AMTA Convention is here! A red eye will take me to Milwaukee, Wisconsin on the west shore of Lake Michigan and home of the Brewers - which should be fun seeing as the Cubs play in the World Series for the first game today!
As I sit here thinking about what lies ahead (and avoiding finishing packing), I’m filled with both gratitude and excitement.
Were it not for The National Holistic Institute, I would not be the massage therapist I am today. Had Melissa Wheeler, NHI teacher, training coordinator, and winner of the 2010 Teacher of the Year Award, not created the Biofreeze scholarship, I probably would not have decided to attend the convention this year. If my amazing clients weren’t so supportive of me enhancing my educational growth and my colleagues weren’t so helpful in picking up shifts and creating a cushion so we can all take time away, I would not have the flexibility to leave.
But I have all this. And more. I have the gift of incredible people in my life.
When I began the massage journey in 2011, I had starry eyes and lots of excitement and have since been met with more than I could have imagined.
The AMTA Convention signifies a turning point; an opportunity to meet industry experts and massage leaders who are having positive impact. It is my life’s mission to turn the skills I’ve developed and nurtured into a force for positive impact and change. As is probably obvious, I’m very excited to be joining this event.
Last year the convention was in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and had an amazing turnout. Here are all the awesome handouts from the speakers and teachers. YAY! Next year the event will be in my home state - over in Pasadena, CA. That’ll be much closer and with all the free agents in baseball these days, I might even get to watch a Giants World Series down south in between AMTA workshops.
Just as in professional sports, massage therapy requires dedication, commitment, and knowledge. Nobody walks up and hits a grand slam their first time at bat. On the other hand, every grand slam is a culmination of strike outs, practice, and a few bunts. It takes a combination of having the courage when trying and the resilience when failing to realize every step forward is actually a grand slam.
As a massage therapist, I have found that our greatest gift is in having a canvas to implement our intuition and a purpose to increase our knowledge. Joining events like the AMTA Convention is my grand slam and I am forever grateful to my “team” for helping me get here. I encourage all other massage therapists to find their next grand slam and go to bat.