Gift Cards Make It Easier To Buy Massage

While it is true that it’s the thought that counts, many people might admit that getting one massage would be better than getting a pile of novelty coffee mugs, cheese balls, and socks for Christmas.

If someone on your shopping list likes or needs massage and it’s more than you can afford, Kneaded Energy now offers an easier option. Gift cards in increments of $5, $10, $20, $30, $50, or $100  means you and others can combine forces to get that someone a single massage or package of massages.

This is a great gift-buying option for groups – several members of families can purchase Kneaded Energy gift cards so Mom or Dad can get a needed hour  or 90 minutes of relaxation. Office workers can purchase cards so the boss can get a massage. Sometimes pooling your resources to purchase one nice gift can be a better option.

Kneaded Energy is offering a wide range of holiday specials. This year, those who purchase packages of 5 or 10 sessions will also get a bonus of one or two free massage sessions given by students in the School of Massage student clinic. Check our specials page to see all options.

Ashleigh Franks Joins Kneaded Energy

Kneaded Energy Therapeutic Massage welcomes Ashleigh Franks as its newest massage therapist. Though she’s new to Kneaded Energy, Ashleigh has been a massage therapist since 2005, when she graduated from Natural Touch School of Massage here in Greensboro.  Prior to that, she was a Pharmacy Technician for 15 years. “I got interested in the alternative healing field, and I decided to try it out,” she said. “I love doing massage and making people feel better.”

Ashleigh prides herself on being able to customize her massage sessions to meet the needs of her clients, providing deep tissue work where it’s appropriate and easing up on areas where a lighter touch is required. She is trained in Hot Stone, Reflexology, and Reiki, and she’s also working on Aromatherapy certification.

Another modality she’s certified in is Massage Cupping. This practice involves the use of suction cups to break up scar tissue and knots in muscles. “It’s very results oriented,” Ashleigh said. “I like the effectiveness of it.”

Kneaded Energy co-owners Bill Norman and Shelley Johnson-Norman feel good about the skills Ashleigh brings to the practice. “We’re happy to have someone with Ashleigh’s level of professionalism and experience join our team,” said Shelley.

Call 336-273-1260 to book an appointment with Ashleigh.

Our Rant

Please forgive us for the following rant.

We’ve all seen them: “Deal of the Day,” “65%Off,” “Savings of the Day,” “Group Coupons,” “Social Coupons,” and many more with other names crop up. Each day they arrive in your e-mail.

They are great deals for the consumer. We realize what a temptation they are to purchase, and why not? I know you must be thinking that surely they bring new business to the small company offering the deal, right? Well, let’s break it down.

I think this approach works for a handful of businesses.  If it doesn’t cost so much to service the customer, as with movie theaters or other businesses in the entertainment industry,  this advertising approach is a no-brainer. Bring in new customers, with a modest price, and without any additional cost to the business. But in the service industry, there is a cost to every single transaction.

Let me tell you what happens behind the scenes. These internet companies call us and ask us to offer 50%  off discount coupons on our services, which they will e-mail out for us. In return for doing this, they take a cut of what’s left – some want to split the 50%, others want as much as 40%  of what we make after the 50% discount.

That leaves  25% to 10% for us.  I think it’s genius for the internet business which sets up the deal, but as a small business, we cannot cannot cover our costs this way. Discount coupons offered by third-party companies are driving small service businesses OUT OF BUSINESS.

We need to pay our therapists and overhead. We can’t do that on what we’d make on a service purchased with one of these coupons, especially if you multiply that by hundreds or thousands of transactions. It would hurt our ability to pay rent, utilities, payroll, and taxes. While it’s a great deal for the internet company which e-mails the coupons, it is death to a small business.

We want to provide our clients with good service and be here the next time they think of massage, so we won’t be advertising through these companies. We will continue to offer specials to you, from us. Thank you for listening to our rant and looking at life through the lens of a small business person.

Most importantly, thank you for your continued support.

Local Athlete Achieves With Massage

Richard after winning a race

Tri-athlete Richard Swor is a regular face at Kneaded Energy. Massage therapists there enjoy seeing him to hear stories about his latest travels, which take him to competitions all over the world. He hopes to compete in the Olympics in the future. Massage is part of his training, which includes 19 to 30 hours a week building endurance and speed in biking, swimming, and running.

