Why I exchanged the office for the treatment room

Since I became a professional massage therapist at the end of 2022, the most common question I get from clients, friends and baffled former colleagues is “why?”.

Transitioning from a corporate career, I’ve not followed the most obvious path into massage therapy. Prior to setting up Calma, I worked as a project manager for ten years on a range of complex major infrastructure projects (tube stations, offshore wind farms…). Switching a computer desk for a treatment table doesn’t happen every day but I suspect my motivations may resonate with you.

Firstly, I have always just simply enjoyed massage. Growing up in a family that valued massage, since my late teens I would both indulge in the occasional relaxation treatment on holiday, or, more frequently, suffer through sports massage treatments to help manage training injuries. As someone who can find it hard to unwind, I have always felt a huge physical and mental benefit from giving myself time to focus on feeling better, more relaxed, and grateful for indulging in some self-care.

Growing up with family friends who are massage therapists also normalised the profession in a way I realise now for many seems a totally odd career choice. These early experiences, plus a natural knack for giving massages, meant I always liked the idea of doing professional massage therapy training.

However, it has been experiences through adulthood that have inspired the leap from general interest to professional passion.

Aged 25, I became a carer my Dad, who following a small but tragic accident has been left paralysed from the neck down. Watching him spend seven months in hospital with a wide range of newly disabled people reconstructing their lives in the aftermath of spinal cord injuries is a sobering and confronting experience in how fragile and precious our bodies are.

Nine years later I am still reminded daily of how lucky I am to have free movement and enjoyment of a healthy and mobile body. While I am not always fantastic at following my own advice(!), I do believe that looking after our bodies is essential for a full and healthy life as we age.

I am sure we all know people who have maintained vibrant, healthy and independent lives as they’ve gotten into older age. My grandfather was active well into his early 90s, and served as huge inspiration to me. Likewise, I am sure we also know people who have lost mobility early, lived with chronic pain and depended on increasing support to undertake the basic tasks of life.

While the reasons for how each person ages are complex and specific, evidence shows that when we maintain actively, healthy lives and pay attention to our bodies; we are far more likely to live full and healthy lives well into older age. Our bodies really are amazing, they allow us to do so much. In an increasingly sedentary society in a stressful city like London, it can be hard to look after ourselves properly.

Becoming a professional massage therapist has helped me learn more about what I can to do to look after myself and to help others take care of their own bodies. Working in massage therapy provides a deep sense of satisfaction when you can help a client within an hour/ninety minute treatment mobilise their body better so they can enjoy their sports, hobbies and interests with less pain, discomfort or stress.

Even when money has been tight, I have always valued spending money on massage treatments. With Calma Massage, I want to provide a space in which anyone can access a high-quality massage treatment that supports their physical and mental wellbeing. I am committed to keeping my prices as affordable as possible so that the benefits of massage can be experienced as widely as possible, whilst also allowing me to make a living. Massage shouldn’t be the preserve of only the well-off. Everyone can benefit from massage and as I grow in my career, I hope to become an increasingly effective practitioner and to expand accessibility and enjoyment of massage across my community.