Related Healthcare Professionals

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Davion White - B.A./M.A. in Physical Education, M.A. in Principalship - Athletic Trainer

Experiances

I was an advisory board member that taught at a summer school at Fremont College (now known as Fremont University). The importance of my position was taking students from Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and introducing them to various health and medical careers which I still do today. My students learned about rehabilitation, and various different careers within this field. Fremont University emphasizes rehabilitation through sports, and specialized massage. As for massage therapy, they offer healthcare online, as well as massage therapy and sports & rehabilitation as a certification.

Massage Therapy seen through Sports Medicine

As a response to your question about massage therapy being a sustainable career, my main concern would be various limitations related to hand cramping. If your hands aren't in condition to work, then you can’t pay the bills. You would need to protect your hands to ensure that they don’t get injured. Additionally, having massage alone is not a career that you are able to sustain a living. I know students who have gone into the career field, and you need to have a specific type of personality in order to be successful in the field. Since people don’t get massages every day, it is important to develop a client base as well. Teaching is my profession, but athletic training is my occupation. I align myself the most strongly with the sports medicine field. 

Advice

Eventually, you are going to become an adult and the question I am asking is ‘How are you going to live on your own’? Salary, and how much you make is going to dictate your choices. I recommend that you pair massage therapy with something else (ie. pilates, stretch therapy). For instance, I am in the athletic training field, but I pair my career with teaching so I could afford a house. For information related to advancing your career in general, it is important to connect with the right people, and it is a great way to get involved. 

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Greggory Elias - Doctor of Chiropractics - APEX Chiropractic

Experience

I was originally going to be a Doctor of Physical Therapy, but I found Chiropractics to be a better fit for me in the long run. I have been a Chiropractor for a few years, and what has helped me sustain my position was getting touch-ups (massage or chiropractic work) from my co-workers. I recommend when going into this line of work, that you try to get a massage. If you receive massages, you have a better understanding of how your touch is affecting your clients.

Advice

I am not a massage therapist, but there are many I know who have been working in the field for over 15 years. What I find important to keep in mind is that every massage therapist has their own distinct ‘touch’ that will resonate with people. You may have a more gentle contact, or naturally firm depending on the person. Keep in mind that there will always be a market for the type of service you want to provide people. 

The college you go to for massage therapy, or any form of higher education truly doesn’t matter. It depends on what you do with that degree, and how you use that knowledge to serve others. Are there other career choices that could make a lot more money, absolutely. But if those career paths don't suit you then the money won't be a reason for you to pursue them. Even in my field people have told me chiropractic isn't a good career or you're not a "real doctor" as a chiropractor. But I still pursued the field and I am very happy with my choice. That is a win in my book.