Colleagues

There are so many great things I can say about my Registered Massage Therapy Colleagues. The best ones are the ones I work with in the clinic. Each bring their own unique touch to the profession. Each one has a speciality from Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Bowen, or MyoFasial Release. Surrounding myself with those who have these additional skills is an asset to any client visiting the clinic. Surrounding myself with R.M.T.'s who have something different to offer than I can provide, is an asset to me.

I have my own "tool box" to work from, but the beauty is that if the client is still not satisfied with their progress, or if my skills have reached their limitations, I consider it a sign of professional strength that I can refer my client to another professional. Especially since the professional is within the same clinic, the client can remain where they have established a level of comfort, trust, and it benefits the clinic overall. I also try to get massages from each of my colleagues at the clinic (tough job, eh?). This way, I get an idea of the style that each Massage Therapist provides. If the needs of a client come up, I will know exactly who to send them to. If they have a question about a particular technique they saw on the clinic website, I can speak about it from experience. If I am going away, and the client would like to continue massage with a similar style, I know the therapist that can provide them with the pressure and technique that is most like mine.

It is even better when the colleagues I work with are like friends and family and we can spend time with each other outside of the clinic. It is great to see the support when celebrating events such as a new baby, a bachelorette, or even a going away brunch. It doesn't always happen that the R.M.T.'s I work with mix so well together, but I am very fortunate we do at our clinic.

It has happened that I have been curious about the skills of an R.M.T. in the city and reached out to them to get together for a coffee or tea in order to get to know them better. On occasion, surprisingly, I have been met with resistence and he/she would question my motives for meeting with them. "I'm really busy, Krista" or "What is this really about?" Seriously, I just want to know more about them and their practice. This way, if I ever have a client that can benefit from his/her services I can refer accordingly. Some Massage Therapists have been known to be competitive and possessive of clients. This doesn't help the client or the profession as a whole. Sadly, some do not understand. I am truly sorry that you are too busy to network since word of mouth is our best way to advertise.

To learn more about my fabulous colleagues, check out Align Massage Therapy 

Race Across America

Greetings from Washington, DC. (Aug 30-Sept 2nd)

One of the most incredible experiences I have had in my profession was to work with a team of extraordinary individuals who all came together for one event, one cause, and one bus.

I was so fortunate to be invited to join Team Xstrata as a volunteer Massage Therapist for Race Across America in support of The Children’s Wish Foundation.

Some background on Race Across America: The Race Across America (RAAM) is the mother of all endurance bike races. It’s 30% longer than the Tour de France and more grueling than any of the 24- or 48-hour sufferfests out there. Heck, in 1992 Outside Magazine ranked it “the world’s toughest sporting event.”

In over 4,800 kilometers—from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland—riders will experience extremes of weather, terrain, pain, doubt and every kind of logistical challenge imaginable as they endeavour to make it safely across the country as fast as they can. Over multiple mountain passes, across deserts, through the flats of Kansas and into the cities of the east, cyclists compete against the clock and themselves, racing 24 hours a day for five to eight days.

Teaming up with Registered Massage Therapist and Chiropractor, Melanie Stewart, we spent a total of 11 days maintaining the 8 riders and 12 crew's bodies and minds. Since the race is 24 hours, Melanie and I were giving massages approximately every 8 hours when there would be a change over in riders. Four riders would come off the road, tired, sore, hungry, and did I mention tired? And four new riders would be going out. The massages were very specific to the muscles the riders were using for cycling, the muscles that were compensating, and they were no longer than 20 minutes each. Lots of legs, low back, neck, and shoulders. It was a rewarding experience to bring some relief to the tired muscles of these riders working so hard each time they went out on the road.

I can honestly say that I can give an effective massage anywhere, and anytime! Melanie and I set up our treatment station in all sorts of locations and would get to work unphased--Wal-Mart parking lots, shoulders on the side of the road at 4am, generous business parking lots that enjoyed a front row seat to all the organized chaos of a change-over...literally anywhere!

Melanie and I were also considered part of the elite “bus crew” as we were riding on the bus each day with a transition master, 2 chefs and a hired bus driver to get ahead of the riders and set up for their arrival. The amount of work that each person put into this event is nothing short of amazing. It was a team I would gladly work with again. I have made some incredible friends and made some incredible connections through this event. It became so much more than I anticipated.

