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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 Mike Hinkle on
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Hi Ray,
I have had few friends that have worked for Title Ins. Co.s and said it was high stress. Glad you decided to join us! Your whole world will have less stress and have a lot more personal satisfaction in it now! Looking forward to future discussions!
Ray Holden said:I work for a large Mortgage Title Insurance company. I've been here for over 5 years now. We are a sector of the real estate industry, so our work flucuates with the real estate market. At the end of 2008, we lost over half of our workforce due to layoffs, I was one of the fortunate ones that made it through. Since then office moral has been extremely low and a once lively and vibrant place to work is now strained and very negative. It's a very high stress and high demand job and really, I'm tired of dealing with it. I am a person that is leaned upon alot, so I have alot of responsility at work. I've been thinking about massage therapy for a while now; I started school back in July. So far, the experiences I have are irreplaceable! I never thought I would enjoy something so much and yearn to reach out to other people so they can experience it themselves. I would say my favorite thing so far is, when I'm finished giving someone a massage, the look of total relaxation on their faces and in their demeanor, and the extreme gratitude that they for what you've just shared with them. That alone is the best indicator that I've found what I'm supposed to be doing.
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Permalink Reply by robbie rogers on
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i used to bartend/waitress 12 yrs straight,off and on after that.been doing massage off and on for 10 years now. im doing outcalls for now.
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Well, we are glad you are part of the profession Robbie! Hope to talk with you in many, many discussions!
robbie rogers said:i used to bartend/waitress 12 yrs straight,off and on after that.been doing massage off and on for 10 years now. im doing outcalls for now.
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Permalink Reply by Sanna Miller on
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I knew massage therapy was my path about halfway through college when I started training in Tai Chi. I finished my degree though in Communications and ended up working for an insurance agency, handling claims and selling new policies for about 2 years. I hated it. I had my share of the office "shoulder and neck tension" as well as developing a nice case of false sciatica that left me barely able to walk for almost 2 months. I started massage therapy and acupuncture treatments regularly to maintain my physical, mental and emotional health. According to my acupuncturist, my ailments were caused by knowing that I was in the wrong career. So when I was finally able to, I left the midwest to attend school in Seattle. It has been my home and the best decision I've ever made for almost 4 years now. And now the only pain I deal with is some lovely RSS symptoms that flare up after doing too many massages without enough of a break in between. But I love what I do and regularly improving my self-care!
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Washington is very strong in the massage field and in many ways I see them leading. I'm so glad you are happy with this profession. Thanks for sharing and take those breaks when you are supposed to!
Sanna Miller said:I knew massage therapy was my path about halfway through college when I started training in Tai Chi. I finished my degree though in Communications and ended up working for an insurance agency, handling claims and selling new policies for about 2 years. I hated it. I had my share of the office "shoulder and neck tension" as well as developing a nice case of false sciatica that left me barely able to walk for almost 2 months. I started massage therapy and acupuncture treatments regularly to maintain my physical, mental and emotional health. According to my acupuncturist, my ailments were caused by knowing that I was in the wrong career. So when I was finally able to, I left the midwest to attend school in Seattle. It has been my home and the best decision I've ever made for almost 4 years now. And now the only pain I deal with is some lovely RSS symptoms that flare up after doing too many massages without enough of a break in between. But I love what I do and regularly improving my self-care!
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Permalink Reply by Ken Elwood on
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I work full time as a Registered Nurse and schedule massages after work and on my days off.
I would like to do massage therapy full time in time.
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Hello Everyone
Sorry for the delay. I didn't work on ship, I worked on land, Therefore I can't really comment on topic.They do however have their own living quarters,they are contracted about 9 months . As for the cruising part they are very very busy. I do know that at times you will have a passenger/s ask for the same employee because of the excellent service they received. I 've know passenger/s to cruise the sam eitinerary as much as 80 times on same ship.
Mike Hinkle said:Sure would love to hear about some of your "adventures at sea." A lot of therapists, on this site, have asked about the living conditions on board these ships, if you care to share.
Theresa Kirksey said:Hi
I worked for the cruise line as a air/sea reservationst. Prior to the cruise line , I have worked as a xray-assistant , physical theraypy assistant. That has been ages ago, now back to the body, go figure. Life change because of the inspiration from my dearest dying cousin. This is dedicated to her.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Lopes on
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Kevin,
You didn't mention what your sister is doing. Why not go into practice with her, Just a thought! ...........Dan
Kevin M Wattier said:I currently work 45 hours a week traveling the coast, MS, AL, FL, and sometimes LA doing floor cleaning equipment repair. Mechanic you might say. I can say this was an answer to a prayer, getting into massage therapy. I went to the local school, Blue Cliff Career College, Mobile, AL for two years getting student massages. I took up running and as a reward I would get a massage as long as I kept running.
