Should you become a Massage Therapist? 4 questions to ask yourself first
Should you become a massage therapist?
If you have been considering the possibility of adding massage therapy to your expanding skill set of skills and experience, it might be time to start asking some questions. Here are four things that may just help you decide if becoming a massage therapist is the right move for you.
Do you want to help people?
One of the most important things to consider is that being a massage therapist is not just about impacting one person's life. You should be willing to help anyone that needs it. This isn't just one person, but many different people, each looking for a little bit of relief. Even if you have a particular group of people that you enjoy massaging the most, remember there are plenty more where they came from.
If you're not comfortable going into a room and massaging strangers, then you should ask yourself if this career path is really for you. You will be a bit nervous your first few appointments, but you should be able to push past that and help the person that you are massaging.
Can you live in pain?
Being a massage therapist requires you to be able to put up with discomfort. You have to put your hands on people that have been through some severe pain, and they may not want to hear about how great it is going to be when it's all over. It's possible that these people won't enjoy the massage as much as they could, which can cause you a lot of anger.
If you can't live with the thought of putting your hands in another person's pain, then you should seriously consider changing careers. It's a little sad, but people are just not that good at massages.
Can you keep a secret?
Massage therapy secrets are everywhere, and they aren't always good secrets. When you work as a massage therapist, others will talk about how amazing their massage was, or how they dislike their masseuse. You have to be able to keep your mouth shut when people try to tell everyone that they got overcharged by the masseuse who only charged $60 for an hour-long massage. Even if someone has a great story to tell, you have to be able to nod and say "yes" while they talk.
You can't tell your clients too much information about your work, or else they will be confused when you discuss their next appointment. You need to keep some things a secret because people might not understand the importance of them. Remind yourself that you are providing a service for other people and that people can get hurt if they hear too much about what you do.
Is massage therapy easy?
I think the answer is probably yes, especially if you're just starting out as a massage therapist. However, your future clients might not feel the same way. Massage therapy is one of those things that you either have it or you don't. You can't fake the ability to put your hands on people and help their pain go away.
If you've already been doing massage therapy for a while, then chances are that this isn't even a question that you need to ask yourself. If you're just starting out, however, it's important to know what's ahead. You don't want to give up too soon if the job seems harder than it really is, but at the same time, if it seems too easy then you might be in over your head. Always remember how many new massage therapists quit the profession because they were overwhelmed with the amount of work.
Conclusion
A massage therapist should know that there are some pitfalls to being a massage therapist, but these can be avoided if you're willing to get stuck in. Massage therapy is becoming more popular everyday but this increase may take a few years for many people to even notice. As more people realize the benefits of massage, they will start asking for professional massages more and more.
Massage therapist should also know that there are some common misconceptions about what they do that can make it difficult to deal with their clients. You may think that your clients will tell their friends how amazing you are once they experience the great service you provide, but chances are not too many people will do this.