Posts by Lauren M. Christman, LMT, CBSI/KMI, CCST
Attuning to ‘Radical Wholeness’
Book Review Philip Shepherd’s book Radical Wholeness is an interesting mix. He anchors his perspective in the roots of self-awareness while casting a broad net including culture, learning and habits of being. Importantly for our work, he offers a keen analysis of how Western/European culture builds upon a false idea of the mind-body split. An…
Read MoreCOVID: What about clotting?
You might have seen headlines about the problem of clotting that comes with COVID-19 infection. This should set off alarms in your mind when thinking about massage or manual therapy. Blood clots are a sure contraindication for certain techniques. How can we sort out this risk when getting back to work? Pathophysiology At this point,…
Read MoreSources and Resources–Learning about COVID
Here are the sources I’m following for guidance amidst the flurry of news (noise?) about COVID: Pathophysiology and clinical implications Science Daily — email newsletter with overviews and links to studies Medscape — email newsletter with overviews and links to studies JAMA — links to studies (no summary overviews) Ninja Nerd Science/Medicine — excellent videos…
Read MoreGetting back to work — 7 of 7: What it feels like seeing clients again
Taking all these steps can feel daunting. If you feel like you’re not sure it’s worth it, take a peek at what these birds are willing to do: National Geographic Birds of Paradise. Thankfully, our work is simpler than that! After taking care of all the practical steps, we come to the moment of beginning…
Read MoreGetting back to practice — 6 of 7: Personal Health Log
For this idea of taking responsibility for our own health and keeping track of it, I can think of 2 moments in movie/tv viewing that really spoke to me. The first is a ‘cris du couer’ –a heart cry– at how challenging it can be; the second is a bit more fun. First: in season…
Read MoreGetting back to work — 5 of 7: Contact tracing
For appreciating the ripple effect, we could start with the beginning of Love Actually: the evidence is all around us. Our partners in beating this pandemic is all around us. What we each do individually is as important as ever. Contract Tracing — building a web, creating a safety net Like using PPE and washing…
Read MoreGetting back to work series — 4 of 7: Session Flow and Client Management
What seems like ages ago, this video was making the rounds: how we were making it through self-quarantine. Day 22 remains my favorite — and might reflect your mood at this point! A New Routine for Our Sessions and Our Clients Given these new protocols, safety equipment and pared down environment, it’s likely that our…
Read MoreGetting back to work series — 2 of 7: You and me and PPE
The only way to get through one more conversation about PPE is to be re-inspired. How about Fred Astaire singing “Putting on the Ritz”? Or if you want a campier version, you can watch Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein (jump out of it before the end which is a bit chaotic). Now that…
Read MoreGetting back to work series — 3 of 7: Daily cleaning routine
To get ready for this, I’d suggest 2 or 3 episodes of Monk (anywhere in the first season definitely). What makes Tony Shalhoub’s performance so poignant is the tension between his anxieties and his desire to continue his life despite them. My tears of laughter are in recognition of his, our humanity at the center…
Read MoreGetting back to work series – 1 of 7: Preparing the office
Needless to say, it’s easy to be overwhelmed when considering all the logistics of getting back to work. Through this series of posts, I’ll explore one mode of preparation and share the steps we’re taking. Some of these steps may fit for your practice as well; some might not. You might have needs based on…
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