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Being a male massage therapist?
I am planning on massage school in August and am wondering if I will have a hard time finding a job as a male. I've heard males work more in Dr's offices and less in spas due to females being the preferred therapist. How much of this is true?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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It's true. I've worked in a spa for over twenty years. We have maybe ten therapists, and until recently, I was the only male therapist.
When I first started working in the spa, my son lived with me, I made such small money that I had to get food stamps. Nobody wanted to see the new male therapist. That lasted for about a year, when I could finally get off the food stamps. Prior to the spa, I had ten years experience working in a chiropractic clinic where there were no issues as far as male / female massage therapists. In the chiropractic clinic there were two males and one female therapists.
Yesterday at the spa, one of the female therapists called in sick. The spa called me and asked if I could come in early and take one of her clients. I said sure. Well, in a few minutes the spa called me back and told me that the client didn't want a male therapist. So ya gotta be prepared for the male therapist thing. There might even be some old threads in here on the subject?
All that being said, I have a following now, and even though clients often request a female therapist, I'm relatively busy. So it can be done.
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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Murray on
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Why did you decide to go into spa from chiro?
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It's all a long story. I've been doing this kind of work for 30 years. I was living in Hawaii when I was working in the chiropractic clinic. I worked in that clinic for ten years when the insurance companies decided to slash what they reimbursed chiropractors and massage therapists by 50%. The clinic I was in closed down. Shortly after that I got a work permit visa to live and work in New Zealand as a massage therapist for two years. After the two years I had to leave New Zealand and go back to the states. Didn't want to go back to Hawaii. Went to Alaska because it was an unregulated state and wouldn't have to bother with all the licensing stuff. Once in Alaska I looked for work every where possible. The spa hired me. They had just lost their therapist. Been their ever sense.
Now, in a couple weeks I will be working with an anesthesiologist in his pain management clinic. I'm very excited about that. In the attachment is a picture of my soon to be new work space. - Attachments:
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IMG_1752.JPG, 1.7 MB
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Today, two women came in for massages. Once the one scheduled with me realized that she had a male therapist, ended up trading therapists with her friend that didn't care if she had a male or female. Anyway, if not a daily issue, it's a weekly one for sure.
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Oh, I forgot one thing. The client that didn't want a male massage therapist, is a massage therapist.
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Totally wrong . I can give you hundreds of examples of sucessful male massage therapist. There are variety of massage therapy like Acupuncture Yonge & Eglinton, Hot Stone massage, Reiki, tuina Massage etc. If you are expert in massage therapy you will definitely get job. Go ahead.
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I am a successful male massage therapist. What I said, is the truth.
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thank you!
Pueppi Texas said:Hi Jeremy,
This sub-forum at BWOL is full of info dedicated to and by many male MT's: Massage - The Male Practitioner's Perspective , and may be useful.I am a female therapist, but I can help you out a little as my husband is an MT as well. It was exceptionally difficult for him to build a practice. Being that we work side by side in the same office, with the office originally established by myself prior to our marriage along with my being dual licensed as a DC, created a bit of a trifecta working against him... my old clients didn't want to use his work and were already referring to me, I had more education, and I am female.
It shouldn't matter, but nowdays enough men are so uncomfortable with a man touching them that they run for the hills when you even suggest a male therapist, and enough women are uncomfortable with a man touching them that it just makes things difficult for the male MT's depending on the situation.
Funny... I recall my dad seeing a "maseusse" at the health club, when I was a child. And, in his world, any upstanding man would never have a female massage therapist! He was pretty stressed out when he found out I was persuing a massage license. The unspoken: "You really think men are going to want you to work on them?" and, "Naked men will be on your table?"
So, moving back to my husbands experience... over the years he's worked on persuing a higher education (he only had a high-school education when moving to this country) and is in the office intermittently nowdays, while preparing to do what he loves. Luckily for me... he is an exceptional therapist. So, the people who know this only call for him, while still making it so he isn't overworked --- which means, I get the benefit of getting some bodywork too, which I desperately need! :)
I know some male MT's who have prospered, but usually it has been due to them setting up a practice where they have female therapists working for them, and they do more of the business end and less of the massage.
Best of luck. However, if massage is not your passion... really... your passion... consider putting your effort into something that will be in the medical professions or elsewhere. Baby boomers are booming and there are plenty of other technical jobs that allow you to work with people and help them while get paid a real paycheck.
You can always go back and become a massage therapist as you get older in life, once you are settled and have a savings... if you aren't passionate about it right now.
My two cents.
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Not true. I have alot of male friends that is a successful massage therapist.
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Im male, and been a massage therapist for thirty years. That means I'm successful. All that being said..... I have lost work thousands of times simply because I'm male. Here is an article on the subject. It's the truth.
http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/726/Mal...
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Permalink Reply by André Cross LMT CNMT on
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There is significant truth to gender preference. In spa settings the perception is more pampering focused. In medical settings the perceptions are less pampering focused and more wellness/rehab focused.
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