Team Xstrata successfully completed Race Across America in 6 days 9 hours and 42 minutes.

This incredible event was also raising money for The Children’s Wish Foundation. Team Xstrata took home the award for raising the most money for their charity out of all of the RAAM cycling teams.

It was more challenging than I thought to put my entire RAAM experience into this short post, so if you would like to learn more about our adventure, here is an incredible blog written by crew chief Anne Sasso who tracked the team and crew each day on the journey. http://www.xstrataraam.com/

Best Ever

So what was the best massage you have ever had?

Was it a specific Massage Therapist that really knew what they were doing to relax tense muscles, or was it a specific atmosphere that made it an ideal setting for a massage?

I am very fortunate to have heard many times that I was “the best massage” a client ever received. It is a huge boost to our professional confidence when a client says this. I have heard this from regular clients who may have seen me a few times, new clients who have had many massages, and I have even heard it from those with a celebrity status. Those are certainly highlights in my career.

The fact is that it is all individual preference. Finding a good Massage Therapist, the one that is right for you, is the same as finding your perfect hairstylist. Once you find them, you don’t want to let them go. On the other hand, if a Massage Therapist is not the right fit, there should be no hard feelings if you want to continue your search. I am continually amazed that each Massage Therapist in Ontario has more or less gone through the same instruction necessary to complete their diploma, yet how the Massage Therapist interprets it, and makes it into their own style, is completely different in the outcome. It’s not right or wrong, but it is very unlikely you will find two massages who will be exactly the same.

There are some massage sessions where I will feel that I could have given the client more and feel that I wasn’t at my best. To my surprise, the client will come out of the massage beaming and very happy with their treatment. There will be other times when I feel that I am giving everything I have to a client for his or her treatment, and when I ask how they are feeling at the end they might respond “ok, I guess.”

Some of my favourite stories of “the best massage ever” usually involve the client on vacation and they get a massage on the beach. Trust me, I have been there and yes it was an incredible experience but I wouldn’t say it was the best massage ever. Believe it or not, even with my favourite Massage Therapists, I am still searching for “the best massage.”

Any suggestions? 

Yeah, but do you like It?

“Do you Like It?”

Surprisingly, I do hear this question from clients a lot and usually during a massage. I should hope that one would be able to tell whether I liked it or not because you should be able to “feel” it coming through in my massage, or not. And what if I answered, “No, I hate it”? How would the client feel during the rest of the massage? I can imagine there are therapists who would tell the truth if they didn’t like it. The same way a cashier at the grocery store will tell me how they can’t wait to be done for the day when I ask “How is your day going?”

The real truth for me as a Massage Therapist is that yes, I do like it...for now. I have realized that this is not a profession I will be in until I retire. Many of my instructors had been practicing for at least ten years and this was encouraging. All of them are still practicing today, even more encouraging. But for me, I feel that there is more to come. I was blessed with the gift of massage and I am sharing this gift with as many people as I physically can. However, there are limits as there are only so many hours in a day, and so much energy I can expend on clients.  I am feeling restless and I feel that my gift is approaching its expiration date. I have never considered my profession to be “work” or a “job” and I never want to feel that way about it.

While I am still struggling with my next step into a career that combines my passions and talents, I have been fortunate to have a Plan-B that is easing the transition. It is remarkable to me how many R.M.T.’s are confident they will be in this profession forever at the pace they are going. They won’t even entertain the idea of another career. While many may have a spouse to lean on, for those who know me, spouse or no spouse, I am fiercely independent.  

So, what do you think my next move should be?   

Has anyone ever confronted you and asked if you like what you are doing? How does that make you feel? 

What Soft Hands You Have...

“You must have soft hands”

Another common phrase I hear from a client. It makes sense, right? I am constantly applying lotion to my hands so I must have silky smooth skin. This is not true. For one, the lotion we work with is specific for Massage Therapy. It is meant to glide on the skin and will take time to absorb. As Massage Therapists we will wash our hands at least twice per client--before we re-enter the room to begin the massage, and immediately after the massage. We must wash our hands with an antibacterial soap and warm water. No matter the season, we will never have soft hands.

