{"id":515,"date":"2018-02-07T09:00:55","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T22:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/?p=515"},"modified":"2018-02-07T13:41:21","modified_gmt":"2018-02-07T02:41:21","slug":"a-massage-therapists-journey-through-a-career-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2018\/02\/07\/a-massage-therapists-journey-through-a-career-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"A Massage Therapist\u2019s Journey Through A Career Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>By Sharon Livingstone<\/h4>\n<p>I love being a massage therapist. Have since the first day I treated someone outside of the environs of massage school.<\/p>\n<p>Job satisfaction comes when a client drops me a line to say how fantastic they felt after their treatment or from that vague post-massage smile on a client\u2019s face while they pass over their library card to pay for their treatment.<\/p>\n<p>For 15 years, massage therapy was a career I enjoyed.<\/p>\n<p>I was happy with my metaphors and my explanations to clients of why their body felt the way it did. I provided education on posture and was confident in my techniques and palpation skills. My work diary was busy and I was content.<\/p>\n<h6><strong>Then something happened<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>I read an article on <a href=\"http:\/\/mtf.amtamassage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Myths-and-Truths-about-Massage-Therapy_final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 myths and truths of massage<\/a>. So much of what I\u2019d been telling my clients, and what was slathered all over my website, was not quite true. I\u2019d learnt these myths at massage school and had them reinforced by my (then) professional association\u2019s articles and speakers. How could they not be right? How could they have been taught to me without any supporting evidence?<\/p>\n<p>Then I remembered what I\u2019d learnt since massage school about treating pregnant clients and massaging people with cancer, and how I hadn\u2019t been taught the right information there either.<\/p>\n<h6><strong>And something else happened<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>I listened online as other massage therapists discussed using complex treatment protocols and techniques I\u2019d never even heard of. And here was me constantly getting semimembranosus and semitendinosus muddled up.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-522\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7.jpg?resize=750%2C500&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-7.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>If I hadn\u2019t already been knocked for six by the massage myths, then this left me feeling like I had a batting collapse after being 1\/300. I was all out for 301.<\/p>\n<h6><strong>What happened next?<\/strong><\/h6>\n<ul>\n<li>My diary went quiet. <em>Really <\/em>quiet<em>.<\/em><\/li>\n<li>I changed my narrative to remove the myths.<\/li>\n<li>I changed my spiel to new clients.<\/li>\n<li>I no longer focused on correcting people when they called me a masseuse. I was correcting my own long-held beliefs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I felt like a fraud.<\/p>\n<p>What on earth was I doing as a massage therapist? Everything I thought I knew had been ripped away and I realised I knew as much as Bradman\u2019s final Test innings.<\/p>\n<p>I had to quit massage.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, that\u2019s what I\u2019d do.<\/p>\n<p>I could get an office job and I could wear shoes that aren\u2019t runners to work. I\u2019d get used to peak-hour commuting: the endless queues, jamming onto public transport. It\u2019d be great to earn a regular income and be paid for taking a holiday and wear skirts and makeup and perfumed deodorant and &#8211; why didn\u2019t I think of this first &#8211; I could grow my fingernails!<\/p>\n<p>In a corner somewhere, I rocked myself quietly.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-524 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9-1024x683.jpg?resize=1024%2C683\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9.jpg?resize=750%2C500&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-9.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h6><strong>Then something good happened<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>I don\u2019t remember who it was: Lorimer Moseley or David Butler, most likely. There I was, standing on the edge of the abyss, clutching my trigger point manual* as the only thing that I wasn\u2019t a fraud over, when I heard a voice. \u201cCome here,\u201d they said, whoever the mystery person was. \u201cLet us tell you about pain science.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I gently stepped back from the abyss.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-523\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8-300x200.jpg?resize=300%2C200\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8.jpg?resize=750%2C500&amp;ssl=1 750w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/career-crisis-8.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>I listened to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZWvyLJkBrLY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dr Tasha Stanton at the 2016 AMT conference<\/a>. <em>Hmm, this pain science thing is quite interesting<\/em>, I thought. Then I received a text message from the middle of an Explain Pain course, saying that it would resonate with me and make me feel not so bad about my career crisis. Oh, and something about David Butler\u2019s very loud shirt.<\/p>\n<p>The thing is, the human body and human mind are complex. We learn more and more each day. New research is being published so regularly that it\u2019s difficult to keep up. It was only natural that information that I\u2019d learnt and relied on would be superseded.<\/p>\n<p>When I became a member of AMT, research studies became easier to find, I learnt which publications I needed to pay attention to and the voices around AMT were talking about the changes in thinking around how and why massage therapy works.<\/p>\n<p>Stuff started to make sense. I began listening to podcasts with David Butler, Bronnie Thompson, Greg Lehman, Peter O\u2019Sullivan, Lorimer Moseley and Sandy Hilton. The message I got was clear. YOU\u2019RE TREATING A PERSON, NOT A SKELETON WITH MUSCLES, TENDONS, LIGAMENTS AND FASCIA.<\/p>\n<p>By putting my client back at the centre of my treatments, focusing on their symptoms, their needs, and their goals, my massage career began to make sense again. I\u2019m good with people. I\u2019m less good at remembering which is semimembranosus and which is semitendinosus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where to from here?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I describe myself as an \u201cintuitive massage therapist\u201d. That means I listen to my clients when they tell me where their pain or discomfort is, speak with them about what\u2019s happening in their life, what their pain is preventing them from doing and suggest ways to return to what they enjoy, all while using massage techniques that had actually stood me in good stead for 15 years \u2013 I mean, I must have been doing <em>something<\/em> right because I was helping my clients during that time.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a continuing education. David Butler says you need to have your metaphors, which can be tricky because they aren\u2019t a one-size-fits-all deal. But, I am building up my collection and when a client reacts positively to my new metaphors, I use them again.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve stopped worrying that I don\u2019t have 50 billion tools in my toolbox. I understand the skills that I\u2019ve always had were working, just not <em>how<\/em> I\u2019d always believed them to work.<\/p>\n<p>And my diary got busier.