I'm thinking about going to massage therapy school

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

The idea came to me in a dream.

Didn’t really give it much credence until the next day I was talking to my mother about my unhappy job situation (went from being a craps dealer to a cashier at Wal-Mart, and I hate working at Wal-Mart already, and I’ve been there less than two months. Plus the repetitive no-brain job is slowly turning my brain to slush). I told her I want to look for a different job, but I don’t know where- not really qualified for anything else. She said, "Well, meditate on it, pray to the Holy Spirit. Maybe something will come to you in a dream.

So, I found a school near my apartment, went and talked to the admissions officer today, got the tour, did some preliminary paperwork. Class starts the twenty-third of this month.

I think this might be a good career move for me. It’s a seven-month course (there is a student loan involved. Icky, debt…) and they have job placement assistance.

When I lost my last dealing job and took the one at Wal-Mart out of desparation, I started sinking into a depression. As many days as not, I’ll be crying as I get ready for work because I feel like a thing- a replacement part for a cash register that the Big Corporation can use up and discard when I wear out. I had lost a career doing something I enjoyed but couldn’t quite fit in with (from what I can tell, casinos want people who hate dealing, give lousy customer service and are uncooperative and verbally abusive to their coworkers) and wound up in a dead-end low wage job just to pay the rent. I don’t want to have a job that’s “just a job”. I want to do something I enjoy, that will be doing something good for other people, and that I can actually make a living at- eight dollars an hour in Vegas is about equivalent to minimum wage in my hometown of South Bend, IN. A single adult with no dependents would just barely eke out a living, and have maybe five dollars in the checkbook at the end of the month.

I’ve had a few massages, and I feel great afterward. Wonderful relieving of stress, great for getting the muscles relaxed before the chiropractor goes to work on my spine… And I like people. I enjoy interacting with them, and if I can perform a valuable service for someone, it gives me a warm feeling inside. Ideally, I would like to work with a chiropractor- it’s becoming increasingly common for chiropractors to employ massage therapists in their offices, for the reason stated above. And the course includes accupressure, shiatsu and reflexology, so I’ll be able to help with pain relief as well.

The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a good move for me.

So, yeah, I think I’m going to sign up for the class.

2

Do it. As a person in chronic need of a good massage, I say the world needs more massage therapists. And darlin’, you deserve a job that makes you feel good about yourself. Debt can be paid off, and even if you have to struggle while you get established as a therapist (or hired by a chiropractor), the job satisfaction will see you through–it’s so much less stressful to starve when you love your job!

3

I"ve benefited greatly from the skill of a good massage therapist- it’s a wonderful thing when one person and bring relief and relaxaton to another. Best of luck with it- I think you’ll find it rewarding!

4

I started school in December, and am currently on sabbatical, but I’m just now ready to go back.
From the little bodywork that I’ve managed in clinic so far, it’s right up my alley. I LOVE that feeling of tension letting go, and hearing that sigh that most people give when they hand over the stress.
It’s like teaching to me, but quicker.
Go for it. If nothing else, you’ll have a wonderful gift to give your friends, family, and partner. And at best, a really cool career.
Good luck! Keep us informed. :slight_smile:

5

My son’s sister is currently attending classes for Massage Therapy. She has a friend in the chiropractic business and somehow they’re going to help each other out with clients. I’m sure she’ll be great at it.

6

Let me be the first to sign up for your “guinea pig” list. :slight_smile:

I have a dear friend who went to massage school, and gave a better massage as a student than most professional ones I’ve had. (She’s the standard by which I judge the quality of a massage (since I no longer live near her, I’ve had to stop going to her :(); I’ve since met ONE therapist who’s as good as she was.) If you’re that good, you’ll have a list of clients before you’re officially on your own, and they won’t mind paying full price when the time comes!

Congratulations, and good luck!

7

Sorry for the slight hijack, but I just have to ask Kalhoun: why isn’t your son’s sister your daughter? Is it a “half-” or “step-” kind of thing? My brain got tripped up a couple of times trying to process that phrase, so I thought I’d be nosy and ask.

