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What Did You Do Before Massage?
I know, I'm nosey. I was a travel writer.
For six years, I got to travel to Bed & Breakfasts and get massages, all for free, and write about it. So my roots are in traveling, meeting people and hearing their stories. Now I travel around and do The World Massage Festival & Massage Therapy Hall of Fame.
I found the adjustment to a single location massage establishment, inside a strip mall, very confining. So I started a way to stay "in the massage world and travel!" But that is another story!
What's your story? What did you do before massage? Tell us of your travels and what massage is like where you are, especially if you massage outside the U.S. We really like pictures, if possible.
If you get bored come see me at my page http://www.massageprofessionals.com/profile/MikeHinkle
Thanks and welcome to Massage Professionals!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Renee' Amico-Taback on
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Married early, had a child and eventually divorced. I worked in various fields from age 17 up to age 40.....licensed as a hairstylist and worked in beauty parlors..... did home plant parties with my friend.....left the beauty field and worked many years in a photo copy company doing billing and then became their service dispatcher.....moved to another photo copy company as their Service mgr running two service groups..... left and worked as Office Mgr. / Billing Mgr. for my friends mom and pop oil company.
I wanted to be my own boss, not beholden to someone elses rules, wanted to earn more money, make my own hours/ days......so....I visited an 'orientation' at a massage school when a friend asked me to go with her to check it out. I had no idea about health being a new career yet....I decided I could 'try it' for 1 semester of 6 months. I signed up for course about 6 months later for massage school at night while I worked full time.
Two years later, got my massage license and figured I would work on weekends to build a practice while working in oil company full time. Well...the oil company got sold, I was out of work ...so I collected unemployment and started my massage practice going to peoples homes, from word of mouth referrals. I also worked at gyms, rented space in chiro offices, in a beauty parlor and then finally decided to only bring patients into my home and stop running around. Also got remarried after I got my license.
20 years later, I know that being an LMT was the BEST decision I ever made. I love my patients, I love this field, I love having a home practice and I say thank you every day. The end.
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Permalink Reply by INEZ LOPEZ on
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Well, I've always done some sort of Administrative Assistant/Clerical type work. Always working in an office, on a computer. For 5 years I worked at a Radiology Clinic in East Los Angeles. I was receptionist, custodian of records, and x-ray transcriber. I'm good at that type of work, however, it did not make me happy. I did not want to be stagnant, and I really wanted to bring calm to others. I love what I do now! I am a massage therapist at a Medical Spa here in Las Vegas. 98% of my clients are pain management patients. It is really rewarding.
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Wow, reading everyone's stories makes me want to make one up! lol But that's not of my nature so... Before becoming a massage therapist, I was in high school. Not that exciting.
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Permalink Reply by peacemaker on
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Mike,
I love this question.
I've worn many hats in my 60 years as a human!
My last career before becoming a Massage Therapist was working in the "Oil Fields" in southeastern New Mexico. I was a Production Operator (aka Pumper) for Shell Oil Company. I monitored oil and gas production and kept an eye on the Pump Jacks and down hole equipment so things didn't just fly apart!
I tell folks, "I used to work with heavy iron. Now, I work with soft tissue."
Currently, I practice and teach Reiki in Hobbs, New Mexico. I still take new Massage Clients but my main "energies" go toward promoting Reiki.
Neena
http://www.altmd.com/Specialists/neena-wagnon-hobbs
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Permalink Reply by Kris Ragasa on
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I've always been in the medical field to some degree, but before going into a massage career, I worked as an EMT. Eventually it came down to making a choice to either become a paramedic or go into nursing. I chose massage. Go figure.
I opened and ran my own practice along side a chiropractic office for just over 5 years and one day looking in the newspaper, I seen an add for a massage therapy instructor. I applied, got the job, and have been teaching massage (lab and lecture) for these past 3 years. And I really enjoy it. Honestly. =]
And...I'm all ears when it comes to hearing the story behind "So I started a way to stay 'in the massage world and travel!' But that is another story!"
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Permalink Reply by Jose M Sannicolas on
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Hi Mike, thanks for the warm welcome to the site.
