Working Thru It

Sometimes when I am stressed out or feeling less than perky, it can be difficult to do my job. My goal is to give my clients a relaxing and therapeutic treatment, but staying focused on the needs of others can be a challenge when you are having an internal war with your own emotions or your body is reminding you that you need a turn on the old massage table.  In massage school, we were taught to "be present" and "grounded".  So what exactly does this mean?

Being present and grounded means you are focusing on the client, clearing your mind of all those stressful detractors, opening yourself up to feeling the body on your table and sensing what your client needs.  On a normal and stress-free day this is easy to do.  When you are worrying about a loved one, feeling a muscle cramp in your neck, or fretting about how you are going to pay that mountain of bills on your desk, being present can be more difficult.  Sometimes it is just plain impossible to give your client the undivided attention and nurturing touch that they are paying you for. So now you have an ethical dilemma.  Should you go to work because you need to earn a living and hope that your anxiety and stress do not come through in your touch?  Or should you take a mental health day and try to get yourself in a better place so you can give your clients your best work?

Far too many massage therapists go to work when they are in pain and many others will go to work when they are feeling ill because they need to make money.  I am lucky that I can take time off and rely on my co-workers to pick up my slack, but early in my career, when I was single and working alone, I had to work whether I was feeling up to it or not.  As a matter of fact, the only time that I ever called in sick was if I was feverish or thought I might be contagious.  I worked through exhaustion and pain and an odd thing happened......I realized  that I  was still able to be present and focused on my client's needs.

When I reported to work feeling drained or headachey, I found that I left feeling much better than when I arrived at work.  My best guess was that I was sharing positive energy with my clients and it benefited us both.  When I worked despite my inner angst, depression or agitation, I found that by being conscious of my own problems I took extra care in being gentle with my clients and in turn gave them some of the most relaxing massages I had ever given.  When I had pain in my body, I was able to focus my attention on my client's pain and relate better with them on how to feel better.

Will this work for all therapists?  Only you can make that determination, but don't write off your own baggage as a reason to not work.  Instead, think about how Mozart channeled his suffering into some of the most amazing music ever written.  Your own suffering could turn out to be a great catalyst for reaching into your soul and truly sharing yourself in an entirely new,  positive and healthy way.