I have a solo practice on 5th Ave. in the center of New York city. I mostly treat fellow New Yorkers. I work four days a week averaging 25-30 sessions a week. I treat a diversity of clientele and health complaints. My specialties include pre-natal care, anxiety, pain and stress management
I first got interested in massage through my best friend in college. She was a massage therapist. She inspired me to take an after-school not for credit Intro to massage class. For me massage just clicked. When I got out of college I went to massage school. I had many memorable teachers in massage school that encourage me to pursue a career in massage.
After massage school I worked part time while I started my master’s in Chinese medicine. Massage was the perfect part time job while in school. I could work 20 hours a week and pay my bills as well as develop my abilities as a massage therapist. Even working part time I recognized the need to establish good mechanics and technique to avoid injury or physical burnout.
I think we massage therapists are lucky to be in a helping profession. I often contrast the profession of massage therapy to meter maids who day is spent making people unhappy. MTs are so lucky because clients are generally happy to see them and leave even happier. That being said burn out is a real threat in our industry.
I wrote the Auth Method book on forearm massage and produced two instructional DVDS on forearm massage to help massage therapists have longer, healthier careers. The Auth Method of forearm massage teaches massage therapists to use their forearms instead of the hands to perform massage.
This preserves the more fragile joints of the hands and wrists and gives therapists more durability, leverage and a greater surface area of contact. I give much to body mechanics and using body weight instead of muscular force to engage the tissue.
Students of my workshop and home study course comment that by using the Auth Method that are able to increase their productivity because the method makes massage so much easier to perform and their clients comment on how much better it feels. I think massage therapists need to prioritize self-care and sustainable massage technique to achieve a successful massage career.
I believe when practiced correctly performing massage keeps us young, I don’t plan on retiring from doing healing work. If I need to, I might reduce the amount of sessions I do, but I’m passionate about massage and do not intend to quit. I believe a contributing factor to my success as a complementary health practitioner is belief in myself. Massage and acupuncture were not as mainstream in the 90’s as they are today, but I believe in holistic medicine and stuck it out in an non traditional career path and it worked.
Shari Auth is a licensed massage therapist and acupuncturist and is certified in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and Chinese Herbology. She is the founder of the Auth Method, author of “A Guide To Using The Forearms,” with a DVD under the same title and a second DVD entitled “A Guide To Side-Lying Position.” Ms. Auth has a full time practice in New York city. For more information please visit her website here.
Does the 20 ceu’s also include side lying?
CUs are validated by the certification of completion that you are provided. check with the provider