To some looking from the outside in, it might seem like my choice to become a massage therapist, at this stage of my life, is more of a whim than a potent desire. You see, prior to enrolling in the AAS Massage Therapy Program at the Central Oregon Community College, I worked for close to thirty years in the environmental profession. For more than twenty of those thirty years, I worked for the government of Oregon, in the environmental protection and regulatory field. Protecting the planet has always been a priority for me and my years of service in the environmental sector were rewarding and fulfilling.
In August 2017, I had the opportunity to take early retirement and after careful consideration decided that the time was right for me to leave and embark on a new journey. I hadn’t yet reached the point of “burn out” and I had always promised myself that I would leave a career before that ever happened. Recognizing the right time for me to retire gave me an opportunity to reflect both on the good work that I had done with my earlier life and to dream about my future life.
From August 2017 through August 2018, I had the good fortune to live abroad and experience a new culture. In that process of living abroad, it felt as though I had the capacity to redefine myself. Living in a foreign culture where you initially don’t know a soul is both terrifying and exhilarating. It forced me to think differently about who I was and shed old thought patterns and behaviors. In a way it was a cathartic experience which allowed me to think about my future in an unrestricted way. I thought about what the next set of chapters or next book of my life should look like. I thought about returning to school to study something meaningful and important to me.
In past years, I had received massages from a friend who had gone through the Massage Therapy Program at the Central Oregon Community College some years earlier. I was always in awe of her ability to connect and attune herself with my body’s needs. Her touch and massage techniques were incredible. Through the power of massage, she could help the body’s healing process. What an absolute gift! Her work truly inspired me, and I had had the idea of becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist tucked away in the back of my brain for some time. I couldn’t really give it serious consideration until I retired from my environmental profession and had time to reflect upon what my future could be.
This past spring, I began the process of enrolling into the COCC Massage Therapy Program. In that we didn’t return to Oregon until the end of August, I didn’t give the content of the program much thought until I registered for courses, during the fall term. I enrolled in; Kinesiology I, Fundamentals of Massage, Ethics of Massage, Anatomy and Functions and Eastern Philosophy. In all honesty, I didn’t have any idea what I was getting myself into.
Going into something with eyes and mind wide open is important when undertaking something brand new. After stating that, I must admit that at the end of my first week in the program, I was having major doubts about my new journey. I was particularly overwhelmed by Kinesiology I. I literally had a pounding headache after each class and had doubts that I could ever learn all of the terminology. But, in spite of my doubts and headaches, it felt wonderful to learn something brand new. It also felt wonderful to acquire knowledge about the human body, massage therapy and different approaches to the mind, body and spirit. Once I settled down, I was hooked.
The first term was primarily about fundamentals and getting a knowledge base for future massage work. I enjoyed all of my massage courses and had a very successful term. I became intrigued by Eastern Philosophy and looking at the mind, body, spirit and everything else from a perspective far different from anything I had ever thought about. I will admit that I didn’t comprehend it all in the same way that I could memorize human bones, boney landmarks or anatomical functions. But what is the purpose of learning but to stretch our mind in new and wonderful ways?
Beyond stretching my mind in Eastern Philosophy, the most interesting things I’ve learned in the massage therapy program thus far fall into three categories; factual information, application of this information in a practical setting and knowledge about myself.
- There is just so much information to learn and know with respect to the massage therapy profession. I had no idea that a massage therapist had to have such a breadth and depth of knowledge about the human body. Furthermore, I never knew that there were so many different massage therapy techniques and modalities. Lastly and most importantly, I never knew that the program offered at COCC was so comprehensive. I am beyond impressed with the curriculum, professors and degree of professionalism.
- Having a body of knowledge is one thing. Applying that body of knowledge in a practical manner – in a real-world setting is something entirely different. Applying the massage technique concepts we learned in the first term is a humbling experience. When I watch the professors demonstrate a massage technique, I assume that I can easily imitate their actions on my (student) partner. Well, you know that adage “Practice Makes Perfect”? It’s absolutely true. At the moment, I feel like the only thing I am capable of doing is massaging bread dough.
- To date, what I have learned about myself is that, in spite of being the oldest or one of the oldest students, I have found my new rhythm as a student in the massage therapy program and am having the time of my life. I struggle with being patient with myself, especially as it pertains to gaining mastery with the massage techniques. I look forward to developing my skillset and being able to share this new-found passion with others.
As for advice to impart to others considering the massage therapy training program, it would be this; first off, try not to get overwhelmed by the amount of information you will be learning. Take it slowly and steadily. On the other hand, don’t slack off and wait for the last minute to learn all of the new material – because if you don’t put in the time to study and learn the critical foundational material, you will easily become overwhelmed and will not be able to become an effective massage therapist. Lastly, enjoy the journey. There is an immense amount of information to learn and there are so many options to pursue.
One might think that helping to heal the planet and helping to heal others are two entirely different career tracks. As I delve deeper into the subject matter in massage therapy, I realize that these two careers are interrelated. When we work towards healing one another with therapeutic touch, people become more grounded and centered and are then able to look beyond themselves. As they feel better, through the healing art of touch, it enables them to see the world outside of themselves and consider what they can do to make others and the world better. It’s absolutely true; when we feel good, we want others to feel good and we want the world to be a better place.
