2 Massage Therapists and a Microphone

Patrick is a former Muay Thai fighter and now the RMT for team Canada for the amateur world Muay Thai championships that happened in Turkey at the end of May. He came in to sit on our couch and tell us all about how he got into the sport, how he got out, how he became a massage therapist, and finally how he ended up being the Muay Thai RMT and bringing his career full circle.2rmtsandamic.com

Paul is one of the owners and instructors for Cupping Canada, Cupping USA, and Cupping International…which are all the same company! We had him sit with us at the American Massage Conference and we reminisced about our first meeting at a Canadian Massage Conference about 7 years ago, as well as all of the fun we have had working with Paul ever since! Paul is one of the instructors involved in our mastermind classes which sort of started out with Paul taking his class to invade another presenters class. Check out Paul's courses and products at https://cuppingcanada.ca2rmtsandamic.com

Nathan might be one of the coolest, most laid back massage therapists that we have ever had the pleasure of hanging out with. He's a Hawaiian shirt wearing Dad with a passion for advancing the profession, educating the masses, and doing it in a way that is humble, open-minded, respectful, unbothered, and just cool. Listen to the chat we had with this educator and director of training from Hand and Stone on the trade show floor at the AMC!2rmtsandamic.com

Patty from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) joined us on the tradeshow floor at the American Massage Conference (AMC) to educate us about the IMpact which is a legislative effort to create an interstate compact which could reduce barriers for therapists practicing across licensed states. This has potential to improve portability and the profession as a whole. Listen to Patty discuss what this initiative is, how it will work, how it's going, and why it is so important.2rmtsandamic.com

Michelle is a LMT that we met at the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) convention in the fall where she was selling her “Anatomical Cheat sheets”. We thought the idea was so cool that we practically forced her to come to the American Massage Conference (AMC) to show off her products to our audience. Listen to her story from live music venue/ coffee house owner to getting a message from beyond from her mother guiding her into the direction she has taken now. Michelle is the president/ CEO/ founder/ inventress of Life-Sized Learning and you can see all the cool stuff she has created at https://lifesizedlearning.com2rmtsandamic.com

Jonny is a LMT from New York and the owner of @brooklynbodymechanic. He looks like a rough, tough man's man and at first glance, with his branding matching the look. He was introduced to us by our most aired guest, Nicki, as they used the same coach and speak the same language. Through our conversation with Jonny, many layers were removed and we learned that aside from being the Brooklyn Body mechanic, he's also an evidence based practitioner, a mindset coach, a trans-friendly therapist, an ex-military man who left a super high rank, and overall cool person that is striving to make the massage world a better place. Check out Jonny at https://brooklynbodymechanic.comrmtsandamic.com

Jaeger is a massage therapist in Calgary Alberta who works in education, owns a clinic and is on a mission to help other RMTs become the best they can be and be successful in business. Listen to Jaeger talk about why he is so passionate about helping therapists be their best and propelling our profession forward.2rmtsandamic.com

Kristi-Lynn is a massage therapist in Alberta and a second time guest. She was with us in the fall to announce her upcoming series of courses with the first one being “Orthopedic Massage Mastery- Whiplash”. Registration for this course is open at https://adaptmassage.wpcomstaging.com/exclusive-training-master-whiplash-recovery-register-today/Kristi-Lynn joined us again to discuss her new campaign to empower massage therapists called “Assess for Success”. She wants to give massage therapists the simple tools to take the guesswork out of treating and to show the general public as well as other healthcare professionals what RMTs can do.2rmtsandamic.com

Tammy is a Massage Therapist and one of the educators chosen by Erik Dalton to teach his classes and continue to grow the community. Tammy will be teaching the pre-conference class at the American Massage Conference in Orlando where there will also be a tribute to Erik lead by his daughter. Listen to Tammy reminisce about meeting her mentor, learning as much as she could, and passing on the lessons to the massage community as one of the instructors of Dalton Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques. Come join us at the AMC at Disney Springs to get in on the action or visit https://erikdalton.com/ to see where else you can learn from one of the Dalton Gang. 2rmtsandamic.com

Jennifer is a Massage Therapist in California who is on a mission to help massage students, new massage therapists, and anyone really by asking some experienced therapists what they wish they had known when starting out. These interviews are for her upcoming book which she so graciously included us in. The book which is set to be available by June this year, has interviews with many well known leaders in the massage world and some golden nuggets that could be useful to even the most experienced therapists. Like us, Jennifer wants to help massage therapists grow by working together and learning from each other. We can't wait to read the finished product!2rmtsandamic.com

For the third year in a row, LymphyCon is back in Calgary for healthcare professionals, patients, or anyone from the general public who is interested in learning about the lymphatic system- the superheroes of the human body! Robin is the force behind this super cool event and each year it's been bigger and better than the last. This year, Massage Therapy Media will be recording the sessions so if you wanna see everything, you can, and if you can't make it in person, we've got you! Get your tickets at https://lymphbalance.com/lymphycon-welcome/about-lymphycon/2rmtsandamic.com

Stephanie is a chiropractor from Toronto that recently had to pivot her career due to her own limitations in her body and Brian has a business background a was also looking for a change. After some brainstorming, these two decided that with her health background, and his business background, they would buy a franchise for a men's health clinic. As the first one to open in Canada, listen to their story of buying a franchise, what they did and didn't know, why they have become passionate about men's health, and how this new business venture is working out for them. You can see what they are up to @gameday_torontomidtown2rmtsandamic.com

Brandon @massagestrengthcoach is a RMT in Ontario who is also a personal trainer. Throughout the last 5 years, Brandon has noticed that therapists maybe need some help in learning how to strength train for the specific demands of our job. His new mission is to run seminars for therapists to teach them proper and efficient strength training so that they may have a long career and avoid burnout. To learn more, visit https://www.bcwellness.org2rmtsandamic.com

Miranda is a second time guest and a massage therapist here in Ontario. Since we had Miranda on our couch two years ago, she has had two babies and the experience of trying to find a perinatal therapist in her small town. Being the patient gave her the motivation to become that therapist for other young families in her town because nobody else was really doing it. Listen to Miranda talk about her experiences in the last 2 years, being a volunteer at the CMC, raising 2 under 2, getting more education, and what is in store for her now as a perinatal focused RMT.2rmtsandamic.com

Back by popular demand it's Nicki on the couch ready to tell us about her most recent adventures while traveling the world thanks to the best career in the world…massage therapy! If you're new here and don't know Nicki, she's a therapist in Toronto, Ontario who is on a mission to empower women and live her best life. Today, international women's day, let's hear her talk about how she's succeeding in being a business owner, teaching, inspiring, and exploring the world. Here's to all of you strong women!2rmtsandamic.com

All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players;They have their exits and their entrances,And one man in his time plays many parts...Darren is a Massage Therapist in a small town in Ontario and the friendliest guy you will ever meet. We came to know Darren through our continuing education company and randomly asked him to hang back after a course to have a chat. We had no idea what we were in for. Darren has lived more lives than a cat and has had some pretty interesting experiences in his lifetime. Most of this episode will sound like excerpts from a book which we hope he will write one day and turn into a movie. Meet Darren everyone.2rmtsandamic.com

Pam is a Massage Therapist from Saskatchewan that we recently came to know when she wrote an article about breast and chest massage therapy. She has been in practice for over 25 years and has been teaching therapists the importance of this work not only for lymphatic drainage and post op care but for overall tissue health and support for the breast tissue. Listen to Pam tell us why she's so passionate about this work, what her practice is like, and what she will be teaching us as a first time presenter at the Canadian Massage Conference this fall in Saskatoon. You can check out Pam's course offerings at https://www.sephirahealing.ca/ and of course come see her at the CMC! 2rmtsandamic.com

Wanda had been working at a local clinic for 6 years and loved her clients and practice. One Saturday when she picked up an extra shift, something out of the ordinary happened that made Wanda feel it was best to reschedule her clients for the day. The clinic owner did not feel the same. What happened after that had us all wondering why the clinic owner handled the situation in the way he did. Listen to hear Wanda's side of the story and how she felt about the management of the clinic.2rmtsandamic.com

