LIFE LESSONS
Mistakes I Made as a Massage Therapist That I Hope Not to Repeat
I was a complete newbie when I started, which meant ample opportunities for growth
A man with holes in his teeth asked me for a hug after the first time I massaged him at my private studio. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by saying no. I also didn’t know that holes like the ones he had are oftentimes a sign of frequent methamphetamine use.
By agreeing to hug him, I let him into my personal space, which he then violated with short, quick thrusts of his hips into my pelvic area. I was disgusted and pushed him off of me on through the door.
Thankfully, when I first started out as a massage therapist, I shared my practice space with a collective of therapists. It made me feel safer. Looking back, I think that my clients and I probably made the acupuncturist whose room I rented and psychologists who worked out of a different room feel more afraid.
We all shared the same waiting area without a receptionist to welcome or check out clients. It was basically a two-bedroom apartment with a street entrance that was used as an office space. The owners of the building knew. It was legal and only a few blocks away from where I lived.
