The Importance of Self-care for Massage Therapists, Nurses, OTs, PTs and All

By Selena Belisle, CE Institute LLC Founder & Instructor

After practicing for almost 40 years, it can be challenging to find new methods to share with students. One of the ways I obtain new knowledge is to travel the world, trialling and experiencing massage and bodywork from others, in various cultures.  

After working nearly one hundred hour work weeks during COVID, where I mostly sat at a computer, documenting and importing our knowledge into an online training format, I allowed my own health and well-being to be neglected, which is unacceptable. To teach wellness, it would be good to be the epitome of wellness which I was no longer. When the COVID pandemic hit, we did not have any hands-on education available online.  So I personally had an intensive time period of years, sitting at a computer creating visuals to share online through photography and video, which was a massive production.

Now in 2026, the COVID pandemic is long over. And in an effort to get back to where I started, or even practice what you preach approach, I enrolled in a stretching class first thing this morning with an RN who was sailing with me. I wanted to share this experience to show that even some of the most experienced instructors need reminders of how important self-care is.  I was amazed at how much flexibility I had lost since the pandemic, and how unhealthy my lack of self awareness and self care had been during that period.

The Importance of Self-care for Health Care Workers

Massage therapists, bodyworkers and overall health care workers often take on client’s physical and emotional baggage, so it’s important to employ solid boundaries with clients, and make sure your own needs are not neglected too. Most licensing and certification boards now accept self-care CE credit. That’s how important self-care is. It’s critical! According to one AMTA study, massage therapists have an extremely high burn-out rate. Neglecting self-care contributes to this.

Bodyworkers, massage therapists RNs and other health care workers regularly enter this industry to care for others. Afterall, it makes most of us feel good when we help others feel better. But, it’s hard to help others feel better when you do not feel well yourself. 

I recently had to stop a reflexology appointment with a reflexologist who did not have enough self-care.  We were on a cruise ship and had both been suffering extreme allergies, especially as we sailed through a mass of sahara dust in the Mediterranean sea. Unfortunately, she failed to observe how long her fingernails had grown while she was ill, and left the soles and toes of my feet with several miniscule cuts while we were both preoccupied with headaches and sinus issues. So this is an example where medical errors can occur at work when we neglect ourselves. It is a real work hazard!

Using Self-care for Better Work and a Better Life

When I took this morning's stretch class, it wasn’t just about increasing ROM (range of motion) to my neglected joints.  It also gave me time to inspect my own body.  I saw a small infection I had on a toenail that was coming back, which I hadn’t noticed until the stretch class. I also found one side of my body had lost little ROM while the other had lost a lot, since the last time I had stretched, years ago.  This new awareness will help me realize I need to make better bilateral efforts while working in my new fruit forest, and to stop singular unilateral movements, but use my body as an equal whole.  

Allowing yourself some time for self-care can create awareness to continue better care for yourself throughout your day, to hopefully prolong your career.  You might find an unknown skin cut or rash that should be protected until healed, or realize new medical issues in yourself such as vision or hearing losses that can be addressed. Self-care activities provide a moment in time to reflect and get with the program, or realize issues that might be overlooked without that break.  

It’s important to care for yourself, especially if you’re trying to care for others.  Caring for others starts with yourself, so think about ways where you can initiate your own healthy practices for career longevity and better overall health.

Ten self-care suggestions for massage therapists, bodyworkers and overall health care workers:

1. Stretching, yoga and other like practices: keep your joints flexible and in good repair.  This can help practitioners properly lunge and use body mechanics that are important to help avoid work injuries. No one likes to go home after work in pain, because they haven’t properly cared for themself to work.

2. Meditation or Chanting: take time to think about yourself and reflect within your own body. Sometimes we’re thinking so much about our clients that it’s easy to neglect our own personal needs.

