Massage therapy is an important part of Lifestyle Medicine. It assists in stress management, can help with building social connections, improves quality of life in palliative care, and may also have a role in helping patients avoid risky substances.
Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy’s research and work has one goal: to help people heal, be heard and feel their best. Her experience and work in massage therapy, since 1999, has helped shape her wide-ranging research contributions and work as associate professor and executive director of the USC Patient Engagement Studio.
Last week, Kennedy, received the President’s Award from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), one of the highest achievements from the organization.
“A trailblazer in the profession, Dr. Kennedy has helped advance the integration of massage therapy into mainstream healthcare with both passion and purpose,” said Cindy E. Farrar, AMTA National president. “As a researcher, educator, and therapist, she has championed the profession with integrity, innovation, and unwavering dedication.”
Dr. Kennedy’s contributions to AMTA and the Massage Therapy Foundation reflect a deep commitment to service, mentorship, and health equity. Through her work, she has inspired countless others and helped shape a future where massage therapy is recognized as an essential part of holistic care and a key aspect in patient wellness.
Farrar presented Kennedy with the award at AMTA’s annual conference held in August in Dallas, Texas. “I’m honored to receive the President’s Award from AMTA, an organization I’ve served for over 25 years through research, education, and leadership,” said Dr. Kennedy. “This award reflects the collective work of so many who have fought to ensure massage therapy can be seen and integrated into healthcare, lifestyle medicine, and the health of our communities."
Massage therapy as part of Lifestyle Medicine aligns with SOMG’s mission to Educate. Innovate. Serve. Where Lifestyle is Medicine. Managing stress is one of the six key pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, which aims to redefine what it means to heal and utilizes preventive medicine to treat, reverse, and prevent chronic disease through sustainable behavior change.
As executive director of the USC Patient Engagement Studio and associate professor at SOMG, Dr. Kennedy’s research focuses on a range of topics, including the science of patient engagement and public involvement in research, and patient wellness and support. Massage therapy is one cornerstone of Dr. Kennedy’s research, focusing on integrating massage therapy into health systems to enhance wellness, support patients during cancer treatment, and improve quality of life in palliative care.
Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH, has been a board certified and licensed massage therapist since 1999, blending clinical experience with academic research to advance the art, science, and practice of massage therapy. Dr. Kennedy was a massage therapist when she decided in 2012 to get her doctorate in public health. “That was the whole reason I went back to school — to get my doctorate because massage therapy research often didn’t include massage therapists as part of the research teams.”