that massages have therapeutic value and are great for soothing aches and pains. But did you know that massages offer a host of benefits to families, particularly mothers and children? Read on for the details:

· Fertility Factors: Massages have been proven to be effective in helping women with unexplained infertility conceive and give birth to healthy children. These women have tried every trick in the doctors’ handbook, from IVF to IUI, and returned home disappointed and empty handed. Massages have helped them conceive by relaxing them completely and improving circulation to their reproductive organs.
· Labor Labors: Only women in labor know the immense pain they go through as they try to push a baby from inside their bodies and try to remain calm at the same time. Massages from trained personnel during labor are helpful in relieving the stress and pain of delivery. Pre-birth massages also help induce labor and bring about a normal birth as opposed to a more painful C Section surgery where recovery is longer and more difficult.
· Premature Predicaments: While all prospective moms and dads are eager for the birth of their young ones, no parent wants their child to be born before the full nine months are up. This is because they know for a fact that infants who are born prematurely are at risk for a lot of factors like poor immune systems and slow growth. If not provided with the right nurture and nutrition, they risk chronic illnesses and allergies all through life, and regular massages are a way of helping them gain weight and become as healthy as children who were carried to full-term.
· Adolescent Ailments: Massages have been known to help in the treatment of adult ailments like diabetes in children by regulating their blood sugar levels and keeping them manageable. It’s tough when children are asked to take on the burden of a disease that most adults themselves have a tough time coping with, and massages do their part in helping them adhere to their medication and diet regimens.
· Immunity Issues: Massages have been known to boost your immune system’s efficiency by enhancing the number of natural killer cells which help prevent cancer and viral infections. This is particularly helpful in the case of patients who have been diagnosed with HIV or with children who are born with weak immune systems.

By-line:
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of massage therapists. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Reflexology

Modern reflexologists in the United States and the United Kingdom often learn Ingham's method first, although there are other more recently developed methods. Reflexology is the practice of massaging, squeezing or pushing on parts of the feet, hands or the ears, with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body or to simply improve general health.

The precursor of modern reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1913 by William H. Fitzgerald, M.D. (1872-1942), an ear, nose and throat specialist, and Dr. Edwin Bowers. Fitzgerald claimed that applying pressure had an anesthetic effect on other areas of the body. Reflexology was further developed in the 1930s and 1940s by Eunice D. Ingham (1899-1974), a nurse and physiotherapist. Ingham claimed that the feet and hands were especially sensitive, and mapped the entire body into "reflexes" on the feet. It was at this time that this "Zone Therapy" was renamed reflexology. Modern reflexologists in the United States and the United Kingdom often learn Ingham's methods first, although there are other more recently developed methods.

The unifying theme is the idea that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body, and that by manipulating these, can improve health through one's "Qi". Reflexologists claim that the body contains an energy field, invisible life force, or "Qi", the blockage of which can prevent healing. The Reflexologists goal is to relieve stress and pain in other parts of the body, as well as the release of endorphins (natural pain killers found in the body). In addition to promoting lymphatic flow in the body, or the dissolving of uric acid crystals.

Reflexology is often combined with other therapies and practices such as Accupressure, Shiatsu, Yoga, Tai Chi and Massage Therapy.

A reflexology chart shows the "reflex zones" worked by reflexologist on the soles of the feet. Similar maps exist for the position of the reflexes on the hands and ears. In this chart, the color codes represent the following organs or parts of the body:
Brain Stomach
Sinuses Spleen
Voice Liver
Pituitary Gland Gall Bladder
Neck & Throat Adrenal Gland
Eyes Pancreas
Ears Kidney
Armpit Ureter
Shoulder & Arm Bladder
Lung & Breast Colon
Heart Small Intestine
Thyroid & Bronchial Coccyx
Solar Plexus Sciatic Nerve
Diaphragm Peyer's Patches
Appendix

