During my most recent massage, I was blown away by my therapist who—after the initial intake where I described my aches and pains—seamlessly blended techniques from her toolbox into one glorious session: deep-tissue, stretching, cupping, and ashiatsu!? C’mon, my stingy tissue never stood a chance under those capable hands (and feet). The session was the perfect mix of therapies woven together into a single, focused experience.
No drift. No autopilot. No dull moment.
Which brings us to the theme of this issue: “From routine to remarkable.”
There’s no better expression of this idea than a quote from Whitney Lowe’s feature “Superior Outcomes”: “A treatment plan is what elevates massage therapy from a service to a therapeutic profession. It is the tangible output of our clinical reasoning.”
Mic drop.
The Winter 2025 issue features two back-to-back articles from two supremely talented bodyworkers and educators who embody
this philosophy.
First, Lowe explores treatment planning as the foundation of every effective session. Assessment, analysis, touch, and measuring progress—without these, is the work uninformed? Random?
Then, David M. Lobenstine pulls us from the rut of repetition with “Do Less. Focus More. Care Carefully.” Self-awareness is the process, and Lobenstine invites you to bring self-awareness into each massage, turning rote patterns into moments of mastery.
Both authors are driven by the same mission: to improve each session, elevate each client’s outcome, and advance massage therapy with a capital “M” and “T.”
This same pursuit of improvement has guided me for the past 25 years as I’ve worked on this magazine. Which brings me to . . .
I’m excited to share this will be my final issue as editor. It’s time to step into other important roles at ABMP and hand over the reins to another capable leader. Fear not readers, our very own Editorial Director Scott Kaniewski will be taking the helm. I’ll let Scott tell his story next issue, but know that I’m not going far.
As I reflect on this chapter, I’m proud of a few things: This magazine is made entirely in-house, by real people who work for ABMP—not outsourced. It’s curated, edited, and designed under one roof, then printed by the best printer in the world, Quad. We’ve always aimed to make each issue better than the last, and I hope that commitment has shone through for our members and
the profession.
Call me biased, but I think we put together a pretty darn good publication. And that includes this issue. Inside, you’ll find learning, techniques, dialogue, and ideas to last until the next Massage & Bodywork arrives in your mailbox.
So, dive in. And thank you for letting me contribute a verse, however small, to this powerful bodywork play.
