"Work"

I am just getting in from my first shift at work today. There are many days in which I work in the morning, have a nice break and go back in the evening. This isn't an ideal schedule but is understandable considering that my clients need to work at their jobs to pay me (thank goodness! ). So, as is typical for me I go to the gym between time, or run errands or visit with some friends.... it's a tough life I know! This may need to change in the near future but for now I am savoring the flexibility of my practice. I have been very fortunate, in my line of work.

· First because I am still physically able to work (and at what is considered a full time schedule in the filed (about 16 hours )).

· Second is that I am still able to do the type of work which I love... I love, love, love deep tissue work... I have taken more CEU classes than I could possibly remember but the work that I do most is deep tissue (the hardest on the practitioners body but generally the modality which facilitates the most results).

· Third is that I have never advertised... in the ten years which I have done this work (eight being on my own) plus the two for training before that I have never dropped my cards anywhere, never made a flyer, never ran an advertisement. This is especially beneficial because I am more likely to keep a client than the average practice (due to the fact that they are coming to me solely on the recommendation of an already existing client), and I am much less likely to attract freaks to my office. (THANK GOD FOR THAT!!!!)

· Fourth, my practice has grown, slowly, but when you see that massage is now offered everywhere form hair salons to doctors offices that doesn't bother me.

I do have some frustrations though (who doesn't) and they are mostly peoples perception of the work and the practitioners that are out there. I recently interviewed a newly graduated therapist (who couldn't tell me where her gastrocs were (oh brother!!!)) and her license number was in the 19,000 range... mine is just under 5,000... I mention this because there are now, sooo many places where you can go to school to become certified. This bothers me... they are churning out 'therapists' in 7 months... these licensed practitioners have no idea of what they are working on or the damage that they could do by not having all that information. I have been teaching at the school I went to for some time and I have noticed a marked decline in the quality of the students... I am expected to be easier on them and not to expect them to know as much material... so needless to say I have some evaluating to do... I don't think that I can continue working there; lieing and falsely representing my own standards or that of the field.

I'm not sure why I am going on about this or how this topic even came to me but this is my treatment room.... the bars on the ceiling are for my hands when I am doing ashiatsu oriental bar therapy (AOBT~ www.deepfeet.com). This modality is done with the practitioners feet. It is the best massage I have ever received (and I'm picky) and one of the only two types of work I am willing to pay for (the other being Thai). So if you are in need of some work... ashiatsu is the way to go.

Best wishes!

Ren