We know this great guy that just happens to be one of the most inspirational people in the massage industry.

Whitney Lowe is a recognized authority on pain and injury treatment with massage therapy and is well known for his hi-energy, action packed, exhilarating and informative CEU credited training programs through The Academy of Clinical Massage. In fact, Whitney was awarded the Alliance for Massage Therapy Education’s “Educator of the Year Award” for 2015.

Whitney’s contributions to the massage field are wide-ranging and include professional publications, clinical work, consulting, and participation in national boards and committees. He is the founder of the Orthopedic Massage Education & Research Institute (OMERI) which provides massage therapists the advanced education they need for treating orthopedic soft-tissue disorder. Whitney has also authored and contributed to several books which are used in training programs and schools nationally and internationally.

1. Who is Whitney Lowe when he’s not at work?

A great deal of my time outside of work is devoted to helping my wife with her wild bird rehabilitation project (Grebe Acres). She specializes in shorebirds and songbirds, and we rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned birds and return them to the wild. For example, during this time of year, early summer, we frequently get baby birds that are orphaned. They generally need to be fed every 30 to 45 minutes from dawn to dusk so that gets squeezed into other work activities while we work at home.

2. **You’ve been described as friendly and funny. Tell us how you entertain your students and why it’s important to you that your students get excited about learning again. How do you inspire them and get them fueled up with the passion that brought them to this profession?**

One of the most effective ways to connect with students and establish rapport is through self-deprecating humor so that people understand I never take myself too seriously. Humor is highly effective in the classroom because it helps create an environment where people are more relaxed and they learn better when they’re having a good time.

I make a concerted effort to convey my passionate interest in this field to each and every student. The potential for massage to do wonderful things and change people’s lives is a tremendous gift that we all bring to our work. I have seen the power of massage time and again in helping to reduce painful and debilitating conditions that people were experiencing. It has always been my passion to share as much as I know with everyone so they can do the same things and help reduce the pain and suffering in the world.  

3. **What inspired you to get into this industry?**

In the mid-1980s I was in graduate school studying psychology. I had always been curious about alternative healthcare and was getting increasingly fascinated with the mind-body connection. I was getting somewhat burned out in my graduate program. I then decided I would take a break from graduate school and go to massage school to learn about the body. My plan had been to do massage as a side job to help pay my way through graduate school. However, after getting introduced to the massage therapy world I became utterly fascinated with the huge number of opportunities to study so many different facets of massage. Eventually, I became very drawn to the medical applications of massage. For the next 25 years I focused my attention on the use of massage for treating pain and injury problems. I still find it remarkable that we can walk into a treatment room and essentially change somebody’s life in such a dramatic way simply by what we do with our hands.  

4. **How do you replenish your energy after a hard day’s work?**

I find it most physically and emotionally rejuvenating to get away from my workspace, get outside, and reconnect with the simplicity and magnificence of nature. I find I need that break to help maintain balance in my life because I do put tremendous effort and time into work and maintaining a healthy balance can be a challenge.  

5. **Advice for the Massage Therapist: Other than continuing education, what is the single most important tool massage therapists need to equip themselves for success?**

One of the common challenges that causes people to leave the profession is burnout. Longevity in the field is far more likely if you can streamline your work and business practices, leaving far more time to focus on your clients, and taking care of yourself. MassageBook is a great example of a tool that can help you use your time most efficiently and save your energy for the most important parts of your practice: giving to your clients.

 

Visit Whitney Lowe’s website to learn more about his exceptional massage continuing education products and training programs for massage and soft-tissue manual therapists.

Academy of Clinical Massage