Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abbie Norman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Abbie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was your school or training experience like? Share an anecdote or two that you feel illustrate important aspects or the overall nature of your schooling/training experience.
I was fortunate to attend massage school in upstate New York, where I learned from doctors and massage therapists all passionate about the human body and our capabilities to heal with non invasive treatments such as massage therapy. When I signed up for school, I had prenatal and infant massage in mind. I wouldn’t have called myself a passionate learner prior to massage school, but the passionate teachers and education experience propelled me to seek and retain answers. The science portion of the program was intense, and I began to view and understand my own body and health struggles from a new perspective. A turning point for me, which propelled my career was when a fellow student came into class in tears- ready to quit the program because of a physical injury. She was a swimmer and gave it up for school, she was experiencing bi-lateral adhesive capsulitis- FROZEN SHOULDER! Our lead teacher lit up, and took the opportunity to share from her vast experiences as a physical therapist and massage therapist. We dove into sports and orthopedic massage techniques and we rehabbed the student to full range of motion! I was so impressed and so infuriated at the physical therapy experiences I’d personally had which didn’t include any of these very effective modalities. It was there that a spark was lit in me and I have spent the following 15 years honing my skills and continuing to dig deeper for answers and further understanding so that I can bring relief to clients with the same life changing results that I’d witnessed in school.
Abbie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Abbie, a New York State and Florida State licensed Massage Therapist. Growing up I loved spending time with infants and a family friend mentioned infant massage as a career which called to me. I had no idea what I was getting into or where my life would take me but I signed up for vocational massage school in Southern California where I was living after graduating high school. A life altering injury brought me back to New York State, and after nearly two years of recovering from surgeries, I started my first day of Massage School still on crutches. My personal experiences with chronic pain and medical mistreatment propelled me to understand the human body and find healing holistically. I made more progress reducing pain with massage therapy than any of the treatments I’d endured under medical care. Feeling relief, and witnessing other students change with the non invasive hands on work solidified that this was my calling. I dove into research and took every opportunity to learn from the clients on my table.
My naturally curious nature has been a wonderful part of my career- leading me to seek answers to what my clients are experiencing. I have had the opportunity to work with people who are experiencing horrific pain and recovering from complicated injuries / surgeries. People have sought massage therapy with me for joint replacements, whiplash, pre-natal and postpartum, sports injuries, cosmetic surgeries, spinal abnormalities, headaches, emotional imbalances, insomnia, and so much more!
My focus had been on orthopedic rehab for 13 years before I took a shift away from the medical environment and began to work for myself in order to offer a more holistic approach to care. I see patterns in people- the way their lifestyle and emotional state plays a huge role in their experience in their physical bodies. I have strived to be the person to provide answers, where other medical avenues cannot.
I aw how people needed guidance and I spent much of my free time getting to know other wellness practitioners in my area that might have what was missing in my clients’ wellness routines. I saw a need for community and a safe space for collective healing. Pain, especially chronic pain, is a lonely experience and there is so much misinformation out there which is why I decided to be more vocal and reach a wider audience.
In september 2023 I opened Rowan Wellness- a holistic wellness center in Bonita Springs, FL. Every avenue of healing I sought has given me perspective and encouraged my continued research in the field. What I say sets me apart is my curiosity, my luck with teachers, job settings and amazing clients- but I could not have been this passionate or this skillful without my own personal struggles. Physical limitations and chronic pain has forced me to care for myself, and seek out bodyworkers and holistic health practitioners to help me heal. I work on my clients like I need someone to work on me- I describe my work as slow, muscle specific and holistic. All my treatments incorporate modalities and techniques that will help my client achieve their session goals. This means that I don’t offer buzzword treatments like “deep tissue” or “sports massage” Those are techniques, not a treatment. I don’t have all the answers, but I am certainly determined to at least guide every single person that comes to me towards a path that I’ve experienced for wellbeing.
My wellness center, Rowan Wellness, is named after my son who passed at 5 weeks old. I describe the holistic center as Guided By Tradition, Rooted In Wellness. Our mission is crafting a haven for communal solace, spiritual nourishment and holistic restoration. In addition to our treatments: western massage treatments, ancient Indian Ayurvedic treatments, and frequency healing- we offer community classes, workshops and lectures.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My move to the West coast in Florida from the East coast was fueled by my desire to teach on a professional level. I felt stuck in my career and saw the need for more therapists “like me” and thought the best way to bring more healing to people was to teach other passionate therapists. Interviews left me feeling more defeated than inspired- I wasn’t aligning with the curriculums in the schools here. I started to shift towards being a continuing education provider and set backs in my own health and chronic pain experience slowly dwindled my energy for pursuing a shift in my career. Now, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, I was working only four hours a week, and experiencing pregnancy complications. At 29 weeks pregnant, I had an emergency c-section and my son Rowan was born. He was tiny, and his health was struggling. I left my job to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with him for five weeks. He passed away on a clear night, underneath the stars. The loss left me broken.
