Licensed massage therapist talks about her profession
By Barbara Pierce
Q: What is your mission for Mohawk Valley Healing Therapies?
A: My mission is to provide relief for those with chronic pain and stress. I eliminate pain for people, by determining and addressing the exact cause of the issue. I’m passionate about what I do, as I hate to see people suffer needlessly. I make it my mission to inform and educate as much as possible and to ensure people get the right kind of care, even if that means referring them to someone else.
Q: How did you choose the career of massage therapist?
A: For many years, I had a desk job in IT. Most of those years, I suffered chronic low back pain and needed to see a chiropractor at least once a week. I tried massage therapy; it didn’t work for me. Then I had plantar fasciitis. The person who worked on my foot suggested I should see her friend who is a chronic pain LMT. She found the root cause of my back pain and relieved that as well as my plantar fasciitis. Finally, I had my life back! There’s nothing worse than being in pain and feeling helpless to change your situation. I was intrigued by her specialized advanced techniques, because other massage therapists hadn’t been able to help me. By finding the root cause of my pain, she relieved it. At the same time, my job relocated to another state; I wasn’t willing to move; they laid me off. I knew what I wanted to do. Because of that special massage therapist who helped me so much, I decided to attend massage school and asked her to mentor me. I was blessed to be trained by her in her highly effective, advanced specialized massage techniques to relieve chronic pain.
Q: What training did you have?
A: To become a licensed massage therapist, New York state requires you have 1,000 hours of training, including 100 hours of hands-on practice. I attended Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage in Syracuse. I trained in neural reset therapy and craniosacral therapy right out of school. Then, within my first three years in practice, I added manual lymphatic drainage, cupping, Gua Sha, more CST training and other courses, as well as continued monthly training with my mentor. After training, I opened my own business, just before COVID hit. I knew this was what I was meant to do; I didn’t give up. Now my business is doing very well. My clients consider what I do to be healthcare, not relaxation massage.
Q: Can you tell us more about the specialized massage you offer?
A: I start with a full body assessment to see what is moving or not. I primarily target the fascia as that can create a lot of dysfunctions when restricted. I bring into each session all my training. CST works great on people who don’t like deep tissue work and for those with whose issues are not muscular. It’s a gentle, hands-on method. Most clients really like CST, not only is it calming and relaxing, but they can feel the shifts within their body and are amazed. Manual lymphatic drainage is also important. If we’re dehydrated, the lymph becomes thicker and can’t move through the body to do its job. Manual lymphatic drainage helps keep the lymph moving. I work with my clients to help them understand what’s going on with their bodies. I help them make the small changes to live pain-free.
Q: What are the rewards of your career?
A: I love it when people realize they can help how they feel. As you age, you’ll have aches and pain. This is not normal aging. Suffering with aches and pains can be relieved. You’re more empowered in your health than you think. I love it when I watch someone come in in tears from pain and leave pain-free. Like the 88-year-old woman I worked with. Physical therapists said she had no range of motion and couldn’t help her. She couldn’t even carry a coffee cup; she was so weak. Her children said move in with us. She hated that option. A few weeks after she began seeing me, her muscles were able to move and function properly; physical therapy is now helping her regain her strength so she can continue to live independently. All the little tasks we do every day, she can now do.
Q: What else should we know?
A: When it comes to being in pain, it’s not hopeless. Every kind of massage has great benefits, yet some types of massage have much longer lasting results. Sometimes you need someone that specializes, like finding the right kind of doctor, sometimes you need to see a specialist.