In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Darren and Kristin speak with Chris Curry about his massage therapy origin story and the journey that inspired him to guide future therapists. Chris also opens up about his experience competing in massage therapy competitions, including what he won and what he learned. Finally, he gives listeners five practical tips to elevate their next massage session, straight from an award-winning massage therapist.

Resources:

Chris Curry is an award-winning massage therapist and instructor practicing in Denver, Colorado. He specializes in therapeutic and medical massage techniques including myofascial release, neuromuscular therapy, structural integration, and craniosacral therapy. Chris believes in a holistic approach to wellness, where massage therapy is not just a treatment, but a gateway to a balanced and healthier lifestyle. This combination of different modalities creates a truly unique and powerful massage, catered to the client’s specific needs. Chris has worked with professional sports teams and athletes. And he owns and runs his business Discover Wellness Massage. And Chris represented Team USA at the 2024 and 2025 World Championship of Massage. For more information about Chris, visit discoverwellnessmassage.com. 

Hosts:

Darren Buford is senior director of communications and editor-in-chief for ABMP. He is editor of Massage & Bodywork magazine and has worked for ABMP for 22 years, and been involved in journalism at the association, trade, and consumer levels for 24 years. He has served as board member and president of the Western Publishing Association, as well as board member for Association Media & Publishing. Contact him at [email protected].

Kristin Coverly, LMT is a massage therapist, educator, and the director of professional education at ABMP. She loves creating continuing education courses, events, and resources to support massage therapists and bodyworkers as they enhance their lives and practices. Contact her at [email protected].

Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

A seasoned massage therapist has just started working at a prestigious facility where client intakes are only conducted on the fly, and nothing is documented. Almost immediately, two clients present with complex situations that could be made substantially worse by thoughtless massage.

What to do?

In this episode we explore this complex question. I have some thoughts from the massage side of the equation, and I also turned to an industry expert, Sherrie Tennessee, PhD, to help understand this from the point of view of the businesses.

I also speculate on what it would be like if I were Queen of the World, but that’s a bit beside the point.

Resources: 

Sherrie Tennessee, Ph.D., CHE, 

Founder, SpaSOS | Author | Educator | Industry Speaker  

Website: www.spasos.com

SpaSOS: Revolutionizing Your Spa with Wellness Technology

https://youtu.be/Pk2T0ygfoqk?si=ZOn9tJf7c6FD44FR

Author: How to Open a Wellness Center: 31-Day Guide

www.amazon.com/How-Open-Wellness-Center-Workbook  

Instagram: @thespasos

YouTube: @spasos

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sherrie-tennessee-phd/

Host Bio:        

Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider. She wrote A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, now in its seventh edition, which is used in massage schools worldwide. Werner is also a long-time Massage & Bodywork columnist, most notably of the Pathology Perspectives column. Werner is also ABMP’s partner on Pocket Pathology, a web-based app and quick reference program that puts key information for nearly 200 common pathologies at your fingertips. Werner’s books are available at www.booksofdiscovery.com. And more information about her is available at www.ruthwerner.com.   

About our Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

Website: anatomytrains.com    

Email: [email protected]          

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA 

Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.

Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country.

Or meet us online in the PNMT Portal, our online gateway with access to over 500 videos, 37 NCBTMB CEs, our Discovery Series webinars, one-on-one mentoring, and much, much more! All for the low yearly cost of $167.50. Learn more at pnmt.thinkific.com/courses/pnmtportal! 

Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.

MassageBook is offering listeners $50 off when they sign up with coupon code ABMP50. Start your free 30-day trial today and transform your practice with tools designed to increase bookings and streamline client management.

Connect with MassageBook:

Visit their website: MassageBook

Follow MassageBook on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

How exactly are we supposed to hold our bodies so that we don't hurt ourselves and have a long, healthy career? In this episode, Allison dives into the difference between "correct" and "good", tackles the 3 major components of understanding body mechanics, and contemplates what is truly at our core. Want to tap into finding your best approach? This is the episode for you!

Host Bio:        

Contact Allison Denney: [email protected]     

Allison’s website: www.rebelmassage.com          

Allison Denney is a certified massage therapist and certified YouTuber. You can find her massage tutorials at YouTube.com/RebelMassage. She is also passionate about creating products that are kind, simple, and productive for therapists to use in their practices. Her products, along with access to her blog and CE opportunities, can be found at rebelmassage.com.        

