NHI Santa Rosa Graduate Cheryl Stone remains “solidly booked” at Medical Massage 4 Pain Therapy
Cheryl Stone (left) with her family
NHI Santa Rosa Graduate Cheryl Stone remains “solidly booked” in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn how Cheryl found her path from mortgages to massage therapy as Owner of Medical Massage 4 Pain Therapy.
I found myself looking for a new career at age 37, looking for something I was interested in and passionate about vs something just for the money. I had worked in mortgages and real estate for 16 years and got into that business with the idea of making money to raise my 1st born son. Massage was something that always called to me. So I decided to investigate. The process was so easy from the moment I reached out to NHI to the moment I graduated. I felt like I found my path.
NHI made the entire process seamless, even while switching from a paper platform to a digital one in the middle of the year. The initial interview, the fact that the school is nationally recognized and could provide outlets for funding, the staff who were always balanced in their presentations and the way the information was relayed. I tell everyone, “Massage school is the best school you can go to. You meditate every morning, get massaged almost every day and learn in between.”
After the 8-month course of studies, where I actually payed attention to the material, I decided that I wanted to get into Sports Massage of some sort, somewhere, to help people with injuries and healing from those. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to work so I thought I’ll start off with gym environments. I wanted to work for someone else. As the universe had it, there was a massage business in town who specialized in Trigger Point therapy hiring and that was it. They opened my eyes to a world that has been a guiding light in my life. I took a specific Trigger Point therapy training course and still am practicing Trigger Point and Sports Massage today and now I work for myself at Medical Massage 4 Pain Therapy in Santa Rosa, CA! What I love most about my career is the difference I make in people’s lives and hearing their recovery stories.
A client receiving cupping therapy with Cheryl Stone
I rented a space in a shared office in Santa Rosa, did a promotional gig on Groupon and have been going strong ever since. I feel I have the clientele and reputation to start expanding my business and to start the process of hiring employees. When the pandemic 1st hit, I had 4 clients the 1st week, 6 the 2nd and so on for a month or so. I upped my cleansing practices big time and still saw clients. In CA there was always a stipulation that medical massage was OK to practice as long as there was a doctor’s referral or it was covered by insurance. I made all my clients aware of that and most had one or both already and only a few had to make a visit to a chiropractor to get a referral. There were extra hurdles but the clients that I was able to still help including many nurses and firefighters were so grateful I was available to them. The people who were involved in accidents with horrible migraines, etc. I was still able to help them. I gave a few outdoor massages to accommodate a few clients. Then the word got out I was one of the few open and I got very busy. I have not advertised to any of my old clients or anything or anyone new because word of mouth has been everything for me and has kept me solidly booked. I felt very lucky in this pandemic to be doing medical massage and have also had a no charge policy for last minute cancellations due to anything illness or exposure related. I also have had a lot of scares and had to test and quarantine here and there just to be sure to not spread anything. As with everything it has been an extra awareness and respect that has had to be had to keep my clients healthy.
The possibilities are somewhat endless with a massage certificate. NHI has so much information to give regarding massage techniques that it’s hard to fit it all in in 1 year. There are so many avenues you can go down and make a business all your own to fit your uniqueness. The idea of having my own business was NOT my goal attending massage school, it was to work somewhere for a steady paycheck. That is also possible. It was possible for me and it’s possible for you. Whatever your specific goals are with massage, you can have the freedom to literally do what you LOVE, when you want to do it and be able to give back to your community, promoting self care which is such a positive way to give back. Buddha says, “True happiness comes from serving others.”
My goal is to provide more Trigger Point therapy to everyone who needs and wants it. I am so happy to share my story because it could be your story too. I am a single mom who was living in a studio in my mom’s backyard with my 3 children while going back to school and now I rent a townhome all on my own, in my children’s school district and am doing just fine financially. Before I started my business, a teacher at NHI said to me, “There are not enough massage therapists for the amount of people that need massage.” and its true!
Curious about a career in massage therapy? Fill out the form to connect with an admissions representative today!