The really neat thing is that our hands are superhero sensitive! We can astound you with our knot finding abilities through even the densest tissue! One of my instructors demonstrated how he could find a piece of hair under a piece of paper. It seemed unbelievable at the time because as students we were in the infancy of developing our sense of professional touch. We have strong grips and although I might not be good in a fistfight, if I can get close enough to squeeze someone into submission, watch out!

We are frequently asked by our boyfriends to open jars (unless he works out) . But, if the jar has some sort of ridging on it, it will feel like glass under my hands and I will be rendered helpless in its presence because my hands are so sensitive. Also, my fine motor skills, such as holding a pen in my hand for a length of time can be tiring to the muscles. The larger muscle groups are so over developed that the finer ones have lost their touch. It’s easy to tell which hand is the strongest, as it will have a larger thenar (thumb pad). Yes, mine is bigger than my boyfriends...even if he works out ;)

Thank God for Elbows

“Do your hands get sore at the end of the day”?

A common question I hear from clients. Massage Therapy is a fascinating profession to many people. How can one person manage to work with their hands all day long, stand, bend, lunge, and squat, while (gasp) touching people for a living? As mentioned in an earlier post, one of my instructors referred to Massage Therapy as “educated manual labour.” Seven years into the profession, I can see how accurate his reference was. However, I am not close to the exertion that is involved in construction or roofing, Massage Therapy, as a profession, will still take a dramatic toll on your body.

Yes, my hands could be sore at the end of the day, along with my lower back and shoulders. It depends on the type of massages I am doing and the density of tissues I am working on. The benefit to being a trained Massage Therapist is that we have learned numerous techniques that save our hands. Many of us will opt to use forearms and elbows, which arguably work better than our hands for pressure, and reducing tension in the muscles. The best part is that many of my clients can never tell the difference when I use my forearms, elbows, or hands. Yes, I’m that good J

Remember how the burnout rate of a Massage Therapist is 2-5 years? Relying solely on your hands is a sure way you will fall into this statistic. Massage Therapists do have a high rate of early onset arthritis, carpal tunnel, and nerve impingement syndromes. Many Massage Therapists may have had a scare that forces them to take a step back and get back to the basics of our techniques. Some problems however will not go away until you leave the profession. One Massage Therapist I know is now a radiologist after tingling and numbness in her hands would not go away. Some Massage Therapists may not have a plan B, and wearing a pain patch to work becomes their only option. Yes, I know one Massage Therapist doing this. An early lesson in Massage school was that we cannot sacrifice our own body in order to help others. So why don’t we listen?

Sick

This is by far one of the things I like least about my profession.
 

If you are feeling sick, stay home. It’s common sense, but so many clients don’t want to miss out on their massage and they might think it will help them feel better. It won’t. In fact, it could make you feel worse. If you are at the beginning of “feeling sick”, then you will likely experience full blown symptoms within 24 hours of having your massage. Why? Because getting a massage stirs up circulation and the lymphatic system and you will be mucous city the next day. There is some good to this. It means you won’t be sick for long because we are literally pushing it out of the body faster than it would take to naturally appear. 

There are many types of massage that may help reduce mucous and congestion. If you are past the point of being infectious, I encourage you to come in for a massage to reduce these symptoms. The types of massage may include Craniosacral Therapy or Manual Lymphatic Drainage. A Swedish Massage with Tapping or Cupping on the back can also be very effective.

So, you come in for your massage feeling sick and you are looking forward to relaxing for an hour while the perfectly healthy Massage Therapist is stuck in the room with you. One of the ways we protect ourselves is by wearing a surgical mask. It doesn’t look friendly, and you might be insulted, but I don’t have sick days so I need to protect my immune system!

It is a difficult decision for a Massage Therapist to not come in to work when they are feeling sick. As mentioned in an earlier post, we get paid per client. If we choose to stay home and rest, we make no money that day. Our job is physically demanding so it’s not easy to massage when you are feeling under the weather. If we are feeling sick and choose to come to work, we will be wearing a surgical mask for all our clients. Our clients should be contacted in advance to let them know that they may choose to reschedule their appointment. This is especially true if the client is pregnant or elderly. Fortunately, I have not had to cancel too many days because I was sick. If it does happen, I pray you have a receptionist to handle those calls ;) 

Etiquette

Rules as a houseguest: Make your bed, help with the dishes, and bring candy.
Rules as a Massage Therapy Client: Turn off your cell phone (not on vibrate), don’t leave your clothes on the floor (hang them up or put them on the chair so the Massage Therapist does not trip on them), keep your voice down (no need to yell into the face cradle), and bring candy (just kidding).

