EMPATHIC MASSAGE The definition of EMPATHY is the ability to imagine oneself in anothers place and understand the others feelings, desires, ideas and actions. Simpler said, Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In my journey as a massage therapist I am forever re-educating myself. Every day is a new experience. Every massage is a new massage. I do not have a text book massage. I threw that book out the door years ago. I began my exploration in the medical massage field working in a physical therapy office treating back and neck injuries, breaking down scar tissue following an array of surgeries, and working with other maladies such as Fibromyalgia, arthritis, carpal tunnel and many other diagnosis. Working in a medical setting gave me the time to build my own private practice. I was a mobile massage therapist. I spent many years traveling to my clients homes. I found this to be the quintessential business practice. I loved the idea that they could receive a massage and then relax in the comfort of their own home. I always had their best interest at heart. HEART. What a great word! Definition: The center of the total personality, especially with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion. Massage is a very personal, often cathartic experience both for the client as well as the therapist. There is a bond that occurs. This is true of a one time massage and a series of massages that continues for a long period of time. A relationship begins and hopefully continues. The bond that forms between a clients and therapist is deep, profound and intimate . I have built relationships over the many years. I have celebrated and grieved with my clients. Becoming a massage therapist not only gave me the ability to help people heal physically, it also gave me the privilege to listen and understand when they needed to vent. It gave me the opportunity to hear with compassion and sensitivity. My travels have taken me to a new chapter in the massage world. After relocating to a new part of the country, I found the only way to break into the massage business was to begin at a retail massage chain location. Although the hours are long and arduous, this is my wheelhouse. This is where I perform at my best. I love massage and all that it offers. I love getting to know new people, listening to them, hear what they have to say and then through verbal and non-verbal communication, begin a healing process. I work with many young therapists. Some fresh out of school. Many chose massage school right out of high school. My massage Class in New York , although over 20 years ago was a combination of interesting people. Of the 34 people in my class only 2 were in their young 20s. The rest of us were a combination of of 30 and 40 something in age. We all had experienced our first real jobs and somehow felt unfulfilled. We were all looking for something new. Something that would give us a new sense of being. We already experienced the real world whether corporate, manual labor, unfair working conditions and a host of other unforgiving jobs. We wanted more than just a job. We were looking for fulfillment. We had an inner desire to help others. We wanted to make a difference. I needed to feel good about myself. And I knew by helping others, the mutual gratitude would come full circle. Each day I go to work now, I see a lot of young kids that have not had the experience of being with people. The younger therapists have a set routine. A manicured pitch that they have memorized. They do not take the time to get to know their clients. Each and every massage is a set of memorized movements. The same every time. Theres no banter with the client. No comfortable, relaxing conversation. Routine, repeat, routine. We are not machinists working on a conveyor belt. We are the only people in the medical field that can guarantee that person getting on the table will feel better getting off the table. That is a gift! I have had hundreds of massage clients over the years. Many stayed for many years. Some nowadays come for just one session and I never see them again. My goal in each and every massage is to affect that person in such a way that they will always remember how good they felt. And, if Ive given them the massage that I know I can, I too have benefitted ten fold. I have heard that the massage school teaches that a massage career is good for approximately five to seven years at best. Maybe thats so. I use to do 5-7 massages a week. Private practice afforded me that luxury. Now, starting a massage career from scratch and working in the retail massage market while building a private clientele , I average 23 hours of massage a week. I am twice as old as most of the therapists and although exhausted at the end of my day, its a good tired. I have built relationships with my clients. I have an amazing number of repeat clients. I massage with care, concern and of course an empathic touch. So many times when I am working a couples massage with another therapist, I am often asked by the other therapist why I work so hard. I am given the responsibility to positively affect my client on the table. My personal objective is to leave them wanting more. I want them to walk up to the front desk and immediately rebook another session. I need them to feel exceptional following one of my treatments. I have been told by other therapists that they dont waste their efforts on their retail massages. They save their good stuff for their private clients. I want to be the best I can be every time. I have a sign on my locker at work. If youre coming with 99%, Go Home. A lot of my co-workers ask me what it means. If I cant bring my all and give it my best every time, I have no right doing what I do. I want to positively affect my clients every time. I want to give them a new experience each time so as not to become complacent. And, if I have done that, I have accomplished my day, one day at a time.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 22:17:33 +0000
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