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New to Massage

Hello my name is Travis Alligood and Id like to share a story with New and Newly Licensed Therapist.
About ten yrs. ago while I was giving a loved one a massage,she told me I needed to go to massage school and get formal training. (So I could do it for a living) Well several years pass by and it was still in my head. Did I mention I was in the auto repair business ? Well in Oct. 2007 you might say it went from my head to my heart, because it was then that committed myself to school and it was on from there. I had just had my thirty year high school reunion about a week after graduating from massage therapy school. I feel like now that it was in my heart all along. Then what took me so long. Maybe it was fear of facing a new profession, or what if I fail. I didnt fail thanks to all my wonderful instructors, and I havent stopped going back to school since I graduated from massage school.CE hours are wonderful and I love the work I have been doing in these classes and look forward to presenting them to my clients everyday. I suppose to get to the bottom line here Do not be afraid to follow your heart and remember that your never to old to learn.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on September 4, 2009 at 8:20pm

Thanks for sharing Travis!

Permalink Reply by April Hawbaker, LMT on September 6, 2009 at 8:24am

Travis, thanks for sharing your story! I love learning why people chose their career in massage therapy. Tell me your favorite CE class to date? I'm overwhelmed by all the options and want to take them all I can't pick a starting point!

Permalink Reply by Annamae Beal on September 11, 2009 at 10:40am

Thank you for sharing that Travis,
I too have returned to school to finally learn something I have always had a desire to do, at 50! What took me so long, it wasn't my time, to many other obligations that wouldn't allow me the time or expense. Finally when the opportunity arose, I jumped on it and am so grateful and blessed that I have the chance. I love it! Even as a student I feel I am making a difference in people lives. I finish with school, (though I will never finish learning) in January, I can't wait to get licensed and go out into the world with a passion that I have waited for my whole life.

Permalink Reply by Travis Alligood on September 11, 2009 at 7:04pm

Annamae Beal said:

Thank you for sharing that Travis,
I too have returned to school to finally learn something I have always had a desire to do, at 50! What took me so long, it wasn't my time, to many other obligations that wouldn't allow me the time or expense. Finally when the opportunity arose, I jumped on it and am so grateful and blessed that I have the chance. I love it! Even as a student I feel I am making a difference in people lives. I finish with school, (though I will never finish learning) in January, I can't wait to get licensed and go out into the world with a passion that I have waited for my whole life.

Permalink Reply by Travis Alligood on September 11, 2009 at 7:08pm

Hey April I hope you are doing well .Right now I am saving my money for a class in Thai Massage and then Pre Natal Massage. I have been getting calls for both and I wish I have already had formal training in both.

April Hawbaker, LMT said:

Travis, thanks for sharing your story! I love learning why people chose their career in massage therapy. Tell me your favorite CE class to date? I'm overwhelmed by all the options and want to take them all I can't pick a starting point!

Permalink Reply by Travis Alligood on September 11, 2009 at 7:16pm

Hello Annamae,
I am going to tell you just like a lot of people have told me that I admire you for taking that jump and following your heart at our age. I love it and I am so glad that I did it and look forward to many years to come I hope you do as well.
And by the way join some groups, I feel lucky that I am a part of this group of people that I can share thought and ideas as well as recieve feedback about massage.

Annamae Beal said:

Thank you for sharing that Travis,
I too have returned to school to finally learn something I have always had a desire to do, at 50! What took me so long, it wasn't my time, to many other obligations that wouldn't allow me the time or expense. Finally when the opportunity arose, I jumped on it and am so grateful and blessed that I have the chance. I love it! Even as a student I feel I am making a difference in people lives. I finish with school, (though I will never finish learning) in January, I can't wait to get licensed and go out into the world with a passion that I have waited for my whole life.

Permalink Reply by christopher Earl Armwood on October 6, 2009 at 10:12am

Here, here on never being to old to learn! I retired from the Navy 1 year ago, and started going to school for massage therapy Feb. 2009, now I am done with that phase of learning, ready to learn more, and be an outstanding massage therapist.

Permalink Reply by Gloria Coppola on October 11, 2009 at 3:11pm

Great story Travis. I just wrote one similar for Future LMT magazine. I met a lady not too long ago who was looking for a career change. She didn't think massage was an option for her because she just turned 50! After finding out what she loved to do, she is now thinking of a career in massage. NEVER too late! Follow your heart and live your passion. Congrats!