LMT

by Darlean Covelli
(Orlando, Florida)

I started school in 1994 for massage therapy. It was a small school located in the Kissimmee/St.Cloud Florida area. I was working for a rehabilitation team in that same area. I would give neck and upper back massage to many of the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist between their patient care visits. One day some told me I had great hands and should consider going to massage school. A Physcial Therapist Assistant was also a Massage Therapist and told me I should consider it. So I pursued my career at this local school.

The Massage school I attended was wonderful, we had 24 students to begin with and ended up with 12 that actually stuck with the program. Our teachers consisted of Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, and Massage therapist. All were licensed Massage Therapist as well. We were required to do as many clients free of charge for our "hands on experience" had to do intake forms as well as the school followed up with those clients to make sure you did your 30+ clients.
Work as many community events as possible. The school was the only one around and involved with most of the community high schools, and events.

The cost to attend the school was $3,500.00 back then, I remember because going through a divorce and raising two children, that was a lot of money to come with. What I did was take it out of my 401K paid the penalty, and borrowed some money from my parents. I did not qualify for any financial aid at the time. I wanted to become a Massage Therapist and I did. It took me over one year after graduation to sit for my state board due to the money issue. It cost $350.00 to sit for the exam.

I continued to work doing as a rehab tech until I could actually make a living at massage full time. It took a while working two jobs, but it finally came to fruition.

I have been a Massage Therapist for eleven years, still love it, but I remember the limit of what I personally can handle.

I worked for Chiropractors for the past 8 years, but also have worked in other locations, in small massage establishments prior to the spa boom.

I am also a license cosmetologist and recently received my A.S. in Natural Health and Personal Training. That was interesting because there so many choices for the student to make and the cost can become so overwhelming.

But the school seems to have trouble maintaining instructors. That is shame, because I think the intention is good, but going through changes constantly is not. The students need consistency.

The only problem I see with Massage therapy field is there is misuse of our services and not enough education regarding the employers vs. independent contract and the laws there is still too many therapist getting taken advantage of, I would love to see that change made for future Massage Therapist.