” If I weren’t an athlete, I may have never seen the value of massage with my own eyes, but now that I am, I see the lifestyle benefit for everyone. Massage has been integral to my progress as an athlete,” he said recently.  At times, massage has been a necessity because of the aches and pains that come with training and competition. When he can’t train because it hurts too much, it’s hard to get stronger.  “Massage has always been something that has interested me because of its relaxation benefits, but it wasn’t until I started experiencing injuries that I began to seek it out as an alternative to standard medicine to outfox my ailments,” he said.

” With massage, I recover from tough workouts quicker, return from injuries in less time, and am more relaxed in my day to day life.”  Richard’s workout schedule and dedication to the sport seem even more impressive when you take into consideration that he also works full-time as a high school teacher.

Richard is one of three athletes who chronicle their lives as triathletes at the Why We Tri website.

New Class Means New Massage Opportunities

Students in the newest class at Kneaded Energy School of massage began their studies on Monday, and they’ll get hands-on experience in short order.

Chair massage is one of the best ways for massage therapy students to both practice what they learn in school and promote themselves to potential clients when they begin working. It’s also a great, free way for the general public to experience massage.

KESM Students will be offering free chair massage on Saturday, Sept. 25th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Skirt! magazine’s Pretty In Pink event to be held at the Shops at Westover.  On Oct. 2, they’ll do the same at the Women’s Only 5K Walk/Run event on Oct. 2, 2010, from 8-11 a.m. This event is sponsored by and based on the campus of Women’s Hospital of Greensboro.

Working the chair massage events helps to prepare students to do hour-long massage sessions in their clinic classes. Clinic sessions are very similar to what they’ll be doing when they get certified as massage therapists and actually go to work, so it’s good practice. It’s also a good deal for those who want a massage, because clinic sessions are a bargain at $30 paid to the school, with no tipping allowed. For September, student clinic will be held on Monday and Tuesday evenings 4-9 p.m, Thursday and Friday mornings 9 a.m.-12 p.m, and Sundays 12-8 p.m.

This day class is full to capacity at 16 students. The night class scheduled to begin Oct. is on the way is filling up too.

Ten Steps For How To Enjoy A Massage

So somebody’s given you a gift certificate for a massage. You’ve never had one before, and you’re not sure yet if this is one of those gifts you’re supposed to appreciate because “it’s the thought that counts,” as they say. You know getting this massage will involve making an appointment and being somewhere at a specific time, which seems like a chore, kind of like a doctor or dentist appointment.  You have a general idea that it will involve lying on a table for anywhere from a half hour to an hour, and you’re afraid you’ll get bored.  Read on and you’ll learn how to get the most out of your experience.

Tip #1: Get to your appointment ten to fifteen minutes early. New clients often have to fill out paperwork, and you don’t want that eat into your massage time. It’s also good idea to visit the restroom before your appointment.

Once you’ve met your therapist and been shown to a treatment room, you’ll have a discussion about what your goals are for the session. Maybe you just want to relax, or maybe you want to work on low back pain. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or state what you want.

Tip # 2: Tell your massage therapist about your physical issues. Things like “I’m ticklish on my lower back” and “I can’t turn my head to the right” or “My left calf is pressure sensitive” help the massage therapist plan a strategy for your massage. Be sure to mention recent injuries or surgeries.

Tip# 3: Wear your underwear, or not. Before your therapist leaves the room, your therapist will give you instructions on what to do, which will likely include the statement “Undress  to your level of comfort.” This means you only take off the items of clothing you feel comfortable parting with. Many people take off everything except their underwear, but your therapist has likely worked on clients in the past who remained fully clothed for the session. Likewise, many people take off all their clothes.

North Carolina draping policy dictates that breast, groin, and gluteal (butt) areas must remain covered by a sheet unless the client voluntarily asks for those areas to be uncovered. The therapist will uncover one body part at a time to work on during the massage.

Tip #4: Get under the sheet and blanket. Unless you’re wearing all your clothes, you’re required by law to be covered with a sheet or  “draped” during your massage. If it’s uncomfortably warm in the room, the therapist can adjust the temperature or remove the blanket over the sheet.