3. Establish or Spend Time with Enjoyable Hobbies: is there something you love but haven't had the time to enjoy? Do you enjoy music, reading, talk groups, etc.? Incorporating something you love away from every day work that can provide that mini-mental vacation. This can allow better focus and excitement when it's time to get back to work! 

4. Tai Chi, Dancing and Physical Exercise: anything where you can take a moment of time for yourself and your own needs, in reflection and silence. Maybe you like long walks, bicycle rides or running?  While this can be wearing on the joints, some enjoy that solitary healthy exercise, so why shouldn't you? Group exercise is great too, whether it's dancing or a gym class. Anything you enjoy should be the ticket.

5. Rest: are you getting enough sleep?  Napping isn’t a bad thing unless it’s preventing a good night’s sleep.  It’s okay to take a break when tired. In fact, it’s necessary to be good and strong.

6. Mini Mental Vacation: are you feeling overwhelmed to the point that staying still in meditation or silent in tai chi doesn’t feel possible? No problem! Can you take a few hours to watch a really good (non-violent) movie, broadway show or concert, where you can mentally escape away from home and work for a few hours?  Allowing your mind to rest from your current worries may allow you to come back to those pressing issues with a new perspective and energy.

7. Journaling: do you feel like you need to express yourself but do not feel you have anyone to talk to?  Especially with HIPAA, which should never be violated?  Have you thought about writing down or documenting your thoughts to help process what you’re thinking or feeling?  When stressed, I like to try to put all that stress from pen to paper in documenting it, and then burn the paper as a way to release whatever negative energy is associated with whatever I’ve documented. When I’m in a stressful situation and feel little way out of it, I feel that the documenting and burning process can be cathartic and help create closure when there are few other options.

8. Creature Comforts: Whether it’s enjoying a good cup of tea at your favorite window, taking a long shower or bath, savoring a great meal at your favorite restaurant, enjoying a cup of coffee at the local cafe, or whatever moment in time makes you happy. Just remember: you deserve it.

9. Healthy Habbits: Making time to enjoy healthy foods, whether it's cutting fresh fruit, having access to healthy food and staying fit is all important for self-care. 
   Eating junk food and becoming a couch potato is bad both physically and mentally.  Discard the guilt of not taking care of yourself by making a dedication to a happy healthy lifestyle. 

10. Engage the Senses: are you listening to Enya all day and no longer like it? Are they burning lavender or eucalyptus candles at your establishment and you do not like the scent? Over time, little things that we don’t like can start to bother us, or weigh heavy on our minds and souls. Over my decades of teaching, I’ve heard hundreds of LMTs express dislikes with common practice, probably due to overexposure to the same thing over and over again.  So, if you have to listen to the same music all day, or smell the same scent, or if there’s anything that is repeatedly annoying you, make sure to employ something different when it is YOUR time.  Remember, this is YOUR life, so enjoy it to the maximum so that you can help others enjoy theirs.

Moderation is Key to Self-care

Now, when I say please take in a movie for a mini mental vacation, or practice some yoga, etc., this is encouraged with moderation.  If you find yourself practically living at the movies or in a yoga studio because you don’t want to go back to work or your own life, then it’s time for some professional intervention to address those feelings. 

Professional Intervention is Needed Sometimes

Neglecting ourselves, especially as care takers can be a serious issue that leads to poor service, medical errors and even self harm.  This could be a sign of something more serious such as depression or other illness. Seeking professional intervention whether it be through group therapy or with an individual psychologist can also be beneficial as a part of self-care, especially if you ever feel like you’re only taking care of others and never yourself. And please remember, if you seek professional help but it doesn’t seem to help, there might be other professionals in the same line of work that are a better fit for you.  Sometimes we’re not just a great fit with others, whether it’s taking care of our clients or working with others to take care of ourselves.  It’s always important to recognize when the fit isn’t there, and responsibly move onto something that feels better or is more successful so that we can reach our maximum potential.

This is just a sampling of self-care ideas. To learn more, please visit: https://ceinstitute.com/