Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68009
QUESTIONS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES AND ETHICS? VISIT WWW.EDUCATEDHEART.COM TO CONTACT NINA MCINTOSH. focused on what you have to offer rather than on besting a colleague. Over the years, I've noticed that those who survive in this business don't isolate themselves by having a competitive attitude. They have strong bonds with others in the profession and they put energy into those relationships. My own practice is healthiest and happiest when I am involved with colleagues I value who are enthusiastic about our work. Let's face it: as massage therapists When I had a Rolfing practice in Memphis where the World Wrestling Federation grooms its rising stars, I received a call from a wrestler who wanted just one session to fix his shoulder. Several things about his request were outside my usual way of working. First, I preferred working with people who intended to go through a 10-session series, which gave me a chance to balance out the work. It was often physically and personally transformational for the client. Second, it didn't fit my idea of helping people become healthier by doing a quickie repair on his shoulder so he could go back to slamming people on the canvas and being slammed. Third, this client wanted an appointment later in the evening than I liked to work. But I told myself I needed the money. Halfway through the session, I asked the client to stand up so I could see how his structure was holding the work. When he sat back down on the not-so-new table, he landed hard, as though he were in the ring, and popped the supporting cable. I finished the session on another table, and he didn't offer to pay for the broken one. It cost me more than the price of a session to get that table fixed. So much for needing the money. Certainly, there are times when we have a legitimate reason for making an exception for a client, but be sure that your reasons aren't driven by finances. When we lower our standards, clients may also lower their respect for us and assume their inappropriate behavior is fine with us. Or they will challenge our boundaries in other ways, such as not giving enough notice when they cancel (or even not treating our tables gently). On the other hand, if lowering your standards means pitching in when your spa boss asks you to help clean up the spa, you may need to swallow your pride and be glad you have a job. BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY This is my number one recommendation. In my experience, by far the most beneficial action you can take to help your career is to align yourself with other massage therapists whom you respect and with whom you have regular contact. Having a competitive attitude with other massage therapists is a counterproductive mind-set. No one else has what you have to offer—your skills, style, enthusiasm, and unique personality. You will attract your own clientele. You want to be clear and assertive in selling yourself, but keep and bodyworkers, we're still swimming upstream. The culture recognizes us as having a legitimate profession more than it did 30 years ago, but the work, nevertheless, is not solidly accepted. We need all the support we can get. When I teach massage school students, I urge them to stay in touch with their school buddies after they graduate. I also encourage schools to set up ways for alumni to get together on a regular basis. Having a strong community can make a big difference. The fact that you love doing massage will carry you through the rough times. Clients sense when your heart is in your work. Join with other like-minded therapists to keep your spirits up. These days, people need massage and bodywork more than ever so that they can feel their best and be more peaceful during the challenging times. 20 years of experience as a bodyworker with her previous years as a psychiatric social worker. She is the author of The Educated Heart: Professional Boundaries for Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, and Movement Teachers (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005). To learn more about professional boundaries and ethics, visit www.educatedheart.com. Nina McIntosh combines more than To learn more about illustrator Mari Gayatri Stein, visit www.gypsydogpress.com. visit massageandbodywork.com to access your digital magazine 109