It’s also common courtesy and a sign of a professional R.M.T. if he or she keeps conversation to a minimum and only responds to questions the client asks. It’s not that we don’t want to engage in conversation, actually it’s a lonely profession and like the elderly, we love someone to talk to! The point is that this is your massage, and every client relaxes differently. Some clients are very talkative and I am lucky to know the details from their latest vacation and where their kids are thinking of going to University. Other clients prefer to relax with no conversation after the “how do you do's.” A great Massage Therapist will respect and respond to each client's needs individually. I have heard from many clients who changed Massage Therapists because the Massage Therapist talked too much. Surprisingly, I have also heard that some clients try to engage the Massage Therapist in conversation and the Massage Therapist will tell the client not to talk, as it is better for the overall relaxing atmosphere. Seriously? Who are these Massage Therapists?

So, as a Massage Therapist, do you prefer a talkative client or an hour of complete silence to be in your own thoughts? As a client, would you prefer to engage in some conversation, or appreciate a quiet Massage Therapist? 

Knotty

Once I get hands on with a client, they will typically comment, “I’m really tense right?” Or “I have a lot of knots right?” As a professional, it is always best to agree with the client. Knots and tension are common for every body type and lifestyle. I have a few clients who have wanted to be known as my “knottiest client”, but to be honest I don’t compare because each body is so different. I’m sorry to say, there is no prize for winning “most tense” nor should you be proud of winning it. My goal for each session is to try to manipulate the tissue, relax and release the knots and tension. Some tension is completely normal in order for the body to feel stabilized. We don’t stop moving our bodies, so there will always be something that feels tense and needs work. Many of my clients are involved with repetitive activity (i.e.sitting at a computer desk all day) so the muscles involved with this activity will be more tense, and it may actually be difficult to relax them in the long-term. Knots can also be the result of stress. Even if we do not feel stressed, our body finds ways to manifest it. Women tend to hold stress in their upper back and shoulders, while men typically hold stress in their lower back.

One of my favourite questions is, “how do I get rid of the tension?”

My advice is usually “more massages” and “stretch the muscles during and after the activity that aggravates them.” The alternative and my favourite answer is, “move to a secluded island and drink piña coladas everyday.” I have yet to hear of a client who has taken me up on this advice.

Table Vs. Bed

It's called a Massage Table. It's not called a Bed. That is all.

I've Got You Covered

It is common courtesy for me to go over the protocol for what clothing you leave on or take off whenever I see a client for the first time, even if they tell me they have had many massages before. As a professional, I like them to know what I expect. Massage Therapy is different than a Physiotherapy session where the Physiotherapist can still effectively work on a client wearing shorts and a t-shirt. 
 
In North America, a sheet always covers the client during the massage and only the areas being worked on are the areas exposed. It is wonderful that we live in a very multicultural society and I see many clients from many different backgrounds, and therefore, different comfort levels of nudity. Maintaining professional standards is my main concern no matter the background of the client. As you can imagine, Europeans are more liberal and might even start undressing while I am trying to collect their health history. I always leave the room while a client is getting on the table. I have to go wash my hands anyway.

It’s important to feel comfortable during your massage, and I can always work around clothing. It can always depend on the areas being worked on as well. For the most part, a client is on the table for approximately sixty minutes, so I want them to be comfortable without worrying about their pants getting wrinkled, or their belt buckle jabbing them in the stomach. I also need sufficient access to the areas being treated so that I can give an effective massage. If the glutes need to be worked on for conditions such as sciatica, then yes, with client consent I will need access to the glute muscles to effectively treat sciatica.

Most clients undress down to his or her underwear. This is ideal because it maximizes the areas the Massage Therapist can work on, it gives us a place to tuck in the sheet when we work on the back or the legs, and it also is the most comfortable for the client on the table. Massage Therapists are proficiently trained in draping techniques to ensure the privacy and comfort of the client during a massage.

It’s normal for a client to feel nervous for his or her first massage, and so I encourage if a direction is not clear, that he or she asks questions before I leave the room. It will happen more than once in our career, that we return to the room and find the client standing or sitting in their underwear because they didn’t listen. It’s completely innocent and makes it even more important to help the client feel at ease while they are in our care.

