The word “change” elicits a multitude of feelings when used in the context of people’s habits or lifestyles. People can feel indifferent, excited, hesitant, nonplussed, surprised, sad, happy, or even fearful of change. Over the course of my life, I have made several changes. I have chosen to live in different places; I have changed my tastes in foods; I have changed my thoughts/ideas on various topics; I have changed my hairstyle; I have changed/re-arranged the rooms in my house; I have changed my exercise habits, etc. The one change I made that shocked everyone was when I decided to leave a successful teaching career to become a massage therapist. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I felt very strongly that is was a necessary change for me.
My inspiration for this change came from many things, but mostly it was fed by my feelings of discontent within my previous career in combination with my overwhelming need to help people to FEEL better. I was drawn to massage not only through my research, but also through my positive experiences receiving massage. The demands in today’s society generate a lot of stress and tension among people, in all facets of life. This, in turn, leads to an overall decline in the ability of people to be productive in their chosen life paths, to be able to relax, to enjoy life, and to maintain good health.
One of the things I encountered early on in my career as a massage therapist was the misconception among people of what massage therapy really is. There are many who think of massage as being a luxury, or as merely a pampering activity. To the contrary, massage has slowly (and quietly) begun to be recognized by the medical community as a necessary complement to preventative healthcare.
In order for me to become a licensed massage therapist in New York State, I had to take several classes in human anatomy and physiology, pathology, myology, neurology, business & law, health & hygiene, and (of course) numerous massage classes. These classes were all taken in conjunction with performing over 80 massages in the student clinic and participating in community service activities. It was a rigorous process, but once completed I had to pass the New York State licensing board exam. In order to maintain my license I am required to take several continuing education classes each year. As you can see, and as I quickly learned, the field of massage therapy encompasses many different components, and that there are many avenues available within the field. It is a LOT more than just a pampering activity!
I have taken advantage of the many learning opportunities presented to me as a massage therapist. I have worked in different environments where massage is offered, and I have taken classes that helped me to discover how I can best help people through massage. I have come to the conclusion that my strengths lie within what is categorized as “medical” massage, but what I like to consider “life enhancing” massage. In general, clients who come to see me on a regular basis present with the following: headaches; neck, shoulder, and back tension; various aches and pains in joints; systemic disorders; and chronic pain. The causes of these issues are many, but the one thing these clients all have in common is that they decided to make massage a regular part of their lives.
This brings me back to the word “change”, and the impact that making a change can have on your health, and your life. The change does not need to be as drastic as changing careers; rather, it can be a small change. The small change of making massage a regular part of your life can lead to improvements in your life that you never thought possible. The clients who see me regularly will tell you they have made a significant change in their lives by committing to their health. Because they added regular massage into their schedules, they are now living with less pain, with less stress, with less tension, and are leading healthier lifestyles. I invite YOU to do the same. Your body will be so glad you did.