Massage was important to me long before I ever started massage therapy school. At that time, it was a treat that I gave myself once or twice per year to cope with stress. After being diagnosed with hypertension, I started researching to find ways to deal with stress and anxiety, and it first led me to becoming a Reiki Master. I loved it so much, and I caught myself thinking about how I could make it into a career. The answer came to me when I signed up for a tai chi class at Inspirit Institute, a massage therapy school in Dubuque, Iowa. I left that day with an application, and several months later, I started massage therapy school, while also working a full-time job. It became apparent almost immediately that my destined career path would include both massage therapy and Reiki. In March 2016, I graduated from massage therapy school, and I acquired my licenses to practice in Iowa and Wisconsin soon after that in May and August, respectively.