Tip #5: Don’t worry about looking beautiful for your massage therapist. Sometimes female clients apologize for not shaving their legs prior to the appointment, but this is not necessary. Massage therapists, as a general rule, do not judge clients based on their stubble, tans (or lack thereof), their cellulite or abundance of back hair.

Tip #6: It’s okay to go to sleep. Many clients find they relax and go into twilight state or light nap, and this is a perfectly acceptable way to enjoy a massage. The massage therapist will not be offended, and you’re still getting the full benefits of the massage if you’re not awake and alert.

Tip #7: You don’t have to help. Your massage therapist may move your limbs or head during the massage in order to stretch or gain better access to muscle groups. It’s okay to be like a rag doll and let the massage therapist do all the work.

Tip #8: Communicate with your massage therapist (if you want). If your massage therapist finds and works on a knotty spot, sometimes the discomfort involved can actually feel good because your body senses that the pain is helping to resolve a problem.  Many clients refer to this as “A good hurt.” But once discomfort becomes too intense, speak up. Too much pressure or manipulation can cause a muscle to go into defensive contraction, and this works against solving the problem. Barring issues like this, clients may or may not choose to ask questions or start conversation during the massage, depending on their preferences.

Tip #9: Be realistic. If you have a longstanding physical issue, it may take a longer session or even a series of sessions before you see marked improvement. Issues like low back pain and cricks in necks tend to develop over time, and often it takes time to work them out.

Tip #10: Drive safely. It’s common to feel blissed-out and spacey after a massage. Take your time getting to your feet and getting dressed. Most importantly, be extra careful driving home. Sometimes clients plan some relaxing time in a coffee shop or restaurant after the massage and before they get back in the car.

A number of our clients got their first massage without knowing what to expect, and found it to be a learning experience. Many people say things like “I had no idea I was sore there” or “I had forgotten what it’s like to be this relaxed,” and they use what they learn to prolong the benefits of the massage.  Sometimes this means stretching during the day or simply changing how they use desk space at work. Many people decide to make massage a regular part of their lives.

Gerald Shean Likes To Fix Things

Gerald gives a student supervised instruction following a student clinic session.

Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist Gerald Shean first encountered therapeutic massage through an unlikely vector. A coach for his son’s traveling soccer team, he attended a seminar about massage methods for lower body muscle problems. He learned the importance of injury prevention through increasing his teen players’ flexibility with stretches. “And if they they did get hurt, you had a protocol to help them recover more quickly,” he said recently. He was hooked. From there he took massage workshops at Guilford Technical Community College for fun. When the school began its formal massage therapy program, he enrolled, and became one of the state’s first licensed massage therapists. He specializes in Neuromuscular therapy, which he believes is unique in its approach to easing muscular pain.

Gerald is now an instructor at the Kneaded Energy School of Massage. On days when students do their massage clinics, he can be seen talking to them in the waiting area of the massage business upstairs. He offers guidance, advice, and encouragement. In his common conditions class, he enjoys teaching students specific strategies for dealing with the physical problems their future clients may have. He wants them to leave school knowing methods to help with things like cricks in necks, low back pain, and tennis elbow.

Gerald also teaches a version of his common conditions class to practicing massage therapists for license renewal credit. The next class is August 29, and will deal with leg muscle issues. Contact Kneaded Energy for more information, 336-273-1260.

Shiatsu Massage At Kneaded Energy

Tory and Ronda are qualified Shiatsu practitioners

This week we want to tell you about the newest old treatment sweeping the nation. We’re talking about Shiatsu. Shiatsu is a form of massage performed on floor mats that combines compression, acupressure, and stretching to relax, restore and revitalize. It’s like having someone do yoga for you!

Shiatsu is based on traditional Chinese medicine but originated in Japan around 1912. It wasn’t officially recognized in Japan as its own unique form of therapy until 1957. Although Shiatsu did gain some notoriety in 1956 when Marilyn Monroe fell ill in Japan and received Shiatsu when conventional therapies were having no effect, only now is it starting to be accessible in the United States. It is quickly becoming popular along the west coast and is spreading rapidly eastward. We at Kneaded Energy are pleased to announce that we are on the proverbial bandwagon and have several therapists on staff that are trained in this therapy and would be “touched” to introduce it to you.

