The Thinking Practitioner Podcast

 

 

Thinking Practitioner podcast brings together two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.

Episode 104: The Many (Cervical) Facets of Neck Pain (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

Til Luchau and Ruth Werner talk with Walt Fritz PT, as they prepare for some hands-on work with Ruth’s chronic cough. Listen in as these three powerhouse presenters discuss hands-on strategy, potential triggers, and psychosocial impacts related to chronic coughs. Ruth shares her personal experiences, emphasizing the challenges and similarities with chronic pain. Their stimulating conversation then delves into the broader implications of treating the whole person rather than just the symptoms, offering unique perspectives on the intersection of manual therapy, anatomical specificity, and the human experience.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 104: The Many (Cervical) Facets of Neck Pain (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

The neck’s facet joints (or the harder-to-to pronounce and remember “zygapophyseal joints”) are the primary articulations involved in cervical movement. They are commonly thought to be involved in a range of painful cervical conditions. What do manual and massage therapists need to know? What are some helpful ways to think about and work with these joints? Whitney and Til think it through, and touch on topics such as:

  • Does or doesn’t head-forward posture cause pain?
  • What about text-neck?
  • A self-assessment, and,
  • A hands-on technique for working with the cervical facets.
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 103: Where the Profession Is Now (with Les Sweeney)

ABMP (the largest professional organization of massage therapists and bodyworkers in the USA) has just published the results of their regular survey of massage education programs, and it reveals some very interesting trends. Whitney discusses these and their implications with Les Sweeney, the CEO of the Professional Assist Corporation and President of the ABMP (Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals). Topics include:

  • How employment trends are changing in the field
  • How are schools doing in preparing students for the diversity in our field
  • What may be coming down the road for professional training in the future
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 102: Lessons Learned (with Susan Salvo)

Susan Salvo has been a key contributor to the advancement of the massage therapy profession in the U.S. and abroad. She has been a school owner, practitioner, author, researcher, educator, and legal expert witness. In this episode, we talk about many of these different paths she has traversed and some of the important lessons learned. We cover these key points

  • What brought her to the world of textbook authoring
  • How her graduate work in education has influenced her thinking
  • Some of the challenges faced by expert witness cases in massage therapy
  • The importance of finding and working with a mentor
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 101: Interprofessional Communication (with Lane Blondheim)

A crucial aspect of high-quality health care is communication between the individuals that deliver that care. In this episode Whitney talks with Lane Blondheim, a physical therapist in South Bend, Indiana about various challenges and opportunities for enhanced communication in the manual therapy fields. We cover these key points

  • Common myths and misconceptions about our professions
  • Challenges of working within the existing system
  • Where does the scope of practice overlap or interfere
  • How can we enhance communication between our fields more in the future?
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 99: Wait, What? Fascial Stiffness & Pain (with Robert Schleip)

Tight tissue is more painful, right? And, helping bodies be less stiff makes them feel better, doesn’t it? Fascial researcher Robert Schleip shares new research that contradicts these commonly held (but rarely examined) assumptions, and helps us think through how we, as body therapy practitioners, can apply this new understanding to our work. Tune in for a nuanced conversation that sheds light on our evolving understanding of fascia, stiffness, and pain.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 98: Working in Professional Sports (with Brian Glotzbach)

Brian Glotzbach has been working with high-performance athletes and professional teams for three decades. Whitney talks with Brian about the unique facets of working as a massage therapist in this environment. Things we cover include:

  • How to get started and make connections
  • Speaking the language of the athletic staff
  • What is unique about working with these athletes
  • What will make you successful in this environment.
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 97: Back At It: Back Pain Revisited (with Stuart McGill)

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe welcome back special guest Dr. Stuart McGill, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo and one of the world’s leading experts in back pain and spine health. They discuss:
• Common misconceptions about back pain
• Stiffness and mobility in back pain, and the role of bodywork
• Inflammatory factors in back pain
• Traction and movement techniques to mechanically “vacuum” extruded nucleus and alleviate disc bulges
• The McKenzie prone press-up exercise, and its potential effects on disc bulges and facet joints,
• And more…

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 96: Curious Souls (with Aaron Alexander & Sue Hitzmann)

Sue Hitzmann and Aaron Alexander are curious about other people. So how do these two well-known interviewers exercise their curiosity and their “openness muscles?” And, how do they know when their openness is going too far? Listen in as we discuss what makes us feel each good, connecting our personal journeys to our professional work, and much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 95: Learning to Learn (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