8

CC- probably her ex husband’s daughter by another person. Thus, her son’s sister but not her daughter.

9

Go for it, Thea Logica. My massage therapist, Saint Gary, gave me back my left leg, my right knee, and the ability to sit and type on computer keyboards for hours at a time without turning into a painful little pretzel. Plus, of course, I always emerge from the massage experience filled with bonhomie and a gnereal attitude of all’s right with the world. He uses all the techniques from Swedish deep tissue to reiki, but it’s the ability to diagnose the problem that’s the most amazing.

10

Before you set your mind on a school, you might want to check out Quackwatch and see what they have to say about the pseudoscientific practices often attached to massage therapy.

They have an excellent article about it here which has links to other articles about some of the irrational methods, and links to the scientific, governing boards of massage therapy.

I think it’s an excellent place to start.

11

Thea Logica, as long as your school is recognized by COMTA, http://www.comta.org/ you don’t need to worry about quackery.

And good for you!!! I graduated from massage school a few months ago, and I start my new job as a massage therapist in 6 days!

12

Actually, that’s not true. From the same site (and article) to which I linked:

Even with COMTA accreditation, quakery can abound. (None of which is to say that all COMTA-accredited schools are filled with pseudoscience; just that a COMTA accreditation does not mean a school is quackery-proof.)

13

Hmph. Stupid COMTA. Thanks, Skip Magic.

14

Just keep in mind that doing massage can be very hard on your fingers/hands/arms/shoulders/etc. My Sister was (she’s semi-retired now) a Massage Therapist, and ended up having to retrain herself for another career because her body couldn’t take it any more. :confused:

But otherwise, go for it! There’s usually always someone wanting a massage therapist, from hospitals to day spas, and everything in-between. (Just check the local rumor mills first to weed out the icky places.)

<< Where are we going? And why am I in this handbasket? ??

15

Actually, since the school has a job placement assistance program, not too worried about the icky places- they’ve been pre-weeded.

And they do teach hand strengthening techniques, as well as body positioning to minimize the strain on the little paws…

16

Thea I may be out of line here…
Let me preface a bit…

You and I have been on these boards quite some time. While we have yet to actually interact in thread I have noticed your posts ove the years and have always admired your wit charm and sense of humor. (plus the Tax refund for a ulta nice matress was pretty damn smart) I have always thought of you as one of the dopers most wanted to meet, because I respect ya so damn much.
But if you go off and do such a thing your moving up the charts to Dream woman :slight_smile:

I think you will do very well with this change in occupations and be very happy with it in the long run. I am glad to see your getting out of your funk and off in a positive direction.

Glad to see sending those secret good vibes may have actually worked.

Osip

17

Osip, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I have to wake my mom up and tell her you said that.

18

Your call, If she is like me sleep is a wonderful thing and might prefer you wait to tell her. :slight_smile:

19

Well, I think sleep is a wonderful thing, too, but that doesn’t stop her from waking me up by running the vacuum cleaner early in the morning (I work nights and usually don’t wake up until around noon), or barging into my room to tell me stuff that could wait until later, so fair’s fair.

20

Oh well ok doing such a thing for “payback” Value is fair enough.

 I just never realized such a complement would give you just cause to Wake your mother at 12:30 in the morning. (by looking at the time stamp on your post, although with time zones I suspect even later than that)

 I must admit though I imagine a bouncy cheerful Thea rushing into the room bouncing on the bed waking mom up shouting "mom this nice stranger on the internet said something nice to me!"
Sheesh I was only telling you something you should have known about yourself already.. not asking for your hand in marriage.

Either way glad your happy, people in a long term funk sadden me.
On another note (back to the OP) I have a friend of mine(Gypsy) who I lived with who decided to take those classes and has been running her own Massage buisness for 4 years now. She is happy as a lark and can now not imagine doing anything else. I hope you have the same experience.

Oddly enough she ran off to Vegas 3 weeks ago and got married, because she realized she had 40 1st cousins and did not want that many disfunctional family memebers in the same place.
Osip