Why I do what I do
Today’s blog is going to be a little chit-chat with you guys. Recently, I have had a few clients mention how young I look - when they hear how long I’ve been doing massage therapy. I started school in early 2012, and was licensed in 2013. When I talk about when I started the massage, I use from when I began school - the reason for this is I had quite a bit of knowledge and skill prior to taking a former class. Massage, healing, and being a caretaker have always been in me. I have always wanted to help people, I’ve always wanted to make people feel good. I was told by many people that my take on massage - before any formal training - was very good and had they not known me they would have thought I had taken a class. I just need the hours to get the license to practice.
I am so fortunate to have found my passion so early on in life. I was able to start just 4 months after I graduated high school. I will be turning 27 in a month and I will have been a licensed Massage therapist (starting in Delaware) for 7 years this March 2020. That is bizarre.
If you have never had the opportunity to work with me, this is a little about how I go about working with my clients. My mission statement is that I want my clients to work with me and both of us to get them to a point where they just need maintenance - not active massage. I want them to get better and not need me as often. What better advertisement is that? “You aren’t in pain anymore, what did you do??” “I had massages with Brianna, here let me give you her info.” Additionally, my mentality is that the “No pain, No gain” is for the birds. No treatment should make you feel like you need to hold your breath, clench, cry or be so sore the next day that you can’t move. That’s not therapeutic - that’s torture. I’m going to do a post on how the body responds to pain, but a snippet is that the body does better with coaxing than with forcing. Your body doesn’t like to be forced, it wants a suggestion and then it can do it on its own terms. If someone shoved your head in a bowl of salad, would you be inclined to eat it? No, you would be irritated and go against the grain - EVEN if it’s “good” for you. The body is the same. Even if you are consciously clenching, your body will fight against it. I have a new client - I’ve only seen her 3 times, but her mobility and flexibility in her shoulder are improving from my technique. She’s able to raise her arm up pretty high without being afraid of it hurting. That is why I massage. To have and to see those real-life changes.
The other major component of how I work with my clients is that there needs to be an understanding that I can not “fix” you. I can facilitate healing, and I can give your body suggestions to help it do what it needs to - but this is YOUR journey. You can’t just see me every 3-6 months, not follow my suggestions, and expect me to “fix” all the bad posture, stress, injuries, and genetic structures. It’s a partnership. If you only want to see me occasionally for that feel-good massage - great! I can do that, but please don’t expect lasting results or a miracle in one session. The body doesn’t function like that - much to my dismay.
I could go on, and on - but I won’t. I’ll end it here so it’s not too long of a post. I love what I do. I love seeing the changes I help create in people’s bodies. I love seeing them look brighter and happier as they leave my office - ready to take on the world. I love it. I love the human body and how every client, every session is a mystery that we need to solve. It keeps me on my toes, and I am unbelievably passionate about my work.
If you live in DE, PA, or NJ - reach out to me - let’s get you on the road to feeling better!
*Update: As of 2020 I only work in DE, see the home page on how to schedule.
Originally Posted 10/28/19 - Since Updated