Recognizing you have a passion for people and empowering their sense of peace and healing, you may be embarking on a massage therapist education. While there are obviously targeted skills you will glean from massage therapist classes, there are essential traits that a professional in this field must possess and cultivate to truly thrive.
Your ability to master these will set the tone for your service and will ensure your clients’ experience is exceptional and you’re able to maintain the stamina to flourish in this career for years to come.
Key Qualities of a Successful Massage Therapist
1. Compassion and Empathy
An ability to deeply care for others cannot be taught at massage therapy school, it is innate, and you likely have been this kind of person for as long as you can remember. Your clients will come to you with concerns, pain and are often overwhelmed by stress. An ability to not only care for them but be able to imagine how you would feel in their situation, allows you to develop a bond of trust with your client. This will encourage them to communicate their needs honestly, be vulnerable and will truly aid in their ability to heal not just physically with the services you provide but emotionally over time.
2. Intent Listener, Clear Communicator
Going hand in hand with #1, you will need to possess the ability to actively listen to your clients. In this, you will listen not only to the words that your client says, but also intuitively interpret the message behind them. Your ability to demonstrate that you hear, by offering the care they’re requesting, consistently, will make them feel safe and comfortable. This, in turn, will infinitely, aid in their healing, relaxation and progress.
3. Professionalism
If you’ve been drawn to massage training, undoubtedly the qualities above come fairly easy to you, but to take that sensitivity to the needs of others to the professional level, you must recognize boundaries and adhere to them. With training and time, you will learn to balance your compassion with kind, clear, communication, laying out the lines between personal and professional conduct.
4. Integrity
In keeping with developing client trust, you must have a high standard of integrity, communicating what you will do and following through. This must be consistent, from booking appointments in a timely manner and being on time, to conducting the appointment in the peaceful manner that aligns with what you’re trying to encourage in them. Your clients will learn more from what you do than from what you say and your commitment to integrity will go a long way to ensuring you develop long-term client relationships.
5. Energy and Stamina
There is no doubt that this particular profession requires a lot, physically and emotionally. Standing for long periods, kneading knotted muscles for hours on end, and intently engaging with clients who are often releasing the challenges of their days and lives, requires an incredible amount of strength and stamina. If you are a person who is physically fit and thrives on the energy of others, this is a career to channel your passion into, indeed.
6. Commitment to Self Care
To maintain #5, this one is essential. Your ability to thrive and succeed in this profession, for years to come, will depend on your ability to commit to self care. You can only offer to others what you first possess yourself. You want to be able to support others through massage and be present when communicating and this requires that you understand the need to recharge physically and emotionally yourself, consistently. Taking breaks between clients, finding techniques to release energy and working to maintain your fitness and muscle strength, will ensure you can continue to enjoy your career in the long term.
7. Curiosity and Passion
As a massage therapist you will be a perpetual learner, and this should give you a buzz. There is always a new technique, a service that can enhance your care, an evolution in how you deliver, that can be learned. In addition to your desire to continually enhance your skills, you must be curious and passionate about every single client that finds their way to your table. Each person is unique, their background, their goals and the plan to take them to new levels of healing and vibrant living are specific to them. If you’re on fire to stretch and grow throughout your career, this is the field for you.
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If you’re still determining if this career aligns with your interests, why not take the “Anderson College Massage Therapy Career Training Readiness” Quiz?
If you’re exploring massage therapist colleges, we’d love to have the opportunity to chat about our Massage Therapy program, and the community of industry experts and compassionate people intent on your success.
From just learning about program details, to exploring whether you’re eligible for financial aid, our team is here to help you every step along the way. Book a virtual appointment with an Admissions Advisor today and let’s get started.
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