About our Sponsors:

Rebel Massage Therapist: http://www.rebelmassage.com

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

The musculoskeletal system is at the heart of anatomy education for most massage therapists. But when we add the fascial system, how does that change the movement story?

In this episode, Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley discuss a lesser known part of the force transmitting system of the human body: the myofascial expansion—precise anatomical connections where skeletal muscles insert into fascia, not just bones. These fascial connections amplify muscular force and provide crucial neuromuscular coordination through nerve feedback systems. Ever misjudge stepping off a curb? That's your fascial system at work.

Understanding myofascial expansions helps therapists work more effectively by looking beyond the individual muscles and considering the more expansive interconnected whole.

Resources:

UPCOMING COURSE: Journey into the MATRIX

www.anatomyscapes.com/MATRIX for more information about “Journey Into the MATRIX: the Fascial System” dissection lab workshop.

UPCOMING COURSE: Dissection Lab Intensive

​​https://www.anatomyscapes.com/dissectionlabintensive for more information about the “Dissection Lab Intensive” lab workshop.

Check out the Anatomy for Touch column in the Massage & Bodywork magazine at https://www.abmp.com/massage-and-bodywork-magazine/anatomy

Find out more about AnatomySCAPES!

Connect with us!

website: www.anatomyscapes.com

FB: facebook.com/AnatomySCAPES

IG: instagram.com/anatomyscapes

YouTube: youtube.com/@anatomyscapes

email: [email protected]

Host:

AnatomySCAPES Co-Directors, Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley, are NCBTMB-approved continuing education providers and teach anatomy explorations for hands-on professionals online and in person. They co-author the “Anatomy for Touch” column in Massage & Bodywork magazine and enjoy helping therapists better understand how anatomy relates to what they are feeling through their sense of touch.

Nicole Trombley: As a massage educator, Nicole draws on her passion for human biology to help therapists better understand the tissues under their hands. She owns and operates Equilibrio Massage in San Diego, CA, where she has specialized in massage for pregnancy and postpartum since 2004.

Rachelle Clauson: Rachelle loves teaching therapists about the structural organization and beauty of the human fascial system. She served as the Director of Creative and Administrative Affairs for the Fascial Net Plastination Project, and owns Flourish Bodywork, her private practice where she has offered hands-on bodywork in San Diego, CA, since 2003.

Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

Join Kristin Coverly as she speaks with the 2024 Massage is for EveryBody award winners about what inspires them to give back to their communities, as well as their advice for how you can get started, too!

Resources:

ABMP Education Center: https://www.abmp.com/learn/

ABMP Massage is for EveryBody Week: https://www.abmp.com/massage-week-intro

2024 Massage is for EveryBody Winners:  https://www.abmp.com/massage-week-awards-2024

Healwell’s Massage Palliative Advanced Training for Healthcare (MPATH): https://mpath.healwell.org/ 

Host:

Kristin Coverly, LMT is a massage therapist, educator, and the director of professional education at ABMP. She loves creating continuing education courses, events, and resources to support massage therapists and bodyworkers as they enhance their lives and practices. Contact her at [email protected].

Guests:

Nicole Kurth

Nicole Kurth is a massage therapist who works with pediatric hospice and palliative care patients on the Pediatric Hospice Palliative Care team at By the Bay Health, a UCSF-affiliated nonprofit home health organization. By the Bay Health: https://bythebayhealth.org/pediatrics-care-health-professionals/ 

Singeli Zaparaniuk

Singeli Zaparaniuk is a massage therapist who works with suicide loss survivors. Elevate Healing Arts: https://www.elehealing.com/

Dannie Horton

Dannie Horton is the co-founder of the Cleveland Embodiment Collective, a worker-owned collective of massage therapists that offers cost-free and sliding-scale sessions. Cleveland Embodiment Collective: https://www.clevelandembodiment.org/  

Julia Semple

Julia Semple is a practitioner who, for the 2024 Massage is for EveryBody Week event, held a contest to introduce massage to community members with limited access. Therapeutic Massage of Northern Colorado:  https://www.therapeuticmassageofnoco.com/

Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

Getting “good at money” doesn’t happen overnight. Business or Pressure host Allissa Haines shares the financial ups and downs of the last year and the skills that got her through.