If we don’t learn, we’re doomed to the same results over and over. But sometimes, we get in the way of our own learning. Can we learn to be better learners? Til takes Whitney on an illustrated tour of some of his favorite obstacles to learning, and gets his help applying these to our work as hands-on practitioners.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 94: Contact Improvisation and Bodywork (with Alicia Grayson)

Til interviews Alicia Grayson, an expert practitioner and teacher of Contact Improvisation dance, about that form’s significance as an embodiment and movement practice. They explore its connection to other forms of movement and therapy, share their personal journeys, and discuss the similarities and differences between Contact Improv and hands-on bodywork, comparing methods and therapeutic goals. They also delve into topics such as the role of gravity, the benefits of touch sensitivity and human connection, as well as highlighting the joy and exploration involved in play.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 93: Evidence-Informed Education (with Patti Shank)

Whitney talks with education specialist Patti Shank on what the current research tells us about the most effective methods of learning. In Episode 17 Til and Whitney talked about how massage and manual therapists chart their own path of learning, so here we talk to an education expert to help us figure out more about what makes a good learning experience. Things we cover include:

  • Common myths around learning, such as “learning styles”
  • What makes a good video lesson?
  • What is best done online vs. in the classroom?
  • How important is feedback in the learning process?
  • Is text better than video or vice versa?
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 92: The Art of a Good Question (with Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau)

A good question is said to be the first half of knowing, and can make the difference between understanding each other, or operating on our own assumptions. Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe compare notes on some of their favorite questions to ask clients, mentors, and themselves, as well as principles that will help practitioners craft their own good questions. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 91: Employer Blues (with Drew Freedman & Diane Matkowski)

Employers are having a hard time finding therapists to hire. Like workers everywhere, massage and manual therapists’ relationship to employment is different than it was a few years ago. Til and Whitney talk with independent clinic and spa owners Drew Freedman and Diane Matkowski about the trials, tribulations, and triumphs involved in this changing landscape, in a conversation that solo practitioners, employed therapists, and employers will all find stimulating and informative. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 90: Turning Down the Volume on Back Pain (with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau)

Back pain is incredibly common, and it can be incredibly puzzling. Whitney and Til discuss their respective views on causes, types, and effective manual therapy treatment strategies for turning down the volume on back pain.

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Episode 89: Adventure Education (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

What’s the reality of combining learning with travel? Whitney talks with Til about his recent  educational retreat in Thailand, his teaching trip to Taiwan, and his upcoming professional continuing education retreats in Puerto Rico, on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and around the USA. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 88: What is Frequency Specific Microcurrent (with Shannon Goossen)

Whitney talks with massage therapist and acupuncture physician Shannon Goossen about Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FMS). You may have never heard of FMS, but practitioners like our guest report impressive results with a variety of soft-tissue disorders. Could this approach be an adjunct to your practice? Key points include:

  • What is FSM?
  • How does it work?
  • What kinds of conditions can it best be used for?
  • Are there limitations on who can use it?
  • The value of neurological examinations
  • An exploration of the Functional NeuroMyofascial Techniques
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 87: Shared Decision-Making (with Walt Fritz)

Shared decision-making: In this episode, Whitney talks with Walt Fritz about key challenges in the world of manual therapy. We delve into:

  • How he got started in manual therapy
  • How manual therapy differs in physical therapy and massage therapy
  • Ways to break down silos between our professions
  • How important are specific techniques in our treatment strategies
  • The value of working with clients in shared decision-making
  • And much more

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Episode 86: Body by Breath (with Jill Miller)

Til and Whitney talk with self-care expert Jill Miller about her new book “Body by Breath: The Science and Practice of Physical and Emotional Resilience” and other topics including:

  • Jill’s “Five Ps:” levers on our own well-being
  • Applying polyvagal theory in self-care
  • Body image and body awareness in fitness
  • Applications for massage and manual therapy

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Episode 85: Collateral Damage: Acute Knee Injuries (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

Whitney and Til talk about acute knee ligament injuries, with Til’s recent ski accident being an apt case study. Topics include:

  • Differences between the “big four” knee ligament injuries
  • Medial collateral ligament (MCL) specificies
  • Rehabilitation and bracing controversies
  • Psychological or mental impacts
  • The role of manual therapy

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Episode 84: Working With Veterans (with Nicole Miller)

Essential skills in working with veterans: In this episode Whitney talks with Nicole Miller about her extensive work with the veterans population. We cover important topics such as

