If you try to picture a Massage Therapist, you will probably imagine someone with long hair tied back in a length of fabric, eating a lovely breakfast of organic vegan food, and listening to whale calls on a music player. Or perhaps someone who is doing yoga on some random white sand beach overlooking a peaceful ocean whilst harmonizing with the ebbs of the tides.
Now picture me, if you can, a 5'4" 180lb book nerd who has the athleticism of a bear during January. That doesn't quite match up to the aesthetic, does it? So how did I get here?
I'll let you in on a little secret. Ready? My dream job when I was little: To be like Steve Irwin. Yep, that's right. I wanted to be a Herpetologist. I have a picture of me when I was just 5 years old holding a baby alligator. And one day when I find it in the massive pile of photo albums my mom keeps, I'll attach it to this post.
I was so determined that when I was in 3rd grade (or Primary 4 for non-Americans) I convinced my mom to take me to the local college where there was a Herpetology class on Saturdays. For 5 months every Saturday I would go to the local college and learn about reptiles. And even now I can pull up my transcript and that class will still be on there.....though I think I got more of a participation grade than an actual grade.
Now, let me bring everyone to my generation for a bit. I was born in 1998. Youtube was invented when I was 8. Okay? Everyone with me? Alrighty then.
When I was in 6th grade (I was 11 yrs old. Do the math. I tried seeing what other countries do, but apparently literally everyone does it differently. For me it was my last year in Primary) over Christmas I got a laptop and on the laptop was the Internet. Now I had been on the internet before and my family had a desk top, but now I could have the Internet On.My.Lap.
I could use the laptop in the living room, my bedroom, I even used the landing on the stairs a few times. It was a novelty.
Well as any self respecting 11 year old would do in the year 2009, I went on Youtube and watched Charlie the Unicorn and Llamas With Hats. When I finished with that I watched Dragon Ball Z. Again, reiterating.....I was a nerd starting from a very young age. Well, one day over that glorious Christmas break away from the worries of school as I was on Youtube watching various videos, on the trending page there was a video titled something along the lines of: Strange Asian Chiropractic Must Watch Now.
Obviously click bait, but I was baited and I clicked.
But now the Youtube algorhythm thought they had me after that video and over in the suggested column was a video titled "Relaxing ASMR Swedish Massage"
You can probably guess what I did next.
I clicked.
That video changed and rocked my world. I couldn't believe what I was watching. It felt so right. Like a chunk inside of me was missing and had finally been found.
I kept clicking and watching more and more videos. I subscribed and liked and commented. I learned techniques and styles and lingo.
Just the thought that I could be the reason someone recovered. That someone felt a relief from pain. That I healed someone. I was already someone that loved to be gentle and kind to all people. And I loved being a carer.
I grew warm and my heart became light.
I envisioned a world where I was a Healer and a Fixer. Patching up broken people with Love and Kindness and Hope and Peace.
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The word Massage has a jaded history. Other than Youtube I had only ever seen it on Disney channel shows where the characters are comically hurt by hot stone therapy. And on the news you only heard about the scandals that drenched the industry in shade.
I grew up in St. Louis, MO and while people are more progressive with each generation, Massage and Eastern Medicine is still trying to build public appeal. To sway opinion that it's not just luxury spa and pamper, but a medical and healing art form.
Living in this environment, even just 10 years ago, I kept my interests closed off and quiet.
I didn't ever really think I could ever go in to the industry and I held those therapists I subscribed to on Youtube on such a pedestal that I never compared myself to them, giving them more of a celebrity status.
Instead I focused on History. Because I was going to be a History Teacher. Or really a teacher in general. I come from a 6 generation line of teachers on my mom's side, I would have been the 7th. I figured that since I love history and that I have a good genetic probability of succeeding, then that's what I should do.
And whilst I was preparing myself for a life of lectures and grading homework, I continued watching videos and practicing moves in the background.
Then the universe stepped in and changed my life forever.
September 1, 2016 I was t-boned on the driver's side of the car. I was taking classes at the local community college on an A+ scholarship and was heading to the local plaza to get food. Suddenly my cars 100 ft down the road, perpendicular to traffic. There's smoke everywhere and this horrible smell. My ears were ringing and I hurt top to bottom. There was an airbag in my face and blood running from my lip. My vision slowly faded to black, but I did not lose consciousness.
We learned later from the experts that looked at my car, that the other guy hit me so hard that my seat detached from the floor of the car ending with the back of my head hitting the windshield. And before you ask, yes I was wearing my seat belt.
I was fully blind the first 8 hours after the wreck. I was worried that I'd be sightless the rest of my life. Eventually though, I regained vision in both eyes, but only color in my right, my left is as you are looking through a sepia filter.
It took me two month's to walk again without aid from a walker, cane, crutch, or brace. Though I still have a brace I use if my knee's acting up.
I ended up having to drop out of school. Or rather.......I flunked out of school. The day after the wreck I was sitting my classes and I continued to stubbornly show up. Let me just say that you do not want to see my report card.
I finished out that year with the only passing grades on my transcript being Band.
The next year I took a gap. Until October. I was sitting in the living room filling out job applications when suddenly I got a text from an unknown number saying: "Are you interested in a career in Massage Therapy?" I replied that I was interested and less than a month later I was working as a receptionist for a Massage Envy location and I had a spot in a school starting in January.
Thanks Universe!!
Since then I have graduated from my program with an "A", passed the MBLEX, and have now been working as a LMT for almost 6 months and it has been amazing!! I have lots of amazing coworkers and I love the clinic environment and I have never felt like have belonged somewhere more than I do now.
And that, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, is how I, Amanda Shipley, ended up becoming a Massage Therapist.
Peace and Love
Amanda
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