What do you love most about your profession? Why did you choose this career?
I have been a Registered Massage Therapist for 4 years now and I love that my job is very rewarding as I get to help people every day. I chose this career as I have always had a deep desire to help people and I have a passion for educating people about health and wellness to improve their overall quality of life and wellbeing. I also love that my job doesn't look the same every day as my treatments are determined by the needs of my patients so that keeps me on my toes and makes it exciting to go to work every day!
How do you think the school you went to influenced your career?
"Growing up in a small town in rural NL definitely has disadvantages when trying to develop a career path. In my home town, there is a hospital with an emergency room, x-ray and blood collection but unfortunately, there are not many community health services in the area of rehabilitation and social prescribing. When I graduated from high school I truly had no idea what I wanted to do as I had not been exposed to much in health care other than a couple of visits a year to the general practitioner that was on call. However, being in rural NL meant that my school and class sizes were small (20-25 students) so this allowed a lot of one-on-one time with students and teachers and I had excellent marks all through school.
I started at Memorial University when I was 18 and like most students, I was very overwhelmed, barely passing, and felt that it was overall not a great fit for me. After 2 years completed at MUN, I was still confused and heading into my third year undeclared so I decided to pursue Massage Therapy at Eastern Academy. Eastern Academy had had a major influence on my career as the program and the instructors truly helped me find my passion for helping people through health care. The small classroom setting at Eastern Academy really helped boost my confidence as I learn well in a hands-on practical environment. The instructors and support staff at the school were very supportive and encouraging and I felt that I graduated very prepared to enter my field and find employment after graduation.
Now that I am back at MUN with a newfound passion for health and wellness I am currently in my third year of the HKR program and this has made me very excited to continue my education in this field and hopefully get involved with some research. The professors in the HKR faculty are great and their passions for their industry are contagious and have gotten me very excited to see where this career will take me in the future! I plan on continuing my education in medicine and/or sports therapies after my undergraduate degree is completed in 2024."
Does your work make a difference in people’s lives and the world?
Absolutely! I help people every day by managing pain whether it is through acute or chronic pain flare-ups, I help athletes rehabilitate injuries and build confidence to return to their training and sport, and I also help patients rehabilitate injuries that may have occurred through work, motor vehicle collisions, and even post-surgery. Overall, I like to think that I make a difference in people's lives by improving my patients' quality of life by preventing physical pain and dysfunction for a large variety of muscle and joint pathologies, musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, overuse injuries, and many many more! While helping people with physical pain and dysfunction. Massage Therapy also has many benefits for mental health conditions, managing overall stress and providing comfort to patients who may not often experience physical touch or compassionate care. Of course, I may not be able to help every person that I see but I can also make a difference by referring out to another member within a community health setting or someone on my own multi-disciplinary team (at my current place of work) of physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractor, podiatrist, etc. This can be especially helpful with the current shortage of doctors in NL right now.
What do you do when you feel stuck?
"When I feel stuck I often feel anxious so exercise and any kind of movement in general is particularly helpful for me. As a symptom of ADHD, I often feel that I have too much energy and this ironically causes me to feel stuck as I find it difficult to focus on one thing. Movement and getting my hands busy are very helpful as they help me get out of my head and practice mindfulness. A walk in nature often helps and bonus if the weather is warm and sunny! I also like to journal just to get it all out on paper or talk with a close friend or family member that I can trust.
Sometimes if I am just feeling stuck with a creative block and need some inspiration I like to do other creative things such as playing my guitar, meditation, or free-flow yoga."
What do you do for fun? What are some of your hobbies/activities?
I have a lot of hobbies but the most enjoyable are playing my guitar and exercising. I love exercising and movement in general and my favourites are weight-lifting, HIIT training, yoga and spin classes. I also really enjoy playing my guitar whether alone or with a group and having little jam sessions with a few different instruments.
What advice would you give students who might be considering a career like yours? What advice would you have given your younger self?
"It is totally cliché but be true to your heart's desires and follow your dreams! Ask yourself what you would do if you had an unlimited amount of time and resources and that is your path. It may not be easy, but if you truly have the desire, I promise that you will find a way to make it happen! There is no career goal that is too big or too small if it truly makes you happy.
I have always been ""different"" in many ways from my career path to my personal fashion style, to my personality quirks and traits and up until my adult life I have been extremely self-conscious and thought I was just ""weird"". As I've gotten older and matured, I've realized and come to appreciate that all those things that make me different and weird are exactly what led me to greatness in my career, education, and even personal relationships. Truthfully, just be yourself and follow your dreams!
I would have told my younger self to be more confident in myself & pursue my passions at an earlier age, even when it seemed scary and unknown because that's actually the best part of your career journey and makes it that much more rewarding! Never forget to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments, no matter how big or small!"
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