Jodi Forsythe
Jodi Forsythe, creator of
www.whymassagetherapy.com, has been a massage therapist since
graduating in the year 2000 from a 2200-hour massage therapy program in
Nova Scotia, Canada. Always interested in alternative health, her
interest in massage therapy began when she sought relief from migraine
headaches and back pain, and she hasn't looked back since.
"Intuitively, I just didn't feel that being told to take medication to
control my pain was the right approach, and that there had to be
something else going on. No system in the body exists in a bubble, and
I wanted to get to the root of the problem, not just mask the symptoms.
I am not against pharmaceutical intervention, but there is a time and a
place for it."
So effective was the outcome of her massage therapy treatment, she left
a career in high tech to pursue a 2-year Massage Therapy Diploma
program in 1998. Upon graduation, she began her career working at a
physiotherapy clinic with primarily MVA (motor vehicle accident)
patients. "It became so obvious how a person's lifestyle and attitude
affect treatment outcomes. I can guarantee that if a person is fit,
strong and leads a relatively healthy lifestyle, he or she usually has
a "glass half-full" mentality. This is ideal in a rehabilitative
program, as the chances of recovery from an injury are far better for a
person who is mentally and physically strong. It's about having a
fighter mentality, as opposed to a victim mentality. You just have to
know what you need to fight for."
This knowledge and experience came in very handy at a personal level
when Jodi was in a serious car accident in 2003. Remembering that
"attitude is everything", she promised herself that when she recovered
she would fulfill her dream of hiking in the Scottish Highlands. So
began almost 2 years of physical therapy, coupled with chiropractic
care, massage therapy and exercise therapy to heal her whiplash and
back injury. Her first hiking trip to Scotland was in 2007, followed
by another in 2008.
To maintain her professional standing with the various massage therapy
associations to which she has belonged, Jodi has continued her
education in several modalities beyond her basic education, such as
Manual Lymph Drainage and Craniosacral Therapy. Most recently, she has
also honed her therapeutic and communication skills as lead instructor
at two prominent Canadian massage therapy colleges. Teaching subjects
such as orthopedic assessment, clinical treatments, massage techniques,
hydrotherapy, anatomy, remedial exercise and professional development
instilled a realization of the need for an accessible, online resource
for therapists and the public, as well as furthering her conviction
that massage therapy is a tool for living well ™.
In addition to classroom experience, she also held positions such as
Registrar, Assistant Director of Education and Program Manager. This
administrative experience provided her the opportunity to learn first
hand the day-to-day needs of both an educational institution and 100
massage therapy students.
"I believe so much in massage therapy and integrated health care, and I
really want to raise public awareness about its benefits. Massage
therapy is a viable treatment alternative provided by a community of
well-educated and passionate people who approach life in a very
holistic way." Visitors to Jodi's site will also find information not
only on massage therapy, but also on eco-friendly living, and
recommended books and products, all of which are to promote health
living.
For more information on the art, science and business of massage
therapy, please check out Jodi's website http://www.whymassagetherapy.com.