Seattle, Washington, where she also recently served as an adjunct professor. She was also a clinical supervisor in the graduate teaching clinic for five years. Diet Soda May Lead to More Belly Fat BOARDING1NOW/THINKSTOCK What Does It Take to Be Successful? A massage association in Quebec, Canada, is conducting research to identify the personal and professional traits that help lead to success in the massage therapy field. To take the survey sponsored by Alliance Québécoise des Thérapeutes Naturels, visit aqtn.ca/TypeSorter. TOPP_YIMGRIMM/THINKSTOCK | www.massagemag.com | September 2015 | MASSAGE Magazine | 21 PHOTO COURTESY OF RUSSELL HAWORTH As a veteran of the U.S. military, massage therapist Jane Hyde Kordish understands firsthand the physical and mental challenges faced by active duty personnel. This informed her decision to volunteer seated massage to service members at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida, and provide massage therapy to participants in the U.S. Marines’ Wounded Warrior Athlete Reconditioning Program. Her work with service members led to Kordish being awarded the 2015 Performance Health FSMTA Humanitarian Award. The award is co-presented by Performance Health, parent company to Biofreeze, Theraband and additional therapeutic products, and the Florida State Massage Therapy Association (FSMTA). “A key to being a true humanitarian is to know that the soul is healed by serving others in need,” said Marshall Dahneke, CEO of Performance Health, when presenting the award at the FSMTA’s annual convention in June in Orlando, Florida. “Jane Kordish knows that even greater healing comes from serving our country’s ultimate servers: those in our military.” When she was presented the award, Kordish said she’d like to see more massage therapists work with members of the military. She was quoted in a Performance Health press release as saying, “We as massage therapists share many traits in common with our military service members, veterans, retirees and their families, such as commitment, dedication and a code of ethics. Let’s strengthen the ties between us at every opportunity.” Performance Health donated $500 in Kordish’s name to each of two organizations: SOF Bionic Warriors and CAUSE USA. M Massage Therapist Acknowledged for Work with Veterans Jane Hyde Kordish, L.M.T. (right), with Leiah J. Carr (left), president of the Florida State Massage Therapy Association (FSMTA), at the FSMTA’s national convention in June. 22 | MASSAGE Magazine | September 2015 | www.massagemag.com | WOWOMNOM/THINKSTOCK Massage therapists understand that regular massage sessions provide preventive care that keeps clients relaxed, flexible and pain-free—yet, the general public still sometimes views massage as an occasional luxury or something to turn to when pain becomes chronic. Session packages— whereby therapists sell multiple sessions up front at a slight discount—create common ground where both therapist and client benefit financially. More importantly, when a client purchases a session package, he or she is saying yes to regular massage therapy and therefore making a commitment to ongoing health. Commitment “My massage wellness packages are a big success at my studio,” said massage therapist Heather Cutlip, L.M.T., who owns Little Lotus Wellness Studio in Ferndale, Michigan. “I find them to be a wonderful feature for people who need, see and feel the benefits of regular bodywork.” Offering session packages also shows that the therapist is committed to the client’s long-term health, Cutlip said, and helps forge a professional relationship based in trust. “I have many clients with chronic pain or fibromyalgia, [or who are] recovering from breast cancer reconstruction surgery,” she said. “These clients receive such benefit from regular massage [so] I’m happy to do what I can to help increase their quality of life.” Selling session packages, she added, shows clients you are willing to work with them to create a regular regimen for better health. This results in a stronger connection with clients, she said. That therapist-client connection combined with an upfront financial M| Practice Building Sell Session Packages by Karen Menehan Session packages allow therapist and client to create a regular regimen for better health. Better Client Care & Guaranteed Income | www.massagemag.com | September 2015 | MASSAGE Magazine | 23 investment keeps massage therapy front-and-center in the client’s consciousness, leading to better session outcomes, said Bard Williams, C.M.T., managing partner at Silicon Valley Massage Therapy Group in San Jose, California. “When a client invests in his or her health, then they are more likely to come in for regular treatments and routine maintenance,” he said. “This allows us to address existing issues and prevent future injury.” The need for regular massage sessions can be especially true for people involved in sports and sporting events, according to Alisha Pye, general manager of LA Sports Massage in Los Angeles, California. “This is especially true for professional athletes and anyone training for a marathon or competitive event, as well as someone who requires routine body maintenance due to stress, work or frequent physical activities,”