Hody Lye, RMT

For the past thirty years, I've served the communities of Langley, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley as a Registered Massage Therapist. In addition to helping thousands of British Columbians recover from illness, injury, surgery, and trauma, I've also treated multiple generations of families including family members who as children had accompanied their parent to my massage clinic many years ago and are now being accompanied to their massage appointment by their own children. With more than 25,000 massage therapy treatments performed over my three-decade long career, I've worked with clients of nearly every demographic.

To supplement my clinical experience, I completed thousands of hours of accredited training in additional manual therapy programs offered by Anatomy Trains, Applied Somatics, Barral Institute, and Upledger Institute International. These programs provided in-depth anatomy lessons, technical lectures, and hands-on practicums in the following areas: CranioSacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Neurovascular Release, Somatic Therapy, Structural Integration, and Visceral Manipulation. For additional anatomy training, I've also attended a dozen or more human anatomy dissection seminars hosted by the Barral Institute, independently studied anatomical diagrams and books, and constructed anatomical models and artistic representations. Peer study groups and dozens of teaching assistantships in manual therapy courses have provided additional opportunities to strengthen my technical and anatomical knowledge, learn practical tips from fellow healthcare professionals, and share my expertise with others. To keep my skills up-to-date, I continue to attend professional-level manual therapy seminars annually in addition to monthly mentor/peer study groups.

The importance of 30 years of clinical experience cannot be overstated. In partnering with thousands of clients and guiding them through their health journeys, I acquired experience treating a wide range of health conditions that could never be learned solely from books or from taking courses. Each treatment is an opportunity to gain firsthand experience with a set of health conditions that I may or may not have encountered before, to hone my observational and interpretative skills, and to use that feedback to make nuanced adjustments to best suit each client's needs. Since every client is affected differently by illness, injury, stress, and trauma, every clinical session exposes me to different presentations of health conditions and broadens my expertise.

Massage therapy, after all, is intended to be administered as an evidence-based form of hands-on therapy. As an integral part of a client's healthcare team, an RMT cannot rely on gut-feelings or intuition alone. Training and practice improve an RMT's 'listening' skills, making it possible to feel subtle shifts and fascial changes that I might not have caught fresh out of school. Continued education and practice help maintain these skills and the heightened sensitivity that comes with them.

After thirty years of practice and considerable additional training, I'm able to offer clients a blended and balanced treatment style based upon my CranioSacral Therapy, Neurovascular Release, Somatic Therapy, Structural Integration, and Visceral Manipulation training. Rather than rely solely on one modality, I have hundreds of manual therapy techniques at my disposal as well as the understanding to know which sequence or combination of them will bring about the desired result. I've worked tirelessly year after year to improve my 'listening' skills, reasoning abilities, and comprehension of human anatomy, body mechanics, and maladies so I can ask the 'right' questions, make objective observations and assessments, and pinpoint the root cause of symptoms rather than treat the symptoms themselves again and again.

My training has also taught me that client education builds a better therapeutic relationship. In my experience, knowledge helps clients recover more quickly from injuries and illness, age more comfortably and independently, function more efficiently, and achieve their healthcare goals. It also empowers them to play a more active role in their overall well-being and facilitates informed decision-making. Clients who are emotionally, mentally, and physically invested in their own well-being are also better able to catch issues "further up the river", thereby lessening the severity and intensity of an injury, illness, or trauma, which often results in a shorter recovery period. Their heightened awareness and increased mobility pay even greater dividends in the form of a healthier lifestyle.

My additional training and mentorships gave me the wisdom and confidence to strike out on my own after working as a subcontractor at other massage therapy clinics for years. In 2009, I opened my own clinic in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, where it remained until I sold my home in Osprey Village nearly a decade later. In 2020, I relocated my practice to Fort Langley, the birthplace of British Columbia.

Six years later, what still resonates the most for me about Fort Langley is its slower pace and natural setting. The transformative nature of my commute into and out of Fort Langley remains unchanged. It has always settled me, helped me focus on the present, and made me mindful of my surroundings. It's simply impossible to ignore the majestic mountain views, expansive farmland and crops, centuries-old forests and trees, wildlife of all shapes and sizes, frolicking foals and assorted farm animals, and windy two-lane country roads. Thoughts of the busy day ahead still fade away as I arrive in Fort Langley. The calmness that takes its place is the perfect beginning to my work day and helps me deliver the best therapeutic care to my clients.

No matter what direction clients travel from, they too will experience that beauty and its calming effect since all roads leading into Fort Langley are nature-filled. This mindfulness technique, which is known as orienting, activates the ventral vagus nerve [part of the parasympathetic nervous system] and induces a sense of tranquility, positivity, and safety. As a result, clients arrive ready to receive treatment. The scenic drive out of Fort Langley similarly gives clients time to integrate the treatment they received before returning to their busy lives.

My good fortune goes well beyond setting up my clinic in Fort Langley. I'm especially grateful to have a career that I love and work that challenges me. Outside of the clinic, I'm happiest when I'm geeking out with my friends and colleagues at massage therapy seminars or making anatomy art. Professional endeavors aside, my favourite pastimes are fishing, gardening, kayaking, enjoying nature, and spending time with my cats, family, and friends.

My other notable accomplishments include:

• Served as Chair of the Inquiry Committee for the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia from April 2002 to April 2004. As a member of the Inquiry Committee, I investigated complaints against Registered Massage Therapists in B.C. to protect the public interest.
• Served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia from April 2002 to April 2004. I held the title of Vice President.
• Served as the Member of the Board of Directors of Massage Therapy Association of British Columbia (MTABC) from May 2004 to January 2005. I held the title of Secretary. The MTABC later became the Registered Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia (RMTBC).
• Member of the Registered Massage Therapists Association of British Columbia from 1996 to present.
• Member of the Osprey Village Business Association from 2009 to 2017.
• Brought the Farmers Market to Pitt Meadows for the first time in 2010.
• Red Seal Chef
• Black Belt in Jujitsu
• Standard First-Aid and CPR-C certified
• Shaved my head to raise money to help families who were dealing with childhood cancer at the Athletes In Kind charity events in 2011 and 2012.