Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2025

60 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

“If you decide to go ahead with the massage and you suddenly decide that you can’t continue, I would like you to tell me to stop. There is no point in having you receive something that makes you uncomfortable. It definitely won’t help you to relax.” (Empowerment to stop the treatment if needed and education) “How does that sound so far?” (Checking in with client to ensure comprehension) Client : “OK. Yeah. That sounds OK to me.” Massage therapist : “Second, I want to explain where I touch. I only want to massage parts of your body that feel comfortable receiving touch, and I never touch the genitals.” (Clarification of therapist role and intention) “If you have any parts of your body that you don’t want touched, like your back or your legs, then tell me and I will avoid them.” (Restatement of client empowerment) “Are there any parts of your body that you would feel uncomfortable having massaged?” (Open question) Client : “Yes. My legs.” Massage therapist : “Do you mean your whole leg from your hips to your feet or just part of your legs?” (Clarification) Client : “My whole legs.” Massage therapist : “OK—the legs are out.” (Demonstrates that the client’s choices are respected by the therapist) “Do you feel comfortable receiving massage on your back?” (Open question) Client : “Yeah—that shouldn’t be a problem.” Massage therapist : “Where is the line between your legs and your back? Can you show me where I can begin massaging your back?” (Closed question to help client articulate the boundaries of touch) Client indicates by pointing that the lowest she wants to be massaged is the waist. Massage therapist : “OK. I see you pointing to your waist. I will only massage to there.” (Confirmation of client-established boundary) “If you change your mind or decide that you want to do things differently, then we can check in about that once you are on the table.” (Invites client to change direction if desired and indicates that the therapist is willing to follow the client’s lead) .

FINISH THE COURSE AND GET CE CREDIT! You’ve just finished the first half of AMTA’s continuing education course “Trauma-Informed Massage.” Now, go online, where you’ll get more information about how trauma can inform a client’s experience of massage, as well as what massage therapists can do to keep both themselves and their clients safe while also offering the relief and safe space needed by so many. Log on now, amtamassage.org/learn. References 1. Ainsworth, M. S. (1979, October). Infant–mother attachment. American Psychologist, 34 (10), 932‒937. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.932 2. Bassuk, E. L., Konnath, K., & Volk, M. (2006, February). Understanding Traumatic Stress in Children. National Center on Homelessness. Accessed December 3, 2013, from www.familyhomelessness.org/media/91.pdf 3. Briere, J., & Rickards, S. (2007, June). Self-awareness, affect regulation, and relatedness, differential sequels of childhood versus adult victimization experiences. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 195 (6), 497‒503. 4. Main, M., & Solomon, J. (1990). Procedures for identifying infants as disorganized/disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation. In M. Greenberg, D. Cicchetti, & E. M. Cummings (Eds.), Attachment in the Preschool Years: Theory, Research and Intervention. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 5. Trauma-Informed Care. https:/www. traumainformedcare.chcs.org/what-is-trauma-informed care/ Accessed July 6, 2024. 6. Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books. 7. Briere, J., & Rickards, S. (2007, June). Self-awareness, affect regulation, and relatedness, differential sequels of childhood versus adult victimization experiences. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases, 195 (6), 497‒503. 8. Main, M., & Solomon, J. (1990). Procedures for identifying infants as disorganized/disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation. In M. Greenberg, D. Cicchetti, & E. M. Cummings (Eds.), Attachment in the Preschool Years: Theory, Research and Intervention. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 9. Ruth, K. L. (2003, October). The interface between attachment and intersubjectivity: Perspective from the Longitudinal Study of Disorganized Attachment (p. 14). Harvard Medical School. Portions of this paper were presented at Dahlem Workshop on Attachment and Bonding: A New Synthesis, Max Planck Institute, Dahlem, Germany, and at the Elizabeth Fivaz Festschrift on Attachment and Intersubjectivity, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, September 2004. 10. Ainsworth, M. S. (1979, October). Infant–mother attachment. American Psychologist, 34 (10), 932‒937. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.932 11. Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books.

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