Massage therapy is a technique that has been long used to enhance the human condition and wellness across both Western and Eastern Cultures (National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health). It’s still used to date and in modern society. Massage Therapy is used as a form of stress relief and relaxation for the pains of daily life. So, what’s all the rage about massage therapy nowadays? It has even been hypothesised to help as an integrated treatment in cancer patients.
Even though cancer treatment isn’t a certainty, we know that Massage Therapy eases the pain people feel around their bodies. At LUXit, we offer a mobile massage service to fit all our client’s needs. We’ve researched for you, letting you into the inner workings of a massage therapist. Clàudia Turró Ortega is LUXit’s valued Partner, who we’ve interviewed to discuss her experience working as a mobile massage therapist. The following are her insights into the Massage Therapy Industry.
- What/Who inspired you to become a Massage Therapist?
After finishing my Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Barcelona, I decided to study Chiro-Massage Therapy, following my grandmother’s footsteps: a podiatrist, massage therapist, and acupuncturist. She was the driving force behind my studies as a masseuse.
- What do you believe is an essential quality of being a Massage Therapist?
It is very difficult to choose a single aspect! From all the aspects, I would choose a great sense of touch. It allows you to always perform the right pressure since you feel the muscle reaction and the client’s response, decide how much time to spend in the same area, and convey the therapist’s energy to enhance wellbeing.
- What do you feel are the positives of working in this industry?
There are plenty of advantages to working in the Massage Industry. To name a few:
- To make a difference in people’s wellbeing.
- To have multiple areas of speciality, thus allowing you to target a niche market.
- To get a job or start your business straight away after becoming a Massage Therapist.
- Massage is a valuable skill you will never lose. My profession is a Psychologist but being a massage therapist has allowed me to work in Australia for the last five years until I can register as a Psychologist.
- It is a profession where you can continue to practice and grow, even in advanced years.
- Low setup costs.
- What kind of challenges have you faced in your work?
As a massage therapist, I have worked in three different cities, Barcelona, Santiago (Chile), and Sydney. The only challenge that I have faced is with clients in Sydney. In general, Australian body types are different than those I have massaged in Barcelona and Santiago. My Chiro-massage therapy uses only hands, so I found that my technical skills were too narrow to adapt to my Australian clients. That encouraged me to study massage here and learn how to use my elbows, forearms, and body weight to apply more pressure and achieve better results.
- How do you customise the massage to your client’s requests? (pressure, areas of pain, and focus points)
I start by asking the clients about their needs and priorities. Then, I do a palpation assessment to gather general information about tone, temperature, texture, and muscle tenderness. While I am using different pressures to relieve muscle tension, I seek feedback from my client to ensure that it is the right pressure. Finally, I check with my clients the pain/focus point areas to respond to their needs.
- What is your area of focus in Massage Therapy? What other different types of Massage Therapy are you aware of?
My forte is the Chiro-massage technique created by Dr. V. Ferrándiz Garcia in 1920 in Barcelona. It can be considered a type of Swedish massage, but with a broader range of movements. It is such a versatile technique that allows me to perform many different types of massage, such as revitalising, relaxing, therapeutic, and remedial/sports. I also combine techniques from trigger point therapy and shiatsu massage.
There are so many different types of Massage Therapy that I am aware of!
To name a few… Thai Massage, Chinese Massage, Shiatsu, Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, Kahuna massage, and Ayurvedic massage. The last one is in my TOP 3!
- How would you recommend clients find which style is for them? Or does all therapy work for everyone?
Not all therapies work for everyone because not everybody’s needs are the same. From a client’s point of view, choosing the right massage therapy will result in fulfilled expectations.
To find the right style for clients, I would recommend that they, firstly, identify their primary health needs (e.g. do you need to be more relaxed? Do you have a long-term psychical complaint? Do you need to feel more energized?) and, secondly, their personal preferences (e.g. level of pressure, use of essential oils, etc.). After these two steps, I would recommend reading about the range of massage therapies to choose to meet the clients’ needs.
- What would you like to say to aspiring Massage Therapists?
Firstly, I would say to choose this path if they really want to make a difference to people’s wellbeing. I think that any healing therapy requires a strong vocation. If it is the case, put all your passion into it because it is very rewarding. Also, I can’t highlight enough the importance of self-care as it is a profession that takes its toll on our bodies.