When I was a little kid I never settled on one dream job for very long, I always had too many ideas and wanted to try so many different things. The first thing I can remember wanting to be was a ballerina, specifically the prima ballerina. Then I wanted to be a painter. I imagined myself in a cute beret with paint splotches on my face, creating masterpieces. When neither of these things worked out, I figured I’d be better off just running things myself. Some little girls want to be a princess. I wanted to be Empress of the World. I’m still waiting for my crown. To research a more attainable career in massage therapy, I interviewed Michael LaBello, a former massage therapist who has experience working in both a private practice and with a formal …show more content…
Each can be affected by the type of business, how formally the business is run, or even the attitude of the owner/manager. For example, hours worked per week can be wildly different between a structured spa type and an individual’s private practice. Larger businesses have more clients coming in so they have enough wiggle room to schedule normal working hours for a therapist. An individual, especially someone who is just starting out may have several appointments in one week, or none at all for two weeks. Pay scales also vary widely. Bigger businesses can sometimes get away with charging less for a massage because they have many employees to make up the profit. Small practices or individuals must often have higher rates. Some things remain the same across the board however. All therapists must be diligent in regards to health concerns. Massage requires a lot of contact with people of unknown health statuses. Therapists must constantly be inspecting their clients’ bodies to watch for potential health issues like wounds or open sores that could spread disease. The physical demands on the therapist can be exhausting too. They are on their feet all day, bending over the massage table which can put a lot of stress on the therapist’s body. Repetitive motions of the types used for many common massage techniques can also cause a lot of pain in a therapist’s