JullianPierre's Massage Interview
Do you remember your first client ? Tell us something about that first day when you decided to be a Masseur!
My first actual(non-family/friend) client was an elder gentleman who had mild back aches. I decided to become a practitioner of amateur body rubs because I love to help people using the knowledge I have at my disposal and connecting with people while helping. I find the healing properties of eastern medicinal practices, such as the massaging of muscles, to be intriguing.
Some people say that being a Masseur is addictive. Would you miss your Masseur days ?
That may depend on how much you enjoy it. If you’re passionate about giving massages, then yes you may consider it to be an addictive practice. My experience with helping people in any capacity that I’m able to, and feel confident in doing, has an addictive element to it; yes. I feel as though we all experience this “high” of joy or deep sense of tranquility when we’re able to help others grow.
Do you consider yourself a successful Masseur?
I consider myself a practioner of bringing awareness and insight to stressors. I measure my success by how much I’m able to be presently aware of stressors within someone’s body and offering them a welcoming space to allow those stressors to pass, and consequently grow from them. If I’m able to leave my clients with a much deeper and lasting sense of tranquility at the end of my session, then I consider that to be a wonderful success. I also like to share things that I’ve personally have found helpful to alleviate my own daily stress so that my clients may become self-supportive in their search for peacefulness.
Tell us a little about yourself, if you were to pick something what would you like your clients to absolutely know about you?
I’d like for my clients to know that I’m passionate about the arts. I’m particularly visually artistically inclined, but generally speaking, I do enjoy learning new skills. I enjoy traveling, and intellectually stimulating (whether in the logical or emotional capacity) conversation.
How would you like someone that contacts you for a massage to feel when they leave?
I would like for someone that contacts me for a session, to feel like they’ve been gifted the tools to take care of daily life stress anytime they occur.
I’d like my clients to leave with a sense of self-supporting stability, my goal is to teach them “how to fish” instead of just giving them “the fish” so to speak.
More simply put, I’d like for my clients to feel like they’re capable of practicing self-awareness practices to enjoy life peacefully. These are the very practices that help us to grow as sentient beings, as well as enabling our compassion to deepen and become better communicators.
What are your hobbies, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to spend time with people close to me. I value connection, whether it be over a meal, a game, cup of tea, movie, trip or a deep conversation. I enjoy drawing, being outside in nature. Taking a few moments every now and then to just be, and appreciate being.
Why did you become a Masseur?
I became a practioner of amateur body rubs to help people relieve tension in their body, to further assist in the body's healing process, and to connect with my clients.
I’m not a licensed masseur so I do not practice massages, just amateur body rubs from personal experience that I have found to be effective in assisting others ability to release tension in their bodies.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a Masseur?
Have a relaxed focus on your own experience in the mind and body while taking care of clients.
By this I mean, taking a few moments from time to time to notice your own experience during the session so that you don’t inadvertently burn yourself out by over-exerting yourself.
Make sure you have set up a space that invites an ambience of peacefulness.
Lastly, do your best to remain focused on your intent to allow your client to release the tension in their body, encourage them to focus on the breath, or even invite them to a deep conversation that may help them release the stress being held in their mind and bodies.
What distinguishes you from all the other Masseurs?
I may be able to help you unplug and leave feeling deeply relaxed. I may just teach you something you can take with you into your daily life. Which may be more valuable than needing to come back.
How long have you been a Masseur and how long do think you'd like to continue?
I've been giving amateur body rubs for several years.
I've given body rubs before that for a few years but a lot less frequently for family members only.
How often do you travel? Do you prefer to travel or are you more of a homebody?
I love to travel when I'm able to, I do not travel often. I intend to travel more often. I occasionally like to spend some time inside.
Is extensive training necessary for a Masseur in order to be successful?
Not necessarily.
The most important thing is what the client needs and how they're feeling during the massages. It may be helpful to do a little research before hand to take note of techniques you could use to make your work more effective.
How do you like clients to feel about the experience when they leave?
I’d like for my clients to feel like they’ve been heard, felt for, and taken care of.
We all suffer from stress, but feeling like we’ve really been seen and heard is something we may find to be a rarity. My intention is to encourage people to pay that feeling forward to people they encounter in their lives, whether they already know them or not, whether they’re feeling well or not. Sometimes the best medicine is setting yourself aside temporarily, to take care of someone else.