Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/70551
BALANCING ACT Massage therapist Carol Laverriere runs a housecleaning business. Bruce Austin provides dental care to people without insurance. As diverse as these careers might sound, these practitioners have something in common with many of their massage colleagues. Across the profession, more than one-third of massage therapists have two or more jobs. Careers range from part time to more than full time, from health care to the arts, from education to hospitality. Through the seemingly endless variety of careers, it's possible to trace one unifying thread: an abiding passion for massage therapy that inspires therapists to brave the demands of dual careers. A SPIRIT OF SERVICE For Austin, the idea of becoming a massage therapist arose unexpectedly in his quest for more fulfilling and impactful work. Two years ago, he walked away from a secure and lucrative position as a dentist for a large health-care corporation. "I truly jumped off a cliff without a safety net," he remembers. "I didn't have a plan." Now, just six months into his new career, he's a locally respected expert in providing massage therapy for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD). Also a dedicated long-distance runner, he's recently been recruited to provide sports massage for the Oregon State University women's track team and work on athletes in the upcoming Olympic trials. Rather than abandon his dental career, he has also infused it with a spirit of service. He works part time for a nonprofit, two-seat clinic that serves the uninsured, and which allows organizers to study a community-based model to reduce hospital emergency room visits for dental emergencies. "I can't believe how many people have tears in their eyes and give me a hug, especially the HIV patients. This is lovely work. I can do truly medically necessary treatment and be appreciated for it, instead of working for a private practice and having to promote certain services to pay the bills. Both in massage and dentistry, I feel very good about what I'm doing now." MAKING ENDS MEET Second jobs often are a financial necessity. Lavierriere practices massage and runs her housekeeping business in Buxton, Maine. "I need both businesses right now to survive," she says. "It's a necessity." Given a choice, she would practice massage full time and clean houses for just a few special clients, but for now, the two jobs keep her afloat and even strengthen each other. "I can clean two houses in a day and do two massages afterward, and sometimes a cleaning client decides 58 massage & bodywork july/august 2012 CAROL LAVERRIERE House Cleaner/ Massage Therapist