Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Ruth Werner.

Ruth Werner is an award-winning educator, writer, and former massage therapist who loves to share her passion about the role of bodywork for people who live with health challenges. Her textbook, A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology is now in its 7 th edition and used all over the world. She is a columnist for Massage and Bodywork magazine, and she teaches continuing education workshops on pathology, research, and ethics both virtually and in person world-wide. Her popular podcast, “I Have a Client Who… Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner”, is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Dr. Donelda Leverick.

Dr. Donelda (Gowan), Leverick holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Psychology, a Master of Science degree in Community Health & Epidemiology, and a Doctorate in Population Health Science from the University of Saskatchewan. She also has a diploma from the Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy in Sutton, Ontario. Donelda is currently a Director in the Centre for Integrative Medicine in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, in the College of Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan, where she holds an Adjunct Professor appointment. She is the Past-Research Chair on the Board of Directors of the Massage Therapist Association of Saskatchewan and the Past-Chair of the Canadian Interdisciplinary Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Network (INCAM). Donelda’s career in the massage therapy field spanned three decades. She thoroughly enjoyed the clinical work as a massage therapist and ended the hands on portion of her career in recent years to pursue greater involvement in knowledge translation and exchange. She recalls joyful experience as a massage therapy educator in both pre-service and continuing education for massage therapists, and as a volunteer in leadership roles on various committees and boards provincially, nationally, and internationally. She is now a health services researcher and knowledge broker. Her main research interests include integrative healthcare and interprofessional collaboration and always, massage therapy.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Amanda Baskwill.

Dr. Amanda Baskwill is a massage therapist, educator, and academic leader whose career has been deeply rooted in advancing the profession of massage therapy in Canada and beyond. With over two decades of experience, she has worn many hats: clinician, educator, researcher, author and advocate. Her contributions include curriculum leadership in massage therapy education, government advocacy for professional regulation, and research that bridges clinical practice and evidence-informed care. Amanda’s work has consistently focused on elevating the profession’s visibility, credibility, and integration within broader health systems. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President Academic and Chief Learning Officer at Loyalist College, Amanda continues to support the growth of health and wellness professions through strategic leadership and innovation. She is also the Executive Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (IJTMB), where she champions scholarly work that reflects the complexity and potential of massage therapy. A passionate storyteller and mentor, Amanda brings a reflective lens to her own professional journey and the evolving history of massage therapy, making her an insightful voice in conversations about where the profession has been and where it’s headed.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Nicole Miller.

After an exciting career in higher education administration, Nicole acquired a certificate in massage therapy, inspired by her personal experiences as a client of massage therapy. During those experiences, Nicole developed an appreciation for the potential of massage therapy’s impact on the biopsychosocial model of care. For the past 20 years, fueled by her veneration of massage therapy, she has blended her experiences in education and massage therapy practice while applying skills to educate and care for others. As a clinical massage therapist, Nicole has supported thousands of patients through the power of massage therapy and community outreach initiatives. Now, she enjoys sharing those experiences to help massage therapists through the power of education.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a Production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we'll dive into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis for a conversation with Timothy Peckinpaugh.

Timothy Peckinpaugh is a Certified Massage Therapist and the current Government Relations Chair for the AMTA California Chapter. Based in Palm Springs, his practice specializes in chronic pain management. In his role as GR Chair, Timothy focuses on engaging members, building coalitions with allied health professionals, and strengthening advocacy for the massage therapy profession. His primary initiative is advancing legislation to transition California from a voluntary certification system to a mandatory statewide license—bringing massage therapy in line with other healthcare professions and ensuring therapists receive the recognition and respect they deserve.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Fiona Rattray.

Fiona Rattray is a registered massage therapist with over four decades of hands-on clinical experience and more than 20 years of dedicated service in adult education. She's perhaps best known as the co-author of Clinical Massage Therapy, Understanding, Assessing, and Treating over 70 conditions-- a foundational textbook still widely used across North America, and recognized as a core resource for licensing exams. Fiona has taught and mentored thousands of massage therapists through her years as faculty at the Sutherland Chan School and Teaching Clinic in Toronto, where she also served as chief examiner for Practical Skills and lead Curriculum Development. As the founder and president of TALIS Incorporated, she's spent the last 25 years researching, developing, and publishing high-quality educational materials for massage professionals. Her workshops, from injury prevention to clinical evaluation prep, have taken her across Canada, the United States, and Australia. All while maintaining her own clinical practice in Elora, Ontario. She's a lifetime member of the Registry of Massage Therapists Association of Ontario, and in 2013, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from One Concept for her outstanding contributions to the profession.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore its evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Doug Nelson.

Douglas Nelson is Board Certified in Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Bodywork, beginning his career in massage therapy in 1977. He is the President of BodyWork Associates, a massage therapy clinic in Champaign, IL. The clinic has twenty-two therapists and was founded in 1982. He is the founder of Precision Neuromuscular Therapy™, and the teaching institute has trained thousands of therapists since 1997. Doug is the past president of the Massage Therapy Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to advancing the knowledge and practice of massage therapy by supporting scientific research, education, and community service. Having published many articles in numerous journals and magazines, he is also the author of three books- Table Lessons: Insights in the practice of Massage Therapy (two volumes) and The Mystery of Pain. Doug is the recipient of the 2013 Educator of the Year and 2015 Pioneer Award by the Illinois Chapter of the AMTA and was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2018. He also received the 2020 President’s Award from the AMTA National President Angela Barker. Most recently, Doug was awarded the 2024 Meritorious Service Award from the Massage Therapy Foundation. Apart from his career, Doug is passionate about service to the community, both locally and globally. He was president of Champaign Rotary from 2024-2025, leading many impactful local and global service initiatives. For his years of leadership with several initiatives, he was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

Greetings and welcome to the Hands Of History Podcast, a production of the Society Of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past, explore it's evolution, and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis, for a conversation with Pam Fitch.

For close to 40 years, Canadian massage therapy educator, writer, researcher and long-time practitioner, Pamela Fitch, has explored professional, ethical and communicative challenges faced by manual therapists. She remains particularly interested in how massage therapy affects clients who have experienced trauma, post-traumatic stress and complex pain conditions. A committed educator, she has been recognized with several awards for teaching. Her workshops explore ethical challenges, the massage therapeutic relationship, massage therapy and trauma, and the treatment of scars and she has presented widely across Canada, the US and beyond. Pam brings humour, openness and comfort "in the moment" to her presentations, able to pivot between lecture, small and large group discussions while thoughtfully responding to participant questions. Pam's dedication to transparent communication, integrity and respect ensure that even large groups feel cohesive and connected.