<\/p>\n<p>* The Trigger Point debunking occurred afterwards. My manual is now used to raise up my computer monitor.<\/p>\n<h6>About the Author<\/h6>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-286\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Sharon-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Sharon.jpg?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Sharon.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Sharon.jpg?zoom=3&amp;resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Sharon Livingstone is a massage therapist in Sydney, NSW. A love of sport drew her to the industry but discovering job satisfaction came from helping people live with less pain keeps her in it. Sharon is a writer, keen bushwalker and frustrated traveller, who daydreams of walking across France again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What happens when all your long-held beliefs about massage and your place within the massage industry get blown out of the water? Do you quit? Do you continue spreading outdated info? Or do you dust yourself off, open your mind to new theories and science? Sharon Livingstone explains her journey through a career crisis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,110],"tags":[156,157,104,155,69,5,62],"class_list":["post-515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amt","category-clinical-practice","tag-career","tag-career-crisis","tag-massage","tag-massage-career","tag-massage-therapy-research","tag-pain-science","tag-sharon-livingstone"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Career-crisis-1-Header.jpg?fit=1920%2C1310&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2574,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2020\/04\/30\/reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":0},"title":"Reflections","author":"admin","date":"30\/04\/2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Reflecting back on a 20-year career in massage therapy, Sharon Livingstone shares what started it all and what keeps her at it.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Massage&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Massage","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/massage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Annotation-2020-04-30-113142.jpg?fit=986%2C651&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Annotation-2020-04-30-113142.jpg?fit=986%2C651&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Annotation-2020-04-30-113142.jpg?fit=986%2C651&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Annotation-2020-04-30-113142.jpg?fit=986%2C651&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1122,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2018\/10\/03\/the-road-to-a-new-career-in-massage\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":1},"title":"The Road to a New Career in Massage","author":"admin","date":"03\/10\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"For many massage therapists, there was a life and career before massage. There are challenges in making a late move to a new career and many rewards. AMT members Jo Cotterall and Robert Sic share their experience and wisdom of finding their massage careers.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Members&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Members","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/members\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/cocoons-329070_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/cocoons-329070_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/cocoons-329070_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/cocoons-329070_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/cocoons-329070_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3589,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2022\/04\/13\/the-ineffable-meaning-of-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":2},"title":"The Ineffable Meaning of Us","author":"admin","date":"13\/04\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Is it time to reflect on exactly what a massage therapist is?","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AMT&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AMT","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/amt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/light-2156209_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/light-2156209_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/light-2156209_640.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":886,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2018\/06\/26\/10-of-the-best-of-the-amt-blog-so-far\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":3},"title":"10 of the Best of the AMT Blog &#8230; so far","author":"admin","date":"26\/06\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Since September 2017, we\u2019ve shared nearly 50 stories on this blog. We\u2019ve hand-picked 10 of our favourites that are worth a re-read. Sadly there was not enough room for a re-telling of the History of the Underpant. Perhaps next time.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AMT&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AMT","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/amt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/The-Top-10.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/The-Top-10.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/The-Top-10.png?fit=560%2C315&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3115,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2021\/03\/03\/not-just-a-headache\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":4},"title":"Not Just A Headache","author":"admin","date":"03\/03\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Does massage really get rid of migraines?","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AMT&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AMT","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/amt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Screenshot-2021-03-02-102851.jpg?fit=960%2C644&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Screenshot-2021-03-02-102851.jpg?fit=960%2C644&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Screenshot-2021-03-02-102851.jpg?fit=960%2C644&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Screenshot-2021-03-02-102851.jpg?fit=960%2C644&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":865,"url":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/2018\/06\/14\/do-you-want-to-write-for-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":515,"position":5},"title":"Do You Want To Write For Us?","author":"admin","date":"14\/06\/2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Massage Therapists! We want to hear from you! We're inviting massage therapists to write for the AMT blog. Be it a personal story about your massage journey, a review, a discussion on modalities, a critical analysis of a hot topic in massage or something we haven't even thought of yet,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AMT&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AMT","link":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/category\/amt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chalkboard-620316_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chalkboard-620316_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chalkboard-620316_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chalkboard-620316_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.amt.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/chalkboard-620316_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=515"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":529,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/515\/revisions\/529"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.amt.org.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}