Issue link: http://www.bodysensemagazinedigital.com/i/332270
www.massagetherapy.com—your resource for all things bodywork 7 Stories from Massage Therapists Ten years into Denise Theobald's (human) massage career, she thought she was approaching burnout. About the same time, one of her three dogs began limping, and a light bulb went on. "I'm surprised it took me that long to think of it," she says. "I always wanted to work with animals, but bodywork was my life. It just made sense that I would take everything that I learned in the human world and apply it to cats and dogs." Read the full article in Massage & Bodywork magazine to learn more about massage therapists and bodyworkers who work with animals. www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/issue/135515/98. Discover More Articles About Pet Wellness • "2014 Pet Health Care Trends: Massage Therapy," www.peternity.com/pet-memorial-article/2014-pet-health-care-trends-massage-therapy • "Pet Lovers Go Organic," www.truegoods.com/blogs/the-goods/13131037-pet-lovers-go-organic • "The Benefi ts of Massage Therapy for Animals and Pets," www.examiner.com/article/the-benefi ts-of-massage-therapy-for-animals-and-pets w w w. a b m p . c o m . S e e w h a t b e n e f i t s a w a i t y o u . 97 96 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k j u l y / a u g u s t 2 0 1 3 By Rebecca Jones Most bodywork clients appreciate the serenity of a darkened room, with soothing music playing quietly in the background and a touch of scented oil in the air. Then, there are Kathi Soukup's clients. Like a growing number of massage therapists and bodyworkers, Soukup has become a family practitioner in the broadest sense of the term. An avid endurance rider, she began her career working on horses and later learned to work on humans. Now, she's just as comfortable providing massage and acupressure to four-legged family members as two-legged ones. "I've been in a veterinarian's office with a massage table set up in the middle and a dozen dogs barking in the background," says Soukup, a massage therapist in Freeport, Illinois, who also plies her trade in barns, tack rooms, and anywhere else her clients call home. "I just try to find a level spot to work." As a result, her clientele are as diverse as the venues in which she practices. "I have the trifecta," she says. "I work on people, their horses, and their dogs. Typically, I work on the horse every month, the human two to three times a year, and the dog whenever an issue comes up." Denise Theobald, who has a massage practice in suburban Chicago, went the opposite route. Ten years into her (human) massage career, she thought she was approaching burnout. About the same time, one of her three dogs began limping, and a light bulb went on. "I'm surprised it took me that long to think of it," Theobald says. "I always wanted to work with animals, but bodywork was my life. It just made sense that I would take everything that I learned in the human world and apply it to cats and dogs." For the next 14 years, Theobald's human clientele filled the bulk of her time, but she made more and more house calls to see animal clients. "While I was at the house for the animal, Four-Legged Clients ... and the bodyworkers who care for them Kathi Soukup is a Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute graduate and instructor for both equine and canine bodywork. the owner would ask, 'While you're here, could you work on my wife?'" Three years ago, Theobald closed her human practice and opened Canine Massage Chicago, an office where people can bring their pets. "I'd say 70–80 percent of the dogs I work on are on a mat on the floor," Theobald says. "But if a smaller dog is comfortable up on the table, I use sheets and change them, just like with humans." Plus, if a human wants a massage, she'll oblige. "People typically don't come here looking to get a massage for themselves, but they know I'm licensed and qualified to give human massages. There's just some dog hair in the room." LEARNING THE RIGHT TECHNIQUES Such blended animal-human practices are familiar to animal acupressure pioneer Amy Snow. Snow and her partner Nancy Zidonis are cofounders of Tallgrass Animal As editorial director of TrueGoods.com, an online source for nontoxic personal care, pet, and household goods, Sophie West, MPH, believes we all have the right to know what's in the products we bring into our homes. She joined True Goods with a mission to help customers harness their purchasing power to create healthier lives and a more sustainable environment. seen benefi ts. The demand for animal massage therapy is rapidly increasing and therapists are using a variety of techniques, like deep-tissue and Swedish massage. The wear and tear on animals' bodies as they age is similar to what humans experience. According to the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork (IAAMB), massage therapy not only helps older pets with mobility issues, it can increase fl exibility and balance, relax and reduce stress, relieve nervous tension, promote a good appetite and better sleep, and improve circulation. Additionally, massage assists and encourages healing by reducing edema (swelling), preventing atrophy of inactive muscles, releasing endorphins (naturally occurring steroids in the body that help to relieve pain), and promoting the fl ow of bodily nutrients to injured muscles. Knowingly or not, many of us rely heavily on the support of our pets. Perhaps it's time we repay them with more than a tasty treat or a run in the park. With so many effective health and wellness options out there, paying it forward to our four-legged companions is easier than ever. Try changing their diet and living environment to organic and toxin-free, bring them along on vacation for a little R&R, or give pet massage a try. Whatever the method, let's celebrate our constant companions by offering gifts that impact their happiness now and their wellness for a lifetime. B S