Sarah Flenley Graduate Story
16 May2023 Tagged as
Posted by Administrator
Sarah Flenley ~ Diploma of Remedial Massage Graduate
What first interested you in massage?
I have always loved the human body and I wanted to be part of supporting people to return to their body’s natural design. The way we live in this fast-paced world often makes us hold our bodies in ways not natural to us – sitting at a desk for hours on end, holding tension in our lower back and shoulders, twisting a certain way repeatedly at work etc…
What was your experience at Evolve like?
Loved it. I work full-time so I needed something that I could do out of hours so the mix of online studies and weekend on-campus training was perfect for me. Found the staff – both on training campus and on the phone – very supportive; friendly, engaging, and flexible (will work with you to get you across the graduation line).
How have your studies with Evolve prepared you for work in the massage industry?
Best way to answer this is on my first day working in a professional massage clinic, I had some nerves. I stopped and went to myself, Sarah this is no different than working at the Evolve Massage Training Clinic where people come in that you don’t know and you need to get to know them quickly, do an assessment and then treat them. I then went, YES, you got this (and I did and continue to do).
And the other key one is the study was not just focussed on one thing – i.e. learning techniques and the machinations of the human body, it was an all-rounder. We learnt the basics of setting up a business (writing a plan insurance etc…), how to self-care, how to hold our bodies, how to really care for our clients (draping etc..) so you felt well prepared to step into the world as working as a massage therapist.
How have you found massage supports people?
In the way we currently hold and move our bodies, we accumulate and hold a lot of tension. A massage helps people to let go of that tension. A client once said to me, you are like the ironing lady – ironing out all the tension in my muscles.
I love seeing people walk out of the massage room, feeling more themselves. Their faces and their bodies look lighter and they move more freely.
What advice would you give to aspiring massage therapists?
We are all needed. What I loved about studying is we were all taught the same techniques, but how we applied them was different. So a massage from XYZ student, could be quite different to another student – and I loved that. Each student offered their own unique angle of how they do things, so our on campus clinic clients get to choose a therapist that is a right fit for them. And then we take that out into the world – not all clients will respond to the way you massage, but you will find the ones that do.
Oh…and p.s. listen to the trainers when they talk about how to hold and support your body when massaging. Posture is everything if you want a long career in massaging.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
People. I love working with people and each and every body is so different. You learn so much from each client and I realised that my Evolve training was just the beginning. Being a massage therapist is a life long learning process.
And being flexible in the way I work. I got a job straight away working in a massage clinic on Saturday mornings, and then setting my home business to work in with my full-time government job.
You can contact Sarah at her home business: Capital Hill Remedial Massage
Or for appointments on Saturday mornings: Northside Massage Clinic