Beloved: Massage is the world I know best, and to be honest, I come from a background among the "Evidence Based" crowd... where we really lean into the Science side of the equation. But how can anyone practice hands-on healing work without sensing the Magic side as well? Maybe our terms are too muddled; what do we even mean by Magic? ✨ Now, I know some of you are highly trained in energetic modalities with a lot of history... Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, etc., so you know my pain. Communicating among ourselves about the unseen, intuitive side of our work is hard enough. Much less, communicating with potential clients. And out there in the bigger world of Modern Medicine, we're still very much jostling to carve our space for Touch medicine among pharmaceuticals and surgery... I know a lot of very jaded therapists, who carry a lot of resentment. And I don't blame them. They've been under the load of judgement from the medical community, pressure to figure out our place in the wellness market. And even exclusion from energy workers from other traditions! I just don't see how we overcome this and find our own way in our rapidly evolving society... unless we stick together. So, let's make this a space where we lift each other up. Hold space for the unknown. Share strategy and inspiration, the stories you can't tell anywhere else. Because, I believe Magic is what happens just beyond the edge of the predictable. Science has us right up to the edge of what we can replicate and research... and Magic is the power we don't quite understand. The effects we can't always force. The impact we have Beyond what we can explain. So let's make some Magic together ✨ Love, Adele Lafever

For those who asked, here is the exact text I use for my massage client cancellation policy: "To avoid the cancellation fee, please give 24 hours of notice for any changes to your appointment time. Late arrivals may receive treatment for the remainder of scheduled time but I cannot extend the scheduled time without notice. Thank you for being considerate." Now, of course we are all balancing our needs and preferences with our client base. But I like to make sure we're super clear on the front end, and then I can make exceptions when I see fit. To pull this off, you have to make sure the client knows that you're making a special exception. "I understand, Lucy, and the policy is ___________ but just for today, I'm going to cover that fee for you." This keeps clarity high and makes it clear that they are receiving special goodwill from you. And, since they are not running the back end of a massage business, your clients may not naturally recognize the difference between your policies and the exceptions you make for them. Unless you point it out. Specifically, I see LMTs really debating whether to charge a late fee, or cut off treatment times, or how to enforce the scheduling policy.... Personally I don't like to use any form of punishment on my clients. I'd much rather just align with the natural consequences! So for late clients, that means they arranged to purchase my full attention and expertise from, say, 1-2pm. But they only accessed that from 1:15 to 2pm. Don't feel guilty for giving them exactly what they paid for! And, if you do offer extra flexibility and grace, just clearly state what you're willing to do. Don't let your gift of time be invisible. Will some clients make this weird? Of course. But it's not our clients' job to uphold professional standards and clear communication. It's our job. Be well, good luck, and let me know if you have any specific issues we can zero in on! 💛Adele

As our little community gathers to lift each other up, we find strength in our collaboration and sharing! Although we practice in small spaces, we have a big vision: building life-sustaining practices on our gifts for healing. It's what we were born to do. In our communities, people with health issues usually first access the major medical system, which struggles to offer solutions beyond pharmaceuticals and surgery. That leaves a major gap, and tons of health coaches and advisors are arising on digital platforms, sharing health wisdom and practices that help people address issues in their lifestyles to enhance their healing process. But there's still something missing. We are the ones who see the incredible results people get from personalized, one on one support. In our work, we meet people face to face, and create an environment of healing through the senses. Whether we are invoking touch, sound, aromas, electromagnetic fields or simple energetic presence, our work centers on the moments and hours we spend with our clients, and the way their minds and bodies shift through that experience. We're bringing the most ancient pathways of healing into our modern world, one client at a time. As practitioners, we need support to create a sustainable rhythm for ourselves as we provide this labor- and energy-intensive work. When we first start out, business and marketing skills become necessary, although most of us inherently struggle with them. As we get some success with building our clientele, regulating our energy to pace ourselves physically and emotionally becomes the biggest challenge. And later, once we've discovered how to thrive through practical experience, we find ourselves inspired to spread the message that inspired us farther. We may step into an educational or support role with newer practitioners, or we may find ways to extend our impact into more facets of our communities. So where ever you are in your path as a healer, this is a place for us to circle up, share support, resources, and ideas, and connect with one another.

If you are ready to move your practice from a dream to a reality, this is the guide to get you there. I've included everything you reeeeally need to do, and Nothing that you don't need. This is meant to get you off to the races as a beginner. It's also helpful for anyone who is already launched, but not yet seeing the client flow you need. Blessings! ✨

Thanks to everyone who joined in the last couple months, and to our original members who hung on patiently while I relocated from Hawai'i to Washington! So happy to have you here, and I'm looking forward to settling back in together. Top of my list: are any of you planning to be at the American Massage Therapy Association National Convention? I'll be out there, Dallas, in August, and I have a sweet little apartment rented... so if we happen to be in the same place I'd love to meet up with you! Let's just make a cup of tea, and chat about where you're at on your healing practice, your goals and dreams, and your businessy plans. I'd love to support you. And, if we did an online office hours, would you be more interested in exploring the work we do, or breaking down some business strategy, or both? I expect to be developing a lot more resources in the Fall (after I get the kids settled into school lol). Next, I'll also be running some in-person events in the lovely Pacific Northwest this fall. I'm looking for venues that could host a batch of us, especially for trade sessions for professional development. And I'm putting together some co-working sessions where we can pull out some of those dreaded back-office tasks and problem-solve together. So, where ever you're at, I'd love to hear from you and get the update on your process and practice. Let's lift one another up 💚