Luca, aka Dr. Luca as he doesn't like to be called, is the new chiropractor in town. His mother who is our close friend and business partner is a Massage Therapist and one of Luca's biggest influences and supporters. We invited Luca to come talk to us about growing up with a Mom and Uncle who own a multidisciplinary clinic, how they influenced his education decisions and career path, what chiropractic care looks like in Luca's treatment room, and some myth busting about the profession in general. Follow Luca's career path and see where chiropractic takes him lucaforchielli.2rmtsandamic.com

Chris aka @tricity_rmt is a third time guest on our podcast. This time he's talking to us from his own couch at 7 weeks post-surgery to repair his patellar tendon from a basketball accident. With a paramedic background and a practicing RMT who focuses on rehab, Chris knew at the moment of injury what had happened and what his recovery was going to look like. Listen to Chris tell us the story of how he injured his knee, what the first few days were like, how recovery is going almost 2 months later, and what his plans are for returning to work and sports. 2rmtsandamic.com

Olivia sat in our couch almost 3 years ago when she was just about to shift her career path to focus on a population she was passionate about. As she entered the world of palliative massage therapy and working with her local hospice, I'm not sure if she knew what was to come. Fast forward to today and Olivia is one of the go-to therapists in our profession who has taken loads of courses, read countless books, and learned from the experiences of her patients and their families about how important her work is. Today she has a fulfilling practice working with palliative patients and their loved ones, teaches workshops to other healthcare workers as well as families, is studying to add death doula to her repertoire, teaching with the Canadian Massage Conference, and is launching her first full course in a couple of months. A day before setting off to Ireland where she found a hospice to teach at, she came back to fill us in on her journey. Check out Olivia's courses at https://www.anadamassage.com/projects-2 2rmtsandamic.com

Michelle is a second time guest and clinic owner that received a shocking review which didn't seem reflective of her clinic that she's been running for more than 2 decades. She decided to respond to the review in a professional manner which led to a dreaded letter from the college with the words professional misconduct. After the initial shock, she dealt with the scathing allegations and came out relatively unscathed. Listen to Michelle's story about an unhappy client and her interactions with the college. 2rmtsandamic.com

Melanie is a second time guest on our couch talking about her experiences taking part in the massage therapy summit and championships. She has become an Ambassador for the Canadian and International Championships in Ontario and it is her job to spread awareness and encourage therapists to come out to this amazing event. Melanie talked to us about the categories, the opportunities for learning from incredible therapists from around the world by taking part in workshops, mentorship opportunities, and the electric energy that comes from this incredible community. This year there is even a student category! Check out the website to see all of the events taking place in Laval, Quebec this April! https://sommetdelamassotherapie.ca 2rmtsandamic.com

Monica and Scott are the people who have been running the Canadian and American Massage Conferences for the last 19 years. They are also the other 2 members of Massage Therapy Media. This first episode of 2025, and season 8, we drove to their hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, and talked about their background in Massage Therapy, the history of the conferences, how the 4 of us came together, and what we have in store for 2025. This year will be the first year back in the United States since 2017, and the Fall CMC will not be in Ontario, but in Saskatchewan! Check out https://www.massagetherapymedia.com/conferences for all of the events we have running this year! 2rmtsandmic.com

Kaci is a LMT and wanted to share some information about a new and very important course for massage therapists. Kaci has heard all of the horror stories we are all too familiar with over the years as a therapist, and she realized that we need training on how to handle these situations, set boundaries, and defend ourselves to keep us safe on the job. She has done a lot of research and uses her knowledge and experience in her classes to give therapists the confidence to spot red flags and shut down inappropriate behaviour. Check out Kaci's website https://practicalselfdefensefhco.com to see how to register for a class on self defence! 2rmtsandamic.com

