Diane Matkowski, the Massage Mentor, has had many revelatory moments in her life: from getting her first massage, to studying under a hands-on mentor, to making the leap of faith to start her own business. She was terrified. But she took comfort in the phrase from one of her clients: “When you see a doorway, Diane, walk through it.” Diane embraces being uncomfortable and, as such, has been successful in her work—she hasn’t taken a paycheck from anything other than her independent massage business since 1996. We discuss her successes (and failures), her COVID protocols that will stick long after the pandemic is over, and what’s it like being audited by the IRS. What’s the art of massage, according to Diane? Patience, persistence, and perseverance.

Diane Matkowski was accredited by The Owens Institute of Massage and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and has an associate’s degree in business administration. She has been practicing therapeutic massage for more than 25 years. Diane began her business, Freedom Massage, with only six clients. Presently, more than 12,000 clients have received therapeutic massage within the walls of her business. She moderates a closed group for massage therapists only on Facebook called The Massage Mentor Closed Group and is co-founder of the newly launched The Massage Mentor Institute. In 2010, she was the official massage practitioner for the women’s professional soccer team, the Philadelphia Independence. Diane is the author of The Massage Therapist’s Guidebook and The Body is Art. For more information, visit www.freedommassage.com and www.themassagementorinstitute.com.

This podcast sponsored by:     

Anatomy Trains: www.anatomytrains.com      

CBD Clinic: www.cbdclinic.co     

(se) Connect: https://network.structuralelements.com   

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.      

Website: anatomytrains.com        

Email: info@anatomytrains.com        

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains        

Instagram: Instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial        

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA         

CBD Clinic products are the first nonprescription, over-the-counter topical medications that combine authorized active pharmaceutical ingredients and CBD enriching emollients such as hemp extract. Visit cbdclinic.co to get a sample and start feeling the difference for yourself today. Join our private Facebook group and connect with other massage therapists and HCPs using CBD Clinic products already.     

Website: www.cbdclinic.co    

Email: info@cbdclinic.co    

Phone: 303-223-0863    

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/CBDCLINIC    

Instagram: @officialcbdclinic    

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA         

At Structural Elements, we view ourselves as Body Engineers. We evaluate the human body according to its structural integrity and establish proper balance between compression and tension elements. Through identifying patterns in the body, we are able to locate areas of compensation to treat the cause of the imbalance, not the site of pain. Our patients achieve lasting results as we reduce structural imbalances, improve connective tissue health, and re-educate movement patterns. Now, we have taken our education, operations, and communications infrastructure from our franchise company and made it available to the industry through (se) Connect.  

            (se) Connect is the only interdisciplinary knowledge sharing platform that exists in the wellness industry. Participants gain access to treatment tools, business tools, and the ability to connect with other professionals in a variety of modalities. Through our community, massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, acupuncturists, and others all learn to look at the body through the same lense, which allows for rich discussions on patient care and treatment options. Our training staff brings decades of experience in massage, manual therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and business, and we look forward to sharing that with you.  

Website: https://network.structuralelements.com/connect  

Email: team@structuralelements.com  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/structural.elements  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/structuralelements/  

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/structural-elements  

Ep 101 - When You See a Doorway, Walk Through It with Diane Matkowski

The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession