What Makes Being a Massage Therapist So Great
There are so many reasons why it’s great to be a massage therapist today. My life has been blessed 1 million times over since I made my decision in 2005 to start massage school. Which incidentally began with a sports massage, a short 15 minute hands-on stretching protocol that changed my life forever.
Back then; I was stressed out in my IT Director job. Not just stressed – but in serious burn out. When my customers would call on the phone, I would snap at them. I truly lost the ability to care that they were having computer problems. Not a good place to be when you’re job is to support end users.
I was overworked and on-call 24/7.
Serious burn out is a scary place to be. I thought I would die an early death from the stress (my brother died at 36 years old of a stroke.) Read my story here
When I got my first massage in 2004 while training to run the Seattle Marathon, my life changed forever. I remember thinking “this is what I’ve been looking for my whole life!” At that time, it wasn’t a career that I was thinking about, but for my body – it changed my life!
Today, I thought it would be fun to write a blog today that goes to the END of the process. Lets get past school and the decision to go to massage therapy school. Lets talk about what makes being a massage therapist so great.
#1 You get to change lives
Just as my life was transformed when I received my first massage, Massage Therapists routinely change lives by their craft. Whether it’s a clients first ever massage, or their 100th, you’ll impact them in ways you never knew were possible.
To take someone out of chronic pain is so rewarding. I had a client who drove to Olympia 5 times from Canada and paid me a lot of money to help him with his frozen shoulder. He had tried 9 different modalities in Canada to help with his frozen shoulder and I had him at full Range of Motion after 20 minutes. To say I changed his life would be an understatement.
Offering someone their first ever massage and feeling their body let go of long held tension and stress is also a great feeling. To know that you introduced someone to massage therapy will make you feel good inside.
Our motto at Bodymechanics School is “changing lives one massage at a time.” It fits.
#2 You get to make a better than average salary
In Washington State, the median household salary is $57,000. That’s household. It most likely includes single and double income families. I had 2 years on my own where I crushed that number – and still took time needed to build the school, teach and take vacations when I wanted. It’s about your desire to hustle and work hard to build your business, but it absolutely, positively IS possible to make a good living in massage therapy.
The cool thing about our program is that we spend more than 100 hours on business planning and preparation during school – and offer mentoring and networking opportunities for those who have the hustle gene and want to hit the ground running.
Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.
So while your friends are working their average pay jobs, you’ll be working less hours, making more money and having more free time to do the things you love to do (outside of helping people feel better.)
#3 You get to control your schedule
Work when you want.
Set your own schedule.
Need I say more?
No boss to ask if you can take a vacation. Schedule it in your calendar.
Kids have games that you want to watch? Schedule it in your calendar.
Dinner date with your spouse? Schedule it in your calendar.
Sick? Rearrange your schedule, clients will understand.
We teach you in our business classes how to plan your schedule so that you can live for today.
#4 You get to make learning a lifelong activity
When you begin to study the body, an interesting thing happens – you crave more information about the body.
Often times, this leads our graduates to study personal training , which is why we created our Certified Personal Trainer program Level 1 and Level 2 certifications. Others have continued on to acupuncture or chiropractor school. Heck, there’s even a graduate who went on to become a doctor.
Whether you have career goals long past massage therapy, or are satisfied with massage as a life-long career – you will learn more about the body than you ever imagined you would. The beauty of a career like this is, if you decide to further your education, you have a career that is flexible enough to allow you to go to school, while earning a better than average salary.
#5 You get to educate your clients
Educating your clients about their body is another big reward to massage therapy. Many times, clients will ask, “why haven’t I heard about this before” regarding their condition. I don’t have an answer for them (well, one that I would say out loud) but educating clients about their body is exciting because it empowers them to take control of their life.
Many times, clients come in without hope of ever feeling better. It’s sad how our healthcare system is based on fear, but it is. Clients are frustrated with not getting answers – or being told they will “always” have the problem, the drugs, the pain, etc.
The truth is, many conditions that we face in our practice make sense once you understand the basic laws. These laws are not new; they’ve been around for many, many years. But somehow in our healthcare system that has become so specialized, basics have been overlooked.
#6 You get to take fun continuing education
During school, students are exposed to many different modalities that are like a sampling of what’s out there. After graduating, the possibilities are endless for the types of classes available that will further the training.
I typically take over 100 hours every year of continuing education classes. I’ve gone on cruises for CE hours; I’ve gone to Florida and Costa Rica. I’ve explored many thoughts of those who came before me, which have shaped my way of doing bodywork. (And, I bring that thinking into the classroom.)
Heck, you can even create your own CE classes and educate those who want to learn what you have to teach. I’ve taught many CE classes, and I’ve been lucky enough to help teach with others.
There you have it – my biggest reasons why being a massage therapist is great. It has changed my life in so many ways that words can’t possibly describe. I am blessed.
If any of these top 6 reasons why being a massage therapist is so great struck a chord with you and you want to talk further about how Bodymechanics School of Myotherapy & Massage can help you, reach out and give us a call. I’d love to help you change your life! You can also click on this link to read up on the application process. Bodymechanics School is advanced training, with great results. Come see how we can help you changes lives, one massage at a time.