  • How is massage therapy being supported by the VA
  • What are important skills a massage therapist would need to work with veterans
  • Where can you get further training to work with this population
  • Essential precautions to be aware of in your work with veterans
  • …much more

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 83: Business, Success, and Change (with Allissa Haines)

How do we think about our business? In this episode Whitney talks with Allissa Haines of Massage Business Blueprint about pertinent business topics such as: What’s coming up for the new year? How to get more massage and bodywork clients? How to communicate with your client’s healthcare practitioners? And much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 82: Season 3 Highlights – Best of the Thinking Practitioner

With a quarter-million downloads to dateWhitney and Til share their top 5 episode highlights and notable ideas from their third season of interviews, conversations, and inquiries into the thinking behind effective hands-on work.

The Ten Most-Downloaded Episodes from Season Three:

53: Fascia: A Deep Dive (with Dr. Antonio Stecco)
69: Back Pain, Stiffness & Fascia (with Stuart McGill)
56: Working with Rib Issues (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)
71: Fascia & Pain: What We Know (with Helene Langevin)
67: Aging Gracefully, Breathing Well, and Long COVID Recovery (with Jan Sultan)
70: Stretching: Would Everyone Just Relax? (with Jules Mitchell)
68: Working with Sciatic Pain (with Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau)
61: Massage Therapy Research (with Niki Munk)
60: Physical Therapy Assisting and Massage (with Matt Gavzy)
55: What Is Success? (with Diane Matkowski)

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 81: Fascia, Length-Change, and Language (with John Sharkey)

Is language important? Do muscles actually change length? Does posture matter? Is “fascia” a reductionist idea? Whitney and Til head straight down these rabbit holes (and more) in conversation with clinical anatomist John Sharkey.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 80: What We Might Learn From Sex (with Betty Martin)

What can we as bodyworkers learn about intimacy, ethics, consent, touch, and boundaries, from people working on the other side of the no-sex “firewall” that (very appropriately) separates our profession from erotic and sex work? Betty Martin is a leading author, thinker, and trainer in the field of consent and touch; listen in as she and Til think it through.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 79: Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos, Fascia, and Pain (with Tina Wang)

Does stiff fascia hurt because it’s stiff? Why then is there pain with the softer-tissue patterns of hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes? Dr. Tina Wang’s fascinating research (as well as her own story) helps shed some light on this paradox.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 78: More Carrots, or More Sticks? The Continuing Education Conundrum

Most everyone agrees that the current system of continuing professional education (CE or CPD) for massage and manual therapy has problems. Should CE requirements simply be abolished? Or is even more regulation needed? Whitney and Til think these things through and come up with individual and system-wide options.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 77: The Future of the Profession (with Sandy Fritz)

Whitney has a conversation with Sandy Fritz on her vision of the current and future state of the profession.

  • How the current economic situation has impacted the massage profession
  • Innovative changes with the ICMT
  • The migration of massage employment to a “job”
  • Challenges with massage employees
  • How to work full time
  • Ergonomic challenges in our field

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 76: Fascia Research Congress Highlights (with Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau)

Til & Whitney share their takeaways, impressions, and highlights from the recent 6th International Fascia Research Congress in Montreal. Topics include:

  • New research correlating tissue qualities with depression
  • Biomechanics of thoracolumbar fascia
  • Counterintuitive findings about Ehlers-Danlos
  • Fascia and elastic recoil
  • Should we massage tumors?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 74: Sacroiliac Joints: The Next Level (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

Whitney and Til dive deep into their differing (and shared) approaches to sacroiliac joint pain, pelvic anatomy, biomechanics, and much more, all in celebration of Whitney’s recent SIJ article and Til’s upcoming live-online hands-on training.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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Episode 73: Long Term Lyme Disease: What Helps? (with Ruth Werner)

Can massage and bodywork help with long-term Lyme Disease? The answer has implications for working with similar conditions such as long COVID, post-viral syndromes, and more. Til Luchau talks it through with pathology writer Ruth Werner.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 72: Intimacy, Sex & Massage: Strange Bedfellows? (with Cal Cates)

Til Luchau talks with Cal Cates about “massage therapy’s sex problem:” how the profession’s “touchiness” about the intimacy-sensuality-sexuality continuum, however well-founded, might not be serving either our clients, nor ourselves.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 71: Fascia & Pain: What We Know (with Helene Langevin)

