School Friends

I know I have been gushing about my friends and school in previous posts and this post is going to bring the two together.  I have made several good friends in my class at UCMT.  One person in particular that I just adore is Matt Peterson...I just love this kid.  Yes he is a kid, 24 years old, and supremo talented.  He gets the modalities (the different types of massage for you lay people out there) and he has an incredible energy about him.  You can't get enough of that energy and I try to soak it up every time I get a chance.  Let's not forget the incredible hugs that this fella can give.  For those of you that are married I really hope that your spouse provides this kind of hug for you.  It is warm and envelopes you and protects you from the problems that are just outside that embrace.  I love 'em, what can I say.  I am such a hugger that I have spent time analyzing his hugs...for those that know me that is not a shock that I would analyze anything...ha ha  Ok enough about the hugs.

This is Matt playing at a classmates house when we had a BBQ several weeks ago.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having Matt or Matty, as I call him, come over to my apartment before class to play his guitar.  I have heard him play on several occasions but this was one on one, me listening and giving feedback basically my own little "concert" with a lesson thrown in for good measure.  It is hard to describe the relationships that have formed with the people I go to school with 14 hours a week.  The emotions and feelings run deeper than those that I have for people that I have known for years.  I hope everyday that once school is over (this week is officially half way) I will keep in touch with all of these people I go to school with but especially Matty.  I have so much to learn from him and I hope he feels like he has something he can gain from me too.  

I'm still loving it and when I have a hang up about something the instructors take the time to explain what is really going on and the hang up is gone before I remember why I was concerned.  Well it's off to class for me.  Oh and just as a reminder...if you want a massage let me know.  Practice makes perfect and I just love doing the work.

Until next time...

Third quarter-only 26 weeks left

Well I am now in my third quarter at UCMT and nearly half way through the program (now week 23 of 50) and I can't believe how quickly it is going.  This quarter we are studying Cranial Sacral Therapy, Sports Massage, Pathology, Anatomy (this is the last quarter) and Movement and I start clinicals on Saturdays at the end of September.  I am loving all of my classes.  If I had to pick a favorite this quarter it would be Cranial.  It is absolutely amazing the work that can be done with that modality.  I will spare you the details of some of the SER's (Somatic Emotional Response) because they have been pretty intense and a private experience for my classmates.  However, I will tell you about the SER that I had in the second class.  We were performing diaphragm releases and I started to laugh uncontrollably.  It was the strangest feeling in the world but so exhilarating at the same time.  I would look at the girl that was my therapist and told her a just couldn't quit but it felt so good!!  The keys to this kind of release is trusting the person that is working on you and trusting the environment that you are in.  Our instructor has told us time after time that she has never had this kind of response in class.

I just love the people I go to school with.  There is a support and camaraderie amongst us that I know I appreciate as do my classmates.  We encourage each other when it's needed whether it be a study session with someone that is struggling in class or a phone call to check on them when they miss a class or just simply making sure someone has notes from a class they miss.  I have great support from my family and friends outside of school but it is very nice to have the support of people that know what I'm talking about when I need to get a different perspective on things.