As you may already know, our own Jami Craver is trained in Ashiatsu, a therapy based on similar principles. Jami performs Ashiatsu on her massage table by using her (clean!) feet to relax and release sore, tense muscles while stabilizing herself with bars that run along the ceiling overhead. For more about Ashiatsu please read the March 3, 2010 Blog. We can’t wait to get our hands on you!

Welcome Tory and Gina

There are two new faces at the State Street Center For Renewal. Both Tory Kans and Gina Shaver have had a lifelong interest in massage, and now they’re bringing their expertise to the massage tables at Kneaded Energy Therapeutic Massage.

Gina, a native of Milford, New Jersey, moved to Greensboro with her husband Ed in 2007.  While many young girls host pretend tea parties, she said she and her mom planned playful spa days at home during her preschool years. During one of those play dates, her mom told her she’d make a good massage therapist. “I agreed. I loved it,” Gina said.  She also works as a supervisor at a memory care facility here in Greensboro, and she’s taking classes at Guilford Technical Community College. She wants to get a degree in nursing.

Gina works at Kneaded Energy on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Tory Kans grew up in Greensboro, and she also got her first experiences  with massage by working on family members.  “My family used to have me walk on their backs when I was little, so I just kind of grew up doing it,” she said. Tory went to massage school in Las Vegas. While she enjoyed her time out there, she’s glad to be back. “I like rain. Out there, there’s no rain, and there’s not really any seasons,” she said. Tory is in the computer engineering program at ECPI College Of Technology.

Tory works at Kneaded Energy on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Valentine’s Day Specials

We’re gearing up for a busy Valentine’s Day here at Kneaded Energy.  Many couples find that enjoying a massage together is a fun and romantic way to celebrate, and massage gift certificates make a great gift for someone you’d like to impress! From now until Feb. 14, we’re running massage specials:

Gift certificates for 60-minute massages are $70 (reg. $80).

Gift certificates for 90-minute massages are $90 (reg $105).

Couples can book a one hour massage together for $140 (reg $160).

Please call us at 336-273-1260 to purchase gift certificates or book appointments for Saturday 2/13 and  Sunday 2/14. Online booking is not available for those days.

Valentine’s Day Aftermath

There’s a mountainous backlog of massage table sheets piled up in the Kneaded Energy laundry room.  It was a very busy weekend of couples massage. Fortunately, we were able to stop Bill Norman from including his holiday-themed scrubs in the last load of whites, which prevented them from becoming pinks.

Things went smoothly, even though Saturday started with snow on the ground.  And while the massage therapists had to work long days, they enjoyed a covered-dish party at lunch and between massage sessions. Krista Bresson’s paella and Michael Dombroski’s Brunswick stew were popular, and so were the Oreo Double Stuff cookies.

The next big massage holiday is expected to be Mother’s Day, so stay tuned for upcoming specials.

Jami’s Photo Project

Massage therapist Jami Craver recently got creative with a camera during a recent lunch break. Her subjects were the  the items therapists have in their treatment rooms. Some of these items, such as oil bottles,  serve a functional purpose. Others serve as simple decor, and others reflect the tastes of the therapist to whom they belong.  Kerry Smith’s flair for the whimsical is evident in the ornaments hanging in the Ficus tree in her room: Small ceramic and glass fairies.  She’s continued with the fairy motif by placing tiny, colorfully painted “fairy doors” along the baseboards in the room.  Michael Dombroski’s room is decorated with sports memorabilia. All the treatment rooms have an assortment of plants and colorful stones.

Ashiatsu at Kneaded Energy

Some massage clients have physically demanding jobs or workout habits, so they need deeper massage pressure on dense muscle groups.  To better meet their needs, Kneaded Energy’s Jami Craver recently trained in Ashiatsu. This style of massage allows her more effectively work on clients who need a lot of pressure, she’s found. It allows her to use her feet and body weight to loosen up tight muscles.

