Canadian RMT Fall 2017 CanRMT_Fall_17_FINAL | Page 22

Ryan McKeen:
Athlete, Philosopher
and Spa-Based
Massage Therapist
By Don Dillon, RMT
by don dillon, rmt
I
“
knew from the time I was in massage therapy college I
wanted to work in a spa” states Ryan McKeen. McKeen is
athletic, dons a genuine smile and his eyes portray his sin-
cere determination. In his blog post, My Massage Story, McKeen
takes direct aim at the stigma of spa massage.
As a sports participant and former Athlete of the Year, McKeen
suffered plenty of injuries. He has an appreciation for the “heal-
ers of the world” who work to reclaim the body’s suppleness and
mental acuity. “Massage therapy stands out…It’s the best way to
help physical and mental wellness. The best therapists integrate
both.” Prior to education in massage therapy, McKeen obtained
a Bachelors of Arts, with specialization in philosophy. “Mas-
sage therapy is a deductive practice…I love the problem-solving
aspect.” He weaves a philosophical framework into his massage
22 Canadian rmt
therapy sessions, allowing McKeen to emit calm
presence while providing care.
Reflecting on his education experience, “Teach-
ers belittled the idea of working in a spa.” By third
term, “it seemed massage was no longer about
making people feel good… (but about) calculated
change.” He relays, “Relaxation was an unaccep-
table treatment goal (with a focus on functional
outcomes) ….it bugged me.”
An experience in student clinic left McK-
een undaunted. A middle-aged man, intensely
involved in his father’s care, suffered from per-
sistent arm pain. The man used this same arm to
assist his father around their shared apartment.
“After trying to treat through his guarding, I took
a chance. “I think you’re holding your arm tight
because you’re still trying to hold your father.”
With that insight of his mental-emotional state,
the man eventually released his arm. By the fourth
treatment, the pain was gone.
In another case, McKeen treated an elderly
woman with terminal cancer and in the end stages
of her life. McKeen’s care provided her with
some relief, and she thanked him. “Here was a
woman in constant pain, with nothing left. She
summoned the strength to say, ‘thank you’. With no observable
improvement in range of motion (or other functional measures),
yet the massage therapy provided this woman (the comfort) she
needed. She died shortly after. “This (impact on the lives of oth-
ers) is what drives me to this day.”
McKeen is critical