What do you specialize in?

[Racin]

deleted

 

[Pompal 09.]

Other: equine and canine

 

[mamacita]

I am with Pete.

I just customize the massage to the person and I don't really specialize in one thing. I tend to do more work with people who have pain and chronic conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic headaches.

I also have additional education for prenatal and hot stone which I don't use for everyone, only when requested or needed.

 

[mandiimo aka: amanda]

I don't believe it's in our best interests to "specialize" by limiting our practice to only one modality. I prefer to offer a wide enough variety of services that I attract people to my practice who have many different goals for their massages (ie relaxation, pain relief, injury rehab, etc.)

t023

Very well spoken!

Angie

 

[Desk3Bound]

deleted

 

[Sky.Ice.]

I believe that specializing is a great thing. Just like general practice physicians and specialists. It doesn't mean that in your practice that you can't be flexible and offer general or varied techniques (to address each individual client that comes through your door), it just means that you have an interest or specialized skill that may set you apart from the pack, or to help create a market niche. I don't view it as limiting but that's only my perspective, of course.

Anyway, we each specialize in our own way by bringing who we are to the massage table.

 

[uc0nnh00ps]

I checked "other" because although I definitely target some markets, I don't consider myself a "specialist" -- that is, I haven't really needed specific modality training to do what I do. I have a range of clients but the ones I specifically seek out, aside from Esalen/rlx clients, are migraine and chronic-pain clients (as opposed to pain relief for say a specific recent injury).

Pregnant clients are a great target market. Honestly I have not found that many-hours specialty training is needed to work with this population.

Hey why not add oncology massage, hospital massage, hospice/nursing home massage, and massage-w/spa-services to your poll? It's been a while since we went over this topic and I'm eager to see what people do all day long!

 

[doktor smudge]

I'd say I specialize in prenatal, and hot stones, and aromatherapy, though I don't bother promoting the aromatherapy in Australia because it is such an overused term out here, people think lighting a scented candle is aromatherapy, because it says "aromatherapy candle" on the label, why should they bother getting an aromatherapy treatment?

With prenatal you can get listed on all of those baby/pregnancy services websites, that is a whole different market than people looking for massage. I like the fact I see them while they are pregnant and not that many stick around after they've had the baby (money and time seem to be the major factors). I love my regulars, but I love having new people all the time for only a few months. It can be a bit cyclic (September is big baby boom time out here because it's 9months after Chistmas/New Year/summer holidays) I find things slow down generally (all modalities) in Winter, so June gets a bit quiet, but I've been able to rely on all the people hitting 6 months to get me through July/August (though this year they've only just started booking, usually it's late June) there was an unusual baby boom in May this year, I was soooooooooo busy Feb/March/April/early May it was ridiculous. Plus prenatal is pretty easy on the therapist not deep work, hardly any set up, other the bodyCushion, they always feel so much better afterwards, and they usually come back much earlier the next pregnancy I also do beauty therapy, which I don't do much of (yet), but the pedicure side of it is great for the pregnant massage client. I think you've got to be in a baby area for pregnancy massage to be a big part (I'm in the area of Sydney which has the highest birthrate in Sydney) If you're located in an area full of old homes and retirees, prenatal massage may be a bit of a challenge. pregnancymassage.com is a good example of an almost only prenatal practice (and a good way of avoiding the male callers looking for more than a massage, looks like they do massage women pregnant or not, but no mention of males)

And then on the other extreme, I do hot stones which IS a lot of setup but it makes the treatment so easy and I get to play with my stones and crystals ( I use crystals for the facial massage)

 

[Semra]

There is a therapist in town who specializes in NMT. She will not see anyone who doesnt need NMT. She wont even rent a room to someone who doesnt practice NMT alone.

In my experience (and I have over 14yrs of it) NMT works best when combined with other modalities. I NEVER do nmt only, I always combine it with some swedish, myofascial and possibly positional release.

I find that I get a much better release that way.

I worked with a therapist many years ago who insisted on being refered to as a nmt (neuromuscular therapist) instead of an LMT (which is our designation here in Florida) because she wanted to set herself above all other therapists. She covered her walls with certificates (in large gold-guilded frames) to impress the clients. She talked herself up big....really big....how she was so much better than all the other therapists (who after all, really weren't qualified to do therapeutic massage...even though we had just as much training as her, but didn't hang our certificates.) Well, to make a long story short, she is no longer in practice.....seems the walk didn't live up to the talk.

I guess I'm just not that impressed by "specialists."

Angie

 

[Savanna]

Other: Lomi Lomi

 

[wadeypops]

I also chose Other. I don't really specialize, but do have a signature massage and primary target market, in working with seniors and geriatrics. I'd love for my practice to be at least half time with the elderly.

 

[cinderella_948]

Many professions specialize. Even in the field of animal massage there are specialists. Massage therapists that want to work with animals can specialize in either equine or canine clients, etc…then even further with athletes, specializing in sportsmassage versus a more wholistic approach…or acupressure…or horse and rider…or saddle fitting, etc.

I knew right from the start of human massage school that I was going to specialize in animals. They are my passion.

Christine: I say if you’re inspired to specialize, go for it!

I guess I'm just not that impressed by "specialists."

Naw!…really? :wink: Actually, it sounds to me like you’re less impressed with individuals displaying an over inflated sense of ego.

“Specialist” is not synonymous with egomaniac.

Specializing means setting oneself apart, not above. It means distinguishing oneself by honing a strong interest, natural skill and/or gift. Just like an artist (visual, musical, painter,) who specializes in a certain type of work or technique.

 

[Chaosman]

I guess I'm just not that impressed by "specialists."

Naw!…really? :wink: Actually, it sounds to me like you’re less impressed with individuals displaying an over inflated sense of ego.

“Specialist” is not synonymous with egomaniac.

Very true! I guess when I read the post about the therapist who allowed only nmt, it set off memories of the "egomaniac" I used to work with. Actually one of my good friends who I trade with specializes in myofascial unwinding. She is fantastic at it and it's the only work I can tolerate on my twice-surgically repaired shoulder.

So yes....it's not "specialists" I'm opposed to, but individuals with self-inflated egos.

Angie

 

[Praful]

I specialize in being the best darned massage therapist I can be each time I am with a client - that's it.

 

[Wired up]

I specialize in being the best darned massage therapist I can be each time I am with a client - that's it.

t026

Bravo!!!!

 

[puddinniddup]

too bad it won't let you select more than one.

i do sports, trigger point, and ART (active release techniques).

 

[Stuff]

Working towards MFR specialty. I'm sure that I'll never give up the swedish though...too useful.

 

[curious12345]

NMT/NMR, MET, and I'm working on MAT certification, which utilizes elements of MET and NMT. I don't intend to specialize to the extent that I don't use other techniques when appropriate, (for instance MFR, which I LOVE!) It just seems that my CE path has been down these roads and I tend to use these techniques for pain and injury recovery work-- which is about 75% of my practice.

:? that's a lot of alphabet soup isn't it? :

 

[xpander]

So long as you make your client feel like a VIP ASAP but don't be drinking PBR unless you are watching NFL. As soon as I give one more speech, I'll be a CMT CTM (competant toastmaster).

 

[flames]

ew. PBR.