by Brian Warriner
Massage therapy was one of my careers, and I
enjoyed it when I first started. It was after I was laid off from my job in
public education. I needed to do something with my life. One night, I asked out
loud What am I to do with my life? What is my purpose to be? A few nights
later, I was dozing off to sleep when I heard, as if my spirit guide were
whispering in my ear, “Massage therapy, you are going to get into massage
therapy.” That took me aback. The next day, I went looking for a school close
by. I had no idea about how I was going to get there. I honestly did not know
that I would be able to go. However, I applied to Harris School of Business in
Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I was accepted, then the financial aid came through,
which I was scared of and was not sure I was made for. However, I kept going
with it. I was given a ride to school on my first day, then took the bus home.
The next day, I had to wake up at 4 am to walk to the bus stop and make it to
the bus station to catch another bus. I was lucky enough to have a classmate in
the same program who lived in the town next to me. Moreover, I was able to
carpool to school. I did not have to wake up at 4 am or catch a bus, nor did I
have to sleep in the hall until school opened. It worked out well for me. I
completed my education, met some great friends, and we had a great time. Then,
nine months later, it was over; we completed our program and entered the
workforce.
When
I started working as a massage therapist, I worked in corporate massage jobs. I
worked at Hand and Stone. I worked for a small business, massaging at the local
college. I opened a hand-and-stone location and was made the lead therapist. However,
because the manager had a friend quit at her previous location and she hired
him, she promised him the lead therapist position. As the lead therapist, I was
paid to conduct hands-on auditions and training and to serve as a bridge
between the therapist and management. I was fresh out of massage school, and at
the time, you could be fired for no reason. The manager fired me so she could
hire her friend. This action pissed me off. I moved on with the smaller
business and tried to start my own massage business. However, that business did
not take off. It is hard to start, run, and sustain a business without clients
and money. I was doing everything that I could to get my business up and
running. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I worked at another Hand and Stone
location that was busy, making good money and earning great tips. I was also
working double duty as a part-time spa attendant. However, my responsibilities
were in the back room. I would do laundry, clean, keep the bathrooms clean and
presentable, help my co-workers ensure everything was stocked, refill sheets,
lubricants, and treatments, and make sure waters were ready for their clients. I
never thought that I would enjoy this part of the job. Even when I did my job
correctly, I would have downtime. I would go out front and make sure the
refreshments were situated. I would even do anything the front desk needed help
with. There was a time when there was just one person out front checking
clients out. I jumped in to help without knowing what to do. Because I was not
trained to use the POS system, book clients, or perform any front desk duties,
I would go out there when clients were checking in. I would grab a pad and pen
and ask, "If you are checking in, please come see me." I would write
their names down and go into the back to let the therapists and estheticians
know their clients are here. Then, once the front calmed down, I would give the
list to the front so they could be checked in. I left and started at another
business that lasted one month, then started teaching massage therapy, and was
back working for my old boss at a different location. For about a year, I ended
up walking away from my jobs because my health started to decline.
It was
not easy for me to walk away; unfortunately, I have not had a job since 2018. I
miss being a massage therapist. When I started, I had a long list of massage
modalities that I wanted to be certified in. Modalities like cancer massage,
medical, prenatal, and more. When I left
my massage career, I left the goals and dreams that went unfulfilled. I wanted
to keep teaching, but my health would not allow it. However, it has not stopped
me from keeping my love for massage therapy. You might have heard me talk about
it in my previous posts. This post will not be any different, as I will share
my massage knowledge and the research that supports it.
The Benefits of Regular Massage Treatment
When
I taught massage therapy, the highlight for me was receiving a massage from my
students. This was for both our benefit. I got to relax, and they got some
feedback to help them grow as therapist. They had to learn table massage before
they learned chair massage. It was my favorite class to teach. I would take my
students through my chair routine, then teach them to make it their own. No
matter the class I was teaching, I made sure to include ways to educate your
clients on the benefits of massage therapy. First and foremost, massage therapy
is not a luxury; it is part of your healthcare. Massage therapy is prescribed
in Europe and recognized as a medical treatment in other parts of the world. However,
in the United States, it has become a luxury.
I
would not recommend getting a massage every day because you need to relax. Once
a week is ideal, especially if it is for pain management and your insurance
covers it.
Massage
therapy can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and worry (Massage for Mental
Health| AMTA, n.d). It can improve your mood, decrease your physical pain, and
support chronic pain management. Massage therapy is
a holistic approach to treating mental health disorders and enhancing the mind-body
connection. Plus, it can improve your sleep (Magill, 2024). As you are being
massaged, you are releasing tension and releasing the trauma you are carrying
with you. As I stated before, if you have insomnia, it can help improve your sleep
(Gerlach, 2023). When you are massaged, your blood pressure increases, so you
may need blood pressure medication if you have high blood pressure. However,
the flow of the massage techniques is to bring fresh oxygenated blood to the
muscles and skin. Your skin might be reddish pink after a massage; it is fine—this
is called hyperemia. Then you drink plenty of water to help flush toxins from
your system. This is what helps your sleep and allows your body to rest and
repair itself, which is why sleep is so important (Keillor, 2021).
I had
a client on my table once who had an issue with her right arm. It was a
brachial plexus injury, and she could not touch it or use it without there
being excruciating pain radiating from it. With her in a supine position, I
placed a pillow under her arm. Moreover, with a very light touch, where my
fingertips barely touch her arm. I massaged her arm, and it made her cry
because she was feeling better and no longer in pain. She let me do some work on
her arm. When she was done with her massage, she was singing my praises and in
tears because, for the first time in twenty years, she could move her arm
without pain, and she could breathe without pain. Beyond that, I did not care
if she tipped me well or if I got paid for the massage because knowing that I
helped someone who was in pain and in need was enough payment for me.
In
conclusion, I have seen, taught, and experienced the power of massage therapy.
I loved massage until I started to feel burnt out from an unbalanced schedule.
When at one location, I was booked solid, and at another, I barely had
anything. It was difficult for me to sit down, get up, or take a client. There are
days I wish I could still be massaging, but my body cannot take that kind of work
anymore. However, I do recommend you get regular massages, find a massage
therapist who uses the right pressure for your comfort, and speak up when the
pressure is too much or too light. Moreover, respect their time, because you
are paying for it and have other clients to see as well. Tip well, because most
corporate massage places do not pay their therapists well. Nevertheless, I do
hope you check it out for yourself.
References
Massage For Mental Health | AMTA. (n.d). www.amtamassage.org
https://www.amtamassage.org/resources/massage-and-health/mental-health/
Magill, K. (2024, June 16). Massage Therapy and Mental
Health. The Centre For Health
Innovation.
Thechi.ca https://thechi.can/massagetherapy-and-mental-health/
Gerlach, J. (2023, October 1). Can Getting a Massage
Improve Mental Health?
Psychology
Today. www.psychologytoday.com
Keillor, J. (2021, November 2). Mayo Clinic Explores
The Role of Massage Therapy for
Mental
Health. Mayo Clinic Press.
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