Massage Therapy Practice dot com

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This is a review of a new web magazine called massagetherapypractice.com . It is a learning and resource site by Doug Alexander, perhaps known to you from the "Nerve Mobilization" DVD.

In the interest of disclosure: I was approached through Bodywork Online and asked to review this site. In return, I was given subscriber access for approximately two weeks. There has not been any exchange of compensation for this, nor any promise thereof.

In other words, this is, to the best of my ability, unbiased.

So, on to the review:

www.massagetherapypractice.com

On first glance, the new web magazine from Doug Alexander, RMT appears promising. The site is designed to have the look of a traditional magazine, with a table of contents/menu on the left side of the screen, feature articles and comments in the middle, and advertisements on the right.

The content list includes, among others, news, a CEU article section, a Q&A section called MT Coach, and my favorite, Daily Dose.

Daily Dose is, perhaps, the greatest asset of this site. This area includes Quicktime and Windows videos and PDF downloads. The daily selections are: Monday- Meditations, Tuesday- Palpations, Wednesday- Muscle Palpation and Mini Massage, Thursday- Client Self Care Handouts (PDF), and Friday- Yoga Flow.

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Monday Meditations comes in Quicktime and Windows Media formats. These are very concise and easy to digest segments lasting about a minute. Some of these, such as "A Close Brush..." are humorous reminders to pay attention to our personal hygiene, while others are much more "meditative" in nature.

The Tuesday Palpations and Wednesday Muscle Palpations and Mini Massage are also concise and could be easily followed by most massage practitioners, although they are beyond beginner stages. There is an assumption, it seems, that the audience already has a knowledge of anatomy and massage techniques.

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Another highlight of this site is the online CEU articles (of which, there are currently three, with a new one to be added each month) and the case studies. The CEU articles include video demonstrations, and an online quiz and certificate. One complaint I do have is that the CEU completion certificate is not in a very user friendly format.

I am admittedly not the most computer savvy MT in the world, and found I was unable to download a certificate. Doug is aware of this difficulty, and is searching for an alternative method to provide subscribers with their CEU certificates.

Edit: There is now an additional PDF option for printing the completion certificate. Also, these are not currently NCBTMB certified for credit in the U.S. They are, however, informative and well-written.

Another issue that came up for me, as this is a Canadian website, is the cost of subscribing, as well as the cost of items for sale through the site. All items are listed in Canadian dollars, and there is not currently an option for other denominations. Again, Doug is aware of this issue, and is, I believe, working to remedy that situation.

Those issues aside, I have found the site, even in these early stages, to be full of useful information. In corresponding with Doug, I have felt he is eager to make this the best resource he can, and to make massagetherapypractice.com a web magazine that readers can learn from and use to better their own practices.

It appears that there are many exciting things in store, too. A report from the first ever Fascia Research Conference, and a new slew of Daily Doses from a sports massage standpoint.

And.....you can check it out for yourself with a one week free trial. Enjoy.

[massagengel]

Thank you for the information. I have been on the look out for a magazine, maybe an online one is just what I need (less clutter around the house )
I will check the site out and see if it is something I am interested in.