Entries by Robert Gardner

Online Massage Education

I got an email from a subscriber who was going to unsubscribe. She wasn’t using the prerecorded video in our vault and we were currently doing a multicamera livestream, a new offering in my teaching. I’m working with her to give her the value she needs to stay and continue learning but many Lmt have […]

Letter to Thay

My sincerest hope is that someone will read this to Thich Nhat Hanh. I hope that my teacher will have a chance to know how he changed my life. This was originally written just after Thay’s stroke. Years ago as part of my own search for health I started practicing yoga. Along with my Thai […]

Questions from Students #1

I see you keep saying that if we have any questions to contact you so here I am. I don’t know how anyone can be bored. My time off has been filled with educating myself, but that’s just me. I don’t know if I have questions exactly. I guess I just want to know what […]

Massage School Promises

Massage school and how things run in the massage industry are interesting. You have to have a license and to get that license you have to go to an official accredited school, if in the U.S., mostly regulated state to state. Going across state lines or online are nearly non-existent and if you try to […]

Contraindication or Caution?

I get emails from time to time or messages from students who are wondering what they can deal with or warnings about various conditions. Here’s an example from last night: Hey Robert,  I have a new client that wants a Thai massage today (just noticed it’s midnight). She completed her intake form yesterday and stated […]

Massage Waiting List

I had a conversation with a colleague and student and while discussing our businesses and doing massage sessions he asked how many clients I see a week. I casually mentioned, “around 4” and he was in complete shock. “That’s it? Just 4?” I said in reply, “well consider that now I have other streams of […]

Innovation and Early Adopters

People think that they love change. They don’t. They fight resist and block it with every attempt including legislation because frankly impermanence is scary and it’s easier if things would just stop changing so fast. Years ago I adopted a different stance. That stance was that since all things are impermanent why not just float […]

Why Businesses Fail

I spend lots of time doing what increasingly looks like consulting. My presumption is that you become a consultant just by doing things becoming successful and then realizing that an increasing amount of your time is spent assisting others in the pitfalls of their doing the same. Spending time talking to colleagues and clients I […]

I Want To Take Your Class Then Teach Thai Massage

Messages come through my inbox regularly and we’ve worked hard in the last ten years providing Thai massage and education in the Austin area as well as many states in the U.S. As the practice grows what I increasingly hear is, “can I take your class then train others?” I have students sign contracts specifically […]

Do I Need A License To Do Thai Massage?

I get this email once a week and need a standardized template response. This blog post is likely to be edited and revised over time. You want to do Thai massage without a license? Here’s the problem. Each state in the U.S. has different laws and we’re increasingly teaching internationally. I can legally teach anyone […]

How Do I Get Started Studying Thai Massage?

Thai massage has a lot of background and complexity. Many will recommend going to Thailand and Chang Mai to study and I think that’s a great option for those who can afford it. As a long term 16 year practitioner massage therapist and yoga teacher I’ve my own thoughts on education and what I see […]