Last month I wrote a Blog post that was somewhat critical of the Massage Therapy Journal, a publication put out by the American Massage Therapy Association. Today, with Veteran’s Day coming up next week, I want to commend the AMTA for its publication of an article about massage therapy and how specific organizations are trying help today’s veterans with massage therapy. The article is not available online, but I sourced it below – it’s a great read for therapists looking to give back to a very deserving segment of the population.
The article focuses on certain organizations, which I also highlight below, that are either working through grants or are simply providing free massage therapy services to veterans or those connected to veterans. The article does a great job of detailing the benefits massage therapy can have, not only to veterans, but also to their loved ones.
Specifically for soldiers, massage therapy is shown to be able to help with injuries, such as with the rehabilitation process after amputations or in preparing for and recovering from surgery to remove shrapnel. Families and caregivers can also be trained in how to provide therapeutic massage for injuries and amputations, helping re-establish connections and overcoming stigma that can be associated with injuries.
It is a truly motivating and emotional article, and it should remind us all of the good we can do, on Veteran’s day, and year-round.
Article:
“My Hero—Massage Therapists Answer the Call to Service,” by JoAnn Milivojevic, in the Spring 2008 issue of Massage Therapy Journal.
Organizations profiled in article:
Here are a few, select organizations profiled in the MTJ article:
– The North Eastern Institute of Whole Health: massage school that runs Operation Healing Hands, a program that provides veterans free tuition at the school.
– Touch of Relief, Inc.: Volunteer organization that provides massage therapy to populations that have experienced trauma. Organization provides massage to families of military at Walter Reed.
Tips for therapists looking to give back:
– Volunteer at a local VA hospital or Veterans Association.
– Offer reduced-rate services to veterans.