As a massage therapist, do you have the question, Why I quit massage therapy? Massage therapy may not seem like the most obvious career choice. However, it is popular and you may be surprised at how much you like it. However, you don’t all make a career out of it.
Many massage therapists want to quit pursuing their careers after gaining work experience and for many other reasons. The reasons for this vary, but mainly, these reasons can be distilled down to some categories: lack of career advancement potential and others.
Some decide to quit massage therapy and move on to something else. This blog looks at why you might quit massage therapy and different ways you can move on.
Reasons: Why I Quit Massage Therapy?
There are many reasons to quit massage therapy. You may consider these points as disadvantages of being a massage therapist. Some of them are explained below to clear you about the factors that lead to quitting:
- Uncomfortable session: The most frequently discussed subject is when a client is uncomfortable during a therapy session. Massage therapists frequently encounter clients who don’t respect their limits, say sexual things, touch themselves inappropriately, or even touch the therapist improperly. For some reason, some individuals associate massage with sexual pleasure rather than with physical well-being and healing. The MT may experience trauma from their behavior, which frequently makes the MT feel guilty or responsible for the activity. When it occurs for the first time, everything changes. Imagine how they would feel if it had occurred more than once or with more than just one unruly client.
- Horrible hygiene: Inconvenient client engagements or encounters with several people who have poor hygiene may prompt some employees to decide to leave. However, we wouldn’t argue that it is a very typical cause for quitting.
- Financially unstable: The fact that the profession is not always financially stable is one of the reasons many massage therapists quit. For instance, business Things slow down for MT around Christmastime since many of their clients are either preoccupied with holiday preparations or traveling for the season. Employers continue to offer poor salaries, and in the majority of locations, massage therapists are not compensated if no one is on their table, so a no-show or an empty schedule results in no payment.
- Physical issues: It is additionally physically levying, and injury involving the hands, wrists, or back happens frequently, leading some therapists to quit their jobs, particularly if they have been putting in long hours for a while. In order to avoid injuries, massage therapists should limit their employment to no more than 20 hours a week. Yet in many cases, they must work longer hours in order to make ends meet.
- Clients want extra work done: After you announce “times up,” clients often ask you to labor longer hours on your feet or on your knees. Customers will exaggerate their problems or the existence of rashes while still expecting you to treat them.
Yes, some do leave the industry as a result of these interactions, but for most, it takes quite a bit for them to do so. In general, it’s discovered that MTs who quit the profession more frequently do so because of an accident. Or because they can’t secure a stable job in the industry, you may consider alternative careers for massage therapists.
Do You Regret Being a Massage Therapist?
In addition to the salary being inconsistent, you also have to pay a fee each year to perform massage. Your insurance and registration cost $400+ a year, and in order to keep your registration and insurance in good standing, you must complete a set number of continuing education courses costing between $200 and $500 each. Thousands of dollars are ultimately spent just to perform your duties.
You will spend an additional two hours at work each day, unpaid for set up and clean up if you provide six massages each day. This excludes time used for billing, filing, making notes, or doing the laundry. This excludes the clients that fail to appear, leaving you to wait for them.
Even when using appropriate body mechanics, it is physically demanding because you are performing the same actions repeatedly every day. This is not a long-term tenable position. As it is physically impractical to work 40 hours a week alone as an RMT, the majority of RMTs hold down two or three jobs in addition to their full-time massage practice.
Would you ever inquire about your dentist’s or doctor’s age, where they live in town, whether they are married, whether they have children, what their religion is, which political party they support, etc.? However, RMTs are not perceived as health professionals but rather as chatty hairstylists. A therapist doesn’t want to be discussing inappropriate material about her personal life when she is perspiring and digging deeply into your back.
Sometimes men want you to “fix” them when they get massages since they’ve been abusing their bodies for years without visiting a doctor. Their golf tournament is in two days’ time. Or they may be experiencing nerve discomfort and want you to “fix” it so they won’t have to waste time visiting their doctor.
Most of the clients expect a deep tissue massage, so it’s disappointing to read testimonials about therapists’ personal and professional lives. They might be exhausted after receiving four deep tissue massages and perform poorly on the fifth, yet the client’s review will ruin their career.
Although it’s good to work, it’s not as fulfilling as you had anticipated. Since you don’t have strong enthusiasm for it, you may feel guilty saying, “I regret being a massage therapist.” If you’re going to massage near skin tags, moles, warts, rashes, hair, and body odors, you need passion. And these are the biggest challenges for massage therapists. You have to take this.
FAQ
Q: Why do I hate back massages?
There is no one answer to this question, as everyone may have different reasons for disliking back massages. Some people may find them uncomfortable, while others may find them tedious or even painful. However, some people may also enjoy back massages, so it really depends on the individual.
Q: Why do massages relieve stress?
Massages are a great way to relieve stress. Massages can be relaxing for the person who is receiving them as well as for the person who is giving them.
There are many different types of massage, but all of them have one thing in common they are a type of physical touch that stimulates your nervous system and releases endorphins, which make you feel good.
Massages often reduce anxiety and depression levels, as well as help with insomnia. They also help to reduce pain, improve blood flow and circulation, decrease muscle tension, and increase flexibility.
Q: Is massage therapy legitimate?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as massage therapy can mean different things to different people. However, in general, massage therapy is considered to be a legitimate form of alternative medicine. This is because massage therapy has been shown to provide some health benefits, such as reducing stress, improving circulation, and relieving pain.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, we hope that this article has helped to show the answer of your own, “Why I Quit Massage Therapy.” So you see, life after being a massage therapist is too tough. It was a difficult decision, but ultimately you should decide that it is the best thing for you. You need to be in an environment where you feel supported and valued and where you feel like you can make a difference. Massage therapy may be just isn’t giving you that anymore.