“It’s easier on my body to use my feet instead of my hands and arms all the time, and to be able to give them the pressure they (clients) want,” she said.  “It’s good for people with lower back pain and tightness, or those with very tight hamstrings.”

Bars have been installed on the ceiling above her massage table.  She holds them with her hands to balance herself and moderate the pressure she uses on the client. She said learning Ashiatsu was a challenge because she had to learn to read the client’s body with her feet the same way she does with her hands, while at the same time using her hands on the bars overhead.

Jami still uses her hands in her Ashiatsu massages.  It’s essential to assess the client’s body with hands to decide which spots might benefit from Ashiatsu. And neck and some kinds of shoulder work are better suited for hands, she said.

We Can Tell Spring Is Here

Here at Kneaded Energy, the signs of spring are evident. Not just in the buds appearing outside our windows, either. We’ve started seeing clients who’ve taken advantage of the warmer weather to get outside and work, but they’ve made themselves sore in the process.

Ronda Cranford recently had two clients who complained of shoulder soreness related to chopping wood. Kerry Smith had a client whose low back and shoulders hurt because she’d been tilling her vegetable garden.

Shelley Johnson-Norman, one of Kneaded Energy’s co-owners, said it’s not unusual to see a bumper crop of yardwork related aches and pains coming through the door  this time of year. Raking can stress the psoas muscle, which she said can cause low back pain. And gardeners using the bottom of one foot to force a shovel into the ground may wake up the next day with pain from a bruised plantar muscle, she added. Others who use clippers to trim hedges or fruit trees may find some tennis elbow in their futures.

Fortunately, Kneaded Energy’s staff is here to help sore yard warriors recover.

Aromatherapy At Kneaded Energy

Massage clients sometimes request essential oils with their massages, and Kneaded Energy massage therapists have recently begun training in aromatherapy to accomodate those requests.

“Aromatherapy is about a lot more than smells,” said Mary Ann Karlok, massage therapist and staff trainer for Kneaded Energy. “Here everyone is being trained in the basics.”

While many people enjoy essential oils simply because they smell good, Karlok said scents associated with specific essential oils can do more. This past weekend, she taught therapists that peppermint and eucalyptus oils can help with sinus stuffiness, while lavender and orange oils can help lift a bad mood or reduce a sore client’s sensation of pain. She said geranium oil can assist with lymph drainage.

If clients request aromatherapy, massage therapists at Kneaded Energy will place a few drops of essential oil on terra cotta discs which will hang from the face cradles of the clients’ tables. This system allows for the scents to be delivered without overdoing it, said Karlok, who noted that it doesn’t take much oil to be effective.

This Teacher Looks Familiar

Michael Dombroski grading his students' papers

The Kneaded Energy School of Massage has a new Anatomy and Physiology instructor. Even though he’s new, he’s a familiar face – he’s worked as a massage therapist for Kneaded Energy for the past three years.

Michael Dombroski has been teaching for three weeks, and he’s found he enjoys working with massage students. “I like seeing the light bulb go on for them,” he said recently.

A former chemical engineer and current father of five, Michael originally never planned to get a massage, much less become a massage therapist.  He was 47 when his wife gave him a gift certificate for a 30-minute massage . ” I liked it so much, I decided to do it,” he said. 

Michael said he’d like to teach more classes in the future, like Sports Massage. But he doesn’t want teaching to replace massage as his main profession. “If I’m not doing it in the world, I have nothing to give as an instructor,” he said.

A Pain In The Neck

Massage Therapist Mary Ann Karlok demonstrates neck massage on student Gabrielle Hicks

Here at Kneaded Energy, we’ve noticed a trend in the needs of our clientele.  Lately, several people have come in unable to turn their heads without rotating their entire torsos because of stiffness and pain in the neck area. This “crick in the neck” phenomenon makes it hard for the afflicted to check for oncoming traffic at stop signs. “It’s not safe, really,” said one such client.

Kneaded Energy’s Mary Ann Karlok has a couple of theories for what may be causing these problems. Certified in medical massage, she believes the looming tax deadline and recent high pollen counts may be at least partly to blame. Those who’ve spent a lot of time leaning over their desks to scrutinize reciepts and puzzle over tax documents may be at risk for neck strain. And others who have trouble with seasonal allergies may also be putting extra strain on their upper bodies through the simple act of breathing.

