If you’re asking “What is a massage practitioner?”, you may already know it’s different than a registered massage therapist. Here’s how holistic massage works, from a self-employed massage practitioner who works in the “healing arts.”

“Being self-employed is always an interesting adventure,” says Genevieve McCorquodale, Certified Massage Practitioner, Post Partum Doula, and owner of Still Waters Massage on Bowen Island, BC. “There is no guarantee of a pay check at the end of the day. I create what I create.”

Several years ago, with her children safely in school, Genevieve embarked on a new journey. She returned to college and bravely started her own massage practitioner business.

Massage therapy and holistic health offers a wide range of career choices – especially for self-employed massage practitioners! Here’s Genevieve’s perspective of what it’s like to work as practitioner in the healing arts…

What is a Massage Practitioner? Job Description

With a diploma in Business Finance, Genevieve returned to school to obtain a Certificate for Massage Practitioner and Certification for Postpartum Doula. “What I do is offer the healing arts to my clients who need body work and spiritual support in their lives,” she says.

Being self-employed also involves some administration work in order to be successful. “The key is marketing, but there are also calls and emails to return, finances to organize, laundry to do,” notes Genevieve.

What is a Massage Practitioner’s Salary?

Genevieve knew starting a small massage practitioner business would take time to build up clientele. “As you build your massage practice, your salary grows,” she says. “In my business the more that I work with clients, the more they spread the word.”

The income depends on the hourly rate a therapist charges and how many clients they see each week. “On average I can make anything from $0 to $3000 plus per month,” notes Genevieve.

The Best Part of Working as a Massage Practitioner

Watching a client hobble in the door in acute pain, unable to bend over to take off their socks, is hard for Genevieve to watch. “Yet when I am done treating them and they can leave my office feeling better, it brings me a satisfaction that I have helped to heal their aliment and have relieved some suffering.”

Working with clients on a regular basis to maintain their level of health and well-being is what Genevieve enjoys the most about practicing holistic massage. “I believe in self-care. To support my clients to maintain this is truly the best part of what I do,” she says.

The Downside of a Holistic Massage Job

There’s a lot of work involved in self-employment. “I have to create space for me to stop being active within my business which can be hard,” says Genevieve. “Yet this is an important aspect of running a small business. To take care of self is the key to maintaining the energy that it takes to have a successful holistic health career.”

What Surprises People About Holistic Massage

Through energy work and anatomical training in many massage modalities, Genevieve has the tools to be an effective massage practitioner. But she comments that what surprises her and her clients the most is how “I am intuitively able to touch people and release their aliments, stress and tension with the touch of my hands. I have many people leave my office that have never received the kind of work that I do.”

Career Tips for Massage Practitioners

“Follow your bliss. If you feel like you have magic in your hands then let it out,” says Genevieve. Yet she also notes that “many people who have healing in their hearts fail to take the business side of things seriously.” This is a good reminder to those on the self-employment path in any career!

Genevieve offers one final tip: “Go through your own healing, as the best healers who walk through their own journey can better help others on a healing path.”

If you need help choosing a career, searching for jobs, or figuring out where you fit in the “working world”, check out Amazon’s job hunting and careers page.

Note that working as a massage practitioner is different than working as a registered massage therapist.

If you have any questions or thoughts on working as a massage practitioner or how holistic massage works, please comment below.

Genevieve McCorquodale, a Certified Massage Practitioner and Post Partum Doula, is the owner of Still Waters Massage, located on beautiful Bowen Island, BC.

Written by Gini Grey, author of the book, From Chaos to Calm: How to Shift Unhealthy Stress Patterns and Create Your Ideal Balance in Life. For more articles by Gini, visit Insights & Inspiration.