Famed fascial researcher Helene Langevin MD talks with Til and Whitney about what we know (and _don’t_ know) about the role of tissue stiffness in pain; the effects of stretching on cell function and inflammation; contextual effects and placebos; and much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 70: Stretching: Would Everyone Just Relax? (with Jules Mitchell)

Whitney and Til have an in-depth conversation with Jules Mitchell (author of Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined) about topics like tissue change, flexibility, hyper-mobility as they relate to yoga and manual therapy.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 69: Back Pain, Stiffness & Fascia (with Stuart McGill)

Legendary back pain researcher Stuart McGill (author of Back Mechanic and others) talks with Whitney and Til about spinal pain, fascia, biomechanics and other topics including:
– Stiffness/mobility tuning in manual therapy
– The psoas’ role in supporting the spine
– Fascial connections, Janda’s lower-crossed model, and more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 67: Aging Gracefully, Breathing Well, and Long COVID Recovery (with Jan Sultan)

Til talks with Jan Sultan (one of first Rolfers trained by Ida Rolf to teach her work), about his life and work; about aging well; and about his take-aways from his ongoing COVID recovery process.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 65: Women Leaders in Massage Therapy (with CG Funk, Ruth Werner, and Irene Diamond)

Women account for about 85 percent of Massage Therapists in the US. However, there isn’t always a corresponding representation of women as CE providers, conference headliners, or in other roles of visible leadership.

Whitney and Til explore this phenomenon in discussions with three women leaders, as a way to acknowledge just a few of the many women who have made significant contributions and impacts on our field, and who continue to provide outstanding leadership and guidance for the future.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 64: The Handspring Story (with Andrew Stevenson and Mary Law)

It’s no exaggeration to say that in its ten years of existence, Handspring Publishing has had a profound impact on the bodywork and movement therapy fields. Til and Whitney talk with two of Handspring’s founders about some very big recent news, and about their unique vision of a place where both long-established authors (such as Robert Schleip, Leon Chaitow, and more), as well as promising newer voices, could all share their knowledge and advance our field.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 63: Turnabout is Fair Play: Our Favorite Perspective Reversals

People change their minds–sometimes, radically. Learning, improving, refining, all involve changing how we saw things before. But is there a cost? And what makes changing our views such a challenge? Whitney and Til compare notes about how their perspectives have taken a 180° from how they used to think, and, about how that’s played out.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 62: Educational Innovations (with Anne Williams and Eric Brown)

Whitney talks with Anne Williams and Eric Brown about innovations in education. They delve into these important topics such as:

-Early explorations of online education, podcasting, and the World Massage Conference

-Why instructional design and educational theory matter in education?

-New frontiers in the publishing of digital textbooks

…and much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 61: Massage Therapy Research (with Niki Munk)

Whitney talks with Niki Munk about massage therapy research. They delve into important topics such as:

-What are levels of evidence and why does this matter?

-Why should massage therapists care about research?

-How to get involved with research

-Challenges of massage education existing outside traditional academic models

…and much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 60: Physical Therapy Assisting and Massage (with Matt Gavzy)

Whitney talks with massage therapist and physical therapy assistant Matt Gavzy about working in a team practice with other professionals, and about integrating massage therapy with physical therapy approaches.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 59: What Influenced You? (with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau)

Whitney and Til compare notes about the major influences on their own careers, and along the way discuss topics such as:

-The development of massage and bodywork education and practice
-Their Esalen Institute and Emory University crossroads
-The role of lineage, teacher personality, and standards
-The evolution of online learning
-Mentors and mentoring

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 58: Two Guys Talking to Women: Outside the Box (with Judith Aston)

Til Luchau asks pioneering movement and bodywork teacher Judith Aston “Do you think being a woman ever held you back?” Then, they talk about what she thought of that question.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 57: A Fine Irish Visit (with Aubrey Gowing)

Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau catch up with Aubrey Gowing about the practice of massage and bodywork in Ireland. Aubrey is Senior Instructor at the Holistic College Dublin and past President of the Irish Massage Therapists Association.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 56: Working with Rib Issues

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe talk through their hands-on approaches to rib pain, ribcage restrictions, and related breathing issues.​

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 55: What Is Success? (with Diane Matkowski)

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe get personal with Diane Matkowski (The Massage Mentor) about what “success” means to each of them, and preview their upcoming online collaborative, the “Success is an Inside Job” training.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 54: Season Two Highlights – Best of the Thinking Practitioner Podcast

Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau review highlights and key take-aways from their busy second season of interviews, conversations, and inquiries into the thinking behind effective hands-on work.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 53: Fascia: A Deep Dive (with Dr. Antonio Stecco)

Til and Whitney speak with fascial researcher, anatomist, and manual therapy teacher Antonio Stecco MD PhD about his research in to fascial properties, pain, and the effects of hands-on work.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 52: Orthopedic Special Tests (with Whitney Lowe)

Til interviews Whitney about his use of Orthopedic Special Tests.

