Reflections on resilience, adaptability, and longevity in the massage profession
I've been practicing massage therapy since 1999. During that time, I've weathered recessions, the economic uncertainty following 9/11, the pandemic, and more than a few changes in the massage profession itself.
One thing I've learned is that staying in business isn't always about having the perfect business plan. Sometimes it's about being willing to change the plan.
Over the years, I've heard therapists make some pretty firm declarations:
"I'll never do outcalls."
"I won't work for someone else."
"I would never work in that kind of setting."
And that's fine if those decisions work for them. But I've also noticed an underlying message in our profession that certain business arrangements somehow represent failure, or that success only counts if you've built your practice in a particular way.
I don't buy it.
For much of my career, I've been either the primary source of income for my family or a significant contributor to our household. Making a living doing something I love has always mattered to me. And sometimes that meant getting creative, adjusting my expectations, trying something different, or working in environments I hadn't originally envisioned.
I've worked hard to maintain a predominantly cash-based practice, and it hasn't always been easy. There have been times when I've had to reconsider what I was offering, where I was working, and how I could continue serving clients while keeping my business sustainable.
None of those adjustments made me less of a massage therapist.
Another important part of my longevity has been mentorship. Some of the most valuable lessons of my career have come from people who were willing to share their experiences, challenge my thinking, and help me see possibilities I might have overlooked.
At 52, after decades in this profession, I still have mentors. I hope I always will.
As our profession navigates another period of economic uncertainty, I think it's worth remembering that there isn't just one way to build a meaningful career in massage therapy.
Sometimes success looks like opening your own clinic. Sometimes it looks like working for someone else, offering mobile services, teaching, or finding an entirely different way to use your skills.
And sometimes success is simply finding a way to keep doing the work you love while taking care of the people who depend on you.
Flexibility isn't failure. Sometimes it's the very thing that allows us to keep going.
— Essie Hicks, MPA, LMT, C-MLD
Dreamspace Natural Therapeutics®
