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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 Randy Sorter on
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For over 10 years now, I have been a Licensed Professional Counselor (psychotherapist) and have enjoyed helping others with life issues, traumas, etc. When I myself experienced some of these great life issues, I decided to try a more holistic approach to healing myself and chose regular massage and bodywork. To my great surprise, I was able to quit using pain medications all-together (for a back issue I had for many years) and ALL types of anti-anxiety/depression medications. I truly believe that massage and bodywork has the power to heal the entire body/mind/spirit connection; and often more quickly and more durably than traditional talk therapy alone. I am also a self-published author. Prior to my career as a psychotherapist, I have worked as a professional artist and hand-made greeting card designer. I was also a floral/wedding designer and a travel agent. As a teenager and young adult, I worked as a waiter and for UPS.
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Permalink Reply by Dominique Bounds on
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Oh wow! everyone has interesting stories. I was a waitress at the Hyatt hotel in St Louis,Mo while I was goin to school for MT
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Before massage....
I worked in office settings for twenty years before I found the world of massage therapy. After college I worked at a television listings service for ten years in Atlanta, then moved to Western North Carolina and temp-ed for a couple of years. I then landed a job doing transcription for the detectives at the Asheville Police Department for seven years, and through that knew I never wanted to have to report to anyone ever again! Talk about micro-management! So, I left, took out my pension to pay for school, (and did work part time at the local community theatre) and went back to school. It's been almost twelve years since I finished. And I do work for the state school system, now, but there is enough autonomy that I don't feel servant-tude. And I love teaching massage!
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Permalink Reply by Christy M Schumacher on
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I was a jack-of-all-trades. Interviewed for my first job 3 days before I could legally clock-in, I worked at Dairy Queen and was promoted to cake decorator within a month. Did that and worked (well, I can't really call it 'work') at the local movie theater where all sorts of young teenage debauchery took place.
Then I toured universities around the country; home state in Minnesota, then to Texas at Baylor--where I promptly dropped out cause I'm not a fundi--back to Minnesota schools, off to Akita, Japan to study, then out to California in Sacramento, and finally finished at UC San Diego.
All the while I was waited tables for the most part, and turned down a position to be a wine rep for a small, but upcoming winery in the foothills of Tahoe. I also trained in and became a crisis line counselor for teens and their guardians, volunteered administrative duties for non-profits, as well as social and medical volunteering (driving) for the developmentally disabled (adults).
I think I also delivered pizzas for a while, I was a credit investigator for mortgage firm, and hmmm, I'd say that covers it, but as you may already be able to tell, there's probably a few I've left out :)
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Hi, Mike. Well, let's see. I owned a restaurant for 5 years and for the next 5 after that worked in a cafe, drove a school bus, delivered mail (which I still do) and was an admin. secretary.....all part time. I like people, variety and moving around. I am sure this field will satisfy my needs for the above.
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Permalink Reply by Carrie on
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Well..... lol!!!! I worked for a doctor's office as a receptionist. I didn't like it when doctors and other people that you work with treats you like crap! I've always wanted to try massage until one day my mother's best friend which is a therapist talked me into it. I love it so far!!!!! 4 days and I will take my texas state board test!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Robin Byler Thomas on
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Hi Nancy,
Enjoyed hearing your story. You should market to the legal profession you know so well. I've had many attorneys, judges, paralegals, and cops over the years, as clients, who have benefited so much from the stress relief.
I wish you much success.
Nancy Donohue said:Before massage I was a lawyer and a family court magistrate referee. Very high stress and the type of job where no one wants to see you. So after 32 years I retired and decided to start over doing something that I loved and that would decrease the stress in people's lives instead of add to it. I'll be graduating in about a month. It's been an eye opening and challenging year---I've learned so much. But now---yikes I have to figure out how to practice in the real world and it seems so very confusing but exciting too!
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I have been a massage therapist for almost half of my life - I am 36, now and graduated from massage school in 1995. I had been attending college as a music therapy major, but was having horrible headaches. Everyone around me would come to me to massage their shoulders and necks, yet, I was still having pain. My music therapy prof told me to get massage therapy - I said "that's a real job?" I went home, and couldn't find a massage therapist, but discovered that the stressful life of doing what I wasn't suited for, was the cause of my headaches. I quit college, and went off to massage school - my family members all thought I was crazy. It took some time to grow within the confines of a society that was unaccepting at first, but, I have now had my own business for more than 2 years (paid my dues working for others and working full time as a CNA while having children) But now own Aches Away Massage Therapy Inc. specializing in massage for chronic pain from illness and injury. I love what I do.
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I started in the restaurant world (busgirl, hostess/cashier, waitress & bartender) as a teenager, and worked my way through college that way (BA, pyschology). First job after college was at a Audubon Society - nature store clerk, then onto membership assitant. Got bored, loved alternative healing, loved receiving massage, wanted more fulfilling work, so went to massage school. Other odd jobs along the way include office worker and disc jockey at a community radio station; bookseller and office manager at a Borders Books & Music; office assitant for a psychologist in private practice; health food store cashier; nanny.
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Permalink Reply by Sue Schoenberg on
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I just graduated from massage therapy school last week, so I'm still working the day job while working to build my practice. That day job is an account manager for a Tier I automotive electronics supplier. Almost 20 years ago I earned a BA in Japanese language, so after spending a couple of years teaching English in rural, northern Japan, I came back to Detroit to work for various Japanese auto suppliers over the years. I've been very lucky in my work life, but I have had my fill of schlepping car parts!
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Permalink Reply by Shana Frederick on
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I've had my cert. for a few months now, but I'm only just now able to really get started. Up to now, I've been a student (Medical Assistant/Pharmacy Tech/Massage Therapy), a teacher's aid (Grades 1, 5, & 6) and secretary for my Church.
Needless to say, I've been all over the place, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing! :)
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Permalink Reply by Maria Reisner on
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I still am a fire department dispatcher 2 days a week. I also am a paid on call firefighter. My plan is for massage to replace the dispatching job. Prior to all of this, I've worked for a police department, was a dorm director at a college and was an electronics technician in the Navy. Busy, busy...
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