about marybetts sinclair

Marybetts Sinclair has been a massage therapist for 32 years, and an Emergency Medical Technician during 8 of those years as well. She received her Oregon massage license in 1975. She has practiced massage in many different environments, including  health spa, private counseling office, children’s summer camp, home office, and chiropractic clinic. In addition, her work with hospice has taken her to nursing homes, adult foster homes, Alzheimer’s care units and the private homes of hospice patients. She has been uniquely privileged in being able to give massages to some of her local  clients for almost three decades. All of Marybetts’ massage-related work, whether giving massages, doing research for her books, writing about massage or teaching it, is informed first and foremost by her experience as a working massage therapist. For example, it was not until she had been practicing massage for at least a decade that she began to understand how many of her clients had musculoskeletal issues that had begun in childhood, and therefore, how valuable pediatric massage could be.

Marybetts taught her first Swedish massage class in 1975, first infant massage class in 1983 and first pediatric massage class in 1991.  She has taught massage at community colleges, hospitals, and a wide variety of community organizations such as the Oregon Medical Foster Parent Association, WIC, and the Parent Enhancement Program for teen parents. She has also been fortunate to teach pediatric massage at many special programs for children with disabilities, including programs at local schools and therapy centers, institutes for neurodevelopmental therapy, and at special clinics in both Mexico and Ecuador. She currently teaches infant massage at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in her hometown, and pediatric massage, hydrotherapy, and self-care for the upper extremities at the Oregon School of Massage, Salem and Portland campuses.

Marybetts is particularly interested in the use of simple, effective and  non-toxic healing methods – including  massage and hydrotherapy – to not only promote health and wellness but to cope with specific problems. She is interested in scientific research that bears on this topic, and believes that hardheaded science can complement heartfelt compassion and intuition. Her books blend thousands of hours of meticulous research with the wisdom of a long-term massage practitioner.
Marybetts lives in the lovely small town of Corvallis, Oregon, where she practices massage with clients of all ages, from infants to elders in their nineties.  She has two adult children, Rachel and Daniel. Other than massage, her interests include reading (especially medical non-fiction), gardening, quilting, and being out in nature with her friends and family.

Daniel and Rachel: Then ... and now!