Interview with Dianne Hatton

With Certificate IV in hand and a Diploma underway ACM Graduate and Student Dianne Hatton and her husband Bill are packing up the caravan for the Grey Nomad trip around Australia.

What first interested you about Massage?

I received my first ever massage in my early 20’s in London. I still remember it clearly, I was about to do the epic journey of 36 hours of travel on what was called the kangaroo leg (named after Qantas), the long and exhausting journey from London back to Australia. I booked in for a massage prior as I thought it may help me to endure the journey ahead in a more relaxed state. Being young and massage being somewhat in it’s early days I was slightly nervous at the thought of putting myself in someone else’s hands, literally and I wondered how I was going to go with trusting whoever the therapist was.

Receiving that massage was a defining moment in my life. I was hooked and I continued to receive massage from that day on.

In fact I have a heart for Asian countries (my youngest daughter Dee was adopted from India) and I have massage therapists that I frequent when I return to certain countries. I have received many massages to date, some good, some mediocre and some that have left lasting impressions on me. I call these ones experiences. I’d like to share some of these experiences….

Mr Taleb, Holiday Inn, Penang – People travel from all over the world to visit Mr Taleb and receive treatments from him. He uses a wide variety of techniques Thai, lymphatic drainage and circulation massage. It was a great leap of faith when I received my first treatment from Mr Taleb as he was the first male therapist that I had ever received a treatment from and for me personally that was a whole new level of trust that had to be accomplished and I was blown away by his upmost respect and care for his clients and his really beautiful heart that resonates when he is treating you. In fact before I even received massages from him he was offering my husband and I mangos and gifts to enjoy and share. A wonderful man and an extraordinary therapist.

I also had a massage in Kuala Lumpur by an Indian female therapist and it was also an experience that I will never forget. She had an innate sense of tuning into her clients and allowing them to totally let go and hand themselves over. After receiving the massage I had a huge clearing of my sinuses and a physical purging, it was quite remarkable.

I was visiting Kampong (villages) in Malaysia when I came across a group of women in poor health with painful backs, arms and legs; their bodies were basically reflecting the hard lives they lived …. They noticed me (the Caucasian woman) and asked me if I could treat their painful areas. I wanted to reach out and help, so I did. I thought well I can’t just walk away, I can and should do something. I said to myself “don’t be a fake, just do what you can” so I rubbed their sore areas with no formal training or experience! I felt that because I really wanted to help the ladies my intentions alone and just the pureness of touch made me feel like I had achieved something for those women and that gave me a feeling of privilege.

The amazing massage experiences that I had received combined with the experience in a remote and poverty-stricken Kampong in Malaysia set me up for wanting to pursue formal training in massage therapy.

After the Malaysian holiday my husband Bill and I returned to our hometown Townsville QLD. I came across an advert for the Introductory Course run by ACM in Townsville and I discussed it with Bill and he encouraged me to enrol and pursue it further. I had no expectations for the Introductory course when I arrived, but it completely blew me away and after the two days I was SOLD!

The Lecturer I had was extremely professional and the way that he conducted himself was a credit to the College. Throughout the two days it became obvious to me that ACM are passionate about the massage industry and its future. You can almost say that they have their own style, approach and code. Also because I have had previous experience with respectful therapists I was totally attuned to ACM’s core values of respecting and honouring clients and that really stood out to me as a significant aspect in which institution I would study with.

There are great massages and ordinary massages that are on offer to the public and I believe that not all therapists are covering all bases, for example, the draping procedures. I totally believe in ACM’s approach in everything that they do and I am proud to be a part of it!

How long have you been massaging?

I have been massaging as a student since July 2009. I have completed my Certificate IV as of February 2010 and will be offering relaxation services and continuing to study further and complete the Diploma.

What do you enjoy most about massaging?

I enjoy seeing another person in a completely relaxed state and when my clients fall asleep during a relaxation massage it is a highlight.

I also love the fact that massage is WIN/WIN for both the therapist and the clients. The clients receive a massage experience and the therapist receives a low impact workout whilst in a meditative state and this transpires through to the client.

My previous occupation was in the field of social work. Whilst I loved the work it did have its drawbacks and one of them was that my clients were usually forced to see me through court orders and as a general rule of thumb when we as human beings are forced into something, we usually resent having to do it.

In contrast massage clients arrive as willing recipients and usually look forward to seeing me days in advance.

Also with the social work I was continually handing out tools for my clients to use to help them improve and after they left their sessions with me it was totally up to them to take home the tools and use them.  It always seemed to be one-step removed and I was only treating on a psychological level.

Now with my massage skills the clients that I treat are not only receiving the psychological and physiological responses that we receive with massage they are also receiving the tactile physical therapy straight from my hands as well. At the completion of each treatment there are instant rewards for my effort that I put into my work.

What was your experience at ACM like?

I have completed the Certificate IV, one subject on campus in Townsville and the rest by distance education at home. I am continuing to study the Diploma.

