Burnout in the Massage Profession
One of the reasons why I have created this site is because of
all the massage therapists that I have personally seen come and go in this
profession. Burn out is the number one reason for quitting your massage
job or closing your business. It is often a result of working to fix people
rather than focusing on being of service. It happens when we forget to
take care of ourselves. It happens when we aren't paying attention to what
we do, who we are, how we influence clients and what meaning we make out of our
work.
Burnout can be prevented by becoming conscious of all parts of
ourselves that come into the making of our practices or jobs.
Preventing burn out is more than just learning to work with
proper body mechanics at the table and is more than taking care of yourself
physically (eating good, sleeping well, vacationing). In order to prevent
burn out one has to become aware of how you are giving away your energy. A
recent poll at
massagetoday.com
lists the many ways to take care of oneself. I purpose that it is more
than just getting regular massage, exercise and yoga. (Although those things are
important.) Taking care of oneself involves learning about oneself
-learning about our beliefs that create defense mechanisms and keep us from
being connected to ourselves.
Learning to recognize the early symptoms of burnout can help you
start to see the early signs of burnout and learn what you can do to prevent and
treat burnout.
. Resources:
FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS ONLY: Dealing with burnout - from www.thehealers.com.
The adage "Healer cure thyself" is good advice for massage
therapists. As healers, massage therapists urge their clients to reduce stress,
listen to their bodies and take care of themselves, but all too often they do
not take their own good advice.
http://www.coping.org/growth/burnout.htm