Topics include:

  • The promise and the reality of special tests
  • Pros, cons, and controversies
  • When to use them, when not to.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 51: Neuroinflammation (with Todd Hargrove)

Til & Whitney talk with Todd Hargrove of the Better Movement blog and podcast about neuroinflammation and its role in pain and health.

Topics include:

  • What is neuroinflammation, and how is it relevant to hands-on work?
  • How does the concept of the “neuro-immune system” change things?
  • What are our levers for helping with neuroinflammatory conditions?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 50: A View Across The Border (with Jamie Johnston & Eric Purves)

Whitney interviews Jamie Johnston and Eric Purves

Topics include:

  • How does massage education differ in the U.S. and Canada
  • How have things changed with the adoption of educational competencies for MTs in British Columbia
  • Should we keep performing special orthopedic tests if they aren’t considered as accurate?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 49: Interoception Is The Key, Like It Or Not (with Til Luchau)

Whitney interviews Til about his upcoming “Three Questions About Interoception” article in Massage & Bodywork magazine.

Topics include:

  • What is interoception, and why should I care?
  • Is interoception our profession’s “mindfulness?”
  • How can I actually use interoception with my clients?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 48: Psoas Work: Is it Safe? Is it Necessary? (Hip Jam rebroadcast)

In honor of the upcoming Hip Jam, Whitney and Til discuss the controversies, disagreements, considerations, and their own views on the infamous psoas muscle in manual therapy and massage in this “Greatest Hits” rebroadcast of ep 25.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 47: Getting Over Over-Pronation (Ankle & Foot Function)

In celebration of Til’s upcoming “Leg Knee & Foot” online course, he and Whitney geek out on conditions, anatomy, function, and biomechanics of the ankle and foot.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 46: To ITB, or Not To ITB? (Iliotibial Band Controversies, Conditions, and Approaches)

Whitney and Til unfold the controversies, compare thoughts, and share approaches for working with the iliotibial band.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 45: Fascia in Sport & Movement (with Robert Schleip)

Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe talk with researcher Robert Schleip about fascia, movement, and research updates in the newly released second edition of Fascia in Sport and Movement, co-edited by Jan Wilke.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 44: Table Lessons (with Doug Nelson)

Whitney talks to Doug Nelson about the challenges and learning experiences of a great massage career spanning over four decades.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 43: Trauma, MDMA Psychotherapy, and the Body (with Marcela Ot’alora G.)

Til Luchau talks about trauma, psychedelic psychotherapy, and the body, with Marcela Ot’alora G., the principal investigator in a very promising FDA-approved study into MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 42: Scars and Scar Tissue (with Cathy Ryan)

Til and Whitney talk to Cathy Ryan RMT about her book ‘Traumatic Scar Tissue Management: Massage Therapy Principles, Practice and Protocols,’ co-authored with Nancy Keenan Smith.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 41: Going For It: The Massage Mentor (with Diane Matkowski)

Whitney and Til talk to Diane Matkowski (a.k.a. the Massage Mentor) to find out what gave her the chutzpah to ask 10 of her favorite massage and bodywork teachers to teach in her first online event, what it was like when nearly 600 people showed up, and what she’s working on next.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 40: How To (Not) Fix It (with Cal Cates)

Til and Whitney talk to Healwell’s Cal Cates about how their work with death and dying brought perspective and presence to their work as a massage therapist; and to living itself.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 39: Are You Thinking Critically? (with Ruth Werner)

Til Luchau talks to writer Ruth Werner about her recent work on critical thinking skills, steps, and stages. ​

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 38: Frozen Shoulder & Adhesive Capsulitis: Updating our Approach

Whitney Lowe & Til Luchau give a crash course on frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis, discussing recent research and comparing their respective views and strategies.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 37: Shoulder Pain, Impingement, & Rotator Cuff Issues: The Most Common of Problems

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe share their ideas, strategies, techniques, and tests for better results with the most common type of shoulder condition, subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) and its myriad presentations, including rotator cuff pain, etc. Download the handout with detailed episode notes, techniques and tests from http://a-t.tv/ttp-saps/