HB 2499

Victory! HB2499, our Massage Therapy Licensing Bill had successfully made it through the Senate Professional Licensure Committee with a vote of 12 to 2 on September 17, 2008. Next stop, made it through the Appropriations Committee with a unanimous vote 26 to 0, on October 7, then sailed through the Senate with a vote of 47 to 3 on October 8th, then signed by the House for concurrence 191 to 8 later that day, then traveling right to our Governor's office to be signed into law. I want to send a special Thank You to all of you who have made phone calls, sent e-mails and supported us in our quest. Without everyone's help this would not have been possible! Yes, we have waited 16 long years for this moment in Massage Therapy history in Pennsylvania to take place. HB 2499 has received tremendous support from AMTA members and from members of other National organizations alike, as we now have closure to our 16 year endeavor. AMTA PA will continue to keep you informed and updated by enhancing our website www.AMTAPA.org ,creating a "question and answer" format for you in order to answer questions that you may have regarding the meaning of the language in our bill, i.e. grandfathering, continuing education, testing, etc. HB2499 was a carefully crafted compromise between numerous health care organizations and will now launch us into a higher level of Massage Therapy practice. It is time to celebrate. We have made history in Pennsylvania! AMTA's National Massage Therapy Awareness Week, 2008 is the week of October 19-25. National Massage Therapy Awareness week (NMTAW) as become a major effort to promote Massage Therapy and is one of AMTA's most successful members programs. Our Pennsylvania Chapter must begin planning our event for NMTAW now. We must keep in mind it's helpful to plan on utilizing publicity efforts to connect with nationwide activities. This year's theme is "Celebrate". AMTA National will use NMTAW to promote the results of AMTA's National Consumer Survey about Massage with a tie-in to local trends. Our strategy is to attract media attention. You should attempt to make a connection between trends you see in your area and trends revealed in our National survey. This week is designed to raise public awareness about the benefits of Massage; attract media attention to nationwide activities being carried out by AMTA Chapters, members, as well as AMTA School Members, and to give all AMTA Members an opportunity to demonstrate their profession and skill. Remember this week is an important tool in educating the public and healthcare professionals about the benefits and efficacy of massage. Let's make this week something we can be proud of and better than the previous years. After all, now that we will be licensed, we have a lot to celebrate about. Thank you all and Congratulations!
Sincerely,Gina WashlaskiAMTA PA Chapter

Denim Day

I wanted to send out a short reminder as well as answer a few questions about the upcoming 'denim day'. Next Wednesday, the students, staff and faculty will be encouraged to wear jeans with their purple polo shirts or purple tee shirts in exchange for a minimum $5 donation to the fight against breast cancer. We do require that your jeans be clean and neat to continue to project a professional appearance. Donations -- by cash or by check -- can be made using the envelopes that were placed into your mailboxes last week. The office has extra envelopes for anyone that might need one. The envelopes should be turned in to the office. They may also be turned in directly to me, but please do not put envelopes into my mailbox. Donations can also be made by credit card at the Denim Day website by entering Synergy Healing Arts Center as the team name.Whether you're donating online or not, you are still welcome to join the 'team' online. You can track progress towards our goal, learn how to fold a five dollar bill into the shape of a heart, read breast cancer information and look at a few pictures from the 'Pink Lemonade for the Cure' stand. Yes, I will be bringing my camera on Wednesday to capture everyone in their jeans and pink ribbon pins! The following link should take you directly to our denim day site, but, should it not work in your browser, just click 'join a team' at the denim day website then enter Synergy Healing Arts Center as the team name.
http://www.denimday.com/team_page.aspx?tid=220675
I also wanted to answer a few of the recent questions, but, as always, if you have any other questions just let me know! Q: Do I have to wear jeans to donate to the cause?A: Of course not! Being able to wear jeans to class is a nice little perk, but certainly not a requirement.Q: Can I donate more than five dollars? A: Absolutely! Q: I won't be at the school next Wednesday. Can I still donate? A: Certainly!Q: What are the 'in memory of' and 'in honor of' cards all about? A: The 'in memory of' and 'in honor of' cards are for you to fill out to list your loved ones, survivors and other reasons for donating that I can put together to display. I'll put the cards in your mailbox then, once you fill them out, you can put them back into my mailbox.Q: Did you mention something about pink ribbon pins? A: I did indeed! On the morning of denim day, I'll put a pink ribbon pin in the mailbox of everyone who's donated. Q: What if I forget to donate this week? Can I still donate next week? A: Yes, but please don't wear jeans until you've donated...unless you are walking in the door with your donation envelope in the pocket of your jeans! ;)Again, if there are any other questions let me know!Thanks for joining our Lee National Denim Day team. I look forward to seeing you all in your jeans next Wednesday. We'll also have a little pink cupcake and pink lemonade celebration!Sincerely,Tamara

HB2499

Today was the last day our HB2499 could pass in the Senate & it did. Margie found out last evening at 9pm that the bill had come out of the Appropriations Committee. Now back to the House for a final vote & then onto Governor Rendell for his final signature!

This would not have been possible if all the Synergy students, faculty & staff had not been as involved as they have. A BIG THANK-YOU to everyone who helped

HB2499

The time has come again to make phone calls!

The HB2499 is facing another proposed amendment and we must oppose it. The amendment is from the Insurance Federation that says Massage Therapy would not be eligible for consideration by state workers comp or auto insurance!

The AMTA PA chapter board agree that after 16 years and all of the co-operation we have done with the PT's and Chiropractor organizations, we Oppose any further amendments to the HB2499. We MUST call Senator Armstrong and all of the others in the appropriations committee TODAY !!!

If you have called before we thank you and ask that you call again to assure that the Senators understand just how important the bill is to us as massage therapists. Again make sure Senator Armstrong and the other senators know that we oppose the amendment from the insurance federation, and want them to support HB2499 as written with NO further amendments!

Some of you may not have all of the contact numbers for the senators, they are listed below. Please call again...TODAY...and tell your friends, family, clients to call as well!
Sincerly,
Gina WashlaskiPresidentAMTA PA Chapter