21 October, 2016
A combination of factors drew me to remedial massage. I have always been a ‘people-person’ and keen to work in a helping profession. I am also interested in the human body from both structural and functional perspectives.
More so than observing the perfect body functioning in an optimal environment, I am fascinated by its ability to adapt, compensate and change in response to both internal and external stressors.
This makes each treatment unique; no two patients, injuries or circumstances are the same. As such, a large part of what I do is determining and then re-evaluating what pressure, technique, modality, stretch or exercise will be most effective for each part of each patient’s problem. You never feel like you are simply ‘going through the motions’.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
There is nothing more rewarding than helping a patient overcome a long-term problem that has been having a negative impact on their lives.
This can be many things such as:
Regular headaches and / or migraines · Lower back pain
Unresolved injuries
Restricted movement and inability to perform tasks
Inability to exercise / compete due to dysfunction
Chronic pain
Resolving these problems is very rewarding, particularly when you see the confidence and sense of empowerment it brings to their day to day life.
What is your treatment style and how are you different?
I think that every practitioner is unique and it’s important to find a therapist who works for you. With over 10 years’ experience and a number of additional qualifications, I aim to select the most appropriate modality / technique for each situation.
Patients who see me may require any combination of:
Deep tissue massage
Trigger point therapy
Dry needling
Sports massage
Myofascial release
Stretching
Cupping
Electrical stimulation
Lymphatic drainage
Postural correction
Exercise prescription
Gua sha
Corrective taping
My treatments are very much outcome-orientated and I see it as my job to determine the best focus and combination of treatment modalities required to give each person the best treatment outcome.
I almost always prescribe each patient with targeted stretches or exercises so that they can continue their improvement both in-between and at the conclusion of our treatments.
What are your own health goals and obstacles to achieving them?
While not aspiring toward any particular event my main challenge is to establish a regular exercise regime split between running, gym work and recreational exercise. It is so easy to get sucked into the time-vortex of work and personal responsibilities but whenever I fit in a morning run or midday gym session I feel much more productive and mentally focussed. Even though I am aware of this I find that prioritising exercise over other time-sensitive commitments is often a challenge.
How can massage help in people’s lives?
People experiencing pain and / or musculoskeletal dysfunction are likely to have trouble going about their daily life and pursuing their goals, passions and interests. Addressing and correcting these issues can be profoundly empowering and allow people to live their lives to the fullest.
Why help to create Body & Brain Centre?
While practitioners of manual medicine have increasing access to a shared body of knowledge, I believe that each modality has a tendency to focus on certain aspects of the body. I think that Remedial Massage traditionally emphasises the importance of muscles and connective tissue; Chiropractic the joints, spine and nervous system; Chinese Medicine the energy (‘Qi’) flow through the body while Pilates emphasises the importance of functional movement.
Body & Brain Centre is a multidisciplinary clinic offering all of these modalities in the hope that each patient receives the most appropriate treatment for them and their current complaint. This should lead to improved treatment outcomes and in some cases, best results may be achieved by a combination of treatment modalities.
On a more personal level, I much prefer working in a clinic with a variety of people, skills, perspectives and areas of interest. This keeps things fresh and you can’t help but to always be learning.
What activities do you enjoy?
I like to spend time in the company of my wife, family, friends and dogs. The dogs (one a Shar-Pei and one a German Shepherd x Mastiff x ‘unknown’) keep me active and get me outside for at least an hour each day. I’m always listening to podcasts or music while going about daily activities (anything from classical music to progressive metal) and really enjoy breaking out the guitar for a good thrash every now and then.
I’m also an avid homebrewer and enjoy researching and developing recipes, brewing up a storm with fresh ingredients (including hops grown in our own front yard) and then sharing the result with family and friends. I love pairing good beer with good food however my wife is much better at creating good food than I am...
Appointments available in Moonee Ponds or online.
About the Author
Glenn Halls - Remedial Massage Therapist
Glenn has over 15 years experience as a Remedial Massage Therapist. He loves to challenge himself by learning new techniques to incorporate into sessions such as cupping and dry needling. He's currently studying his Bachelors of Myotherapy. In his spare time Glenn loves to brew beers and fermented foods as well as run with his dog, Hari.
