My Massage Journey

If you’ve found your way onto my blog today - thank you! And welcome!

My name’s Susie and I have just launched Sea Breeze Therapies down here in Dorset on the sunny south coast of the UK. I wish I could say I was a full-time massage therapist with a busy book of clients, but at the moment I am right at the beginning of my massage business journey. And that’s an exciting place to be!

I qualified in Holistic Massage just over seven years ago – around the same time I discovered I was pregnant with my first son.  Family life, a second child and the financial need to return to a full-time job in arts marketing meant that my massage skills were reluctantly put on the back-burner - although I made sure I kept my hand in by doing the occasional add-on massage course to keep my skills current, and by treating family and friends.

I was inspired to train in massage after receiving an incredible treatment while on honeymoon on the island of Kuredu in the Maldives. “I want to make people feel this good,” I thought to myself, as I sat back against a palm tree outside the island’s spa, sipping my complimentary ginger tea.

I’ve always had a fascination with the human body and the way it works, so when I returned to the UK I jumped on the internet, did some research and came across an ITEC course that was just about to start in my area. It was a big undertaking for somebody already working full time (and with a growing baby bump!) – lengthy modules two evenings a week not just in massage techniques, but also in Anatomy & Physiology and in different aspects of running a therapy business. After all, it’s no good being able to give a massage if you don’t know the effect it is having on your client’s body, or how to carry out a professional consultation that inspires trust in your abilities, or how to ensure your equipment is hygienic and sterile.  There was a lot of home study too – countless muscles to learn the name, location and function of, and of course, a mountain of massage case studies to carry out on eager friends and family.  It all culminated with written exams testing our theory for each element, and a practical massage exam carried out under the watchful eye of an ITEC examiner. By this stage I was so heavily pregnant I could barely reach across my client as they lay on the couch – but get this - I passed!

The holistic approach to the course was interesting – we were encouraged to look at our client as a whole, considering their lifestyle, nutrition, exercise and more alongside any physical pain they may be experiencing. There is so much in normal day-to-day life that can contribute to a person’s need for massage – stresses from work and family life, aches and pains caused by lifting children or participating in sports and exercise activities and then of course the more complex acute or chronic pain conditions. Everybody wants and needs something different from a massage treatment – and as therapists it is our job to listen, understand and try to provide the best treatment possible for that person. For a therapist it is NEVER about diagnosing conditions – that is something we leave firmly to GPs.

My long-term plan has always been to wait until my children have both started school, and then to look at gradually building up my massage business in the evenings. I’d love to be able to give up my day job and focus solely on the massage, but that just isn’t financially viable for my family right now. Baby steps are necessary.  I’m hoping to do some more training in the new year – I’ve got my eye on the 3-day Foundation course which kicks off the Jing Institute's Advanced Certificate in Clinical Massage – it contains some really great advanced techniques that I know will be invaluable to my practice. Treating pain is really interesting to me and something I’d like to be more knowledgeable about.

Since having my children I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition which causes widespread pain in the muscles and joints as well as fatigue. This is a new challenge that I have to learn to adapt to – I often feel pain in my hands, which is not ideal for a massage therapist! There are no real cures for fibromyalgia, so it’s mostly about coping strategies and making sure I don’t overload myself.

So there you have it – that’s my massage journey to the present day!  I’m excited about what the future holds – about being able to help people feel good inside and out. I hope you’ll stick with me as I continue the journey, and maybe come and try a massage or two!