Male Massage Therapists-Is Gender an Issue?
Male students Travis and Mike practicing sports massage techniques in Nate B.'s sports massage class.
Every week I hear the same questions arise from apprehensive male students. Can a male massage therapist make it in this profession? So being that I’m a female, I thought it was high time that you got your answers from the guys! So I’ve decided to track down some of the male massage therapists in the area and ask them about their business and practice. I feel that there are some concerns and questions that everyone wonders about. From my own expierence, I have had so many massages I can’t even begin to count them all, and with all honesty, I have recieved my most amazing massage and my least favorite massage from male therapists. The best one pretty much blew my mind and I connected with my inner self in a way I never had previously. The least favorite was with an absent minded drone that took no passion for the art form. I know that’s rough, but it was quite unpleasant. So, I am completely unbiased and I’ll present their insight for you.
First on our agenda is Jack Vandenberg. Jack has a private practice in Boulder, he rents space in a chiropractic office. Jack, what is your insight into being a male massage therapist?
“Coming into the massage therapy field as a male has been quite interesting. I remember having quite a few questions about entering the field as a male. I questioned whether or not it could be a viable career option for me. I sought out advice from a male practitioner before finalizing my decision to go into massage. For the first half of massage school, I continued to have some doubts about the feasibility of developing a massage practice. But, as I developed my skills, the doubts I once had began to vanish. My experiences in a wide variety of massage internships while at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy enabled me to realize that my massage skills were valued by a variety of potential clients.
I am now in my 5th year of running a successful private massage practice. Though I am aware of the fact that some people prefer a female therapist, I never feel that being a male massage therapist is a disadvantage. Many people are seeking a massage therapist who can effectively meet their needs regardless of gender. And I do have a number of clients (both male and female) who prefer a male therapist.
For me, gender seems to play less and less of a role in my massage practice. What seem to be more important are the passion, skill and energy that one brings to the table. I have come to know quite a few male therapists since I’ve been in the profession. I’ve never heard these male therapists speak of difficulties in the massage field based on gender.”
Thank-you Jack! On a personal note, I have been worked on by Jack on many occasions and found his work to be completely amazing and beneficial, one time I was hurting so bad I couldn’t hardly move Jack saw me on a Saturday and brought me incredible relief.
Todd Ackerman has been in practice since 2006. His comments are as follows:
“There are definitely fewer men in this field. I have only felt that my work has been affected by being a male a few times. I was doing regular sub work at a PT clinic (which is no longer in business) when I first began my career. I subbed a number of times, then suddenly received no more calls from them. A few months later I was informed by someone closely related to the clinic that it was due to the fact that they were wanting a female therapist for the sub work. I also know there are a few local spas will not hire males.
Many people definitely tend to have a preference as to the gender of their therapist. This can be due to past personal history with one of the genders, their comfort level of being touched by the same or opposite gender, or often I hear that ‘men can do a deeper tissue massage’. When the later comes up, I often defend that I know of many female therapist can work just as deep as many male therapists. My best friend told me outright when I began massage school, “dude, you’re not touching me”. It was not a reflection on me, he was merely thinking of his own comfort level. This societal view of a male working on him was overcome soon after I had began my private practice. I had been working on his wife for many months and he soon began booking regular appointments with me. There are a lot of different personal reasons that a client may base their choice of therapist. I think being a male has helped my practice just as much as it might have hindered it. The important thing for both genders is to be sensitive to what the client needs. This should not be taken personally by the therapist.”
Thank-you for your insight. I havealso had some bodywork from Todd, who does extensive Myofascial work. He is talented and gifted therapist whom I would recommend to anyone . Todd helped me with an injury and some stress I was holding on to, it was a wonderful session and I left feeling much less pain and more relaxed.
To me, a good massage can be done by either gender. A great massage is done by someone you trust, and someone whom you can let “in” to facilitate your healing process. That being said, it’s a personal choice each client makes, but I can not imagine missing out on the chance to have amazing bodywork, because of personal bias.
Tags: Gender in Massage Field
Jessica
