By Jim Kenney
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| Queensborough adjunct instructor Lynn Temenski, left, performing a shiatsu technique on Professor Alexandra Tarasko. |
“It is a much more intense educational experience than that. Massage therapists must also learn about the origin and nature of diseases, how to address specific health concerns, and much more,” says Claire. “Massage therapy, along with other integrative health practices, is gaining deserved and increasingly widespread acceptance.”
Leading the new wave of healing arts in higher education, Queensborough’s Associate and Applied Science degree program in massage therapy is the only one of its kind in the greater metropolitan area. The program is meeting the ever-increasing demand for licensed professional therapists who can perform in a variety of settings.
R.N. Alexandra Tarasko, Professor in the QCC Nursing Department, was instrumental in developing the program. After several new courses in holistic health were made possible through a grant from CUNY’s Committee for New Visions in Education, she, with the support of the College, became convinced that it was timely to develop a program in a complementary modality.
To design the program a committee was drawn from the Nursing, Biology, Health, Physical Education and Dance Departments. It was joined by two extramural experts who are now in the QCC faculty: Lisa Mertz, then director of a massage therapy program at Trocaire College, and Thomas Claire (for a story on his most recent book, on yoga, see page 9).
After two years of negotiating the approval process—“there certainly is misperception regarding the discipline,” Tarasko observes—the first series of courses were offered in January 2003. “In reality, massage therapy is one of the oldest known therapeutic treatments and is accepted as a licensed therapeutic modality,” she says, and Claire agrees: “Massage is an ancient healing practice, and, until the recent advances in medicine made with antibiotics and surgery in the latter part of the 20th century, massage played an important role in general medical care. The National Institutes of Health recognizes it as an important, non-invasive form of treatment.”
“What many people do not realize,” adds Claire, “is that the educational requirements set by New York State for massage therapists are extremely high—one thousand hours of training and success on a New York State licensing examination.” State requirements include demanding studies of such biological subjects as anatomy, physiology, myology (the study of muscles), kinesiology (the study of movement), neurophysiology and pathology. They must also study First Aid, CPR, and various issues related to sanitation, infection control, and ethics, and then must participate in hands-on courses in massage practice and work under supervision with volunteers from the local community.
“The A.A.S. in massage therapy offers students the opportunity to learn a valuable trade at a much lower cost than at private proprietary schools, making massage therapy training available to economically disadvantaged students,” Claire says.
Last spring, Queensborough inaugurated its Western Massage Laboratory and, with funding from a Perkins/Vocational and Technical Education Act (VTEA) grant, is establishing both an Eastern Massage (or shiatsu) laboratory and clinic, scheduled to be operational this spring. The clinic will provide on-site training for students and serve as an important community resource, focusing on disease prevention, health maintenance, and
cost-effective treatment of common health problems, with students offering preventive care services and rehabilitative treatments to residents of northeast Queens for a nominal fee.
“Western Massage is commonly referred to as Swedish massage,” Claire explains. “Shiatsu is a Japanese form of bodywork that literally means ‘finger pressure therapy.’ It is derived from the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and works with energy that flows through a system of pathways called meridians. The practitioner uses pressure from the fingers, palms, heels of the hand, and other parts of the body—elbows, knees, and feet—to modulate the flow of energy along these channels to bring balance and harmony. These channels of energy are the same that an acupuncturist treats with needles.”
The majority of massage therapy students are between the ages of 35 and 45, though they range from those just out of high school to those in or nearing retirement. Many are “career changers” who are leaving more traditional jobs for personal fulfillment, as Claire himself, for many years a corporate finance officer, did in the early 1990s. A number of students already have associate’s or bachelor’s degrees; some have doctorates and law degrees.
The students themselves offer a variety of reasons for being in the program, but agree that it has provided them with unique opportunities. Justine Pepicelli says, “I am a Fitness and Yoga instructor, and I was looking to expand my skill set. I was investigating Yoga Therapy, but saw an advertisement for Queensborough’s program. I love everything about it.” Jerold Towber notes that while he has no previous experience in the field, he has found it a most fulfilling experience:
“This work reflects where I’d like to be—enabling people to restore their health and well-being, rather than contributing to the chaos in the world!”
Queensborough President Eduardo Marti says, “I am very proud that Queensborough is home to the first publicly-supported program of this kind in the city. Our interest in holistic health care issues is mirrored by the creation of this degree program and these wonderful labs for the students to train in.”
As for the future, Thomas Claire has some ideas. “I would like to see new modules of study to train students in additional massage therapy techniques, new affiliations with other educational institutions, more outreach to the community, more tailoring of courses to meet the needs of specialized health care practitioners. The road ahead goes over the horizon.”
