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For the practitioner who’s never stopped being curious. Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe bring together leading researchers, master clinicians, and big questions from across bodywork, massage, and manual therapy — exploring not just what we do with our hands, but why it works and how to do it better. Smart, grounded, and genuinely useful conversations for the somatic arts and sciences.
For professional practitioners in bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedics, sports massage, physical therapy, and osteopathy — as well as yoga, strength and conditioning, and allied professions.
This podcast is not medical or treatment advice.
Episodes

Jun 11, 2020
Jun 11, 2020
1hr 7 min
Benny Vaughn, an iconic figure in massage therapy, talks with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau about his experiences as a African American massage therapist, and offers both practical advice and deep inspiration on how manual therapists can address racism and bias in their own lives.
In the Thinking Practitioner series, join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences, with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Contact Benny Vaughn at benny.vaughn@bennyvaughntherapy.com
- More about Benny Vaughn: “Celebrating 40 Years of Benny Vaughn’s Contributions” in Massage and Bodywork magazine.
- Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
- Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com
Sponsor Offers:
- Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
- ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
- Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.
About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Jun 3, 2020
Jun 3, 2020
1hr 5 min
Fascia evokes widely divergent responses from manual therapists, with viewpoints ranging from “incredible” to “irrelevant.” Til Luchau talks with fascial researcher Robert Schleip PhD about his current perspectives on tissue change and the nervous system in manual therapy; fascial debates; and much more.
In this episode,
- Questioning the tissue-based narratives in manual therapy,
- Putting to rest the question “How is your work misunderstood?”
- Inflammation, insula, networking, and much more.
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. With Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Robert Schleip, “Talking to Fascia—Changing the Brain: Explorations of the Neuro-Myofascial Net,” Rolf Lines 19, no. 2 (2005):18–21.
- More about Robert Schleip and his work is at www.somatics.de/en and www.fasciaresearch.de.
- Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
- Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com
Sponsor Offers:
- Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
- ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
- Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.
About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

May 20, 2020
May 20, 2020
43 min
A lot of hands-on therapists are wondering about “staying with it.” Til and Whitney explore the reasons massage and manual therapy practitioners might (and might not) be thinking about quitting.
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. With Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!
Resources discussed in this episode:
- “Acts of kindness prevent a downward spiral from solitude to loneliness.” (Economist, Apr 18th 2020)
- Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
- Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com
Sponsor Offers:
- Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
- ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
- Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.
About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

May 6, 2020
May 6, 2020
47 min
Inflammation is implicated in nearly all musculoskeletal complaints, including chronic pain. Til and Whitney explain this, and talk about the implications for massage and manual therapy.
In this episode,
- Are most client complaints related to inflammation?
- What most practitioners don’t understand about inflammation,
- Key points practitioners should keep in mind,
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. With Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Til Luchau’s “Inflammation” 1hr online course (preview free)
- Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
- Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com
Sponsor Offers:
- Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
- ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
- Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.
About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Apr 22, 2020
Apr 22, 2020
42 min
Coronavirus symptoms range from mild to fatal. Though still mysterious, in many patients it seems to be the patient’s own inflammatory reactions that tip the scale. Til and Whitney explain this, and talk about the implications for massage and manual therapy.
In this episode,
- What is the deal about COVID-19 and cytokine storms?
- What is a cytokine, and why do I care?
- As massage therapists and bodyworkers, where does this leave us?
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. With Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.
Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Til Luchau’s “Understanding COVID-19’s Cytokine Storm” article in the May/June 2020 issue of Massage & Bodywork (p80)
- Apoorva Mandavilli’s “The Coronavirus Patients Betrayed by Their Own Immune Systems,” article in the New York Times
- Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
- Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com
Sponsor Offers:
- Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
- ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
- Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.
About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)
