Advice for New Massage Therapists - What I Wish I Would've Known, as an LMT

So, you got your license to practice massage. I’m sure you have many questions like:

“Am I actually prepared to DO this?”,

“Should I work for myself right away or someone else?”,

“How can I be successful in building clientele?”

Well, you’ve come to the right place. I graduated from massage school in 2020, and particularly with COVID going on, I had NO idea what to do, and I had to do a lot of trial-and-error on my own! Thankfully, after having a few years of massage therapy under my belt, I can confidently say that I have had some massive takeaways, tips, and advice that I desperately wish I would’ve been told when I had just graduated from massage school myself.

So, I’m writing this blueprint to you new therapists, today. You therapists are like the “next generation” for massage therapy in my eyes, and although I’m not currently a massage school teacher, I WAS offered a position as one, so... there you go. You could say I’m a teacher in theory, not in practice.

First, accept that the first several massages that you complete for pay, you may not feel confident about. No matter WHAT.

Here's the thing about massage therapists. We most certainly didn't go into this for the money, and we often tend to care about our clients -- a little too much sometimes! Especially when just starting out. Ground your feet into the floor, and remind yourself that all the knowledge is really in your hands, not your head! Use your body, and less of your brain. Yes, anatomy and physiology are of vital importance, and that's not to say they should be ignored, but trust that your guidance in school has prepared you well. Breathe, and slow it all down. Proceed like you're dipping your toes into water, not taking a dive off the shallow end. And always ask for feedback if you're unsure. A simple "How does it feel when I [blank]?" should suffice.

Not everything you’ve learned about massage is as cut-and-dry as A&P; we’re working with people, not robots.

As a continuation of my last point, just because you know that your client could seriously use a psoas release (as an example), does NOT always mean you should do it. Remember that your client is a person, and working in emotionally-sensitive areas does require a certain degree of trust and parasympathetic relaxation from your client. Sometimes, less stimulation = more, and if this is a new client and/or you can tell that their nervous system is in a markedly upregulated state (widened eyes, dilated pupils, quick pulse, fidgety, speaking quickly), you must first work to bring the nervous system into a more parasympathetic state first BEFORE proceeding into deeper work. More on this in other posts.

Work all over town. However and wherever you can.

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