Episode 137 follows Steve Landells’ unlikely path from dairy farming, fitting and turning, and the bearing industry into remedial massage.

Steve joins us from Total Massage Care in Margaret River to talk about the conversation that helped him take the first step, the mentors who shaped his work, and what he learned from being thrown into a busy remedial clinic while he was still studying.

We also discuss regional practice, starting a business again, online booking, learning beyond formal qualifications, and why Steve still considers himself a beginner after many years in the profession. His approach has gradually shifted from hard, mechanical work towards gentler techniques that are more sustainable for his own body while continuing to serve his clients well.

For new therapists, Steve’s advice is practical: look after yourself, keep studying, seek out mentors, volunteer, ask to shadow experienced practitioners, and never assume graduation means the learning is finished.

Visit Steve's website at ⁠https://totalmassagecare.com.au/

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licensed use through Audio Hero Inc

What do clients learn about us before they even get on the table?

In this episode, we speak with remedial massage therapist Nicola Hogan about the communication that sits beneath the hands-on work.

Nicola shares how her early years in hospitality shaped the way she thinks about client care, rapport, timing, attention to detail, and professionalism. We discuss the expectations clients form before they arrive, from websites and booking systems through to emails, policies, and the feel of the treatment space.

On the table, we explore how therapists listen beyond words: breath, guarding, toe curling, goosebumps, tummy gurgles, silence, conversation, and the small cues that help us respond with more care and less assumption.

We also unpack scope, boundaries, over giving, mentoring, burnout, sustainable practice, and why being present with clients does not mean becoming their counsellor.

Visit Nicola’s website at https://nicolahoganmassage.com/ and read her Substack, Beneath the Touch, at https://beneaththetouch.substack.com/.

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licensed use through Audio Hero Inc

In this episode, we speak with Andrea Pluck from Massage CPE about curiosity, clinical reasoning, lymphatics, continuing education, and the role massage therapists can play in building a stronger evidence base for the profession.

Andrea shares how a serious car accident eventually led her into massage, and how her work grew into oncology massage, manual lymphatic drainage, decongestive lymphatic therapy, education, writing, and case study publication. We discuss why asking “why” matters, especially when we are learning, treating complex presentations, or trying to understand what is happening beneath our hands.

We also unpack the practical value of case studies, not as something reserved for academics, but as a disciplined way for therapists to document what they are already seeing in practice. Along the way, we talk about niching, collaboration, burnout, self-care, and the importance of finding your rhythm before rushing into every possible course.

For massage therapists and bodyworkers, this is a grounded conversation about learning properly, sharing your work, and staying curious without pretending to know everything.

To connect with Andrea and to learn more about her books and Massage CPE visit:

https://www.remedialtherapiessa.com.au/

https://www.massagecpe.com.au/

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Theme Music: Simon Pettersson "All Alone" (2020), Licensed use through Audio Hero Inc