ACM GRADUATE INTERVIEW - Jenny Schulz

04/06/2009

For Jenny Schulz, the word massage means 'Giving, Helping and Caring'. Having just relocated to Australia from Thailand, Jenny's massage course was due to start ..... now a successful ACM Graduate, this is her story

What first interested you about Massage?

I was born and raised in Thailand and after school I studied hospitality business management and spent a number of years working in that industry. When my sister opened her own spa business in Thailand I ended up helping her manage her spa and became interested in learning all the aspects of the spa business. I quickly decided that not only did I want to help manage the day to day operations of the spa but I was also interested in getting hands on with clients. I decided to study a range of traditional Thai, reflexology and therapeutic massage techniques.

It was only after studying these techniques that I started to see the real benefits of massage and how it was able to solve a wide range of problems whilst maintaining the health of the entire body.

The time I spent working in my sister´s Spa business was inspiring for me and it was the true beginning of my massage career and my passion for massage. I now have a thirst for knowledge of all things massage and I continue to read and learn whenever I have spare time.

How long have you been massaging?

From 2005 until my relocation to Australia in 2007 I practiced with Thai Massage, Spa Treatments and Reflexology in my sister´s Spa business in Thailand. Since late 2007, I have been practicing with my Certificate IV qualification from the ACM in Melbourne Australia.  From mid 2008, I have added remedial treatments to my experience after completion of my Diploma with ACM in Melbourne.

What do you enjoy most about massaging?

"I enjoy receiving positive feedback from clients after I have given them a massage; I am often able to hear the sense of relief in their voices which is an indication to me that they are feeling better."

What was your experience at ACM like?

All of the massage knowledge that I had acquired before studying at ACM was practically based. I had never studied any anatomy, including, muscles, bones or human biology.

I arrived in Melbourne only a few weeks before my course was due to start, I was quite nervous and a little bit worried as it was my first time studying in a different country where the only language used would be English – not my mother tongue. I studied in Melbourne and credit part of my success in learning to having such a great Lecturer and also an enthusiastic and energetic class who really helped me with the learning process.

For me the course was challenging at times as most of the words and terms that were used were new to me and many didn't have a direct translation into Thai. But I was able to make it through all the work and to my surprise everything very quickly started to make sense.

I really enjoyed studying at ACM and formed some strong bonds and friendships during my training.

"Recently I responded to a call for therapists from ACM and I joined up with two of my ex-class mates and we headed to Healesville to volunteer our massage skills as part of the Black Saturday bush fire appeal."

I was able to put my massage skills to use and relieve some of the stress that was building up in the emergency workers tired bodies. Being able to do this really made me value the knowledge I gained studying at ACM and the camaraderie that came with it.

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

After completing my studies at ACM I felt confident that I had the knowledge and skills needed to become successful within the Massage Industry. When I think of the word massage, to me it means ´Giving, Helping and Caring´. ACM taught me that you need to feel this way about massage, as these feelings are passed through your hands and to your client´s bodies.

I was able to put the massage business subjects into practice as soon as I had my qualification in hand. I started my own massage business immediately and called it Jenny Massage. My clinic is located in Camberwell, Melbourne and I have also set up my own website for the clinic http://www.jennymassage.com/.

What advice would you give aspiring massage therapists?

Stick with your study, the further you progress through the course the more things start to sink in and come together.

"All your time spent studying will pay off! And before you know it, you will be able make a positive impact on people lives!"

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Massage is a very rewarding career. One moment that stands out in my memory is when a client told me that a massage treatment that she received from me did more to aid her soreness then all of the visits she had made to different medical practitioners. This proves to me how powerful a massage treatment can be for some clients and again how rewarding it is to give!