The Thinking Practitioner

By: Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe
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  • Summary

  • 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.
    Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
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Alternative & Complementary Medicine Education Hygiene & Healthy Living
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Episodes
  • 131: Mindfulness, Hands-On Therapy, and Pain (with Bronnie Lennox Thompson)

    131: Mindfulness, Hands-On Therapy, and Pain (with Bronnie Lennox Thompson)
    Nov 13 2024

    In this episode of The Thinking Practitioner, host Til Luchau interviews Bronnie Lennox Thompson, a pain management expert from the University of Otago in New Zealand. Bronnie shares insights on supporting people with chronic pain to live well, emphasizing pain’s complexity as a personal, multi-dimensional experience. They discuss the value of hands-on therapy, discussing both physical benefits and its comforting, human connection.

    The conversation highlights mindfulness as a tool for managing chronic pain, extending beyond meditation to include simple, everyday practices. Bronnie and Til explain how mindfulness helps people observe pain without reacting, fostering a healthier relationship with their bodies. Bronnie also shares her personal approach to mindfulness through activities like walking and savoring positive moments. This episode offers practical advice for both therapists and anyone seeking a mindful, compassionate approach to managing pain.

    Key Topics:

    00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:16 Sponsorship and Special Offers 02:04 Guest Introduction: Dr. Bronnie Lennox Thompson 02:15 Exploring Pain and Mindfulness 05:40 Personal Journey with Pain 08:59 The Role of Hands-On Therapy 19:16 Mindfulness in Clinical Practice 25:13 History and Science of Mindfulness 39:17 Responding vs. Reacting: The Power of Mindfulness 40:12 Practical Applications for Manual Therapists 41:08 Guiding Clients Through Sensory Awareness 42:11 Exploring Sensations and Descriptions 43:38 The Role of Curiosity in Therapy 44:40 Hands-On Techniques and Client Interaction 47:17 Movement and Awareness in Therapy 48:52 Changing Pain Perception Through Attention 51:51 The Therapeutic Session: Beyond Touch 01:00:07 Incorporating Mindfulness into Daily Life 01:06:38 Final Thoughts and Resources

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

    • Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
    • Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com

    Resources mentioned in this episode:

    • University of Otago Postgrad Programmes in Pain
    • Bronnie Lennox Thompson: Healthskills blog bronwyn.thompson@otago.ac.nz

    Sponsor Offers:

    • Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
    • ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
    • Advanced-Trainings: try a month of the amazing A-T Subscription free by entering “thinking” at checkout at a-t.tv/subscriptions/,.
    • Academy of Clinical Massage: Grab Whitney's valuable Assessment Cheat Sheet for free at: academyofclinicalmassage.com/cheatsheet

    About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us: info@thethinkingpractitioner.com

    (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • 130: The Body of Grief (with JS Park)

    130: The Body of Grief (with JS Park)
    Oct 30 2024

    Joon Park, author of "As Long as You Need" discusses grief and its impact on bodyworkers and their clients with Til Luchau. Park, a hospital chaplain, shares his experiences with grief, trauma, and the importance of acknowledging and integrating pain rather than suppressing it. He emphasizes the role of the body in grief, the concept of "letting in" rather than "letting go," and the significance of rituals and community in processing loss. The conversation also touches on the idea of the "intimate stranger" and the therapeutic power of touch and presence. Key Topics:

    •Grief isn’t about “letting go” but “letting in” and honoring the lost. •Societal pressures often encourage suppressing grief. •Parallels between grief and trauma: both require embracing pain rather than avoiding it. •Physical manifestations of grief and the role of bodywork in processing it. •Importance of rituals in grief (including the "ritual" of getting bodywork) for emotional and physical healing. •The significance of community and meaningful connections in combating loneliness. •The “intimate stranger” concept, where trust can build quickly with clients. •Touch as non-verbal "prayer" and support in grief. •Encouraging open conversations about grief and loss, and building authentic relationships.

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

    • Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
    • Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com

    Resources mentioned in this episode:

    • JS Park's book: As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve http://aslongasyouneedbook.com

    Sponsor Offers:

    • Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
    • ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
    • Advanced-Trainings: try a month of the amazing A-T Subscription free by entering “thinking” at checkout at a-t.tv/subscriptions/,.
    • Academy of Clinical Massage: Grab Whitney's valuable Assessment Cheat Sheet for free at: academyofclinicalmassage.com/cheatsheet

    About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us: info@thethinkingpractitioner.com

    (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • 129: Is Your Touch Aging Out? (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

    129: Is Your Touch Aging Out? (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)
    Oct 16 2024
    A new study shows that our fingertips lose sensitivity as we age. What are the implications for massage and bodywork practitioners? Tune in and listen as Til and Whitney think it through, and along the way, share fascinating tidbits about tactile sensitivity training, and its relevance to actual practice. Key Topics: •Introduction and Sponsor Message (00:00 - 01:30) •Discussion of Tactile Sensitivity Study (01:30 - 03:30) •Decline in tactile sensitivity, especially in fingers with age •Importance of glabrous skin (hairless skin) in mechanoreception •Mechanoreceptors and Aging (03:30 - 06:00) •Von Frey monofilament test used to measure sensitivity •Examples of exercises to improve tactile sensitivity in manual therapy •Proprioception and Sensory Discrimination (06:00 - 09:00) •Importance of spatial discrimination in manual therapy •Stiffness testing for practitioners •Tactile Acuity and Practice (09:00 - 12:00) •Training methods for developing tactile sensitivity, including touch games and exercises •Aging and Mechanoreceptor Deterioration (12:00 - 16:00) •Impact of aging on nerve function and tissue hydration •Central processing changes in the brain affecting tactile perception •Implications for Clients and Practitioners (16:00 - 23:00) •Loss of sensitivity and its effect on daily activities and manual therapy •Correlation between pain and reduced tactile sensitivity •Qualitative vs Quantitative Touch in Therapy (23:00 - 30:00) •Debate on whether tactile acuity is essential for effective manual therapy •Importance of qualitative touch and attentiveness in client care •Social Grooming and Pleasant Touch (30:00 - 38:00) •The role of pleasant touch in therapy, linked to brain processes •Sensitivity in non-fingertip areas (forearms, cheeks) and its significance •Takeaways on Tactile Sensitivity and Aging (38:00 - 45:00) •Summary of findings on aging and tactile sensitivity •Importance of listening and touch quality in manual therapy Get the video and full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites! Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com Resources mentioned in this episode: Samain-Aupic, Léonard, Mariama Dione, Edith Ribot-Ciscar, Rochelle Ackerley, and Jean-Marc Aimonetti. “Relations between Tactile Sensitivity of the Finger, Arm, and Cheek Skin over the Lifespan Showing Decline Only on the Finger.” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 16 (July 2, 2024): 1387136. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1387136. Bartsch, Katja Martina, Robert Schleip, Alberto Zullo, Kerstin Hoppe, and Werner Klingler. “The Stiffness Comparison Test: A Pilot Study to Determine Inter-Individual Differences in Palpatory Skill Related to Gender, Age, and Occupation-Related Experience.” Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 24, no. 4 (October 2020): 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2020.06.009. Sponsor Offers: Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com. ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking. Advanced-Trainings: try a month of the amazing A-T Subscription free by entering “thinking” at checkout at a-t.tv/subscriptions/,.Academy of Clinical Massage: Grab Whitney's valuable Assessment Cheat Sheet for free at: academyofclinicalmassage.com/cheatsheet About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us: info@thethinkingpractitioner.com (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)
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    46 mins

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