By Gary Eaton LMT

Like many professions, finding someone who is an expert in the field that is willing to share their knowledge and experience can make the difference between success and failure as a massage therapist.  Being a successful massage therapist is not impossible without a mentor, but having that guiding hand will certainly help move your career forward at a much faster pace.

When I attended massage school I made a great connection with one of my instructors, who ultimately became my mentor.  This relationship was an integral part of my school experience, and played an even bigger role in my successful transition into a professional massage therapist.

The positive impacts of a mentor can’t be overstated.  If you really want to succeed, do your best to find a massage therapist that would be willing to be your mentor.  I was lucky enough to find one even though I wasn’t exactly looking for it.  But I benefited greatly from her insight and advice.

A mentor brings much more than just technical knowledge about massage.  My mentor actually practices a completely different style of massage, and yet she has given me more relevant information and advice about my massage career than I could have received from any massage school class.

One of the best nuggets of advice I received from my mentor was about motivation.  She instilled in me the importance of having the right motivation in becoming a successful therapist.  Basically she told me that if I looked at massage as a means to an end – i.e. just about the money – I would be very disappointed.  Massage would just become a job like any other.  She instilled in me the passion for helping others.  This advice helped me stay focused on why I wanted to be a massage therapist in the first place.

Aside from the obvious advantages of a mentor, such as career advice, learning from their experiences – both successes and failures, a mentor can provide the emotional support we need to succeed in an industry that can be very demanding.  People who don’t practice as massage therapist don’t understand the demands -  physical, mental and emotional – that are required to be a successful massage therapist.  A great mentor will understand those demands, and through their wisdom they can impart advice that you won’t find from anyone else.

If you are getting ready to start your massage training, or are thinking about going to massage school, keep in mind how important a mentor can be to your success.  If you have a chance to connect with other massage therapists or massage instructors, don’t be afraid to ask one of them to be your mentor.  Most therapists are already helpers by nature, and would be honored to help another massage therapist to succeed.

Gary Eaton is a licensed massage therapist and writer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He manages a thriving therapeutic massage practice and is a featured writer for Massage Schools Guide.