All I knew was my life as a massage therapist. I was the helper, the healer, the one to go above and beyond for people in my life. Suddenly I found myself unable to care for myself, depression stole my zest, and I struggled with finding what direction I was supposed to follow now. To grieve and heal, I took a 5 week road trip and camped all around the country. The forest heals, and I left my grief in their depths- as much as the moment would allow.
Back in Florida I felt the grey of sadness still hanging over me. With no other choice but to get back to work I took a job in a spa like setting. I spent my mornings crying and my evenings in a treatment room- and something happened. The spark in me came back, a little flicker here and there. Caring for people is my calling- I truly believe there is no other massage therapist like me- we all have our unique skills and backstory and passion. The universe sent clients to me that were healing with my treatments and grateful for my touch. It gave me a purpose.
I’ve never wanted anyone to suffer with the kind of chronic physical pain I have endured since childhood, but now that I was navigating life as a woman who’d lost her infant son- I used the anger to find a way to fill the gaps in our system. And here I am, building Rowan Wellness in honor of my sweet boy, and trying to create a community of women who are passionate about holistic healing. I want to build something so great that I will have a space to allow mothers in my shoes to come and heal whether they’re financially able to or not. I’m just one woman on a mission, creating a community of like minded practitioners and hoping to share our collective hope. We’re donating small care packages to moms who’s babies are healing in NICU. And I have a vision for how it can grow- how my suffering can lessen someone else’s.
This chapter feels more like a need than anything else I’ve experienced. I need to make life easier, one simple care package at a time. I need to create a space where women feel safe, heard, and cared for. Often times we suffer alone, in silence- we as women accept so many things that can be remedied or alleviated holistically. We care take when our cups are empty. Rowan Wellness is for all women- all ages, all walks of life. Many of our classes are free and I offer one no cost gift certificate per month and one highly discounted service per month- to a woman who is financially unable to get the care that I believe she needs. This is the part that I want to grow- I would love to see massage therapy as an accessible treatment.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Having the head start that I did with attending school in New York State and having instructors that were doctors- Chiropractors, Acupuncturists and Physical Therapists- absolutely shaped my career. Continuing education classes, seminars, and endless online tutorials and case studies all feed the knowledge, but what really matters in my opinion is having a respect and appreciation for this field of Massage Therapy as medicine.
I 100% walk the walk. I receive massage regularly and have since day one of licensure. I value the many variations of bodywork and the way massage therapists all have their own take on a modality. Being on the receiving end has not only taught me so much about the experience of massage, but also instilled a deep, deep appreciation for this type of work. People really do come with all of their lives complications and in an hour or two, big shifts and changes can happen. Its incredible to witness and to experience. I’ve learned more on the table than I have at big seminars, by far.
My advice to every new massage therapist is to keep receiving and follow your instincts. What you’re doing during a session does not need to be text book- let your intuition guide you and be creative. No two bodies are alike, no two people can find relief with the same modality, the same pressure, the same movements. We have to be willing to change constantly. Next I would say to let routines fall away. Sure, you will find your pace and rhythm, but don’t slip into the dull of routine massage treatments, that’s the fast way to burn out. This is an amazing career! I have given massages on boats, in dorm rooms, in flower fields, on balconies overlooking the ocean, in cramped tour busses, in peoples homes, in spas, in surgery centers, at festivals, and of course my own office. The possibilities are endless- do not limit yourself.
What is helpful for success? For many years I focused on the academic expansions- taking in more information and learning the body on a cellular level to try and understand the pain experience. What I think is more or at least equally important is the willingness to unlearn information and to be fully willing to change. How I first learned about connective tissue therapies is entirely different than what the science says now and how I approach it as a bodyworker. So go out, be willing to be wrong, be willing to experience someone else’s touch without expectation. If you feed your passion, you will find success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rowanwellnesscenter.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rowanwellnesscenter/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rowanwellnesscenter
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbie-norman-3728562a4/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVIi_DmKM_w_VQMik_V90Tw
Image Credits
Photos by Abbie Norman, Katie Lane