How to Partially Reinspire Your Massage Therapy Practice Through Music

by Selena Belisle, Founder/Instructor, CE Institute LLC

Are you sick of hearing the same massage music over and over again?  Do you remember when you first heard it though? Wasn't it the most amazing thing you had ever heard? 

When I entered the world of massage, I was only a teenager. I had a fairly chaotic life all the way up to winning my first world title in arm wrestling in the Athens Greece Olympic stadium, and then moved to a new state by myself at 19 years old, so I could train with other members of Team USA.  I was young, alone, fearless in a world moving very fast, so being in a dark room with ethereal music plus stillness, comfort and care was a great attraction for me. There were some days that I wanted to stay in that massage room and never leave it! While the specifics of my story are different to others, I believe many massage therapists find appeal in the massage industry because of the wonderful peace, calmness and comfort that our work world can provide.

Fast forward after many years of practice, and most of us could probably hum any Enya or Clannad song ever released, without the music playing.  That’s because massage therapists usually listen to the same songs repeatedly to no end.  The music, our surroundings and the massage itself can become extremely redundant over time, especially if you're practicing the same modality instead of holding a well diversified practice.

So how can we break up the monotony of our massage therapy practice? Especially when facing burnout?  One of the answers is to change HOW we hear our music.

I recently went to see the Lion King theatre production at the Lyceum Theatre in London, England.  Many songs from the Lion King soundtrack are used in online radio stations for massage or spa practice. And now, whenever I hear one of those songs, I don't think about how boring it is to hear that same sound for about the 5,000th time.  I instead reflect on my time in London with a smile, and that wonderful theatre show and the story they sang and told with it.  

Now it's important that your focus remains on your client at all times during your massage or bodywork treatment.  But it is okay to fondly and momentarily reflect on your positive new experiences with your work music.  Allowing yourself to feel something new and different can break up your daily routine and reinspire new feels with your career.

A lot of the music we hear at work was born from movie soundtracks, or later added to them. Being able to add new experiences with any aspect of your work, including exploring the roots of various songs to see and hear them in a new light is a great way to create a new joyful experience out of something old and tired.

So if you're looking for new ways to inspire or reinvigorate your massage therapy career, and you don't want to diversify your hands-on skills, redecorate your workplace or other things that may switch-it-up for you, then try to find new ways to appreciate the music you listen to all day. Take a mental vacation and go enjoy a movie, concert or theatre show where you can might be able to hear that same music - differently - with an alternative and hopefully happy application of it, similar to watching the Lion King theatre production.

While you could try to find new music to play at work which is always advisable, it isn't a bad idea to view the old music in a new light, especially if your clients love the music too.