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 36: Research and Education with Robin Anderson

Whitney Lowe talks with Robin Anderson about her new role as president of the Massage Therapy Foundation and how research plays an important role in our field. They also dive deep into some issues around curriculum design and the crucial importance of developing solid educational programs to ensure the future success of our field.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 35: Resources That Inspire Our Learning

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe share their top resources for information and inspiration, both professionally and personally, letting us in on everything from their favorite podcasts, playlists, books, and apps, to how they recharge and find meaning in their work and in their lives.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 34: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: What You Didn’t Know

Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau share trivia, tips, tests, and techniques for working with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), including some cool self-care methods for you and your clients. Find out why TOS is “one of the most controversial topics in musculoskeletal medicine,” and how Til and Whitney actually work with TOS symptoms in practice.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 33: Drew Freedman: Dealing With Adversity

Clinician and educator Drew Freedman talks about navigating many challenges of managing a busy clinic in the heart of Boston. The clinic was severely impacted by the Boston Marathon bombing and then again this past year during the Covid challenge. We discuss how to face adversity and how to continue looking forward and not let these challenges drag you down.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 32: Art Riggs: Aging Well

Art Riggs was one of the first Certified Rolfers™ to publish a book about “advanced” techniques. His textbook (Deep Tissue Massage) was adopted by massage therapy programs worldwide, and as a result, his teaching and style has influenced tens of thousands massage and manual therapists in the decades since. Art talks with Til Luchau about his work, aging, self-care, and more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites!  

 


 

Episode 31: Headaches of Another Kind: Cervicogenic Headaches

What are cervicogenic headaches? Are they even a thing, and if so, why are they particularly amenable to manual therapy and massage? Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe discuss these questions, and share some self-care tips for you and your clients. Download the handout with detailed episode notes, techniques and tests from http://a-t.tv/ttp-cgh/ 

Episode topics include: 

  • What kinds of headaches CAN manual therapy help with?
  • What’s the controversy around cervicogenic headaches?
  • What kinds of self-care help?

Get the handout: a-t.tv/ttp-cgh/ or get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 30: Excuses, Excuses: Our Favorite Reasons Not To

What makes taking care of ourselves so hard? Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe dissect the difficulties, and share their favorite excuses for not putting their own care first.

Episode topics include: 

  • The five key self-care behaviors;
  • The date we’re most likely to give up on our resolutions;
  • Getting “internal bipartisanship” around your own self-care initiatives.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 29: First Season Retrospective – Best of the Thinking Practitioner
Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe review highlights and take-aways from the star-studded first season of their acclaimed podcast (yea, right).

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 28: Advanced Credentialing and Massage as Healthcare

 Whitney Lowe talks with Cal Cates, executive director of Healwell. They tackle the challenging issues of how to recognize advanced training and the challenges of integrating massage into the healthcare system.

Episode topics include: 

  • Why is advanced credentialing important for us?
  • What are some of the big challenges we face when attempting to be part of the healthcare system?
  • Who is ultimately responsible for advanced credentialing?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 27: The Little Man In The Brain: The Sensory Homunculus

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe discuss the most famous (yet, unreplicated) illustration in neuroscience, the sensorimotor homunculus, which purports to show the proportion of the brain dedicated to each body part. Is it accurate?

Episode topics include: 

  • Is the cortical homunculus a map, or the territory?
  • How did it come about? Penfield’s methods and limitations.
  • How might this all apply to manual therapy and massage?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 26: Zoga: Movement for Manual Therapists, with Wojtek Cackowski

Til Luchau talks with Polish physical therapist, Anatomy Trains teacher, and manual therapist Wojtek Cackowski about his innovative Zoga Movement method, and how it can help manual therapists not only with their clients, but with their own embodiment and self care.

Episode topics include: 

  • What is Zoga? How does it relate to manual therapy and massage?
  • Fascial shearing and gliding, vs fascial “stretching”
  • Til and Wojtek’s collaborative online courses combining Zoga and Advanced Myofascial Techniques

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

 


 

Episode 25: Psoas Work: Is it Safe? Is it Necessary?

Whitney and Til discuss the controversies, disagreements, considerations, and their own views on the infamous psoas muscle in manual therapy and massage. Download the handout with detailed episode notes, techniques and tests, and a special chapter from Til’s book from http://a-t.tv/ttp-psoas/ 

Episode topics include: 

  • Psoas: Holy Grail muscle, or wholly irrelevant?
  • Psoas and back pain, leg length, etc.;
  • Safety considerations;
  • What Til and Whitney actually do (and don’t do) in practice.

Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 24: Plantar Foot Pain Crash Course
Whitney and Til share a treasure chest of foot-pain ideas and techniques, packed full of assessments, anatomy, concepts, and hands-on tools. Download the free (optional) handout and follow along as Til and Whitney give an audio preview of their upcoming Plantar Foot Pain collaborative webinar (part of the ABMP CE Summit).

Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 23: Do Expectations Shape Results? Mark Bishop
Mark Bishop’s research shows that clients who think treatment will help benefit more than those who don’t expect much relief. What is more, practitioners who expect their modality will help actually get better results than practitioners who are less certain. What’s up with that?

In this episode, Til and Whitney interview manual therapist, physiotherapist and researcher Mark Bishop about his fascinating investigations into how expectations can shape results; the role of client preferences in treatment success; and how practitioners can most effectively leverage these effects.

Mark Bishop PT PhD FAPTA is a physiotherapist with more than 30 years of clinical and research experience in the area of rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain disorders. His work has focused predominantly on the mechanisms underpinning the efficacy and effectiveness of conservative interventions for pain, especially manual therapy and exercise. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy with affiliations in the Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health, and the Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence at the University of Florida.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 22: Gil Hedley: Fascia, Fuzz and Furor
Anatomist Gil Hedley discusses fascial debacles, debates, and dissection with Til Luchau.

In this episode, 

  1. Gil Hedley’s Fuzz Speech: facts, fantasies, and furor;
  2. Sexuality in the dissection room;
  3. Conspiracies: pattern of meaning, or menace?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 21: My Aching (Upper) Back: Thoracic Spine Pain
Whitney and Til discuss a very common (but poorly researched) complaint: upper thoracic spine pain, and what to do about it.

In this episode, 

  1. Does posture drive upper back pain? Does psychology?
  2. Breaking the Upper-Cross-Syndrome rules (and what “PhD” doesn’t really stand for).
  3. The Over-the-Edge technique for upper back pain.

Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 20: A Pain in the Neck: Cervical Challenges and Strategies
Whitney and Til discuss assessment and treatment considerations unique to working with the neck and cervical region; how their respective training programs are adapting to the challenges of COVID-19; and much more.

In this episode, 

  1. Neck issues: shifting from tissue fault to nociceptive driver
  2. Can we treat the neck in isolation?
  3. Thoughts on “text neck,” and more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 19: What About Risk– with Ruth Werner
How do we manage risk, in a world where we don’t even agree about what the risks are? Pathology writer Ruth Werner joins Til and Whitney for a lively conversation about risk, risk tolerance, and ethical decision making in massage and manual therapy, in the face of both COVID-19, and in the differences in how we perceive the risks involved. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 18: Ann Blair Kennedy and Kemi Balogun: Project COPE
Project COPE is tracking the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on both essential and “non-essential” healthcare practitioners, including massage therapists and bodyworkers. It’s already revealing some insights about representation and diversity in our field. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 17: Who Charts Our Path?
Manual therapy and massage practitioners are voracious consumers of professional continuing education. Who should be deciding what they learn? 

In this episode,  

  • What implications does the “medically necessary” discussion have on massage and bodywork education, CE, and credentialing? 
  • Why don’t Rolfers think they’re doing massage, anyway? 
  • What is the post-COVID roadmap for professional continuing education? 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 16: Benny Vaughn- Black Lives Matter
Benny Vaughn, an iconic figure in massage therapy, talks with Whitney and Til about his experiences as an African American massage therapist, and offers both practical advice and deep inspiration on how manual therapists can address racism and bias in their own lives. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 15: Robert Schleip- Talking to Fascia, Changing the Brain, 20 Years Later
Fascia evokes widely divergent responses from manual therapists, with viewpoints ranging from “incredible” to “irrelevant.” Til Luchau talks with fascial researcher Robert Schleip PhD about his current perspectives on tissue change and the nervous system in manual therapy; fascial debates; and much more. 

In this episode, 

  • Questioning the tissue-based narratives in manual therapy, 
  • Putting to rest the question “How is your work misunderstood?” 
  • Inflammation, insula, networking, and much more. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 14: Do We Keep Doing This?
A lot of hands-on therapists are wondering about “staying with it.”  Til and Whitney explore the reasons massage and manual therapy practitioners might (and might not) be thinking about quitting. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 13: Inflammation: Hands-On
Inflammation is implicated in nearly all musculoskeletal complaints, including chronic pain. Til and Whitney explain this, and talk about the implications for massage and manual therapy.

