At 16 years old, I discovered the healing magic of massage. I didn’t think of it as a profession – I’d never even had a massage therapy treatment. It was just something I did for the people in my life to help them feel better. My intuition, attention to body cues, a heightened sense of touch, and calming demeanour combined to put the people around me at ease. At the time, I hadn’t considered massage as a vocational option. The advice of high school guidance counsellors in 1998 suggested that business school was the next step to finding a job and make a living. So, I went to business school at Ryerson University and graduated with a degree in Marketing in 2003.
Fast forward to the economic climate of post-2008 proportions, and the job market was a tough place, particularly in Marketing. This combined with a general discomfort I felt working in my chosen field led me to look for a new career.
After some career counselling, soul searching, and discussions with family and friends (and friends of family and friends), I concluded that I needed to make my natural characteristics and abilities into a fulfilling career.
- I wanted to help people.
- I wanted to work with them one-on-one.
- I’d stumbled across this natural raw talent.
Next was the search for a massage therapy school with a great reputation that would guarantee me a job quickly after graduating. Having no background in biology, I did the prerequisite courses to attend Sutherland-Chan Massage School and entered their two-year intensive program. In 2013 I completed the program and the College of Massage Therapists’ requirements to become a Registered Massage Therapist.
Current Day 2020
Seven years later, I have absolutely no regrets about taking that leap. I love what I do. Working with a wide variety of people, it’s a privilege to learn from each one. There is always something new to learn in this field – new techniques, new ideas about how muscles work together, new information about soft tissue, etc…
Some of you may be yawning about now, but my fellow RMTs and I get positively giddy about this stuff! Part of what I love is that I get to bring it back to you, my clients. This way you are empowered with an understanding of your body and what you can do to feel better.
It’s easy to go on about all of the wonders of massage. It’s a passion that RMTs love to nerd out on. However, no matter how far I wander from the path to study some new aspect, what I keep coming back to is that what makes a therapist most effective in the treatment room is what brought me here in the first place – intuition, an ability to be present with you, and a strong desire to help.
I look forward to treating you soon.
Jen
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