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Massage school with limitations
Hi,
I'm new here. I've been reading the forum and getting lots of great information. So glad I found this site. :)
I'm planning on entering massage school in the fall. We have a nice 6 term program at the local community college. I've been wanting to do something in the healing arts for most of my life. I was a doula for awhile, and studied midwifery for awhile, but with small children, that didn't work out well at the time. Now that the kids are older (I am too, darn it), it's time for a change. Currently I'm a freelance book editor, and while it allows me to work from home, I end up working ALL the time just to make ends meet. I've been working with a couple of wonderful people (an acupuncturist and an LMT) while healing from a car accident last fall that have inspired me to make this change.
Anyway, now that you know a little of my history...here's my question. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility type. What this means is I'm bendy. I was the kid in school freaking people out because my elbows bowed out funny and I could bend my fingers backward. The severity is moderate, so I get clicky shoulders, some aches in my fingers and wrists, hyperextensions on some of my finger joints and both my thumb MCP joints. I'm in physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in these areas to better support them, learning optimal body mechanics, and will be getting silver ring splints to support my hand joints when I'm not doing massage. I've discussed my intention with my PT, my hand therapist, and my LMT. They all thought it was possible as long as I built up my strength and kept it up. I do daily exercises designed to do so and qi gong. I spoke to one of the teachers at the program I want to attend and they said they could find alternative ways for me to do some of the deeper work.
Do you have any more suggestions for me to support and/or strengthen these weak areas so I can perform this job? You're all in the trenches and do this job every day. I value your opinions and suggestions.
So with this against me, why am I choosing this profession, knowing it's such physical work? As I mentioned before, I've wanted to do something in the healing arts for a long time. I've been a reiki practitioner since 2000, and since experiencing craniosacral therapy while healing from the accident, I want to learn that as well. It has really helped me and my kids who also happened to be in the car with me that day. While I don't need to be licensed to do reiki or craniosacral work in my state, I feel I need an anchor modality that will help clients find me. We have a lot of bodyworkers in our area, so one needs to be well-versed in several modalities to attract clients. Even so, according to labor statistics for our area, there is still room for growth here in this field...and if I need to, we can move closer to the coast for more options. And finally, two of my kids are chronically ill due to the Ehlers-Danlos and associated illnesses. If I am trained to help them, it not only helps them but our budget, since we don't need to pay out of pocket to have them treated. Our insurance doesn't cover massage, but it has sure made a difference to them while healing from the car accident. I'm also currently studying herbal medicine, with an emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine, so I feel that will help me stand out, as I can provide liniments, salves, etc to soothe sore muscles.
I'm also interested in learning more about trigger point therapy and any other modalities that speak to me. Ideally, I'd like to focus on therapeutic treatments to help others like my kids who end up with chronic pain. When they talk to their doctors about it, they get nowhere. There are a lot of people out there in the same boat. I would like to help them.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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Toni, I just read up on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Thinking out loud here. At first just get through the school however you can. Then study Myokinesthetics. It's a brilliant therapeutic system that does not depend on strong pressure.
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Permalink Reply by Toni Rakestraw on
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Thank you, Gordon. I'm looking it up now. :)
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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I was going to encourage you to look into CST but you already know about it! Yay! That would be a terrific avenue for you; the only technique you may have trouble with is the Occipital Base release but you can modify that as you need to.
I agree with Gordon; get through school. After that, there is so much you can do! There are types of Myofascial Release that don't require a lot of pressure (and even if they seem to, you can modify your approach).
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Thank you, Therese! Just got back from a treatment and could feel the tides. I love CST! My only stumbling block now is paying for school...but I'm working on that. I've found lots of scholarships...but they're only available once I'm enrolled, and I have to have funds to be enrolled. It's a lovely catch-22. But it will not defeat me. I feel this is the right path, despite my limitations. I appreciate your feedback. :)
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Thank you so much for all these links. I'll be busy researching. I really appreciate these ideas.
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Thanks! I see a lot of people here mentioning lymphatic drainage but hadn't had a chance to look it up yet. Thank you again! :)
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I have taken Chikly's LDT 1 class and it's amazing! Very light work with profound benefits for clients.
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Thank you! All of you have been such great resources!
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Therese...(hoping you check back here!)...How long did it take you to feel proficient with the Chikly LDT? That looks very promising as one to pursue after I'm licensed. :)
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I had a strong Upledger CST background already when I took LDT 1 so I was able to feel the lymphatic rhythm right away. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging - that is not my intent. The lymphatic rhythm is subtle but to me is less sublte than the CranioSacral rhythm.
I'm trying to remember how long it took to feel proficient - it's been 4 years ago that I took the class! It didn't take long though. The first session I did on the Monday following the class (which ended on the Sunday) seemed like it took forever to get my client's rhythm going, but he has some really big challenges. He's a Vietnam Veteran who was 5' away from at least one grenade when it went off. One of his challenges over the last 30 years has been severe leg cramps. That one session when I was still learning to apply all of the techniques shut his cramps off for a year and a half! They came back, but they are never as severe or long-lasting as they were before. I have continued with weekly lymph work but it only takes about 20-25 minutes to do what it took 75 minutes to do in that first session!
I know that didn't answer your question but I thought you might like to know what can be done with LDT after just one class.
Now that I've been backgrounding the question in my mind, I want to say that it wasn't more than a few weeks.
Toni Rakestraw said:Therese...(hoping you check back here!)...How long did it take you to feel proficient with the Chikly LDT? That looks very promising as one to pursue after I'm licensed. :)
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Wow. That's amazing. How can healing modalities exist that help so much and no one knows about them? This definitely seems to be the way to go.
I know what you mean about the rhythm. My LMT has been teaching me to feel the CST tides...kind of a preview to when I finally get to take the course. It is subtle yet powerful at the same time. I'm truly blessed to have him and my acupuncturist, who also does CST. They teach me so much.
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Wow...what a comprehensive list! Thank you! I'm taking your advice from our chats and sticking to non-licensure practices for the moment. Found a great deal on a table today and am looking into liability insurance now. Got on the mailing list for the next craniosacral training in our state. I'll do some research on these. I can't thank you enough. :)
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