We recently connected with Felisha Gabaldon and have shared our conversation below.

Felisha, appreciate you joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

I thought I wanted to be a nurse. I was going to school and working as a nurse tech in a hospital when I got pregnant with my daughter. My daughters delivery was difficult and resulted in a traumatic birth injury and cerebral palsy. After her birth I needed a career with more flexibility so I chose Massage school. As she grew up, my massage skills developed as well. She is non-verbal and our communication is unique. I feel that because i had to learn to communicate with my daughter by intuition and listening to cues, my intuition and massage skills are unique as well.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been a massage therapist since 2006. I initially wanted to be a nurse. I was looking for a more flexible career so I can take care of my special needs daughter, but once my massage career started I realized I found my true passion. I’ve always loved learning all about the human body, anatomy and physiology were my favorite subjects. For the 1st 10 years of my career I worked in a spa setting. In the last 6 years I worked in a chiropractic office and ran my own practice. I have come to love working with athletes, people recovering from surgery, Parkinson’s patients, and just your everyday hard working person. My massage is always custom to the issues a person is having that day. I listen to what the body is needing in that moment. My massage is mostly therapeutic. I incorporate the modalities I’ve learned over the years: cupping, lymphatic drainage, myofascial release, active stretching, trigger point, deep tissue, hot stones and cranial sacral. I’m most proud of the gratifying feeling when a client says “you’ve worked miracles on my body” “I haven’t been able to move like this in years” “my headaches are gone”. I love knowing I made someone feel better in their body.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My ability to really listen to the body and use my intuition to customize the session for each client. I ask the client about their daily routine so i can visualize the movements and motions so I can address postural issues and past injuires. I also use tools I’ve learned over the years to apply when and where they are needed.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think being attentive, really listening to your client’s needs and working your best to address them during each session will make you a successful massage therapist.

Contact Info:

• Website: Massagebyfelisha.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/massagebyfelisha?utm_source=qr&igshid=MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg%3D%3D
• Facebook: Massage by Felisha

Image Credits
Sabrina Brusnahan photography