My Journey as a Massage Therapist.... How I Got Started!

Because I started working as a therapist at a young age, it is automatically assumed by many that it is something I always wanted to do.  Well, not exactly!  Massage was actually a back up plan that became a full time plan...

Since a very young age and as far back as I can remember, I always felt the calling to work with kids with special needs.  I full heartily felt this was my purpose in life!  Three out of four of my high school years, I even helped out in my schools special needs class, Life Skills.  Throughout the years, I got really close with the teachers and got a good look at what working with kids would be like.  I was all in, ready to go, and still felt the pull. - - One day, one of the teachers sat me down and told me the hard truth, that even though the job was rewarding, many people burn out over time because it is a lot of repetition and you don't always feel the rewarding part.  She strongly suggested having a back-up plan.  Although, I wasn't so sure about her suggestion, I kept it in the back of my mind.

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Not long before I graduated High School, I was hanging out at a friends house and we were just casually rubbing each others backs, when out of no-where he says, "you should go to school for massage".  So, after about 2 seconds of thought on the subject, never having had a professional massage, and doing no research on the subject, I decided - OK, I will do it (how hard could rubbing bodies be?!), and that will be my back up plan.

I practically grew up in a hair salon, so telling my mom that I wanted to immediately go to trade school vs. college, was no big deal.  We looked into it within a couple days and was already for me to start school by the time I graduated.  My new plan was to go to school for massage, work as a therapist while I went to college, finish college and work with kids, and either never see massage again or have it on the back burner as a back up plan.

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I actually graduated High School and Massage School in the same year and was well on my way.  I got a job working as a therapist and started college.  However, it wasn't long into college that I realized the timing just wasn't right for me.  I was in a slumber and a little depressed and just flat out quit going to classes.  At the time I wasn't overly worried about it and figured I would pick it back up soon.

I quit working at the massage place, due to me not liking the management style, and went back to retail for a while.  Massage was on the middle burner, not out of sight but not on the front of the brain either.  I was happy working a full time job, a part-time job, and doing a massage here and there.

One day I was working the late shift at my part time job and a gentleman wearing a Massage Envy shirt came through my line.  We got to talking and come to find out he owned a store front in the spring area.  He told me if I was serious about getting back in it, to come see him tomorrow.  After a short interview, I was set up to start work.

It was at M.E. that I realized I might actually have a chance at a career and wasn't that bad of a therapist.  Growing up in a salon, I realized very quickly, that if I was going to stick with this, then I was going to do it on my own.  So, in 2007 at 21 yrs old and with 2 credit cards, I opened the doors to Massage Therapy by Zada.

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Thanks to many classes, many hours of massage clients, having an open mind, and the will power to be the best - I am the therapist that I am today....

My once back up plan became my full time plan.