Angela’s decision to become a message therapist began in 2013, when she had her first massage. It was a time in her life when she was feeling particularly stressed out and exhausted. After her massage, she felt wonderful—relaxed and rejuvenated. She remembers thinking, “I would love to make people feel the way I feel right now, both physically and mentally.” Angela decided to research massage therapy to learn how and where therapists completed their training as well as whether they found the work satisfying. Everyone she spoke with encouraged her, explaining that it really is a profession about caring, which very much suits Angela’s personality and her values.
Angela had also reached a time when her children were getting older and more independent, and she had the freedom to choose a career path. “I married and had children very young,” she explains, “so my life had never really been ‘about me’ before.”
When she first began her training at the Spa Tech Institute in Westbrook, Maine, she immediately knew she’d made the perfect choice. After nine months and 600 hours of training in SPI’s therapeutic massage program, Angela began working at Revelation Massage, where she remained for three years before beginning to see clients privately.
At Refresh Massage, Angela is able to create a more private, client-centered approach to massage. “I want the best experience for myself as a therapist and for my clients,” she explained. Opening her own practice allowed her to pace herself. She doesn’t need to rush from one client to the next and doesn’t get overtaxed. “I’m always fresh,” she explains, “which is what’s best for my clients.” Having her own practice also allows her to focus on a smaller client base, so she can individualize their therapies, spend more time with them, and discover what’s best for them and their particular bodies. “Everyone’s needs are different,” she says. “My work as a therapist is to help each individual maximize his or her best self, to help each client achieve optimum health.”