Comments on: On being a Male Therapist http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/ Grow not only your massage practice, but yourself Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:34:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Carl Bertolami http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Carl Bertolami Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:34:45 +0000 http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/?p=25#comment-10 I couldn't agree more with you there Woody. Once I shifted my way of thinking, it made a big difference. I couldn’t agree more with you there Woody. Once I shifted my way of thinking, it made a big difference.

]]> By: Rick http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Rick Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:23:13 +0000 http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/?p=25#comment-9 I couldn't agree more Woody. It's all attitude. I couldn’t agree more Woody. It’s all attitude.

]]> By: George Grant http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-8 George Grant Mon, 24 May 2010 23:39:42 +0000 http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/?p=25#comment-8 Woody, while I agree with the main thrust of your article - we decide our own limitations in all we do - the fact is that, especially for a newly qualified MT, it is much harder to get accepted as a male. I took a similar path to you; in my case I specialized in Lymphatic Drainage & Russian medical massage & now attract clients with fibrmyalgia, Lupus, post operative pain and so on. When I first started, however I was frequently told, "Sorry, we are looking for a female." I still see female-only ads, even on the job board at Boulder College of Massage Therapy which prides itself to excess on being politically correct. When dealing with new clients i usually let them know that it's OK to bring a friend or spouse to sit in on the session. This works well with referals hurting from liposuction and that kind of thing, who are the kind of people who have always previously thought of massage as a pampering, spa-type of experience. Woody, while I agree with the main thrust of your article – we decide our own limitations in all we do – the fact is that, especially for a newly qualified MT, it is much harder to get accepted as a male.
I took a similar path to you; in my case I specialized in Lymphatic Drainage & Russian medical massage & now attract clients with fibrmyalgia, Lupus, post operative pain and so on.
When I first started, however I was frequently told, “Sorry, we are looking for a female.” I still see female-only ads, even on the job board at Boulder College of Massage Therapy which prides itself to excess on being politically correct.
When dealing with new clients i usually let them know that it’s OK to bring a friend or spouse to sit in on the session. This works well with referals hurting from liposuction and that kind of thing, who are the kind of people who have always previously thought of massage as a pampering, spa-type of experience.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Growing from the Inside Out » On being a Male Therapist -- Topsy.com http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Tweets that mention Growing from the Inside Out » On being a Male Therapist -- Topsy.com Mon, 24 May 2010 12:53:27 +0000 http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/?p=25#comment-7 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by MASSAGE Magazine, Yvelle . Yvelle said: RT @massagemag: New Blog Post: On being a Male Therapist http://bit.ly/aF26AH - MASSAGEmag.com [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by MASSAGE Magazine, Yvelle . Yvelle said: RT @massagemag: New Blog Post: On being a Male Therapist http://bit.ly/aF26AH – MASSAGEmag.com [...]

]]> By: Julie http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/2010/05/23/on-being-a-male-therapist/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Julie Sun, 23 May 2010 18:26:43 +0000 http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/growing-inside-out/?p=25#comment-6 I have talked about this for a long time on my blog and website men as massage therapists. http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/men-as-massage-therapists/ I have seen men who say on the phone 'so would you like a woman or man'? That should not even be asked. I think men could actually market themselves in a way that points out peoples so called 'fear' of men as massage therapists. Men don't like to be massaged by men (unless they are gay) thinking that it makes them gay or makes them less of a man or whatever it is and women have issues with being massaged by men because of abuse or not trusting men. I think if male massage therapists addressed these issues directly and started talking about how massage can help people heal those fears and judgments that they could be onto something big! Julie Onofrio www.thebodyworker.com www.massage-career-guides.com I have talked about this for a long time on my blog and website men as massage therapists.

http://thebodyworker.com/massage_blog/men-as-massage-therapists/

I have seen men who say on the phone ‘so would you like a woman or man’? That should not even be asked.

I think men could actually market themselves in a way that points out peoples so called ‘fear’ of men as massage therapists. Men don’t like to be massaged by men (unless they are gay) thinking that it makes them gay or makes them less of a man or whatever it is and women have issues with being massaged by men because of abuse or not trusting men. I think if male massage therapists addressed these issues directly and started talking about how massage can help people heal those fears and judgments that they could be onto something big!

Julie Onofrio
http://www.thebodyworker.com
http://www.massage-career-guides.com

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