therapist, educator, author, and appreciative massage and

bodywork client. She has a deep respect for massage therapy

as an art, science, and wellness practice. She has studied

its traditions and watches for trends in the massage

therapy profession today.

Building on her earlier background in sports and fitness,

Dr. Benjamin graduated from the Chicago School of

Massage Therapy in the mid-1980s. She was drawn to massage

as an active, hands-on therapy whose foundations

dovetail with her former career in health, physical education,

and recreation.After having a full-time massage therapy

practice, she gravitated back to education, first as an

association education director, and then as a teacher and

massage school administrator. Over the years, she has

served on various committees involved in the development

of ethical standards and national certification for massage

therapists, and the accreditation of massage programs.

Dr. Benjamin has taught at the high school and college

levels, and enjoys developing curriculum materials for the

career-oriented courses offered in vocational programs.

She holds master’s and advanced study degrees in education

with a specialty in curriculum development from

Northern Illinois University. A doctorate in recreation

and leisure studies from Purdue University has deepened

her appreciation of the many facets of wellness and

grounded her in a variety of research methods.

Frances M.Tappan approached Patricia Benjamin to

join her as coauthor of Healing Massage Techniques for its

3rd edition (1998). Since Dr.Tappan’s passing in 1999,

Dr. Benjamin has continued to update and improve

Tappan’s Handbook of Healing Massage Techniques, and it

remains a standard in the field today. Dr. Benjamin

authored Professional Foundations for Massage Therapists

(2009) as a resource for students to learn about the profession,

its history, varied competencies, ethics, and business

practices.

In her leisure time, Dr. Benjamin enjoys reading historical

fiction and nonfiction, gardening, tai chi and qi

gong, Zen archery, and swimming. Her outdoor pursuits

include hiking, canoeing, and a new interest in birding.

She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

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