In this episode, 

  • Are most client complaints related to inflammation?
  • What most practitioners don’t understand about inflammation
  • Key points practitioners should keep in mind

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 12: The Cytokine Storm of COVID-19
Coronavirus symptoms range from mild to fatal. Though still mysterious, in many patients it seems to be the patient’s own inflammatory reactions that tip the scale. Til and Whitney explain this, and talk about the implications for massage and manual therapy. 

In this episode, 

  • What is the deal about COVID-19 and cytokine storms? 
  • What is a cytokine, and why do I care? 
  • As massage therapists and bodyworkers, where does this leave us? 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 11: Stretching the Tissues, or the Truth?
Does manual therapy stretch the tissues? Til and Whitney consider the history, evidence, debates and implications of this fascinating question. 

In this episode

  • Myths and misperceptions about stretching,
  • Are we stretching connective tissue, or nervous system?
  • What does this mean for massage, bodywork, and manual therapy?

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 10: When Does The Tissue Matter?
Whitney and Til consider the debates about tissue-based effects in manual therapy, and share their views about when it makes sense to think about the actual tissues and physical effects of hands-on works. 

In this episode, 

  • Why would people say that the tissue doesn’t matter in manual therapy?  
  • Examples of tissue-based narratives; the arguments for, and against  
  • Til and Whitney ask each other, “What tissue effects do you think about when you’re working?”  

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites!  

 


 

Episode 9: Descending Modulation in Manual Therapy
Whitney and Til discuss the descending modulation of pain in manual therapy. 

In this episode

  • What is descending modulation? 
  • What are the implications? 
  • How do we use it? 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 8: Key Challenges Facing Our Field, Part 2
Whitney and Til talk about the key challenges and opportunities facing manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy. (Part 2 of 2) 

In this episode

  • Increasing the accuracy of our explanations,
  • Polarization, divisiveness, and infighting within the profession,
  • Consolidation and up-scaling of the bodywork “industry”
  • and more…

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 7: Scoliosis and Manual Therapy
Til and Whitney talk about hands-on work with scoliosis. 

In this episode

  • What do we know about scoliosis’ causes?
  • What are some common scoliosis myths? 
  • When scoliosis is a problem?
  • What are conventional treatments?
  • What’s manual therapy’s role?
  • And much more. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 6: Tendons and Tendinopathies
Whitney and Til discuss considerations for hands-on work with tendinopathies and tendon issues. 

In this episode

  • What is a tendinopathy? Examples? 
  • Tendinitis vs.tendinosis; tenosynovitis; 
  • What are typical signs? 
  • What is known about causes?
  • Inflammation or degeneration? 
  • Collagen, paretenon, fascicles, etc; 
  • Nerval arborization/sprouting; 
  • What’s manual therapy’s role? 
  • Approaches, debates, consensus; 
  • And much more…  

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


Episode 5: Documentation and Electronic Health Records with Diana Thompson
Whitney talks with Diana Thompson about documentation, health records, and including massage therapy in mainstream healthcare practices. 

In this episode,

  • Introducing Diana Thompson, 
  • History of Hands Heal and SOAP documentation for massage therapy, 
  • Washington’s “every category of provider” clause, 
  • Electronic health records and the future of clinical documentation, 
  • and more. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

 


 

Episode 4: Key Challenges Facing Our Field, Part 1
Til and Whitney talk about the key challenges and opportunities facing manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy. (Part 1 of 2)

In this episode,

  • Aging practitioners, younger students,
  • Split personality of the profession,
  • The epidemic of over-busyness,
  • Income issues,
  • and more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 3: Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Causes, Controversies, and Considerations
Til and Whitney discuss sacroiliac joint pain and hand-on therapies: causes, controversies, and considerations.

In this episode,

  • What causes SIJ pain?
  • Does the SIJ move a little, or a lot?
  • What about hypermobility?
  • What are the controversies?
  • What does the research say?
  • Key considerations for manual therapists,
  • and much more.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites!


 

Episode 2: The Back Story, Part 2
Til and Whitney interview each other about their backgrounds, histories, and current interests. Part 2 of 2.

Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences.

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 


 

Episode 1: The Back Story, Part 1
In this episode, Til and Whitney interview each other about their backgrounds, histories, and current interests. Part 1 of 2.

Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. 

Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney’s sites! 

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