Sutherland-Chan Publications

Bulletin Board

Please submit your bulletin board items or classified ads to Stephen at

(416) 924-1107, ext. 12; fax # (416) 924-9413

Make it a safari massage to remember! Leopard skin pillowcases and tiger print sheets for sale

E-mail: animallinen@whatazoo.com

Can‟t take the heat in this pad anymore, call 905-555-1234 for a seldom used thermophore in mint condition.

Kick start the new millennium with a treasured literary collection, Antonia‟s Physiology, Debra‟s Cancer Re-

search, Darby‟s Hydro, and Jerry‟s Neurology, avid bibliophiles contact Snidley at 555-4321, will sell as a set

Each course will qualify Register

Now!

The cost of each

course is $150

and the duration is

1 day

with CMTO

For 4 CEU credits

Continuing Education Courses List of courses:

Muscle Energy

Soft Tissue

Manipulation Working With Body

Image Multiple Sclerosis

Breast Massage By Debra Curties, RMT

Coming Soon!

For more information call

(416) 924-1107

Alumni Social

Exciting new video: Special New Technique for Massaging Hibernating Bears, written, filmed and demo‟d by

Ellen Prose. Only $69.95. Box 24967

As you can see, we seriously need your classified ads. Place one for no charge by calling or faxing Stephen at the number above.

Coming out in the new year: “How to Find Bones in Your Own Backyard, “ a fully illustrated 58 page guide cre-

ated by Michael Bard and Peter Skoggard. Watch your OMTA newsletter for the launch announcement.

Sutherland-Chan

Publications

Wenda Crawford

Winner of

Name the Sutherland-Chan

Newsletter

Classified

Theme: Blue Velvet

Date: January 30, 1999

Place: Paupers Pub

Time: 8:00 p.m.

RRSP Rene (416) 466-3997/Natalie (905) 430-5659

Next Alumni Association Mtg.

Date: Thursday, December 7

Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Place: 330 Dupont Street

Bring a friend and join us for

pot luck!

Sutherland-Chan

Publications

Massage Therapy & Cancer by Debra Curties, RMT

Order your copy today! See flyer for details

See flyer inside

by Rochelle Carnegie

Sutherland-Chan opened its doors on Sunday, September 20 to celebrate our 20th

anniversary and to bring to a close National Massage Therapy Awareness Week. Mem-

bers of the general public, massage profession representatives, and business associates

of Sutherland-Chan were invited to join students, faculty and alumni and partake in the

festivities. In all, over 250 attended.

A host of student and staff volunteers helped make the Open House a very successful

event. Each classroom was set up to provide visitors with information about massage

therapy and massage therapy training. Michael Bard presented his Traveling Bone

Show, Ken Rezsnyak and MaryBeth Ferguson gave practical class demonstrations; Pauli

Schell and Ellen Prose taught members of the public how to give head/neck/shoulder

massages; and Diana Griffin supervised the mini-massage clinic which raised $188.12

for the MS Society.

Our appreciation to Cynthia Stanhope for organizing the Alumni Association table.

More than 80 alumni came to meet old friends and support the school. It’s nice to

know that although you are gone, we are not forgotten. Special mention to Term 3

students Margaret Hughes, Trish McMaster, and Andrea Collins who offered baked

goods and drinks for sale. They provided us with terrific refreshments and raised

$142.00 for their grad fund.

Special T-shirts were presented to Greg Boyd and Frank Benoit, clients who have at-

tended Student Clinic over 300 times.

Grace, Trish, Debra and Jerry welcomed everyone to the celebration, and gave a his-

tory of the school and thoughts about future directions. Our new promotional materi-

als were front and centre and, along with the new look of the school, received lots of

compliments.

A very special thank you to Trish Dryden who not only initiated this event but cajoled,

prodded, and managed all the volunteers to make it a success, and to Pat Madden who

did a lot of the leg work.

Thanks to everyone who made the Open House so special. See you next year!

Volume 1, Issue 1

SUTHERLAND-CHAN CELEBRATES OUR FIRST 20 YEARS

November 15, 1998

SUTHERLAND-CHAN SCHOOLS, INC.

The Finger Print

Stressed Out?

