Moving beyond modalities to build resilience.

Are you tired of the “fixer” trap? Most massage therapists are taught that their value lies solely in their hands—that if they just learn one more modality or take one more certification, they’ll finally have the “magic bullet” for their patients’ pain. But this cycle often leads to two things: patients who remain passive and therapists who end up burnt out.

Welcome to The New Generation Massage Therapist Podcast.

Hosted by Jamie Johnston—massage therapist, firefighter, and educator—this show is dedicated to shifting the industry standard from passive “tissue manipulation” to evidence-informed, biopsychosocial care. We challenge industry norms and dive deep into the topics that many in our profession have long avoided: pain science, mental health, and the therapeutic power of movement.

Each week, we explore how to:

  • Shift your identity from a “fixer” to a facilitator of change.
  • Master human skills like mindful communication and crisis intervention to build a stronger therapeutic alliance.
  • Incorporate movement (without needing a gym) to prove to your patients that they aren’t “broken.”
  • Retrain the nervous system to help patients with persistent pain find lasting results.

Whether you are a seasoned RMT/LMT or a student just starting out, this podcast provides the practical, research-backed tools you need to build a more effective practice and a more fulfilling, sustainable career.

It’s time to stop chasing certifications and start building resilience.

12 People: One Family's Story and Why Massage Therapists Need to Start Talking About Suicide

Send us Fan MailWe’ve been told a lot of things by our regulatory bodies about what we should and shouldn’t do in our treatment rooms. But there’s one area where I think we’ve been steered in the wrong direction — and that’s mental health conversations.Of all the musculoskeletal professions out there, our patients open up to us the most. They’re on our tables for an hour, relaxed, vulnerable, and trusting. And yet we’ve been consistently told to shut those conversations down and hand them a referral card.This episode is about why that needs to change.⚠️ *Content warning: this episode discusses […]

Building A Sustainable Practice with – Mike Reoch

Send us Fan MailWe didn’t learn this in school — but we probably should have.In this episode, Jamie sits down with friend and fellow RMT Mike Reoch to talk about something most massage therapists are never taught: how to actually build a sustainable practice.Mike has been a massage therapist for 18 years, worked in seven clinics across five cities, and now runs a thriving clinic in Kamloops with his wife — and he has a lot to say about what actually makes a practice work long-term.In this episode we cover:Why BC isn’t actually saturated with RMTs — and what the […]

The Cost Of Caring

Send us Fan MailWe’ve spent three episodes talking about your patients’ nervous systems. This one is about yours.If you’re showing up for complex, trauma-affected patients with skill and sensitivity — you’re absorbing something in the process. That’s not a weakness. That’s the cost of caring. And it puts you directly at risk for compassion fatigue.In this final episode of our four-part series on trauma and the nervous system, we turn the lens around and talk about what this work actually costs us as therapists — and more importantly, what we can do about it.In this episode we cover:The two distinct […]

Episode #29 Dealing With Burnout

I think we’ve all seen changes in the past couple of years with the pandemic and other things going on. For the both of us, we experienced a significant amount of burnout, so we thought we’d share our stories as we’re sure we aren’t alone in the experience. And as always, check out our websites.www.themtdc.comwww.ericpurves.com and our emails: jamie@themtdc.comhello@ericpurves.com

Episode #28 With Great Educational Power, Comes Great Educational Responsibility

Education, education, education. We constantly promote a better education for Massage Therapists and as those who teach continuing education courses we have a lot of responsibility to keep current with new evidence and research. And so do our associations. Our associations wield some great power in what can and is offered to their perspective memberships for continuing education. But are they all handling their responsibility well? If not, their members should demand better.  REGISTER HEREAnd as always, check out our websites.www.themtdc.comwww.ericpurves.com and our emails: jamie@themtdc.comhello@ericpurves.com