The first twelve months after massage therapy school are going to be an exciting whirlwind. I plan on being self-employed and starting my own practice. I know this is a huge leap coming right out of massage therapy school, but it is something I have wanted to do all along. I want to stick to my plan as much as I possibly can. I know I am receiving the best massage education in my area, which is giving me the confidence I need to take this huge leap in just a few short months.
What massage school was like for me
Massage therapy school is so much more than I expected. Entering the program, I expected it to be mostly hands-on learning mixed with some anatomy and physiology, but it is truly exceedingly more than that. We are learning ethical practices and ways to run a massage business such as policies and procedures I may want to have in place. We also are delving into industry standards that I want to adhere to. I am learning to evaluate my own morals, values, and to self-reflect. We are not just learning the bones and muscles, but we are learning how they work in the body and ailments that people may have in those muscles or joints. One of the most important skills I am learning is client assessment and that it is okay to ask questions. Everything I am learning will be helpful to me in starting my own practice. I am already starting to use these techniques in my own personal life to help prepare for my professional transition. I am overall thinking about life differently. I am now considering my boundaries and limits professionally. I never would have considered these without taking these courses.
The massage techniques we are learning will absolutely be helpful to me once I start my massage business. They will be the very foundations that I will use to build me up throughout my career, so what I am learning now is truly irreplaceable and so important to my professional growth. I am not sure yet how exactly that growth will look. I am interested in reflexology as a possible continuing education credit, as well as energy work such as reiki. However, I am not focusing on that quite yet. Once I am out of the program and pass the MBLEx, I will focus on what I would like to do next. I most likely will discover this during my first twelve months. Right now, I am taking everything in I can while I attend this program.
Starting my massage therapy business
Lastly, I envision my first twelve months as a massage therapist being a little bumpy. I know it is risky and not always easy to start off as self-employed right out of school. I do worry about building my massage clientele. However, I know massage therapy school is prepping me with the right tools to help advertise my business and skills. Luckily, with social media, self-advertisement is quite easy. I also plan to keep connections with my classmates and advisors. Nothing can beat word of mouth marketing for a massage business. I know my skills will shine through to help me keep my clients satisfied. I also would like to provide mobile massage services. I know from personal experience as a previous home health aide that the “at-home” industry is booming. People want to stay at home now more than ever. I think mobile massage is an amazing opportunity to bring exactly what the client needs right to their doorstep. I truly cannot wait to get my massage license and get started.
Overall, I know my first twelve months are going to be challenging. I can already tell I am growing personally and professionally just while in school, so I am prepared to continue to watch myself grow. Sometimes there may be growing pains, but I know the result will be worth it. Massage therapy school is unlike any other program I have participated in, I am grateful for the opportunity to change my career.