2

Sutherland-Chan

Promotional Campaign

3

In Touch

3

Open House

4,5

On The Other Hand

6

Adventures In …

Outreach

6

Ask Fiona

7

Inside this Issue

Things to do: study for physiology test Tuesday and anatomy quiz Thursday, work Tuesday night, dinner with boyfriend Wednesday night, study group meeting Thursday after class, clinic Friday night, phone Mom and Dad, call best friend, fit in trip to gym. Sound famil-iar? Welcome to the life of the typical Sutherland-Chan student. Considering how much time we devote to juggling the various as-pects of our lives, it’s appropriate that the first treatment we learn as Term 1 students is stress reduction. But if diaphragmatic breathing just isn’t cutting it for you, and you can’t scare up the cash to enroll in a yoga program, there is another option. Perhaps you and a few classmates have already tried it. It’s called the gripe session. But why is it that we feel such relief from an activity that, at least on the surface, can seem fraught with negativity? Sutherland-Chan is in the unusual situation of having its entire stu-dent body enrolled in the same program. For students, this shared academic experience can also translate into a shared stress experi-ence. Lois Kunkel has seen more than a few stressed-out students in her capacity as Sutherland-Chan’s Coordinator of Counseling Services. Over the years, she has noted that students tend to follow similar high-low stress patterns as they progress from term to term.

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 As Lois puts it, “Term 1 is all about acclimatization.” Relief from this high stress time comes in Term 2, as students adjust to the de-mands of school, and learn to weigh the costs, prioritizing study, family, work and personal time into a mix that works best for them. With the increasing number of clinics and outreaches in Term 3, Lois notes, “Students often feel anxious because they think they should know more, and lose sight of the fact that they’re still learning.” But there’s light at the end of the tunnel by Term 4, when students often feel a boost of self-confidence, having conquered the considerable academic and personal challenges presented to them. The sheer amount of knowledge to be absorbed, and the very real physical and emotional demands of massaging and being massaged every day can be difficult to communicate to our traditional support groups. Have you ever tried to explain to your friend the disconcert-ing feeling of an ill-handled client closure, or relate to your parents the giddy triumph of finally locating your first trigger point? It may simply be unreasonable to expect friends and family to understand the particular pressures and peculiar joys of our life at Sutherland–Chan. For some, however, the energetic free-for-all of an ad hoc gripe ses-sion may seem to give off an overpowering or even negative energy. Those students may wish to explore a group counseling session facili-tated by the school’s counselors. As Term 1 students we were intro-duced to this safe and respectful environment through our “love lunches” or lunchtime counseling groups. However, students in all terms are welcome to put together their own 6 or 8 person group for regularly scheduled sessions. But whether it’s a facilitated group meeting or a casual conversation over coffee, when it comes to blowing off some steam, who better than a fellow Sutherland-Chan student to feel your joy and pain.

by Anne Wood

Page 2

Editor Debra Curties Production Coordinator Pat Madden Student Representatives Anne Wood Christine Loch Alumni Representatives Michael Lott Sunita Sodhi Faculty Representative Fiona Rattray Admin Representatives Rochelle Carnegie Stephen Cormier We are all very interested in your feedback and ideas about the news-letter. Please contact your rep.

Newsletter Committee

(416) 924-1107, ext. 16

Page 7

For self care, besides stretching for the short muscles, fol-

lowed later by strengthening for the weak muscles, the cli-

ent should be posturally aware at work. I‟m also assuming

that the client wants to control or decrease stress at work.

Stress management can include things like yoga, but given

your description of the client‟s personality, recreational

sporting activities may be more appropriate.

Fiona Rattray, R.M.T.

ASK

Dear Fiona:

My client has been coming for massages 2-4 times

per month for 4 months with chronic muscular back

tension. The client is an intense, driven person,

stressed at work, with no bad health habits. How

can I get this client to relax enough to get the mus-

cles (especially SITS muscles and scapular retrac-

tors) to stop spasming?

Spasming Fingers, RMT

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Dear Spasming Fingers:

I‟m assuming that the muscles are hypertonic (have an in-

crease in resting tone and feel dense and tight), rather than

actually spasming (a protective reaction indicating acute

injury, joint instability, or subluxation).

Have you assessed your client to find out why specific mus-

cles are tight? This includes a postural assessment to check

for postural imbalances, and length and strength tests for

shoulder girdle and SITS muscles, again looking for imbal-

ances.

Muscles can be divided into two groups – postural and pha-

sic – depending on their primary fibre type and their re-

sponse to overuse or stress. Postural muscles, for example

pectoralis major, are mostly slow-twitch fibres and shorten

when under stress. Phasic muscles, such as rhomboids and

middle trapezius are mostly fast-twitch fibres. They fatigue

and lengthen when stressed. The classic hyperkyphotic pos-

ture of tight, short pectoral muscles and tight stretched

rhomboids is often a result of muscle type.