Under Pressure

One of my instructors said, “You give the type of massage you want to receive.” If that is true, then I want a massage that is firm but gentle tough love.

Many clients think that the deeper the massage, and the more it “hurts”, the better the Massage Therapist.  This is not true. Although some techniques will elicit a “good hurt” feeling that I describe as “uncomfortable, but it is working out the problem”, the gentlest techniques can also provide the same benefit. No tears required. 
 
Every massage can feel different because the Massage Therapist should be providing the type of massage the client needs/ requests that particular day. 
 
It is common that the bulkiest men will request a “deep tissue massage” (because this sounds like the manliest massage) only to realize they can’t handle it. I will admit that I take slight joy when this happens, especially if they doubted my abilities in the first place. Amazingly, it is always the smallest women who can’t get enough pressure, and sometimes I have to tap out and suggest another Massage Therapist that may be able to provide them with the pressure they desire for next time. 

As Therapists, we are trained to listen to the muscles and adapt to the pressure needed to relieve the tension. Just because you want a “deep tissue massage”, doesn’t mean your body needs it. You could be in a lot more discomfort the next day than you came in with.

That being said, it is perfectly normal to feel some soreness in the muscles the day after a massage, and it can sometimes last up to 48-hours. Think about your last workout, maybe not right away, but likely that night or the next day you knew you had worked new muscle groups because they were sore. You expected them to feel sore and recognize that you actually did something during your workout. This is the same concept post massage. The muscles need to repair after a massage the same way the muscles heal after a workout. Just like a workout, they will heal better, and stronger. 

The best way to reduce muscle soreness after a massage is to drink a few extra glasses of water and consider having a hot bath that evening with Epsom salts. Epsom salts can be found at any pharmacy and even at the bulk barn.

I hear many stories of people who see a Massage Therapist for the first time, and it becomes their last because the Massage Therapist applied too much pressure leaving them feeling battered and bruised. The Massage Therapist may be the one with more experience, but that doesn’t always mean they know best.

It is very important you get the massage that you feel will benefit your body the most. If a Massage Therapist is applying more pressure than is comfortable and bordering on painful, speak up and politely ask them to reduce his or her pressure. If they refuse, you have a right to end the treatment and find a new Massage Therapist.  If they are not providing you with the pressure you like, request that he or she provide more pressure on the muscle. Just please give us a few minutes to warm up the tissue before you judge our pressure.

Massage Beats

What typical music can you expect to hear during your massage? 

You can expect waves crashing on a beach, birds in the trees, and classical. This music is relaxing, calming, and allows you to escape. When a client enjoys the music I play, I like to hear about it. I appreciate when they let me know what they like and I will try to play it for them the next time they come in for a massage. Only a few times have I heard a client doesn't like the music I play. I also appreciate when they let me know they don’t like the music. The music that is least popular is music with lyrics.

Being in the profession for almost seven years now, I have listened to a lot of waves crashing on the beach, birds in the trees, and Pachaebel's Canon in D. I often try to experiment with music I will enjoy as well as music the client would enjoy. My new favourite is the Internet radio station “Jango” www.jango.com and its Chillout/Downtempo Station. Thank goodness for wifi!

Since my client is paying for this time to relax and escape, I strongly encourage anyone getting a massage to bring his or her own music. I have heard some stories of Massage Therapists inviting clients to bring their own music and one client walked in with Metallica, another with show tunes.

The last time I was down south with friends, we were all relaxing on the beach after dark, enjoying the sound of waves crashing on the shore.  It wasn’t long before I got up and had to leave with the excuse that it felt like I was at work, and was lucky I could listen to waves on the shore all day if I wanted to ;)

For a laugh, search YouTube for Dane Cook making fun of his experience dating a massage therapist and his interpretation of spa music. Be advised that Dane Cook is not family friendly, but I find him hilarious :)

Show Me the Money!

Good Morning! Tough Mudder Toronto is Today. Hoo-Rah.

Early in my career I was at a networking event and began chatting with a lawyer. After exchanging a few ‘get to know you’ and ‘what do you do’ questions, he asked: “So, do you make any money doing that?” It had a slight, “you call that a real career?” jab to it, but I would later learn this was his true personality and I shouldn’t take it personally. At the time, I did take it quite personally and felt that I had to defend my career and the entire profession of Massage Therapy. However, I think I was too shocked by the direct question, so I probably responded with a flustered response boasting that we don’t just do it for the money, but we love to help people etc. Yeah, I’m sure I showed him.

The short answer is: yes, I do make money doing this. In fact, I do quite well as a Registered Massage Therapist.

From day one in Massage School, our instructors were trying to be straight with us about what a career in Massage Therapy was really like. One instructor drew a graph on the board indicating busy months and slow months. Busy months included September-December. Slow months included January, July, and August. The rest of the year would be steady depending on the economy and the weather. Yes, the weather. On rainy days, same day bookings will fill your schedule. But, if there is a snow storm, you can bet on same day cancellations. This graph was also a good indicator of when it was the best time for a Massage Therapist to take holidays--assuming you could afford them.

The long answer is: Our income will vary month to month because we depend on seeing a client in order to get paid. If we don’t see a client, we don’t get paid.

It may seem that our paydays are rewarding as the average rate for a one-hour massage is $85. Many of us will owe a percentage of that $85 to cover our use of the clinic, but sometimes there is a flat rate we owe the clinic each month. Some of us though, can work from home and therefore keep the entire $85. After you factor in HST (13% put aside) and taxes (20% saved to be safe), we might walk away with approximately $40, which sounds great for an hour of work! Just remember, we have literally been working for that full hour, hands on, hands moving the entire time. Even if the client falls asleep, which is a compliment, we are not taking a facebook break or even leaving the room for a second.

Furthermore, a Massage Therapist cannot work a full eight hour day and manage to maintain good health. Many Massage Therapists may work from multiple clinics in order to accumulate hours and income. Our governing college advises Massage Therapists work an average of 25 hours per week. This helps to prevent burn-outs in the profession.

Our profession has a burn-out rate of 2-5 years! This comes from Massage Therapists working too hard right out of the gate, enjoying the income it will provide, but sacrificing their own health for it. In some cases, the profession just isn’t what they thought it would be, and they are on to the next thing.

Many Massage Therapists do very well in the profession, and some I have talked to need to budget more diligently each month on personal expenses in order to ensure their bills are paid. This is why you will likely not see two Massage Therapists in a relationship because the income is unpredictable. If we truly love our profession and are in it because we love to help others with our bare hands, than you will probably find us in a relationship with someone who has a “real job.”

Who Massages the Massage Therapist?

As you may already realize, Massage Therapy is a physically demanding profession. One of my instructors referred to Massage Therapy as “educated manual labour” and surprisingly, I was still excited about my future career!

So, do Massage Therapists get massages? Absolutely! We need to be a product of the product. I love, love, love getting a massage! How often? Not often enough, but I do try to aim for anywhere between three weeks and three months :) 

Who massages the Massage Therapist? For me, this all depends on timing. Sometimes I will see my favourite classmates that still live in Ottawa, Aline Kelly http://www.aline-rmt.com/ and Michelle Rodriguez www.physiotherapyonkent.com. Sometimes I exchange with a colleague at Align Massage Therapy www.alignyourbody.com. If I receive a 60 minute Massage Therapy Treatment, at some point I will owe that Therapist a 60 minute Massage Therapy Treatment. Exchange works in theory, but as a practitioner it is not practical or profitable for us. It is difficult to find the time in both of your schedules. It is also taking time away from potential clients that could book a paid Massage with the Therapist. Not many therapists would want to come in or stay late either. Most of the time, I book a Massage on my days off and pay for it as this just works out for everyone involved.

I also see a Chiropractor probably more regularly than I see a Massage Therapist. My Chiropractor, Dr. Melanie Stewart http://www.kentchiromed.com/, is phenomenal and I always feel great after an adjustment. One cannot expect to be on their feet everyday lunging, squatting, and bending over without needing their own treatment once and awhile.

We were taught early on to never sacrifice the health of our own bodies to benefit the client. This is also a great idea in theory, but somehow it doesn’t always work that way even though we are taught proper body mechanics from day one in Massage School. There are also fantastic courses for Continuing Education to ensure a Massage Therapist is working effectively and safely. At the end of the day, we are working a lot harder than a lot of people on the job, and we appreciate our massages as much as our client would appreciate theirs.

