Nervously walking into a room where the next adventure would take place, questioning if it was the right choice to make. Taking a moment to let it sink in, I take a long deep breath in taking notice of everything around me. Lavender and mint, neutral colors of whites and greens, and mostly silence except for the occasional creaking of the floor. Where tables were strategically placed for an open learning experience, along with a comfortable couch where I would spend some time for the first few days. Breathing out, this is where I would spend the next two weeks learning an intensive course about massage therapy.
Before going into the hands on part of massage therapy, they teach the basics of anatomy and physiology. By the end, your brain is buzzing with information and knowledge that can be taken with you into every massage. We learned the basics of the business and the tools one would need to create a business ground up. From marketing to techniques, they also include information about liability insurance, patient surveys and having the ability to turn someone away because of a medical issue. Allowing one’s ability to not just be great at what they do, but to be covered just in case.
Is there a particular scent or aroma that makes you feel relaxed, at ease, and comfortable? A massage therapist can make their own mixture of lotions and oils for use during sessions, based on client reference. Choosing the right type of music or sounds also aids in the relaxation process. What types of sounds and instruments help you reach a sense of relaxation? There are many variations of music out there; some are specifically created for spas or therapy sessions.
During the class, I had only one other classmate to practice on. So we would take turns practicing on each other. Which is great, but you don’t get as much experience because everyone is different. That’s why I enjoyed the last part of the course where you bring in three clients of your own. I could only come up with two, so my teacher offered to bring someone else for me. The best compliments come from people you don’t know personally and this person also offered me a $20 tip. It was a great feeling, hearing about how he had felt after his massage. I finally got the sense that I had made the right choice from the beginning.
Becoming a massage therapist was important to me because I believed in natural healing. It was a great way to help people feel better emotionally, mentally, and physically. All the things that I had ever wanted to do for others was offered to me through this type of profession. With the high demand of stress, I hope to return to that line of work so that I can continue helping others reach a better state of mind; for better health and a longer life.