If your assessment indicates this presentation, lengthening

techniques (fascial work, stretching and post-isometric resis-

tance) are used first on the shortened structures. This allows

the tight, lengthened scapular retractors to achieve a more

normal length and tone.

◊ Kris Evans

Regional & Pregnancy Massage

◊ Chris Hurst Therapeutic Relationships ◊ Sandra Bosich Regional & Pregnancy Massage Treatments

◊ Ian Kamm

Remedial Exercise Anatomy Palpation

◊ Rejanne Kroll

Clinical Theory ◊ Kaisa Larsson

Clinical Assessment

Welcome to New Faculty

Fiona Rattray has

been an instructor at

Sutherland-Chan for

8 years. She is the

author of Massage

Therapy: An Ap-

proach to Treatments.

Do you have a

question or issue

concerning your

work as an RMT?

Fax your letter to

Fiona Rattray at

(416) 924-9413.

Visit Sutherland-Chan’s Web Site at:

www.sutherland-chan.com

Page 6

The ‘R’ in R.M.T.

Nurses chose long ago to include the word registered in their title

protection. We could do that, too, if we want certainty, although

those who understand these issues, including lawyers for the

CMTO and OMTA, agree that adding the word „registered‟ before

massage therapist is covered by the language of the Massage Ther-

apy Act.

Wendy Hunter, Sutherland-Chan alumnus and head of the

massage therapy program at Centennial College, said

recently that perhaps the reason that nurses, psy-

chologists, and massage therapists tend to place

qualifiers in front of their titles is that to nurse, coun-

sel, or massage are services that all of us provide

each other in different ways throughout life. Distinc-

tions between the public and professional levels of

these acts are easily blurred in the average mind.

Our profession has taken great pains over the past

several years to educate the public about the differ-

ence between the registered massage therapist and others who may

hang up a shingle in their communities. Consumers are nervous

about massage therapy for a variety of reasons, and knowing how to

check whether the practitioner one is approaching has the desired

credentials is a comfortable point of reference. “Are you regis-

tered?” is a question more massage therapists are hearing from new

clients, and this is a good thing. It helps establish our professional

borderline, and it supports public safety.

Which leaves us trying to understand why the CMTO, our regula-

tory body, has decided that it is important at this time to begin using

M.T. instead of the R.M.T. we have happily adopted and are suc-

cessfully promoting to the public.

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

ARE WE THERE YET?ARE WE THERE YET? It’s often said you never really know people until you’re under the same roof with them. Imagine how cozy it must be for eight Term 3 students, snuggled in a rent-a-wreck, chomping at the bit, burning rubber to their Guelph Outreach each Friday. Chomping indeed; let’s hope it’s on some tasty morsel and not each other! After all, fuses can shorten remarkably when you’re rubbing shoul-ders with the same folks for eight weeks. So, what tactics could a motley crew employ to avoid a vehicular coup? A medley of tunes, perhaps: ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall… you gotta fight, for your right, to p-a-r-t-y!… pack up your troubles in your ole kit bag…(oops, a little too vintage). A selection of board games may be just the ticket when you’re stuck at the side of the road. Heaven forbid, but let’s face it, anything with a motor can, and has, gone kaput. You never know, bonding could actually take place while seriously Scrabbling, madly Monopolizing, or poignantly Parcheeziing. The gift of gab, if all else fails — captivating conversation for a captive crowd — what a concept! Whatever the eventual technique, a sincere wish that any post-surgical treat-ment is needed by the Outreach clients and not the Guelphmobile occupants. Nevertheless, when things become truly testy, keep in mind, the road to Guelph is the 401 paved with good intentions.

This issue’s adventure is brought to you by

Stephen Cormier

My perception of why the College Council is proceeding with the

use of M.T. is that it makes sense as a pure vision. Being a qualified

massage therapist should be enough. Unfortunately, in our real

world, dropping the quickly discernible „R‟ doesn‟t support protec-

tion of the public and doesn‟t meet therapists needs. It also does not

reflect any strong principle or present need that would give the shift

in emphasis meaning.

In response to pointed audience questions at the Council meeting in

March, members stated that they didn‟t survey the profession on this

issue because they knew what we would say, if asked, and believe

that their role is to take a leadership stance. Their ability to reach

such a place of detachment from the corps of the profession is aided

by the fact that they get little input from us. I haven‟t encountered

any average massage therapist who favours the shift

to M.T., but Council members have had minimal

feedback and are tending to conclude that it‟s a non-

issue. (Is it time to call or write your representative

on Council?).