Hello fellow massage practitioners and therapists, My name is Jose Sannicolas. Well, before i started doing massage I traveled around California and some of the Midwest doing Dog Shows, which were fun, but it wasn't a career choice for me. So I looked into local schools and their programs and was really interested in Massage, I read up on it a little bit and it sucked me in like a black hole. Still in school to this day, I love everything massage has given to me as well as giving it back, it's all about learning and helping people which is why I love it so much. Massage in California is very interesting and there are many people out there just willing to let you in on their techniques which is why a lot of massage therapists consider themselves "family", though there are some weirdos out there, I really enjoy working with other therapists and having a good time doing what i love to do.
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Permalink Reply by Deb Knapp,LMT, NCBTMB on
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Dear Mike,
I've been a massage therapist since the age of thirty, twenty five years ago. I use to teach labor and delivery classes, stress management for a couple of hospitals, wrote curriculum for them and others, and was involved in several other adventures unrelated to the healing arts.
Massage is the only work to ever capture my heart and keep it, and it is something I nearly gave up recently. Yikes. It hurts my whole body to think of it. I recently moved to Florida with my husband for his ailing lung-health, and decided to go back to school and became a CNA, and am currently working at a hospital here. Although the work is definitely rewarding, it is NOT a good match for me. I'm not a pro-allopathic paradigm gal, anyway.
After massaging so long, I understand the language of muscles and bones, of thoughts and movement, of injuries and healing. I love being a small part of that. Quiet one on one contact is something I treasure.
I learned an invaluable lesson about what I want to do, and how to do it, again.
There is nothing like starting over with hope and excitement, and faith that God will provide.
Please share your story with us, too.
God bless and keep you and your family,
Deb
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Permalink Reply by Rick Johnson on
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God Bless Deb,
Hope HE supplies all your needs. Wish your husband wellness.
Deb Knapp,LMT, NCBTMB said:Dear Mike,
I've been a massage therapist since the age of thirty, twenty five years ago. I use to teach labor and delivery classes, stress management for a couple of hospitals, wrote curriculum for them and others, and was involved in several other adventures unrelated to the healing arts. Massage is the only work to ever capture my heart and keep it, and it is something I nearly gave up recently. Yikes. It hurts my whole body to think of it. I recently moved to Florida with my husband for his ailing lung-health, and decided to go back to school and became a CNA, and am currently working at a hospital here. Although the work is definitely rewarding, it is NOT a good match for me. I'm not a pro-allopathic paradigm gal, anyway. After massaging so long, I understand the language of muscles and bones, of thoughts and movement, of injuries and healing. I love being a small part of that. Quiet one on one contact is something I treasure.
I learned an invaluable lesson about what I want to do, and how to do it, again.
There is nothing like starting over with hope and excitement, and faith that God will provide.
Please share your story with us, too.
God bless and keep you and your family,
Deb
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I was in the retail field and sells crafts on the side. My partner got injured while serving the Marine Corps. His constant pain in his back made me decide to go to massage therapy. It did helped him but it was more of an overhaul of lifestyle in general. The information I have learned in holistic healing benefited my life as well. Now I work in one of the spa in Palm Springs and have my own a internet based retail store called instruments of inspiration. I get inspired by the stories I heard from my guests through the years and that become the inspiration to create a design for my shirt.
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Permalink Reply by Lucy Wojskowicz on
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I worked as a business development manager for buy.com.
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Permalink Reply by Roblynn Neumann on
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I had been a stay at home mom for 15 years and never worked outside the home. It was a great adventure to attend massage school and begin my own little business. The perfect job for me!
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Permalink Reply by Melissa Ratner on
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I was in Childcare from age 12. Babysitting, tutoring, nannying. Then moving to working with children with special needs and then back to being a Nanny. Loved it. But it didn't pay enough to stay with it. So I ended up in massage therapy school. I've been a therapist for a little over two years and was just thinking the other day that I have done almost 2,000 hours of massage already in addition to the 500 hours in school Yikes! I need a massage. :)
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