Alumni Stories

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Carrie Tarran and Jorge Cisneros - Two BCMT Alumni 20 Years Apart
Amber Briggle - September 2004
Matthew Gibble - 2002 Graduate of the AOS Program

Amber Briggle - September 2004
Before I came to the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, I had only received two professional massages in my entire life. It was not really something that people did where I grew up. If you had an ache or a spasm, you took an aspirin and "walked it off." So for most of my life, I never really thought of massage therapy as a career, probably because I didn't have much exposure to it.

My journey towards BCMT started during my college years. It was towards the end of my junior year of my 4-year Peace Studies degree that I realized what I really wanted to do was to be a midwife. But even after graduation, I just never really found myself on the path towards midwifery - maybe it was just too hard or too scary or maybe I just wasn't emotionally prepared enough for it. Whatever was holding me back from this dream made me realize that if I wasn't going to go to midwifery school, I should at least go back to school for something related to midwifery, something that I could use in my midwife practice in the future.

So moving to Boulder was just the perfect kick in the butt that I needed. My husband was going to grad school at the University of Colorado , and seeing him learning and growing made me jealous for an educational experience of my own. After some research on the internet, I discovered that one of the finest and most prestigious massage schools in the world was just a few miles down the road! Talk about a serendipity!

Everything just fell into place after that. I applied for the full-time program and was accepted. I quit my job at the childcare center where I was working as a teacher, tried to convince my family that I wasn't crazy for wanting to do this, and fully devoted myself to the program at BCMT. One year later I had graduated with honors (not because I'm a genius, but because the teachers were incredible and totally wanted me to not just know the material, but understand it!) and opened my own private practice in Boulder . Two years later, I have over 80 clients, and am self-employed as a certified massage therapist in one of the loveliest cities in the world. (A nice bonus to be my own boss during ski season, when I want to take a day off in the middle of the week to hit the slopes!) Many of my clients are pregnant or are new mommies, and I've even had the opportunity to assist one of my clients during her labor and delivery. She was able to have a natural childbirth, thanks in part to my massage support!

In August 2006 I moved to Europe with my husband. I sold my massage business and moved my massage table and my hands to the Netherlands , where I now live. This is all still so new to me that I'm not sure exactly what my new business will look like, but BCMT gave me the skills and the confidence I need in order to be successful here in Enschede. Knowing that I have a career that I can take with me no matter where I live is extremely empowering and liberating.

Even if I never massage another day of my life, I know that my time at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy was well spent. I am more mature, more confident, and more centered in myself. I am finally the person I've wanted to be.

Two BCMT Alumni 20 Years Apart
In 1972, Carrie Tarran sent away for a correspondence course on massage therapy not really knowing what she was getting herself into. Six years later an article in the Rocky Mountain News caught her attention. It said that there was a premiere massage therapy school in Boulder, Colorado. It was the message that Carrie was waiting for. Massage therapy was her destiny.
The very next year, Carrie moved her family from Paonia to Boulder, Colorado to pursue her dream. What made her choose BCMT? "BCMT was accredited, so I was able to get a special grant for women and children, which paid for full tuition and expenses.” In retrospect, she says it was the teachers who really made a difference. "The teachers were so dedicated."

Carrie graduated in 1980 and continues to learn more about the profession she practices. She studied Thai massage for two months in Thailand and is certified in La Stone massage. More than 20 years after graduating from BCMT, Carrie says, "I'm so grateful I'm doing what I love."
For over 15 years, Carried worked in chiropractic offices, gaining invaluable experience and earning enough to support her three children. “It’s a wonderful occupation for a single mother because of the flexibility.” At the same time, she built up a private practice through referrals. One of those referrals led Jorge Cisneros to her door. Jorge had been suffering from chronic back pain due to a long-time spinal problem.

Carrie will never forget the day she met Jorge. She was thrilled to have a client from Mexico and hoped that she had made him feel comfortable. After his appointment Jorge surprised her by saying, "I'd like to schedule another appointment."

Little did Carrie know that Jorge was worried about the impression he’d make. “After arriving to my appointment I remember that I was not sure on 'how much' I should undress being my first massage ever. I was clueless and I didn't want to cause a bad impression,” says Jorge. “Anyway the session went really well and I felt quite comfortable with Carrie. As she finished I knew I had to continue receiving massage. It didn't take long to realize the benefits of massage.”

Jorge’s been a regular client of Carrie’s ever since and the intense back pain he once suffered from hasn’t returned. He’s also a recent graduate of BCMT’s 1000-Hour Certificate in Massage Therapy Program. How did this come about?

“A long time before I considered studying massage, Carrie gave me some basic massage lessons. I truly believe that Carrie was one of those people who played an important role [in my decision to apply]. One of the things that I always admired from Carrie was that she seems really happy working in the massage therapy field. I also did some research on what other options I had and decided that BCMT was the best place for me based on the curriculum.”
So how does Carrie and Jorge’s story end? It doesn’t. For Carrie, Jorge and his family are like family to her and she’ll continue to do what she loves. As for Jorge, he says, “Carrie has been a mentor and an extraordinary friend by sharing her experience with me. I know for sure that I'll keep getting massages from her for as long as I can.”

Carrie Tarran graduated from BCMT in 1980. She has a full-time practice, dividing her time between Boulder and Paonia, Colorado.

Jorge Cisneros graduated from BCMT in 2002 and has more than 1000 hours of experience working with a wide variety of people. He is currently employed by Massage Envy and has a private practice in Boulder, Colorado.

Matthew C. Gibble - 2002 Graduate of the AOS Program
Raining Faith Massage
www.rainingfaith.com
Attending BCMT was an experience that had an amazing impact on my life. While attending the evening program I developed relationships with some influential people over the course of two years. As I moved on after graduation and began my own private practice I faced many different challenges with the clients that came to me. One day a man showed up who had had open heart surgery just two days prior.

"I can't sleep and was wondering if I could come get a massage to help me out." After consulting with his doctor and receiving confirmation that it was okay for him to receive a massage we worked together the next evening just three days after open heart surgery!

The next day he called me at 8:00 in the morning. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized his number on the caller ID. "Matthew, I just wanted to tell you that I slept so well last night. It was the rest that I needed, thank you."

BCMT prepared me for this and many other situations that I have faced since opening my practice four years ago. There have been surprises but I always feel that I have been properly equipped to handle those surprises and challenges as they come my way. There are many choices in education available; make a choice that is a wise one and that will equip you to serve your clients well.