Curiosity turned into a calling.
My first interest in massage began with trying to find ways to help keep myself healthy, functioning well, and strong in the gym while preserving my longevity. Eventually I found out what a foam roller was and bought my first one. I quickly wore it out pretty soft. From there I learned about trigger points and realized pushing on knots in my hip helps my knee feel better! "I wonder how well I could get that to work on other people!?" So I tried... on reluctant family. At first. Not too long after people got much less reluctant and friends and family started "recruiting" me for help around home. And soon after I started to hear that I was missing a calling. I thought, "If I am this good just figuring out stuff on my own I wonder how good I can be if I actually took a class!?!"
It took me about three years between the time I decided to pursue formal massage therapy education and training and the time I finally found the right program. I wanted to learn how to perform clinically effective, therapeutically meaningful work that would give my clients the best chance of feeling the biggest improvement after the limited time I had with them.
I found the New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Arts—the only COMTA-accredited school in New Hampshire at the time—the week before their next program started. After touring the school I applied, registered, and started the next week. One of the best decisions I ever made.