Mikaela is not my client. But she is a client of Massage Therapy and with her consent, her therapist, whom is a friend of the podcast, sent us her story. As a young student, Mikaela had an accident that completely changed the trajectory of her life. Now, as a tattoo artist, she talked to us about the recovery process, how massage therapy helped in her rehabilitation, what living in chronic pain looks like for her today, and how she ended up in the career she's in now. Listen to Mikaela's incredible journey and what life looks like for someone with chronic pain. 2rmtsandamic.com

Sam's back to talk about more things that maybe some of us are thinking and he has no problem saying it. This time we are talking about the access to information and if anyone should be able to have access to anything and everything. Is it dangerous? Will it foster discussion? Does everyone have the ability to decipher what is and what isn't valuable? Are we taking away a professionals autonomy by limiting what they can and can't learn? Listen to us discuss these questions and more with Sam! 2rmtsandamic.com

Our favourite tech geeks are back with yet another cool feature to solve a problem for those of us offering mobile massage. Noterro is a practice management software that we love and for good reason. These two are always coming up with new ways to make life easier for practitioners so we can focus on what we do best. On their last visit we talked about Noterro Scribe which uses AI to chart and this time they have a new feature. Noterro GO will be available soon and will allow mobile therapists to save time by doing the tedious work for us, as well as having some added safety features. Listen to them explain what problems they are solving this time! 2rmtsandamic.com

Sakinah is a LMT in New York and recently did a talk for Healwell (⁠healwell.org⁠) which is an organization that teaches massage therapists to provide safe and effective care and advocates for access to that care as well as for a larger role for therapists within healthcare. Sakinah is passionate about bringing the conversation about disparities in maternal care especially when it comes to the treatment of black bodies. She shared some data and some stories with us to illustrate how healthcare is not the same for all patients and some of the reasons why. Listen if you want to learn more and be a part of this conversation. Get in touch with Sakinah ⁠sakinahirizarrylmt.com,⁠ ⁠instagram.com/sakinahirizarrylmt⁠ 2rmtsandamic.com

Meet Mike, a RMT from BC who has been practicing and teaching for over 25 years. Mike realized early in his studies that joint mobilizations are cool, have an affect on the body, are often not well taught, and he was good at them! He became the go-to student for joint mobs and here in the present day, he teaches courses on these and other techniques, and you can watch some of his work on his YouTube Channel. Listen in as we rap bout motorcycles, risk taking behaviour, back breaking falls, teaching, and so much more. Check out his website to learn more about Mike and how to take his classes! Follow him in Instagram 2rmtsandamic.com

Ken is a RMT from BC and a listener. He came to the CMC in 2022 and even got on stage! While visiting family in Ontario, Ken joined us on the couch to talk about his RMT journey. From living most of his life just above the poverty line and working hard jobs, to putting up his house to go live in a rough neighbourhood to go to school. Ken loved school, and although he had a little hiccup, he successfully became a RMT in 2018 and changed his life. Listen to Ken's story and see how Massage Therapy changed his life. 2rmtsandamic.com

Kristi-Lynn became a Massage Therapist super young and straight out of high school. As an academic student, many people didn't think she would have chosen this profession and that she would make a career change at some point. 17 years later and she's still as in love, or even more so, than she was as a teenager. She loves education and teaching and her own series of courses in orthopedic massage is already in the works with the first class in whiplash already approved! Listen to hear Kristi-Lynn's story and what exactly orthopaedic massage is and how her courses can help you improve as a therapist. 2rmtsandamic.com

Jaime is a Registered kinesiologist in Toronto and a repeat guest on our couch. On her last visit she spoke about being peoples last resort when it comes to rehabilitation and this time we asked her if that is where her practice lies now. Jaime likes being the underdog and finding the clients who don't know how to exercise, are afraid of exercise, aren't sure what to do or where to start. She loves working with other practitioners and positioning herself to be the missing link in a patients circle of care to really take their health and wellness to the next level. We talked about kinesiology, comedy, niching, marketing, education, and so much more. Follow Jaime @themovementmaven to learn why we need to have a good Rkin in our referral network. 2rmtsandamic.com

