Many of you looking at massage therapy as a possible career option and considering the option of attending a massage school are probably asking yourself something along the lines of, “Is massage therapy the right career choice for me?”  A very important question for sure.  But another, more important question is, “Am I a good fit for massage?”

Although those are very similar sounding questions, they are actually two completely different viewpoints.  For instance, the career and lifestyle of an NBA player might be the right fit for me (the money, fame, you get paid for playing a game), but the fact that I am 5’-8” and can’t jump means that I’m not a good fit for the NBA.

The same goes for massage therapy, although in a less extreme way.  There are many aspects of massage that attract peoples’ interest in joining the profession.  A big reason is that massage can be a lucrative career, particularly when you factor in the amount of hours worked on a weekly basis.  The idea of making an above-average income while working around 20 hours a week is very appealing.

Consider the Whole Picture

Getting out of the corporate rat race and leaving behind the 60-plus hour work weeks was a critical factor in my decision to become a therapist.  The fact that I could make reasonably close to my corporate salary by working less then half as much was very appealing.  Unfortunately, that isn’t the entire story.

Being a massage therapist isn’t as simple as clocking in and clocking out.  Being successful as a therapist requires more then just getting a certificate from a massage school, passing your state and national exams and putting out a shingle.  For all that massage gives to me, it also requires a lot from me in return.

There are probably many aspects of massage therapy that brings you to this place of deciding to join the profession.  However, it is important to understand other aspects of the profession in order to determine if you are right for massage therapy.  Your success depends on this understanding.

In my opinion, there are three critical things you need in order to succeed in a career as a massage therapist.  Now, if you only plan on performing massage on the side while keeping another full-time job, then this won’t directly apply.  But if you honestly want to embrace massage as a career and a lifestyle, then these three factors are key.

Do You Like People?

I know, it is silly to think anyone would get into massage if they don’t like people.  But you know what?  A surprising number of people do.    They wouldn’t admit it, but I know many therapists that just don’t enjoy most people, and it shows.  They don’t have the compassion needed to heal others.  They don’t care about humanity in general and they are incapable of showing empathy to those in pain.

So as simple as it sounds, it is paramount for you to actually like people, different people, people of all walks of life, age, race, religion, everything.  When people come to me for help all I see is the body and the soul, nothing else.  I am there to heal and nurture them.  Nothing else matters.

The other day I had five clients, and when I looked back I realized they couldn’t have been any more different.  My first patient was a Jesuit priest that I work on weekly.  After him came an HIV-positive gay man, followed by a 20-something female artist who runs three or four marathons a year, followed by a wealthy business man that is always in a hurry and impatient, and finally a 350-pound house cleaner that can’t really afford me but still finds a way to come up with the money.

The point is, you will see all kinds of clients, and you need to genuinely like them and be able tconnect with them.  If not, it will show in your work and they will know.  Maybe not consciously, but they will “feel” the dispassion in you.  So step one, make sure you like people.

Are You Nurturing?

This is what we do as therapists.  We nurture.  Massage therapy doesn’t cure any diseases, and technically we can’t “fix” any pathologies.  But our nurturing touch can help ease pain, decrease stress and improve function among other things.  As a result we can have a huge impact on the outlook of someone’s life.

But if you aren’t a nurturing soul it won’t happen.  Just going through the motions won’t heal.  It might help a little, but it won’t really reach the level where you are making a true impact on their  life.  If you don’t have a nurturing soul you will struggle to keep clients coming back and success will be difficult.

You Can’t Be Afraid Of Touch

I know, another “duh” requirement.  But again, you would be surprised at how many therapist struggle with this.  To be a truly effective massage therapist you must be willing to go where you need to go on every client that walks into your room.

I go back to my five clients the other day.  I know several therapist who refuse to work on HIV-positive patients.  I personally have several and have no problem with it.  Would you?  And what about working on a 350-pound person?  It is challenging at times, but it is what we must do.  I love my clients and they come to me for touch, healing, pain relief and many other things.  I am committed to doing what it takes to help them feel better.  They know that and as a result I have a loyal clientele that refers often.

So in considering a career in massage think about these three key factors. There are certainly many other things you need to consider, but in my experience the massage therapists that struggle all have one thing in common; they don’t have these three key intangible qualities.  Do you?  If you think you do then you can have a bright future in massage.  All the other requirements can be learned.

Tagged as: massage career, massage schools