When Kevin Peterson (AS2) left high

school, he dreamed of a major in broadcast

and a future in radio.

Now, he’s the new massage therapist at

the Bell Center and a student of alternative

medicine – a far cry from his original

plans.

“Massage really gave me a comprehensive

outlet for knowledge of philosophy,

medicine and the body I had gained to

communicate with people on how to live

up to their potential,” Peterson said.

Peterson earned a major in

communications from Morningside College

in Sioux City, Iowa, and later attended Iowa

Lakes Community College for a degree in

massage therapy. He worked as a massage

therapist in Milford before deciding this

summer to return to school.

“I wanted to further my education and

further my knowledge of more intricate

body workings, (and gain) more knowledge

on the cellular and molecular level,”

Peterson said.

A sophomore transfer student, Peterson

is currently majoring in biochemistry and

cellular and molecular biology at Drake.

Peterson also plans to continue his schooling,

attending Des Moines University and to

graduate with a degree in osteopathy.

During the application and transfer

process to Drake this past summer, he

discovered that the Bell Center was looking

for a masseur. Jana Peterson, Assistant

Director of the Wellness Center said that a

masseur has always been on staff. Peterson

applied and was given the job.

There is no denying that Kevin Peterson

is committed to his craft. He said his goal

with every client he sees is to alleviate any

discomfort that the person may be feeling.

More importantly, he aims to increase

the clients’ understanding about their pain

and how it affects them. He cited a book that

helps him understand this connectedness

of the body: “Anatomy Trains: Myofascial

Meridians for Manual and Movement

Therapists.”

The volume details a practice based on

the concept that muscle and connective tissue

make the body a single and codependent

system, whereas much of modern medicine

addresses issues as though the body “is

assembled from pieces,” according the Web

site anatomytrains.com.

When taking on a new client, Kevin

Peterson first conducts an intake assessment

with his client.

“I like to sit down with people and really

get to know the people that I work with,”

Peterson said.

The intake process can take anywhere

from five minutes to half an hour, depending

on the specific issues or relevant medical

history of the new client.

The massage portion of the session

is tailored specifically for that client. His

massage technique varies, he explains,

“to each person’s personal need, whether

it be stress-related or related to a physical

injury.”

During this time, he also advises clients

on what they can do to better their wellbeing.

“I try to give as much advice as I can on

how to balance your imbalances,” Kevin

Peterson said.

In other words, a physical problem in

one part of the body can negatively affect

another part of the body (for example, back

problems can be caused by neck problems).

Because of this, Peterson addresses not only

the physical pain, but also treats what may

be the origin of the pain.

Kevin Peterson said that he sees an

overwhelming amount of stress-related

injuries and issues in students. He said

that a common problem for students is the

tendency to hunch the shoulders. or what

He calls this a “turtling action,” because of

the resemblance of a turtle retreating into

its shell. This can be due to stress, heavy

backpacks or working on a computer for

long periods of time. It not only creates

obvious problems with posture and back

pain but also restricts blood flow.

His advice to students?

“Take a breath and your shoulders come

down. Open up your shoulders and neck.

It allows for better blood flow which really

allows for more energy,” Kevin Peterson

said.

Kevin Peterson’s services are available

to all Bell Center members on Monday

through Saturday. His pricing varies for

the amount of time of the session. He also

works events and gives discount pricing

for Drake affiliates. People interested in

a massage can contact Kevin Peterson

at (515) 309-9873 or at kevin.peterson@

drake.edu.