With the number of massage therapists in the US approaching 100,000, it is essential that you create a niche for yourself in order for your business to survive.
Responding to the question, “What do you do?” with, “I’m a massage therapist” seldom grabs anyone’s attention, except perhaps the individual who aims to get a free shoulder rub at that party you’re both attending.
I recognized early on as a Florida licensed massage therapist that I had a big advantage over other therapists. I was also a certified reflexologist, so I could not only help people with musculoskeletal (MS) pain but also those dealing with internal imbalances such as digestive issues, thyroid disorders, diabetes, headaches and cancer.
Looking back, the trajectory of my career has been interesting. I started out as a reflexologist in Canada; that was the only hands-on discipline I offered. I quickly built a practice in Toronto but longed to live in a climate that was warmer all year round. That landed me in Florida (rather circuitously, but that’s another story!).
Newly licensed as a Florida massage therapist, and eager to get my hands on as many people as possible, I included reflexology in all of my massage sessions. I quickly learned, from client testimonials, that they got far better results with their MS pain from my work than they had from former massage therapists, and in addition experienced improvement in other internal imbalances. I attributed that to the reflexology, not to any superhuman massage skills on my end.
That dual skillset helped me STAND OUT in the ever-growing crowd of massage therapists in Gainesville (home of the famed Florida School of Massage). Although my work, in the beginning, both in my private clinical practice and with the chiropractor I worked with for four years, initially was focused on MS pain, I found that more and more clients presented with health issues beyond MS ones. I was grateful for the training as a reflexologist that had prepared me to address those imbalances as well. Again, I stood out in the crowd.
When I moved to the coastal city of Saint Augustine in 2003, I took a big leap of faith and introduced myself professionally as a reflexologist, not a massage therapist. I did that for two reasons: First, so that I would STAND OUT from the other licensed massage therapists. I was trained and very experienced by this time in a modality that no one else could claim. Secondly, and maybe more importantly, I wanted to be able to help people with all their physical and emotional health issues, not just musculoskeletal, and to do that with the least wear and tear on my body. Reflexology was the obvious solution.
So, if you’re finding it difficult to make a name for yourself – and ultimately, make a decent living in the touch industry – and/or if you want to work smarter and not harder; STAND OUT, not just fit in; then you owe it to yourself to at least look into becoming a certified reflexologist.
2018 program starts April 12. Please call to discuss if the Therapeutic Hand & Foot Professional Reflexology Certification is a good fit. No obligation. No pressure.
I’d like to find out more about this certification,any prerequisites also location ,times cost.
Hi Marge! Thanks for sending along your inquiry. You can view the answers to your questions and a lot more about the program at this link: http://academyofancientreflexology.com/education/courses/certification/ or if you prefer to talk on the phone, you can reach me at 904/553.4067 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 10am and 6pm EST.