Your Massage Practice is the Perfect Place for Healthy Transformation
To complement the MASSAGE Magazine article, “Expert Advice,” by David Palmer, in the May 2013 issue. Article summary: “How can I position myself as a wellness coach to market seated massage?”
You know how beneficial massage therapy is for your clients, from stress reduction to relief from chronic pain and injury. What if you were also able to offer them additional services in the form of wellness coaching, teaming with experts in the burgeoning field of wellness to provide health-and-lifestyle solutions that can be truly transformational?
Wellness programs have grown in popularity, and are now being implemented in many workplaces to lower insurance costs, reduce absenteeism, improve productivity and create a motivated team. Quantum Health and Wellness is a specialized, professional spa industry resource for businesses and individuals looking to participate in wellness provider plans. They offer turnkey corporate wellness programs and training for massage professionals looking to become wellness advocates. Quantum Health and Wellness also works with local businesses to create and implement wellness programs for their employees and can, upon request, connect them with spas and massage therapists to participate in those programs.
Your massage-and-spa therapies are the perfect complement to wellness programs, which often include holistic services, yoga, meditation, alternative health care and energy healing. Larger spas can also be a great location for providers who want a serene place to hold their educational seminars.
In addition to adding your massage therapy to wellness program offerings, you can also become a wellness coach to enhance your practice. The Quantum Health and Wellness program can provide a base of programs for massage therapists who want to offer other wellness education. The program may take only two weeks to get a basic understanding, and can continue for three months to receive some solid basic training. As wellness coaches that do not conduct medical screenings, blood testing or evaluations, no accreditation is needed. Quantum Health and Wellness provides health educators, nutritionists and registered nurses who create and monitor the programs. Wellness coaches offer support, accountability and motivation, provide health resources, demonstrate online tools and help clients set and meet goals.
Some of the many wellness program benefits for participants include weight loss, healthy lifestyle changes, smoking cessation, reduced stress and the creation of a well-balanced life. Participants may experience a drop in cholesterol and triglyceride rates, lowered blood sugar levels and improved body mass index. Wellness programs may include lifestyle counseling, exercise plans, nutritional advice and wellness education. Employers receive regular statistics to prove the programs are working through the use of biometric measurements and wellness records that can be tracked. Massage therapy is the perfect addition to any wellness program, as the proven health and stress-reduction benefits of massage are well-documented.
Participating in a wellness program with your therapeutic massage as well as becoming a wellness coach will advance your career, build your clientele and bring in a brand-new revenue stream. You can become a real wellness advocate, adding valuable new services to your practice while joining the new wave in health care.
Jenny Hogan is the media director at Marketing Solutions Inc., a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations agency specializing in the professional beauty business. For more information, call (703) 359-6000, visit www.MktgSols.com or send an e-mail to MktgSols@MktgSols.com.