One of my philosophies in life is that if I don’t believe in something then I won’t be part of it. With ACM I am totally onboard with their approach and when I studied my first subject on campus I felt that the professionalism of the Lecturer was a reflection of the college mantra.
I love the way that the College has such a professional curriculum and the way that the course is structured is a credit to them.

I am more than impressed with the standard of training offered to me, both on-campus and distance education. It has always been easy to follow and presented in a step by step manner. I have found completing subjects online to be easy.

I also feel that all the information needed for massage therapist training is included in the course in detail and it is obvious that none of the subjects have been skimmed over and the manuals are of an exceptional standard.

One of the things that come to mind when I think of ACM is their ethical standards and this is reflected in the on-campus training room with absolute respect being shown from every person to each other, it’s a very warm and giving environment.

How have your studies at ACM assisted preparing you for working in the massage industry?

I am now a massage therapist who is filled with confidence, skills and passion for treating clients the ACM way, with honour and respect.

I feel that I have amazing skills to impart and that I have been trained by in the highest quality school.

I feel completely prepared and ready to start a business offering relaxation massage and I look forward to having clients book in for treatments with me. In fact I have a lot of people who have already been waiting for me to get the formal certificate so that they can become a client.

Although in only a few weeks my husband and I will be heading off on our Grey Nomads trip around Australia with caravan in tow. At 55 years young I am joining my wonderful husband of 29 years and supporting one of his dreams of trekking around Australia with a caravan. I will continue to study my Diploma as we travel and we have had special specs done to ensure that there is adequate storage space under the bed to store the massage table.  I’m taking my massage table and Bill’s taking his guitar, passions we each have.

Bill also weighed the Diploma course materials, as they will join us on the journey and I will be completing the diploma along the way. Bill assured me that they fit into our weight budget for the trip. I already knew he would be able to fit them in as he receives most of my logged practice hours. I’m sure they would have been on one of his high priority lists for the trip! He love’s his massages!

I was also inspired by fellow ACM Graduate Angelyn Cabatuan who travels the world with Cats the musical, I read her interview and thought to myself, WOW! If she can study her diploma whilst travelling across South East Asia, then surely I can do it around Australia. Who knows where I’ll be assessed for my MP2 Assessment? Maybe Darwin or Perth? No pressure, no timetable, just at my pace.

On the trip I will be offering massages in the annex that comes off the side of the caravan and I’m sure that I will find more than enough willing recipients to receive my log book hours practice for my Diploma practical subjects in the caravan parks that we lodge at! I will also be offering relaxation massage services for paying clients as well.

And YES we are following the Number 1 Grey Nomad rule of heading to Adelaide and then working our way up through the centre of Australia then onto Darwin and then across to WA and work our way down through WA and then head back across the Nullarbor.  According to Grey Nomad research you are better to plan your trip this way. You will save plenty of time and dollars on fuel as every time you drive east-west across the Nullarbor you are driving straight into a head wind. The same headwind that causes aeroplanes to have longer routes from Melbourne to Perth than the returning trip. Bill is having a great time researching the trip and finding out these facts.

What advice would you give aspiring massage therapists?

In life we must do things that are good for us and that make us feel good. Why do some people continue to work in jobs/positions that they do not really enjoy or even sometimes dislike? Just for the sake of earning money.

Your work life can hugely affect your overall health and how you feel about your life, that’s why people who love their jobs are genuinely and generally more happy people.

With that being said don’t let money be your absolute first motivation for considering studying massage.

Thinking about potential earnings prior to even having any formal training or being introduced to touch is a big distraction and it could distract you from even understanding or feeling what it is that you are actually learning and the amazing skill that you are acquiring.

To live and work we have to earn money, that’s a given! But true massage therapists that end up doing really well in the industry are the ones that have a heart for massage and enjoy what they are doing!

If you are thinking about studying massage then enrol into the introductory course, not thinking about money, just thinking, I want to see if this is something that makes me feel good! And if you enjoy it, pursue it. When you love what you do the monetary rewards will come!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I have more depth in myself!

I am in my fifties and I have just discovered another side of myself. I have a gift that I never believed I had and looking inward I feel that I have found another dimension.

I feel my nature is softer and I feel more connected. I love the fact that I can reach out and be giving in a tactile way.

With my many trips to South East Asia I have observed something and that is we live in an insular society in western culture - to touch someone is to intrude on their space. In eastern cultures hugs and common greetings include a warm and genuine touch and therefore people are more connected with each other and touch isn’t such a shock to receive from another human being, it is natural.

The first highlight of my career is that it is starting on the road! My husband has thoroughly supported everything that I have chosen to do in my life, including massage. The fact  that massage itself and massage training through ACM is portable means that I can pursue my journey and dream whilst Bill pursues one of his, massage can really blend into most scenarios!

Looking into the future a long term goal for me is that after our trip around Australia I will return to Townsville with Diploma in hand and eventually work in palliative care at an oncology centre.