Thoughts About Being a Massage Therapist:
When people ask me “What do you do?”, my most common answer is “I’m a massage therapist.” I take pride in being a massage therapist. And the forthcoming reaction tells me quite a lot about the person asking the question. Often their eyes light up because they realize the value and benefits of massage. Or, at times, someone’s eyes will sort of glaze over, and their attention drifts elsewhere as if they are looking for someone else worthier of their time.
In 25+ years I am still surprised when people react in a manner that suggests that being a massage therapist is somehow less important than being a teacher, a consultant, a business owner, a writer, or an entrepreneur. I can honestly claim to be any or all of these things, but when asked “What do you do?” I tend to respond simply by saying “I am a massage therapist” for that is how I think of myself.
We dedicated massage therapists are unique individuals. We find great satisfaction in being the catalyst for positive change. We love doing something that is worth doing and doing it well. We find energy in being creative and we thrive in a work environment that allows us to use our creativity in ways that benefit others. We have the power to create a mood and space that is professional, yet kind, caring, supportive, and is a respite from what is all too often a rough-and-tumble world. So, yes, I am proud to say, “I am a massage therapist.”
In a quarter-century of doing massage, I have loved being part of a profession that ignites our passion for learning. We will never know it all, and we will always have reasons to be excited about the next morsel of knowledge we acquire - either through educational trainings or our own hands-on experience. Whenever I have personally felt unfulfilled with my career, I do a self-examination. Most of the time I find that I need to make an adjustment, sometimes in my schedule, my priorities, and most often I realize I need to add to my skill set. When I learn something new, I am energized and regain my joy.
This realization has led me to what is another important facet of who I am, a massage therapy instructor. In these years of massage service, I have come to know that there is some information that is truly vital for all LMTs so that we “First, Do No Harm.” We all want to do what is best for our clients, and with some specific training, we can ensure that our work will be skilled, safe, and effective. With that goal, I have created the following courses, specifically designed for Texas LMTs, consisting of 12 CEU’s, which meet the State requirements for license renewal:
Safe Massage for Clients with Cancer: A Foundational Course in Oncology Massage,
and
Lymphatic Massage: A Powerfully Gentle Modality
There are many rewards in doing what we do, and here are three:
1. We are revitalized when we grow and build our skills and expertise as professionals.
2. We make our client's world a bit better, and that makes our work satisfying and meaningful.
3. We enhance a profession that is still struggling to be thought of as professional and medically valuable.
I could list many more rewards we receive from this work. It is good to take time to consider what brought us to this service and profession. The advice I tell myself is to “stand tall and keep learning”. We have every reason to be gratified and honored when we say, “I am a massage therapist.”
Sincerely,
Jamie Spears Montelongo, LMT, MTI, CMLDT