Resources:

What It's Like to Be...A Massage Therapist, https://www.whatitsliketobe.com/2246914/episodes/17326674-a-massage-therapist

Host:

Allissa Haines is a practicing massage therapist and business owner. You can find her building websites and coaching massage therapists at deepbreathdigital.com.

Author links:

Website: www.deepbreathdigital.com

Sponsors:

Discerning massage therapists deserve high-quality products that perfectly support and enhance your healing work. Pure Pro Massage Products are created by a massage therapist for massage therapists and bodyworkers who care deeply about the quality of their massage products. 

Pure Pro’s full line of oils, creams, and Arnica lotion, has everything you need for your favorite modality and will always leave your clients’ skin feeling clean and fresh after each treatment. 

We’ve put together our 5 most popular products for you to explore in your practice in our ALL FOR YOU KIT.

Log into your ABMP membership at ABMP.com and click on Industry Discounts to find the special link to Pure Pro’s ALL FOR YOU kit just for ABMP members.

Website: https://purepro.com/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/purepromassageproducts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purepromassageproducts/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCncpFzRVwZA_V_SnylkHyMw

A client has a recently placed stent in their left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. The therapist isn’t clear about safety. What to do—get permission to work? Or get information to work safely? (You get two guesses, and one of them doesn’t count.)

This episode explores a helpful communication to establish client safety—and an example to us all!

Resources: 

I Have a Client Who: Femoral Artery Stent (episode 77)

I Have a Client Who: Cardiac Catheter (episode 297)

I Have a Client Who: TAVR (episode 465)

A Doctor’s Note is Not Good Enough (and what is better) online self-paced CE class

Helping Clients with Complex Conditions (no date). Available at: https://www.abmp.com/massage-and-bodywork-magazine/helping-clients-complex-conditions (Accessed: 13 June 2025).

Host Bio:        

Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider. She wrote A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, now in its seventh edition, which is used in massage schools worldwide. Werner is also a long-time Massage & Bodywork columnist, most notably of the Pathology Perspectives column. Werner is also ABMP’s partner on Pocket Pathology, a web-based app and quick reference program that puts key information for nearly 200 common pathologies at your fingertips. Werner’s books are available at www.booksofdiscovery.com. And more information about her is available at www.ruthwerner.com.   

About our Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

Website: anatomytrains.com    

Email: [email protected]          

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA 

Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.

Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country.

Or meet us online in the PNMT Portal, our online gateway with access to over 500 videos, 37 NCBTMB CEs, our Discovery Series webinars, one-on-one mentoring, and much, much more! All for the low yearly cost of $167.50. Learn more at pnmt.thinkific.com/courses/pnmtportal! 

Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.

MassageBook is offering listeners $50 off when they sign up with coupon code ABMP50. Start your free 30-day trial today and transform your practice with tools designed to increase bookings and streamline client management.

Connect with MassageBook:

Visit their website: MassageBook

Follow MassageBook on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Sitting is shockingly not good for your hips. Not that we need to stop sitting, but we do need to take a closer look at what happens when we cross our legs—specifically to the piriformis and the tensor fascia latae (TFL). In this episode of The Rebel MT, join Allison Denney as she compares the TFL to French cheese and the piriformis to a salty rope tethered to an anchor and unwraps how to unravel them from years of leg-crossing habits.

Host Bio:        

Contact Allison Denney: [email protected]     

Allison’s website: www.rebelmassage.com          

Allison Denney is a certified massage therapist and certified YouTuber. You can find her massage tutorials at YouTube.com/RebelMassage. She is also passionate about creating products that are kind, simple, and productive for therapists to use in their practices. Her products, along with access to her blog and CE opportunities, can be found at rebelmassage.com.        