“It’s usually a problem that’s been building for a while,” Mary Ann said. “When major muscles get fatigued, they recruit smaller ones to take up the slack. Eventually those get fatigued too, and that’s when people say ‘I woke up this morning with a crick in my neck.’” If the problem continues, arm pain or numbness can also result.

Though some clients may notice some relief after one massage when they have these kinds of symptoms, it may take between three and five sessions to relax the affected muscles, Mary Ann added.

Students Practice Chair Massage

Students in the Kneaded Energy School of Massage day class are getting ready to graduate in May.  As part of their training, they’re logging volunteer hours (and hopefully some future clients) doing free chair massage at local events.

With chair massage, fully-clothed clients relax in a specially designed chair while a massage therapist or massage student does the work. Chair massages typically last 10-15 minutes, with most of the time spent on the client’s back. According to student Chandra Jones-Williams, it’s most important to help people loosen tight shoulders. “If you can get them relaxed there, they say ‘Oh, I feel so much better.’”  

Jones-Williams has done chair massage at The Human Race, a fund raiser for nonprofit organizations, and at the Natural Triad Health Expo. “In ten or fifteen minutes, you can make somebody’s day,”  she said. And doing free chair massage is also a way to invest in her future as a massage therapist, she explained. “You want to let as many people experience massage as you can. It’s a marketing tool you can use to introduce your touch to people.”

Student Stanley Paccione has done about 200 free chair massages for staff at Randolph Memorial Hospital, where he now works as a Certified Nursing Assistant. He’s found that when he works on people, they tend to want more massage from him. ”I call it ’The Hook,’” he said. “If I get you in that chair, I’ve got you.”  And his popularity has already led to some job offers. “There’s not enough Stanley to go around, really,” he said.

The Future of Massage School

The first graduates of the Kneaded Energy School of Massage will take their diplomas next month, and other classes are moving along right behind them. But owners Bill and Shelley Johnson are looking to the future in order to stay current in a rapidly changing field.

This past weekend, they attended School Issues Forum 2010, hosted by the Associated Bodywork Massage Professionals organization and held in Alexandria, Va. Shelley said they learned about trends in the world of massage education and how those trends could affect their own school. “I think it will shape the future of our program with what we teach and how we teach it,” said Shelley.

“Many of today’s massage students are younger and more tech savvy,” said Bill. “We need to have something to offer them.”  Developing online classes to support students as they learn about ethics and anatomy is one way schools are responding to that need, he said. And as an industry, massage schools are moving to standardize their curriculums, Shelley said. Right now massage schools tend to develop their own plans for what to teach and how to teach it, which means they also have to come up with their own learning resources to support student learning. When schools agree to teach the same things, it will make it easier for them to use the same online resources and could also make it possible for credits earned at one school to be transferred to another.

Shelley said she was inspired to hear about a privately owned massage school in Colorado which is approved to offer an associate’s degree in massage, a step up from the  more common certificate and diploma programs. “I think it would be great for us to do that here,” she said.

Bill and Shelley also learned about financial institutions which offer school loans to massage students and hope to pass that information on to future classes.

The next Kneaded Energy School of Massage day class begins August 23, and the current night class graduates in October. Another night class will begin in January 2011.

Jami Craver Wins Acclaim

Jami Craver with the latest edition of Yes! Weekly

You’ll find Jami Craver’s name in this year’s Yes! Weekly list of best things in the Triad. She is named as runner-up in the category of Best Massage Therapist. Yes! Weekly readers voted for their favorites in a number of categories via e-mail.

“I’m grateful and flattered my clients voted for me,” Jamie said.

“We are proud that Jami got recognition from the public about her fantastic massage,” said Bill Norman, one half of Kneaded Energy’s owner/manager team.

Yes! Weekly is a free local publication which covers Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem.

Student Chair Massage At Relay For Life

If you come out to Page High School for this weekend’s Relay For Life event, you can support cancer treatment and enjoy chair massage at the same time. Students from the Kneaded Energy School of Massage will be working at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital tent from noon to 9pm. The suggested donation for their work is $1 per minute, and those donations will go to the Regional Cancer Center.

