I am almost finished with my massage training. It’s been interesting, to say the least. There are a lot of things that I like about it, but there are some things that have greatly disappointed me. In no way do I regret the decision to spend thousands of dollars on this program; it will be fruitful in the end. One never knows when, as a teacher, I go crazy and chuck the whole thing. Heh. It’s always good to have something to fall back on, right? Nah, I’m not ready to chuck the teaching. Yet.
I have completed eight of the courses for the massage program. I only have one left – the clinical experience. Apparently in many schools, the clinical experience takes place throughout many of the other courses. Here, it’s a four-week course where the public is invited to come and get massages from student therapists. (It’s much like the whole haircut thing from the cosmetology schools.) However, the school has not sent out the publications/advertisements yet. What that means is that it’s still word of mouth. The third group of students is going through clinical. (Yes, it’s a very new program. I am in the fourth class to take the program.) I am just a bit paranoid about several things, but I’m trying to be positive. If I have to find my own people to come to school, I’m in a whole lotta trouble. School is a ways away from my home, and no one is going to want to fight the traffic that I have to every night I come to school. Nope. It won’t happen. I can get the people to let me practice on them at home, but why would they want to drive through Atlanta traffic (the worst EVER) and then pay for a massage? Uh uh. It ain’t gonna happen! So, yes, I am hoping that the advertising gets done and out there and that people will be coming in droves to have student therapists massaging on them! Yep yep. It can happen.
Last night in class we were talking about SOAP notes – the records that we keep on each massage therapy session. My instructor was asking us what we should do if someone comes in complaining of such-and-such or if they do complain of such-and-such, what is the cause. Well, er… Who the heck knows? Not my class. We had too many people in class, and too many of those people were disruptive and veered the whole thing off track. The intentions were for us to learn conditions and how to treat them, but to be honest, we just never got to them. Grrr. So now I am stupid. Yep. Okay, maybe not stupid, but I’m pretty ignorant! I had to finally pipe up for us and say, “Look, we just didn’t learn this stuff.” The four new students who got put in this Business course with us were looking at us like we were freaks for not knowing the answers to the questions Mr. P was asking us. So, I had to admit that we didn’t know. Hopefully it’s not too late to learn. I also told Mr. P that I was a bit scared to even be a massage therapist. I can fluff and buff, but please don’t come to me with some real issues, please. Heh. Nah, I can deal with some, but truly, there is still a lot to learn! Next mod(ule), during the clinical, I’m sure that we will have time to get down and dirty about learning. Ya know, dirty in a good way!
I may be frustrated now, but I know that it will all work out in the end. I just know it will. I try to be an optimistic person. I really am excited about finishing, though! Because I am in Business right now, there is no hands-on practice throughout the mod. Therefore, I have made it a priority to solicit people on whom I can practice. Last weekend I had three massages lined up for Saturday. Yikes! I’ve never done more than one in a row. Well, I cleaned up the apartment because they would be coming to me. I live on the third level of my apartments, so I was not too excited about dragging my table here and there, although I’ll do it when I need to, dagnabit! Anyway, I cleaned out my second bedroom and made it into my massage room. It is too cute! I’m so excited. I put in a little round table on which I have the CD player, massage lotions/oils, and a couple of bottles of water to hand out to my clients after their massage. I am not so sure I even want a roommate anymore. I like having the massage room too much. Heh. Anyway, two of the three (who were coming together) called and rescheduled for next weekend. However, another friend called and he came over for a massage. So, I did get in two practice massages. I definitely felt more comfortable with the second one. I need to realize that I do know what I am doing and that it will feel good and relaxing to the client. Therapeutic even.
As I mentioned previously, I am in my Business course now. This is SO not my forte. Hello! Business? Yuck. I leave that to those who actually would enjoy it. However, I guess I need to know how to maintain a massage business, even if it is for supplemental income. Dagnabit. We’ve had to already bring in a resume, business card, business proposal, and we did a stinkin’ commercial last night. Last night was the fifth night of the class, for cryin’ out loud! The commercial that I had to do with a group just about left me for dead. Seriously. We had 10-15 minutes to prepare a commercial where we all participated. Everyone thinks I am this smart person. They think that everything I do is going to get a perfect score. Guess what. That’s not always the case. I know how to study, and if I try, I can get great grades. However, when it comes to the “creative” stuff, the pressure can get to me. Anyway, it was an awkward night. We got it done . . . barely.
Class is almost over. I’m almost a certified massage therapist. School is almost over, and summer break will begin. Let’s hope this all works out for the best, huh? Heh.
18 more days of school.
24 more days of class.
previous |
current | next
|
