The Ariana Institute’s Head, Hand, and Foot Massage Manual is part of a series of massage manuals that are designed to help deepen the knowledge of current massage therapists and introduce new massage therapists to the world of massage and bodywork. The Head, Hand, and Foot Massage Manual features topics that are also available as NCBTMB approved online CE courses through the Ariana Institute at www.arianainstitute.com/ce-online/, including:
- Neck, Hand and Foot Massage
- Reflexology for the Hands, Feet and Ears
- Facial and Scalp Massage
- Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage
This manual incorporates detailed protocols, photos, links to online videos, marketing strategies, personal stories, and resources to encourage a comprehensive understanding of head, hand, and foot massage therapy modalities beneficial for your massage practice.
Here’s a personal story about hand and foot massage featured in the Head, Hand, and Foot Massage Manual.
HAND AND FOOT MASSAGE
My hands and feet love to be massaged. One of my favorite childhood memories is of my mother massaging my hands and feet when I was very young. To this day, I still have a deep appreciation for the nurturing and relaxing energy I feel when my hands and feet are massaged. Without a doubt, when I am receiving hand and foot massages I experience a feeling of euphoria.
It is amazing to think of how many ways I use my hands during the course of a day. My hands serve me well throughout my life as I work on computers, drive a vehicle, use my phone, offer massages and embrace my loved ones.
As I recall superlative massage sessions I’ve had over the years, the memories of having my hands massaged stands out as a peak experience during the massage sessions. I especially love having my palms opened up from their typical pattern of moving inward. Massaging my palms counteracts every day grasping movements of my hands as they spend hours on the keyboard or in the massage treatment room.
It’s equally as awesome to receive foot massage. My feet seldom connect with the earth or even the floor because they are frequently confined in shoes. Even if the weather is warm and it’s flip–flop season, tension builds in my feet from gripping the toes inward to keep the flip–flops on. As attractive as they are, high heels also have a deleterious effect on my feet because the center of gravity is thrown off balance and the foot is arched in an unnatural position, resulting in increased pressure on the ball of the foot. I think about how seldom my feet get touched and how wonderful it is to receive a superlative foot massage. I love it when my toes are arched back and my plantar fascia is massaged with long sweeping effleurage strokes up and down the length of my foot. It’s heavenly.
One of the many things I appreciate about being a massage therapist is that I can share experiences that I find healing, nurturing and relaxing. I love offering hand and foot massages. It’s delightful to be able to include hand and foot massage within the framework of a full–body massage therapy session or as an independent treatment. It’s wonderful to be able to offer hand and foot massage to clients of all ages. I am grateful to be able to offer hand and foot massages to hospice clients and wheelchair-bound clients who may otherwise receive very little nurturing touch. When my mother was going through her dying process, I would massage her hands and feet when she was in her hospital bed. Being able to offer palliative care hand and foot massage to my mother as she going through her dying process created sweet and precious memories in an otherwise dark time that I will carry in my heart forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – ARIANA VINCENT, LMT, MTI, BCTMB
Ariana Vincent was awarded the 2015 CE Provider of the Year Award by the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education. She is CEO of the Ariana Institute and a Nationally Certified Massage Therapy Instructor whose classes are accepted throughout the United States. Ariana is also a Massage Therapy Hall of Fame Honoree and author of the Ariana Institute’s therapy manual series available on Amazon.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To read the foreword of the Head, Hand, and Foot Massage Manual, visit https://arianainstitute.com/the-ariana-institutes-head-hand-and-foot-massage-manual-and-ce-courses-2/.
The Ariana Institute’s video introduction to the Neck, Hand and Foot Massage CE course and the Reflexology for the Hands, Feet and Ears CE course can be accessed on the Ariana Institute’s YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/ArianaInstitute.
To order your copies of the Ariana Institute’s Head, Hand, and Foot Massage Manual, visit www.amazon.com/author/arianavincent.
For additional information about the Ariana Institute and to register for online continuing education and MTI courses visit www.arianainstitute.com/ce-online/.
