AMTA Idaho State Convention

Last weekend Rachel and I went to Twin Falls for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) Idaho State Convention. We went together since I went to Montana with Rach in February. I had classes Friday and Saturday from 8-5 with a one hour lunch break. It came out to 16 total continuing education units. (CEUs) I need 48 total CEUs in a four year period to maintain my AMTA accreditation.

It was SOOOOOO nice to have bodywork done!!!! It has been over a year since I have had a massage. In the massage world, going two weeks without one is considered a no-no. Needless to say the women in my class were very shocked and not at all surprised when they discovered how tight I was when deep work needed to be done. We learned how to relax the neck and shoulders by going deep into the muscle tissue. I had no problem with the shoulder. It was tight, but it felt wonderful!! However, I have serious neck issues. I don't like having the front of my neck touched. It doesn't bother me to have my neck muscles worked on, but if anything goes near my windpipe or throat, I start wanting to panic. Thats what happened while I was the test "body". We each practiced three different times on three different people each step of what we were learning. It made it so it cemented into our brains and hands. Hands mean a lot in massage. They are the "backbone" of the industry. I have learned to "see" with my hands when they are in a body. My mind was able to take and store the information while my hands felt and experienced what that information meant. Thats as good as I can explain it. Sorry if I am unable to do better. Please feel free to comment if what I have said doesn't work very well.

While I was in class, Rachel was able to relax and unwind at the hotel. She didn't have anything besdies homework to occupy her thoughts. Although the first night we were there she said that she missed our cats. :) I was giving her a pedicure while winding down from having my neck worked and she couldn't stop thinking how the cats could possibly get into things that I was using on her nails and that it needed to be kept cleaner then what it was. It was cute. I chuckled at her. :)

It was a very interesting and educational weekend for the both of us. It was good to get out of town and away from the stress of work along with finals. We had a great time just being together.