By Pete Whitridge
Ahhh … time to take a deep breath and welcome in the new year. The holidays are behind us and nature is encouraging us to slow down a notch and reset our nervous systems. Breath is on my mind a lot right now as I update material for my Dynamics of the Breath workshop scheduled for February. The current research I’ve been reviewing about breath contains some interesting findings pertinent to us as bodyworkers.
One finding relevant to our practice is that retraining of dysfunctional breathing patterns helps rebalance the chemical bath that our tissues depend upon for vital health. The physiology of adding more oxygen to the cells helps decrease the CO2 load in the tissues, allowing the body to shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic response. (Ahhhh…rest and repose.) The study used a specific breath training protocol which is simple and easily incorporated into a massage session.
Another area of much research interest has been the efficacy of breath-focused mindfulness meditation on stress reduction. Integrating mindful breathing into a massage therapy session provides an important tool to focus your client’s attention, facilitating the release of tension and pain. In addition to the important aspects of skillful touch and a tranquil environment, breath can be one of the most useful components
For the past decade, the research world has been deeply examining the deleterious effects of inflammation on all body systems. One of the foremost keys to decreasing inflammation is stress reduction. Massage therapy is a perfect fit for clients wishing to reduce their inflammatory response to the world around them. Studies have found that massage helps to lower anxiety, reduce pain, increase sleep, and improve other quality of life issues. Helping clients acquire a new awareness of their breathing patterns during and after
Receiving massage regularly is an important means of self-care, enabling your client to rebalance body, mind
As a therapist, I hope your practice is a calming and steady part of your own self-care. In my massage practice, within the quiet, healing environment I’ve created, my personal wellbeing is supported by the work I do. I find that as I offer focused attention and caring towards my clients, my own breathing pattern slows and I feel better after the session. As therapists, in addition to addressing our client’s “problem areas”, we can begin to work on other important issues like embodiment, self-care, breath, and functional movement patterns to increase mobility and strength, our own as well as theirs.
We will be addressing these aspects and much more in February. Please join me to learn new strategies to recharge your practice and revitalize yourself. Dynamics of the Breath. February 9-10 from 9am-6pm, 18 CEUs
Pete will be offering three more classes at FSM during this renewal period. Please visit
Pete Whitridge has been an LMT since 1988. He teaches “Myofascial Components of Pain” workshops nationally, as well as Florida Law, Ethics, and Business Building classes. He served on the Florida Board of Massage Therapy, including two years as Chair, and as Legislative Chair for the FSMTA. Pete has taught as a faculty member at various massage schools around the country, including 27 years at FSM. He is a frequent speaker at AMTA, FSMTA, and FCA meetings and conventions. Pete received the Charles Canfield Award for service and dedication to the massage profession from the FSMTA in 2004. He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2016 at the World Massage Festival.
Pete is a founder and Past President of the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE) and has dedicated his career to helping establish high standards in massage therapy education. He lives in Fort Pierce, FL with his wife (and editor) Lee. They travel frequently and would love to visit your town. They are available to teach myofascial classes, aromatherapy, and business building classes in your area. Pete can be contacted
Interesting articles for your practice and this class:
Low back pain and gastroesophageal reflux in patients with COPD: the disease in the breath.
Bordoni, B., Marelli, F., Morabito, B., Sacconi, B., Caiazzo, P., & Castagna, R. (2018)
International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 13, 325-334.
doi:10.2147/COPD.S150401
The diaphragm – More than an inspired design
Journal of Bodywork and Movement
Respiratory dysfunction in patients with chronic neck pain: What is the current evidence?
Dimitriadis, Zacharias et al.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , 704 – 714
‘The core’: Understanding it, and retraining its dysfunction
Key, Josephine
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , 541 – 559
Effect of massage therapy on pain, anxiety, and tension after cardiac surgery: a randomized study
BA Bauer, SM Cutshall, LJ Wentworth, D Engen… – Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2010
