a community of practitioners

Challenges/Obstacles

What has been your most memorable obstacle in massage? Meaning, what challenges have you had to deal with? Either an experience with a difficult client, or a personal and/or business dilemna? How did you get through it?

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on October 10, 2009 at 7:06pm

honestly...so far my most memorable challenge has been passing the national exam.

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Permalink Reply by akemi mckee on October 10, 2009 at 7:36pm

Hey, Lisa! Thanks so much for replying to my discussion. I am glad to hear the nationals have been your biggest challenge. Talk about intimidating! Yeah, that's a biggie. Peace,Akemi

Lisa said:

honestly...so far my most memorable challenge has been passing the national exam.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffrey on October 11, 2009 at 4:14am

Hi Akemi, I made a mistake of starting an advanced sports and remedial course without first checking out the course instructor. I went into the course having done 3 yrs sports and health club work thinking it was a great chance to share our experiences and ask questions.How wrong I was, he didn't like the awkward A+P questions I raised, he wasn,t into a relaxed approach/preparation of the tissue with basic strokes, and admitted to having no interest in clients just wanting a massage with no injuries to focus on.
We clashed so badly I dropped the course $2500 down the plughole. It took a while to get over it as I did begin to question my own style of approach. Thank god my friends put me right.
If the person taking the course turns out to be seriously flawed and is only there because they want the power/dominance this is what you do.
Keep your head down eg dont ask any questions in case they dont know the answeres.
Adopt a non holistic approach if you have to (yes there are good therapists outside of holistic approach)
Tell them they are wonderfull yes sir no sir three bags full sir.
Get your certs and be on your way.

This course was in 2000 I have since gone on to take many more holistic healer heal thy self type that have enriched my practice beyond words.

No matter the school or the course its the teacher that can make or break the subject, thank god teachers like him are few and far between. (hopefully now nonexistant)

Regards steve

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffrey on November 23, 2009 at 9:10am

Since coming to this site I've been very self critical of who I am and the way I've developed my techniques and its lead to a rather cathartic realization.
I actually owe this pratt a huge amount of thanks = it was the way I carried on with my work, never dared wasting huge amounts of money on courses ever again that allowed me to develope as a therapist in my own very special and unique way..........hot dam it I was actually very very lucky to have started a course (curse) with this ~~idiot~~ guy.........Now folks that shows you never stop learning even about yourself......~~I'd like to shake his hand~~ ........nah maybe not.

Stephen Jeffrey said:

Hi Akemi, I made a mistake of starting an advanced sports and remedial course without first checking out the course instructor. I went into the course having done 3 yrs sports and health club work thinking it was a great chance to share our experiences and ask questions.How wrong I was, he didn't like the awkward A+P questions I raised, he wasn,t into a relaxed approach/preparation of the tissue with basic strokes, and admitted to having no interest in clients just wanting a massage with no injuries to focus on.
We clashed so badly I dropped the course $2500 down the plughole. It took a while to get over it as I did begin to question my own style of approach. Thank god my friends put me right.
If the person taking the course turns out to be seriously flawed and is only there because they want the power/dominance this is what you do.
Keep your head down eg dont ask any questions in case they dont know the answeres.
Adopt a non holistic approach if you have to (yes there are good therapists outside of holistic approach)
Tell them they are wonderfull yes sir no sir three bags full sir.
Get your certs and be on your way.

This course was in 2000 I have since gone on to take many more holistic healer heal thy self type that have enriched my practice beyond words.

No matter the school or the course its the teacher that can make or break the subject, thank god teachers like him are few and far between. (hopefully now nonexistant)

Regards steve

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on November 23, 2009 at 1:30pm

i find the biggest challenge now is trying to transition between full time employed graphic designer, part time self employed MT to full time self employed MT and freelance graphic designer.

so many questions on how to make it happen. time frame to do it. are my skills ready for that. i'm also not in a financial situation to just leap forward. i want to get my own place versus work out of my home but it requires money and clients. at the same time a really great MT week for me means i'm working doubly hard to balance 2 jobs and just how long can one do that? so it's hard to figure out that balance on where and when and how to move forward.