Kerry discovered she wasn't well about 5 years ago and with many tests and doctors, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called scleroderma. She is positive about her prognosis and is doing everything she can to manage symptoms including massage therapy. She asked us to use our platform to spread awareness and help people to learn more about this condition. Listen to Kerry's story and what is and isn't helpful to those living with scleroderma. 2rmtsandamic.com

Allisyn is the founder of Ava Wellness and a Gold sponsor for the Canadian Massage Conference. We pulled her out of her pretty pink booth to tell us about her journey into becoming a business consultant. Her journey is unique and her own health struggles led her into this path which we could just tell was meant for by her fiery passion to help wellness professionals get the right clients and thrive in their practices. Listen to Allisyn teach us a little about creating a business that aligns with your values and allows you to just be you! 2rmtsandamic.com

Maggy with a “y” discovered our podcast in 2019 after she had thought about leaving the profession. Our podcast reignited her flame because she realized that the Massage Therapy career could be what she wanted it to be and she could be who she wanted to be. It connected her with her business coach, Melinda Loo and the rest is history. It was a great moment to connect with her at the American Massage Therapy Association National Convention and meet a real therapist with a cool story that may just inspire those of you facing burnout. 2rmtsandamic.com

Caylea is a 3 time contributor to the Canadian Massage Conference and one pretty awesome human. She went straight into Massage, quickly followed by Osteopathy, and through her knowledge and love of athletics, as well as a personal need, she has become THE perinatal taping queen. Her practice is heavily focused on helping pregnant and post partum people through taping to get through their day. She has courses to help other therapists learn these skills and she will once again be teaching at the CMC. Don't miss out on learning from Caylea and bringing your practice to the next level! 2rmtsandamic.com

Lindsay, the owner of Guelph Prenatal Massage, was a guest in 2020 and shared her very personal journey of getting into massage therapy. Just 4 years later, she's got multiple certifications, she's a clinic owner, she's an educator, and she is one of the perinatal queens in the massage world. She came to hang out on our couch and share with us what has been going on her world since we last spoke and how the world of perinatal massage was the best decision for her. If you're interested in anything perinatal, check out Lindsay and other perinatal queens at the Canadian Massage Conference where they will all offer a different perspective and get you excited about working with pregnant and post-partum people…and babies of course! 2rmtsandamic.com

Marie is a LMT in Florida and has worked in spas, as a mobile therapist, a spa party coordinator, and has both worked as an employee and been an entrepreneur. As a business owner learning on the job, one important lesson she learned is about the importance of networking in this profession. So after covid, she held her first LMT social. Her intent was to make it accessible for therapists to come in, share stories, and meet with other therapists. After a successful first event, and maybe against her better judgment, she decided to hold a second, and now there's a third coming up! Check out this episode to learn about the LMT Social hosted by Marie from Prestige Massage. 2rmtsandamic.com

Vanessa is an old friend of Amanda's and through Facebook, they have been able to keep up with each others major life events- graduations, marriages, kids, new jobs, and as of recently, a life changing cancer diagnosis. For the last 5 years, Vanessa has shared her journey on her social platforms about living with melanoma. Her posts inspired us to have a chat about a cancer that sometimes people don't realize can affect every aspect of a persons life. Listen to Vanessa's story and hear a very personal account of a family affected by cancer. 2rmtsandamic.com

Sam is a repeat guest and a regular contributor to our other projects. He is the founder of the Osteopathic Lyceum which means he is heavily involved in education. Being surrounded by educators, he has some things on his mind about how practitioners explain their work and the ideas they have about manual therapy. We decided to give him a mic and let us know what his thoughts are. This is the discussion that followed… 2rmtsandamic.com

Lore is a Licensed Massage Therapist in Connecticut and has been listening to the podcast since she was a massage therapy student in California. She sent us a DM and we decided to meet Lore and hear her story. With a background in social work, Lore has a unique perspective as a therapist and has found her place in being able to meet people where they are, show up authentically, and hold space for whatever is going on in a persons life. We had a great chat about Lore's journey and about having a career in massage therapy. We hope to follow up with her when she's further into her career and possibly involved in Massage Therapy research. 2rmtsandamic.com