The change is being softened because the College

Council is not imposing it, although they are using

M.T. in all documents they issue. This to me is the

final affront. If this step is an important one to take,

why is it not important enough to actively promote

and implement? The transparent assumption is that we will take to it

over time - catch on in our own sluggish way. Perhaps Council be-

lieves that leadership means knowing what‟s best for you sooner

than you know yourself. In the meantime, if the public is confused,

it‟s a great opportunity for us to educate them.

In my view, the colloquial wisdom “if it ain‟t broke, don‟t fix it”

applies strongly here. Leadership means sometimes having to say

you‟ve missed the boat. There are lots of big issues requiring our

focus as a profession. Let‟s get something meaningful done, to-

gether.

by Debra Curties

No person other than a member

shall use the title “Massage

Therapist,” a variation or an

abbreviation or an equivalent

in another language (Massage

Therapy Act, section on

protected titles 7.1)

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Sutherland-Chan has launched a promotional campaign this fall,

with a full set of new marketing pieces including a poster, a new

school calendar, a general interest brochure,

and a bookmark. We also have a transit ad

presently on display in GTA subways and

buses.

Unbelievable as it may seem, the school felt

little need for promotion in the past. Times

have changed, though, and we have to become

much more savvy about communications and

advertising. We began working with Ken Bur-

gin at Context Marketing Communications in

the spring. His expertise and technical skill

have made possible a whole new look and

energy in our promotional materials.

An important theme of the recently released

Collis & Reed study about the future of mas-

sage therapy in Ontario, is the need to focus on

increasing consumer demand for massage ther-

apy. If we don‟t, we risk saturating our small

marketplace. With the uncontrolled explosion

of new massage therapy program approvals, schools are also

feeling tremendous pressure to meet enrollment. Although Suth-

erland-Chan has the advantage of longevity and reputation, we

are also starting to feel the crunch.

Page 3

effective if we could address these needs simultaneously, and we

have consciously worked to create multi-purpose materials. They

promote the school, and at the same time they can be widely used

by practicing therapists to promote the benefits

and satisfactions of receiving massage therapy.

Sutherland-Chan wants an active partnership

with you - our students, faculty, and alumni -

because we all in our own arenas need to en-

sure that we survive and thrive in massage

therapy. The school needs to work harder to

keep attracting clients and topnotch students.

You need to be more resourceful in expanding

the circle of public awareness and interest in

massage therapy in your community. And all

of us benefit when Sutherland-Chan‟s profile

and name recognition are increased in the pub-

lic mindset. Let‟s work together.

You will find an insert in this newsletter offer-

ing to provide you with promotional materials

to display/distribute in your clinic. There is no

cost to you. Please consider what you yourself

can use, as well as supply to referring practi-

tioners and other good display opportunities in your area. You can

fax or mail in the insert, or call Stephen at 416-924-1107, ext. 12

to request materials.

by Debra Curties

PERSONALLY

SPEAKING

The Sutherland-Chan

Community is increasing!

Our Systems Analyst

John Paul is looking

forward to becoming a

father on March 31st

Alumnus Kim Hartford

(class of ‘90) is due on

November 15th

Newsletter Committee

alumni representative

Sunita Sodhi is expecting

on January 20th

T3 Student Karri North

is expecting on Novem-

ber 23rd

R egistered Massage Therapists often lead a solitary professional existence. Therapists spend most

of our time one-on-one with clients and little time with colleagues. This can lead to feelings of isolation

and a sense of not being “in touch” with the field of massage.

T here are many ways to stay in touch. The Sutherland-Chan newsletter is one way therapists can get

reconnected. This regular column will be for alumni who want to communicate with one another. We

will publish your messages to fellow graduates with whom you may have lost touch.

W hether you‟ve got hooked on a new course, just been married, or are organizing an alumni func-

tion, this column is the perfect forum. Let us help you stay in touch.

Setting up or taking a new and

interesting course?

Organizing a class reunion?

Developing a colleague support group?

Planning research projects or promotions

for massage?

Volunteering or looking for volunteers?

“In Touch”

Sunita Sodhi c/o Pat Madden

Sutherland-Chan School &

Teaching Clinic

330 Dupont Street, 4th Floor

Toronto, ON M5R 1V9

With Sutherland-Chan‟s growing alumni, the

possibilities for staying in touch in the field

of massage therapy are endless. Please send

your messages to:

Volume 1, Issue 1

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Open House September 20, 1998

Photographs by:

Ellen Prose

Open House September 20, 1998

SUTHERLAND-CHAN SCHOOLS, INC.