I asked on facebook the other day for blog post ideas, and one suggestion was “confessions of a massage therapist”. My first response was “hhmmm. NEXT PLEASE.” But when I got to thinking about it, maybe Johnny Cochrane needs to lay it out and tell all about what goes on with massage in Kalispell. The things you are about to read will most likely be common to many in my profession. You may be surprised by some and not by others. First let me tell you that nothing of a sexual nature will be discussed here.
I pray for my clients. Sometimes while I’m working on them, and sometimes outside my office. The truth is, I hate to see people in pain and would love to wave a magic wand and make all your discomfort go away. I do the very best I can with my training to facilitate your healing, but prayer was not something that was taught in massage therapy school, it was taught in the home I grew up in. Prayer works, it’s free, and it would be a disgrace for me not to take genuine needs to God and ask him to help you.
I wish I could work for free. I would love to lower my prices. But the bottom line of overhead, rent, supplies, insurance, cost of school and continuing education is such that black and white economics determine my hourly rate. I’ve crunched the numbers and feel discouraged for the local therapists who charge less than I do, devalueing themselves, damaging their bodies by having to work too much, and taking them away from their families.
I confess, I have aches and pains of my own. I try to come off like a tough guy, but doing massage therapy isn’t a desk job and at the end of the day I can certainly feel that I’ve earned my wages. Fortunately I understand better than most about how to work smart rather than hard, but come home needing my wife to do some ashi on me on the living room floor. I have developed a moderate case of tennis elbow in the last few months and using the armaid tool continue to resolve that issue.
Sometimes I sweat when I work. I’m not a big beefy dude, but I do work hard and even with the ceiling fan going, I find myself perspiring often when doing ashi (it’s a little hotter up there, ha ha!)
I have seen every variety of person on my table. Tall, short, fat, skinny, shaved, unshaved, bathed, you get the idea. You cannot shock me. Massage therapists have seen it all and take it in stride. Your insecurities about body image make no difference to us, we take the same caring attitude to all who trust us to care for them.
I confess, I do not have all the answers. I have much to learn about massage therapy and the healing arts.
So now it’s your turn. Go ahead, confess. You’d trade that new fridge you’ve been wanting if you could just get the migraines to go away. Come see me, lets work on it TOGETHER.