“This is an event that Kneaded Energy has been associated with for ten years in one way or another,” said Bill Norman, one of Kneaded Energy’s owners. The students are earning credit for their work – Norman said they must complete 27 hours of community service as part of their training.

Non-profit organizations can request the services of Kneaded Energy School of Massage students, go here to fill out a request form.

Graduation Is Just The Beginning

Stanley Paccione, pending graduate of Kneaded Energy School of Massage, reviews in preparation for the MBLEx test

  

The Kneaded Energy School of Massage is graduating its first class May 28.  While it’s a relief to not have the stresses of class and homework,  graduate Jay Cheek said he almost misses school. “It feels kind weird not having classes. It’s hard to believe it’s over,” he said. “I feel like we just got started.”  And even though the students have finished their coursework, they still have to jump through some hoops before they can legally work as massage therapists.  

First, they have to purchase an application packet from the  NC Board of  Massage and Bodywork Therapy with the paperwork they need to begin the licensure process, which includes recommendation forms and other documents to be filled out and sent in. They also have to apply to take the MBLEx, a test they have to pass to make them eligible for licensure. Once they’ve been approved to take the test, they sign up to take it. Once they pass, they send their results and application for licensure to the massage board, which can take a few weeks to issue license numbers. They also have to file their fingerprints with the board as part of a background check.  

The process can be frustrating. “I’d like to just be able to get my license and be done with it,” said recent graduate LeAnn Hicks. She said she plans to look for jobs and talk to potential employers while she goes through the process.  

Jay said even though the class of ’10 was a diverse bunch who might not have appeared to have much in common to begin with, he said they became a support group for each other during their training. He’s going to miss the company.

Class 1 Graduates

Four people graduated from the Kneaded Energy School of Massage last Friday evening, but about fifty came out to watch them take their diplomas.  Shelley Johnson-Norman, one of the school’s co-owners, said future graduations will have to be held elsewhere, because current classes contain more students and will likely draw even more of a crowd.

Stanley Paccione, Julian Cheek Jr., LeAnn Hicks, and Chandra Jones-Williams made up the school’s first graduating class. “We are proud of that first group for taking a chance on us,” Shelley said. “They were as important to us as we were to them.”

Soon these four graduates will take a certification exam, get licenses, and go to work. That can be a scary transition. School co-owner Bill Norman prepared this 1st class of graduates for the uncertainties that may arise by telling them a story about The Great Blondin, a man who walked a tightrope across the gorge below Niagara Falls a number of times. On one occasion he pushed a wheelbarrow across the tightrope, and invited a man from the audience to sit in it as he did so. The story illustrated his point that no matter how confident and well prepared you are before you step out into the unknown, it can still be a frightening step. He encouraged them to trust themselves.

“We’ve prepared you to get into that wheelbarrow,” he said.

Green Commuting

Bill and Shelley with thier new bikes

Two bikes have become common fixtures outside Kneaded Energy’s door. They belong to Bill Norman and Shelley Johnson, owners of the business and residents of the nearby McAdoo Heights neighborhood. They’ve decided to leave their Smart car parked and do more of their traveling on two wheels.

“We realized that almost everything we do is within biking distance of our house,” said Bill. They shop at the nearby Golden Gate shopping center, for example. Both bikes have baskets so they can carry groceries home. Shelley said they’re working on a way to travel with their dogs in those baskets.

“We work long hours, and we need to get more exercise,” said  Shelley. They’ve earned some soreness for their efforts, but it’s been fun, she added. And the trip home after work is downhill.

Couples Massage Class At Kneaded Energy

Learning a few basic massage moves can show you techniques for working on some one’s sore shoulders as well as enjoying quality time together. This class is for any 2 people who want to learn to do a few massage techniques on eachother; friends, mother/daughter, business associates, couples.  It can come in handy if you woke-up with a sore neck, spent hours at the computer or have a headache.

This Saturday, Feb. 26, Kneaded Energy Massage Therapy will offer its Couples Massage class from 5-8 p.m. The cost is $99. Call Kneaded Energy at 336-273-1260 to register or for more information.

Lydia Whitley, NC Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist #9411, will be instructor for the class.