Me and massage

I often get asked by clients and friends why I switched into a career as a massage therapist. Even for those who know me well, the shift came as a surprise. However, I often considered massage therapy my long-lost calling. 

My interest in and experience of massage starts in childhood, in northern British Columbia, Canada. When I was four years old, my father was involved in an industrial accident at the local sawmill where he worked. His injury left him with permanent chronic pain in his lower back that unfortunately continues to this day. He went through a rigorous programme of rehabilitation, returned to work in a new role that took his injury into account, and was told by specialists to seek out and include regular massage therapy as part of his on-going recovery and wellbeing routine to manage his chronic pain. Cut to me waiting impatiently in various massage therapists’ homes and massage clinic waiting rooms staring at musculoskeletal charts to the soundtrack of my father howling in agony. 

Despite his efforts and because of sheer stubbornness (and knowing my father, to avoid spending the money), he never did settle on one massage therapist to relieve his chronic back pain and gave up his search, choosing instead to suffer in silence… mostly.

Now fourteen years old, I returned home from school one afternoon to find my father holding his lower back and wincing with pain. Out of desperation, he turned to me and asked if I could do him a favour (of course!). 

“Can you please press on my back, here, here and here?” pointing to his scar tissue and three points on his back.

With my father lying on his stomach, and concerned I might cause more pain and harm than good, I carefully applied pressure with my thumbs to the points he indicated. No good - the pressure was too light so he asked me to “press harder and hold the pressure” until he told me to stop. Holding this deep pressure for about a minute, I felt the muscles in my father’s back give and as his back released its tension, he audibly sighed his relief and thanked me for my help. This became routine at home until I left for University three years later.

“Seeing the benefits of my actions and being able to help my father manage his chronic pain had a profound impact on my understanding of chronic pain and confidence in applying deep pressure and touch intuitively. ”

Over the years other loved ones, friends and work colleagues have melted under the pressure and touch of my hands and it’s always been a compliment to be sought out to help someone with their tight shoulders, stiff neck, sore arms and hands, and lower back pain.

When I decided to change careers and pursue a vocation that felt more characteristically ‘me’, massage therapy was at the top of the list. Helping people regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender, orientation or ability relax or overcome their chronic pain, stress and anxiety in a body-positive way has alway been and continues to be extremely rewarding for me.

I began officially training in Swedish/Holistic massage with a view to move into Deep Tissue and Sports Massage therapy to focus on alleviating chronic pain that many people, like my father, suffer with in silence - they don’t need to. I’m always happy to step in, apply my skills and support clients with their pain as part of their wellbeing routine. I’ve since qualified in Indian Head Massage, Pregnancy Massage and On-Site Chair Massage to become well-rounded in my service offering to help even more people in my community with their needs.