Sponsors:

Rebel Massage Therapist: http://www.rebelmassage.com

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

MassageBook: www.massagebook.com

Rebel Massage Therapist:

My name is Allison. And I am not your typical massage therapist. After 20 years of experience and thousands of clients, I have learned that massage therapy is SO MUCH more than a relaxing experience at a spa. I see soft tissue as more than merely a physical element but a deeply complex, neurologically driven part of who you are. I use this knowledge to work WITH you—not ON you—to create change that works. This is the basis of my approach. As a massage therapist, I have worked in almost every capacity, including massage clinics, physical therapy clinics, chiropractor offices, spas, private practice, and teaching. I have learned incredible techniques and strategies from each of my experiences. In my 20 years as a massage therapist, I have never stopped growing. I currently have a private practice based out of Long Beach, California, where I also teach continuing education classes and occasionally work on my kids. If they’re good.

website: www.rebelmassage.com

FB: facebook.com/RebelMassage

IG: instagram.com/rebelmassagetherapist

YouTube: youtube.com/c/RebelMassage

email: [email protected]

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

Website: anatomytrains.com    

Email: [email protected]          

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA 

Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.

Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country.

Or meet us online in the PNMT Portal, our online gateway with access to over 500 videos, 37 NCBTMB CEs, our Discovery Series webinars, one-on-one mentoring, and much, much more! All for the low yearly cost of $167.50. Learn more at pnmt.thinkific.com/courses/pnmtportal! 

Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.

MassageBook is offering listeners $50 off when they sign up with coupon code ABMP50. Start your free 30-day trial today and transform your practice with tools designed to increase bookings and streamline client management.

Connect with MassageBook:

Visit their website: MassageBook

Follow MassageBook on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Doug Nelson shares how touch, like language, is a powerful form of communication. From verbal and somatic expression to the importance of presence and responsiveness, Doug explains how touch can say just as much as your voice.

Host:

Douglas Nelson is Board Certified in Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Bodywork, beginning his career in massage therapy in 1977.  Seeing over 1,200 client visits annually for decades, he is also the owner of BodyWork Associates, a massage therapy clinic in Champaign, IL. with 21 therapists that was established in 1982.

He is the founder of NMT MidWest, Inc., providing training in Precision Neuromuscular Therapy™ across the USA. He has personally taught more than 13,000 hours of continuing education and is the author of three books. Doug is a past president of the Massage Therapy Foundation.

Sponsors:

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com 

Earthlite: www.earthlite.com

PMNT: www.pmnt.org

Won Institute of Graduate Studies: www.woninstitute.edu

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

Website: anatomytrains.com    

Email: [email protected]          

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA 

Precision Neuromuscular Therapy seminars (www.pnmt.org) have been teaching high-quality seminars for more than 20 years. Doug Nelson and the PNMT teaching staff help you to practice with the confidence and creativity that comes from deep understanding, rather than the adherence to one treatment approach or technique.

Find our seminar schedule at pnmt.org/seminar-schedule with over 60 weekends of seminars across the country.

Or meet us online in the PNMT Portal, our online gateway with access to over 500 videos, 37 NCBTMB CEs, our Discovery Series webinars, one-on-one mentoring, and much, much more! All for the low yearly cost of $167.50. Learn more at pnmt.thinkific.com/courses/pnmtportal! 

Follow us on social media: @precisionnmt on Instagram or at Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars on Facebook.

Earthlite

Unlock an exclusive 20 percent discount on all Earthlite products, from portable tables and chairs to professional sheets and oils. Visit earthlite.com, create an account, and enter your ABMP member ID during registration. Plus, enjoy free ground shipping on orders over $75 and a flat rate of $395 for stationary or electric lift tables. (Prices subject to change at any time.) Significant savings on everything you need to enhance your practice. We are proud to assist you as the “World’s No. 1 Brand in Massage!”

Sign-up page:

https://www.earthlite.com/customer/account/login/referer/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWFydGhsaXRlLmNvbS8~/

Won Institute of Graduate Studies

As a massage therapist, you understand the power of touch. Now, imagine offering a deeper level of holistic healing. At Won Institute of Graduate Studies, our Master of Acupuncture Studies program will equip you with the ancient wisdom and modern techniques of acupuncture. Enhance your ability to address the root causes of imbalance and provide comprehensive care. Learn more at woninstitute.edu. The final deadline of July 1 for fall 2025 is coming up. Enroll today!

Website: www.woninstitute.edu 

Degree: https://www.woninstitute.edu/academics/master-of-acupuncture-studies-degree/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woninstitute/