Rebecca de Azevedo is a 4 time guest on our podcast and has always showed up with incredible advice for Massage Therapists to level up in their businesses and inspired us all to shift our mindset when it comes to things like success and money. Recently Rebecca has been making major changes in her career and personal life to shift to a path that's more fitting and fulfilling to her. She certainly has done what she has set out to do with her coaching business and now we can't wait to see what's next for Rebecca. Listen to a truly raw and honest conversation about hard decisions and taking risks, the hustle and grind to reach your goals, and the acceptance of change and trusting the process. 2rmtsandamic.com

Melinda was a guest on our podcast last summer discussing her comeback to Massage Therapy and Coaching. She's back to talk about her unique coaching program which focuses on four pillars of success- mindset, technique, self-care, and business. She's on a mission to help Massage Therapists know their worth and to provide value to our profession. You can find Melinda at https://www.melindaloo.com as well as on massagetherapymedia.com sharing her brilliance. 2rmtsandamic.com

John the Super-fan is BACK! Back from Copenhagen that is…John quietly trained, prepped, and signed up to be part of Team Canada at the International Massage Championship in Denmark and we get the pleasure of hearing about the trip! We first had John on the couch in 2020 and almost exactly 4 years later he's back to talk about what's been happening in his world for the last 4 years. We discussed the championships and a possibility of John being a co-host? 2rmtsandamic.com

Our friends from Noterro are back to talk about AI! Noterro users will now be able to streamline their clinical notation using advanced AI technology. How freaking cool is that?!? They have introduced an AI powered voice-to-note tool that generates fast and most importantly, accurate clinical notes. Listen to the episode to learn about the tool, how it will help your practice, how even non-tech savvy professionals can use it, and just how cool this AI is that is built right into the software. We were blown away and have also invited them to offer a live demo at the Canadian Massage Conference if you need to see this for yourself. 2rmtsandmic.com

For all the Nicki fans out there, she's back on the couch for the ninth time! She came in to catch up, chat about life, and of course to talk a little about massage therapy. We talked about music, motivation, summer vacation, travel, firing clients, HST, and anything else that popped up! Check out our latest episode of THREE Massage Therapists and a Microphone. 2rmtsandamic.com

Katie is co-founder of For Health's Sake, a multidisciplinary clinic with 2 locations in Toronto. Her and her business partner, Chloe had a very organic career progression starting out as RMT friends working in clinics, to venturing out and staring their own mobile practice, to opening their first clinic, then their second, and now they're franchising the business and a third location will be coming soon. This is a unique business and we wanted to speak to these RMTs to learn about what it takes to get to this step in clinic ownership. Listen to hear the story of For Health's Sake. 2rmtsandamic.com

Magda is a Registered Kinesiologist in Toronto and teaches exercise therapy courses for manual therapists as well as working in clinics, and with professional athletes. We had a conversation with her about why she decided to get into this career, her thoughts on fitness and rehabilitation, and of course some funny tangents about life. Check out this conversation to learn more about why you should have a kinesiologist in your back pocket and look out for Magda's exercise courses which will be listed on conedinstitute.com as online learning. 2rmtsandamic.com

Roxana is a Licensed Massage Therapist practicing in Virginia who emailed us about a local ordinance that quietly passed which has LMTs in certain counties feeling defeated and overwhelmed. The Massage Therapists affected by these local regulations feel they are being punished and lumped into a category they do not belong. As healthcare professionals they do not want to be categorized with certain adult industries. Roxana is doing everything she can do to raise awareness of what is happening around her because she says it's happening elsewhere and it isn't right. Roxana Paduretu can be contacted online if you want to get involved or learn more. 2rmtsandamic.com

The Canadian Massage Championships took place in Laval, Quebec at the beginning of the month. We have had talks with organizers, competitors, judges, and even critics of the championships in the past and this episode we met Melanie. Melanie is an Ontario therapist who decided to compete and here in Ontario, there has been mixed feelings about the motives behind the event. Listen to Melanie's experience as a RMT, why she decided to compete, what she took away, and how it will change her practice. 2rmtsandamic.com