5 Reasons I Love Massage Therapy

I will mention that I have been a massage therapist for over 16 years now. My schooling was probably among the more difficult as we were tested on the actual things - cadaver muscles, organs, bones, etc. What is the insertion of_______? What motion does______do? What is the origin of______? Our anatomy and physiology classes were difficult. There was more than one person retaking anatomy lab when I was in it, for good reason. It was hard! Which made it even more rewarding passing it with high grades.

People think of massage therapy and what pops into their head (most of the time) is a spa-like setting, calm music, and light flowing motions over broad areas of skin - Relaxation. Massage can be this. It can be just relaxing. To me, Massage Therapy is so much more.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons I Love Massage Therapy:

1. Positive touch can influence the body's stress and relaxation responses, including hormones such as oxytocin and cortisol, while also supporting feelings of connection, comfort, and well-being. I think it is so amazing that getting a massage can help you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is a multi-leveled tool to help overall human health.

2. All human beings can benefit from Massage Therapy - because there are so many different modalities (from Comfort Touch to Deep Tissue), everyone from infants to the elderly can be positively affected by it. There are modalities that don't require physical touch and those that require deep or intense physical touch. This fact means that regardless of who you are or what stage of life you are in, massage therapy/related modalities could benefit you.

3. Being a part of the Healing Industry is very rewarding. The majority of people leaving my table are relaxed, happy and in so much less pain. Many are so happy they want to give me a hug in thanksgiving. I feel blessed to be able to help people heal both physically and mentally/emotionally (indirectly).

4. I learn new things all the time. We, as Massage Therapists, have to do continuing education, but that's a great part of what makes massage therapy so amazing. We are continually learning in the field and can help people in a greater variety of ways, depending on what classes they take. I recently learned about Somatic bodywork and how it works with the nervous system. Somatic Bodywork has that interesting paradox: the touch is incredibly gentle, yet the response can feel surprisingly deep. It seems counterintuitive but makes sense because the nervous system plays an enormous role in muscle tension.

5. Everybody and every body is unique! Our bodies carry our history, our habits, our movement patterns, our stress, and the ways we've adapted over the years. That means no two sessions are ever exactly the same—and honestly, that's part of what keeps this work so interesting to me.

   It also means that different therapists may approach your body differently. We each notice different things, use different techniques, and bring our own experience to the table. Sometimes working with someone new can even teach you something about your own body that you hadn't noticed before.

   There isn't necessarily one “right” way to work with a body. Sometimes a different approach gives you a different piece of information—and another opportunity to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

And maybe that's what has kept me interested in massage therapy for more than 16 years. There is always something more to learn—from another class, another therapist, and especially from the person and body in front of me.