My day job is not that fulfilling and I wanted to do something more meaningful. Massage felt so good to me that I decided I wanted to do this for other people. Actually I think I get as much out of it as the client does. It relaxes me too, I'm kind of hyper inside. Nervous energy you might say. I came across a quote recently by Novalis, (Frederick von Hardenberg), that goes: "We touch heaven when we lay our hands on a human body." That really spoke to me.
When I got the message that this is what I'm supposed to do next, I went directly to school and signed up for class. Then I called my younger sister, who mentioned to me before that she wanted to be a MT, and told her she had to sign up and go through the course with me. We both graduated Sept. last year and are now LMT's. We are the only two of 12 students in class to be licensed so far. We started with 6 females and 6 males and ended up that I was the only male to finish the course. Don't ask how I made it through, I don't know. A lot of estrogen to compete with.
My goal is to find enough clients to be able to leave my current job. I've been praying and waiting for some direction from above and some doors to open. I have a Neurologist who says he will refer patients to me but none as yet. I'm most confident with Swedish although with 750 hours of training, we also got all the other modalities. I think I would like to do Swedish, Medical, maybe Pregnancy, and work with infant massage somewhere. I'm anxious to see where massage takes me.
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Permalink Reply by Roger D. Werstler on
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Many years ago I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Advertising/Graphic Design and worked as a commercial artist creating billboards. After a layoff came with a young family to care for, I chose to take a job in production/manufacturing at the Hoover Company building floor cleaners for the next 32 years. I moved into the fitness field as a trainer at the YMCA after being a runner for twenty years, was inspired to become an LMT, and 2 years later became a massage therapist working at a day spa plus having in-home massage therapy clients..
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Build your clientel! When you have enough, go for it! Holler if you need help!
Ken Elwood said:I work full time as a Registered Nurse and schedule massages after work and on my days off.
I would like to do massage therapy full time in time.
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Well, if you know anyone that has, a book on this subject especially by a female therapist, would probably be quite a success.
Theresa Kirksey said:Hello Everyone
Sorry for the delay. I didn't work on ship, I worked on land, Therefore I can't really comment on topic.They do however have their own living quarters,they are contracted about 9 months . As for the cruising part they are very very busy. I do know that at times you will have a passenger/s ask for the same employee because of the excellent service they received. I 've know passenger/s to cruise the sam eitinerary as much as 80 times on same ship.
Mike Hinkle said:Sure would love to hear about some of your "adventures at sea." A lot of therapists, on this site, have asked about the living conditions on board these ships, if you care to share.
Theresa Kirksey said:Hi
I worked for the cruise line as a air/sea reservationst. Prior to the cruise line , I have worked as a xray-assistant , physical theraypy assistant. That has been ages ago, now back to the body, go figure. Life change because of the inspiration from my dearest dying cousin. This is dedicated to her.
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Permalink Reply by Angel Reddick on
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I worked in Human Resources and Marketing for 12 years before I finally decided to start enjoying my life. I wanted to go where the happy people were, and I, myself, was always happy when I got massages. Starbucks was my Plan B. Have you ever seen an unhappy Starbucks' employee? I haven't.
I've only been a therapist since 2007, so I've still got a lot to learn. But that's the exciting part - having so much more to learn. I also teach massage at the school I graduated from. I never thought I'd be the one teaching anything to anyone, but I manage.
My true passion, ever since I learned to put words together on paper, is writing. When I was a kid, people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I'd tell them with absolute certainty, "I'm going to travel around the world and write about what I see." (But then again, I also thought living in my car sounded like a solid plan.) I've also always had a camera in my hand, ever since I was 6-years old. I guess I thought I'd be taking pictures of everything I saw along the way, from my car window. Then life happened, and writing became a distant dream I once had "when I was young".
I have always lived in Indianapolis, IN. And though I say every year, "This will be my last winter here," I will probably never leave. Massage therapy seems to be a few years behind where I live. We JUST got certification in 2009. And after learning Thai Massage, I was so excited to offer it to my clients. Two years later, and my clients continue to schedule "the normal massage." We'll get there...in 20 years. Of course, my arms will probably be completely useless by then.
I hope to learn a lot from this website. I hope to find inspiration. And maybe I'll meet a few new friends who can help guide me on my journey to massage...and maybe even writing.
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