ACM GRADUATE INTERVIEW - Jo Lewis

14/12/2009

ACM graduate Jo Lewis always knows when she has received a massage from a fellow ACM Graduate as they have the same ACM polish

After receiving her first ever massage with her local therapist - Jo was hooked! 8 years down the track and Jo now has her own established Massage Clinic.

What first interested you about Massage?

I was living a small country town in Victoria quite a few years ago when I booked in for my first ever professional massage with the local therapist. To this day I can still remember my first ever massage experience. I was working as a medical receptionist at the time and I just wanted some general stress relief and relaxation. When I walked out of her clinic I felt completely relaxed and was in a state I had never been in before. I guess you could say I was hooked!

That afternoon and over the next couple of days I couldn’t stop thinking about what a great job that lady has, a relaxing environment, relaxing music, peacefulness, no phones ringing constantly. I decided it was time for a change as I couldn’t picture myself staying in my current job for the rest of my working life.

By chance ACM listed Introductory Course dates in the local newspaper for a town nearby not long after I received the massage and I enrolled to try it out, I saw it as a fresh new challenge.

"After the Introductory course I was hooked on giving massage as well as receiving."

I just loved the whole two days and I ended up enrolling to complete the Certificate IV course straight away. I felt as if I had found something that I really wanted to do with my life

How long have you been massaging?

I have been massaging professionally since 2002.

I started out working alongside a Female GP who had an interest in natural therapies, I worked as her practice manager throughout the day and massaged from a spare room in her practice throughout the evenings.

Gradually my practice and clientele lists began to grow and I had to begin massaging full time from my own clinic. By chance a heritage listed home in the same street I was working in came up for sale and I bought it and transformed it into a clinic. This worked out great as I was also able to keep my original practice name as it was named after the street I worked in.

What do you enjoy most about massaging?

I love all of the rewards that come with the job. Like seeing client’s faces when they leave the room and let me know how fantastic they feel after a massage – I can relate to them as I have had the same experience when I first had a massage and continue to do so. The feeling of knowing that you’ve helped somebody feel better and the whole atmosphere that surrounds the relaxing environment that is my workplace is delightful.

What was your experience at ACM like?

I completed my Certificate IV on-campus in Warrnambool in 2002 and my Diploma on-campus in Warrnambool in 2006.

I loved every minute of my training, from my on-campus practical classes to the home study theory subjects. On-campus we had a great class and our lecturer was fantastic. The classroom was non-judgemental or critical and every student was supportive of each other and each others progress – I was a mature-age student and this environment put me at ease straight away.

I also made a lot of great friendships out of both years of my training and I continue to catch up with my comrades regularly. Some of us have our own practices in our home town and others have travelled abroad or to other parts of Australia with their skills. It’s great to keep in touch and see what everyone has done or is doing with their qualifications.

"ACM is so professional in its approach and in my opinion I believe that ACM’s diploma leaves other courses in its wake."

I receive massages quite often in my hometown and when holidaying around Australia and without asking therapists I come across where they have trained - I almost know instantly if the therapist is ACM trained or not. Those who are not ACM trained don’t have the same polish.

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

I felt confident in starting to see paying clients straight away. Everything that I had learnt in the course was useful and practical for the current industry.

I feel like ACM’s training and their way of training is the best grounding and base to be given for the massage industry. I believe that the actual massage techniques that I was taught are the best techniques in the industry. I really feel like ACM knows how to teach massage and that there is always a lot of time and thought put into what students actually need and are looking for.

"ACM’s draping is the best I’ve ever seen and I strongly believe in it from an ethical point of view and also from a professional point of view. I specialise in women’s wellness and I feel it has proven to be a point of difference that my clientele really appreciate."

What advice would you give aspiring massage therapists?

When you complete your Diploma keep persevering with growing your clientele list. Whether you are working for someone or you set up your own practice. Never give up because you have a week with a low number of bookings. It is not because you are a poor therapist – it is because your prospective clientele are busy doing other things at the time.

You will be surprised at how the list will grow over time and be patient it can take anywhere from a few months to twelve months. A clientele list cannot be created over night but you will be surprised at the power of word of mouth and how you will build a clientele list full of clients that you love to treat and you will feel like they are the right clients for you.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I love the fact that I earn my living from doing something day-to-day that doesn’t feel like a job for me!

I enjoy going into work everyday and I look forward to the challenges each day brings. The fact that I own my own business and that I can work whenever I like is also great. I can work hard when I feel like it and ease off when I feel that I need a holiday or a break.

I feel like I am in a good place as far as work/life balance is concerned.