ACM GRADUATE INTERVIEW - Deidre Triffitt

12/10/2010

ACM Graduate Deidre Triffitt completed her Diploma studying alongside two of her children

The Triffitts don’t even have to step outside the family home to receive a great massage; three members of the immediate family have studied massage!

What first interested you about Massage?

I received my first ever massage in Canada many years ago and I can still remember how great it felt afterwards and how excited I was to have discovered such a wonderful therapy.

I absolutely love receiving massages; they are very calming and therapeutic and receiving them regularly has helped out time and time again during my hectic life. I have four children and I found that massage helped them too; especially one of our sons who has severe autism.

How long have you been massaging?

3 years.

I have a home based clinic on our property “Gog Range Retreat” in the Meander Valley, which is located just a half hours drive from Launceston in Tasmania.

What do you enjoy most about massaging?

I love helping people feel calm, relaxed and healthier. We live in a fast paced world and we don’t always take time to rest or rejuvenate our bodies. I love working part time from home where I can see clients and still have time to enjoy my semi-retirement!

Massage is a job where people love to see you and you are working in a calm and therapeutic atmosphere – it’s great!

What was your experience at ACM like?

I found ACM very helpful, informative and extremely professional in their teaching methods. The way we were taught was of the highest professional standards and the client respect and draping is something that we found akin to our own standards.

With ACM, learning massage isn’t just about sequences and techniques, it’s combined with all the little extras that go with great hands on skills and the whole atmosphere that creates an experience for the recipient rather than just a treatment.

When I embarked on my Diploma of Remedial Massage with ACM I didn’t do it alone. Two of my children, Emily and Jarom, enrolled with me and we studied the Certificate IV together.  Then Emily and I continued on to complete the Diploma. It was such a great experience learning with my children and attending classes with them.

We actually travelled to Adelaide to attend our course on a two day per month timetable. It was a lot of fun as Emily was already living in Adelaide and I have a sister living there also so we could all catch up and learn together. I also got an insight into my son´s humour too and how much his fellow classmates appreciate it.

I must say that I hadn’t studied for over 30 years when I started my Diploma and I was happily surprised at the teaching methods and the way people learn skills and how they are presented these days. I don’t think the children of the generations here and to come, have any complaining to do about learning these days - it is interactive and a lot more practical than when I was in school.

All of the teachers that we met and instructed by at the ACM were fantastic. Myself, Emily and Jarom all agree that ACM is a 5 STAR COLLEGE!

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

I have been given all the tools to set up and work in my own business, which is the outcome that I wanted.

Although two of my children and I have studied the same course, we each have developed our own technique and treat quite differently. A lot of the same foundations and fundamentals are present in our treatments, but on a whole we are definitely very different therapists. I believe that this comes from the inner confidence that is built up because we received such high quality training.

What advice would you give aspiring massage therapists?

If you enjoy or want any of the following, then massage is the job for you!

Helping people feel better about themselves and contributing to their wellbeing If you want a job that you can do anywhere in the world If you would like to be flexible with your working hours If you would like to work in a clinic or run your own business

The professionalism of ACM and their training will help you be successful in whatever it is that you choose to undertake in the Massage Industry.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Meeting so many people that enjoy what they are doing and also having the skills to help others feel better about themselves and their wellbeing is definitely a highlight.

Participating at the Massage en Masse at Daylesford was a lot of fun too! I’m now a world record holder!