Aches and pains in very good hands

A Mount Duneed massage therapy student has completed a triumphant triumvirate for Gordon Institute of TAFE’s natural therapies course.
Claire McCulloch’s efforts won a prestigious National Case Study Award from Australian Association of Massage Therapists (AAMT).
Claire’s win was the third year running that a Gordon student had won the award.
Claire said she always had a passion for natural therapies so it was no surprise to her friends and family when she enrolled to study massage therapy at the Gordon.
“I put a lot of work into creating my case study submission and it was amazingly uplifting to see how my teachers and the AAMT responded to my work,” Claire said.
“I love being able to help people feel more comfortable within their bodies, whether that is from freeing up their muscles and relieving pain or just giving them space to relax and take time for themselves.”
Claire completed Certificate IV in Massage Therapy and a Diploma of Remedial Massage at the Gordon in 2014 and 2015.
She developed a major case study in 2015 as part of her diploma studies.
“The case study has very stringent entry rules. You have to treat a client over six remedial massage treatments and assess the client for changes and improvements,” Claire said.
“You then have to formulate this into an article with research on the client’s presenting condition.
“My teachers, including Judith Moore, were very supportive throughout the whole process. I lost track of the number of times I emailed them checking to see if I’d edited it enough to submit.”
Claire said she chose the topic because she knew someone suffering postural problems and pain because of joint hypermobility.
“I based my study around her and working together we were able to make some very positive changes,” Claire said.
As part of her prize, Claire was flown to the AAMT national conference in Hobart last weekend and invited to speak at the conference gala dinner.
Her case study will be published in the AAMT journal, making Claire a published author and authority in remedial massage.
Claire said she enjoyed learning so much that she relocated to northern NSW to study a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at Southern Cross University.