In fact, I would argue that I appreciate it a lot more. It is a great reminder on how beneficial massages are, and how our roles as Massage Therapists play a large part in the health of our client. I am so excited to get a massage that I count down the days and I realize this is how my client must feel when they come to see me. It helps when I am having an off day to remember that my client has been looking forward to this massage since they booked their appointment. Whenever I get a massage I am reminded of how good they feel and my body is conditioned after all of these years to literally melt into the massage table.

Getting a massage is also an excellent opportunity to brush up on your technique and experience new “moves” that you can use on your client. It is passive learning at its finest. I will be the first to admit, that if I love a technique that a Massage Therapist has done on me, I will be trying it on my client the next day. 

Your Boyfriend is so Lucky!

One of the many perks to being an R.M.T. is that when you tell people what you do, their eyes light up and they are very happy to have met you! “Oh reallllly?” they might say with a big smile. It is a joy to have a career that (most) people know what you do and are excited to come and see you at your workplace. Massage Therapy is still working on being recognized as a completely different massage than the one some may think of...think neon signs. So please don’t associate that type of massage with what a Registered Massage Therapist does because an R.M.T. will put you in your place if you even suggest it.  Consider yourself warned.

Because (almost) everyone loves massages, they assume it must be amazing to date a Massage Therapist. Think of all the free, anytime, and anywhere, massages! I often get the comment “your boyfriend is a really lucky guy!” Actually, he’s not. Do you like bringing your work home? After working for 8 hours a day doing whatever it is you do, do you really want to do one more hour off the clock? Didn’t think so.

I am sure there are much nicer Massage Therapists out there than me, but I adamantly refuse to give my boyfriend a massage at home. For me, it’s about conserving energy, and maintaining professional standards. Our profession is a giving profession and we do our best everyday to help our clients feel better.  Depending on the day, it can be very exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally.  This is part of the profession that many may not realize exists. It’s more than a massage; we are working with human beings in a vulnerable condition. When we come home, we want to recharge. 

Many Massage Therapists will ask their spouses/ partners to book an appointment at their clinic. This is a great idea! It maintains professionalism, doesn’t add on to the day, and Massage Therapists feel more in their “zone” as they are working in their professional environment. 

I may be the one that is lucky though, because my boyfriend hates my massages (gasp!).  And maybe I am a bit harder on him than I would be to a regular client, but he simply cannot tolerate my techniques and pressure. I still encourage him to see my colleagues though, which he is working up the nerve to do.

Visit the website for Align Massage Therapy to learn more about my colleagues and the Massage Therapy techniques they specialize in.  

www.alignyourbody.com

Why Did You Become A Massage Therapist?

One of the most common questions I receive as a Registered Massage Therapist is: "Why did I become a Massage Therapist?" I suppose it is a common question when meeting anyone for the first time and learning more about what they do and how they got started. 

I am fortunate that for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a Massage Therapist. I have been blessed with the gift of Massage. It was my grandmother who nurtured this gift by asking me for massages before she went to bed. This was when I was as young as two years old and continued until her sudden passing in 1999 when I was sixteen years old.

Giving Grandma a Massage. Vancouver, 1985 

Since I was told I was naturally good at something, it only made sense that I should pursue it as a career. At this point, I was also giving massages to my friends, and even when I tried a "new technique" that I assumed would not be desired (just to get out of giving the massage sometimes), it turned out to be a hit. It would also turn out to be an actual technique that I would learn once I attended Massage Therapy School. 

My post secondary goal also included attending Queen’s University, simply because I wanted to be attached to the Queen’s name, and the campus is beautiful.  Since Queen’s did not offer Massage Therapy :P I chose to take a B.A. in Arts majoring in English and whenever anybody would ask what I was going to do with the degree I would answer, “Massage Therapy” and leave them confused and curious.

My B.A. was completed in April 2005, and in the same month I was enrolled in the Massage Therapy Program at CDI College (currently Everest) in Ottawa, ON. How I arrived in Ottawa, after Kingston, is another blog entirely J

And now you know the start of my journey in Massage Therapy. I look forward to taking you along over six years in the profession. 

Until next time, take care!

Krista Dicks, R.M.T. 

Learn more about my practice as a Registered Massage Therapist

www.lymphaticclinic.ca

www.neomassage.ca