Massage therapist + gay + dogs - good for Portland?

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by kyled

Granted this comes from someone who knows nothing of message therapy but if I were you I'd find a city with fewer message therapists. In a city where you're a dime a dozen you'd just be one of the crowd but somewhere that has just a few you could make a name for yourself. Then when you've gained some credentials you can move to a city you like more and get a job in a popular clinic where people pay top dollar for a good job.

I'd also make sure you have a job prior to moving anywhere.

Very sound advice. Portland is a place where many markets are saturated. If I were just starting out, I would either choose an occupation that didn't have everyone and his uncle (or aunt) looking to be in the same field or pick a city where my skills were needed.

Regarding pet massage, I don't laugh at it. Years ago, I had an elderly kitty for whom traditional medicine was not working. Granted I did not take her for pet massage, it was acupunture that saved her life when traditional Western medicine could not help her. So I wouldn't discount any type of treatment that helps any living thing.

Animals have muscles, bones and tissue the same as humans. I don't believe it's that much of a stretch to use the same methods on them as we do on people to keep them healthy and pain free.

So if the OP were interested in this aspect of this field, I would say more power to him. Portland loves it's pets. There may just be an opportunity there with some additional training to find work in this field.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

............ There also seems to be a wide open market for cat massage therapist. You could get in on the ground floor.

It's probably too dangerous: Wake up muffin!! BornJuju is here to give you a massage!!!

I'd like to see how that turns out.

[Rob Allen]

There are other specialties within the massage field besides veterinary. My wife tells me that Portland needs more therapists certified to work in swimming pools. Lots of patients benefit from the support of the water while moving and stretching muscles. Your clinical orientation suggests that you might have an aptitude for Structural Integration (Rolf Institute), Craniosacral Therapy (Upledger Institute), applied kinesiology, Rubenfeld Synergy, Bio-Valent work, Alexander technique, or any of a number of other massage/movement therapies. It would mean more time in school, but it would set you apart from the run-of-the-mill LMT.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Very sound advice. Portland is a place where many markets are saturated. If I were just starting out, I would either choose an occupation that didn't have everyone and his uncle (or aunt) looking to be in the same field or pick a city where my skills were needed.

Regarding pet massage, I don't laugh at it. Years ago, I had an elderly kitty for whom traditional medicine was not working. Granted I did not take her for pet massage, it was acupunture that saved her life when traditional Western medicine could not help her. So I wouldn't discount any type of treatment that helps any living thing.

Animals have muscles, bones and tissue the same as humans. I don't believe it's that much of a stretch to use the same methods on them as we do on people to keep them healthy and pain free.

So if the OP were interested in this aspect of this field, I would say more power to him. Portland loves it's pets. There may just be an opportunity there with some additional training to find work in this field.

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

There are other specialties within the massage field besides veterinary. My wife tells me that Portland needs more therapists certified to work in swimming pools. Lots of patients benefit from the support of the water while moving and stretching muscles. Your clinical orientation suggests that you might have an aptitude for Structural Integration (Rolf Institute), Craniosacral Therapy (Upledger Institute), applied kinesiology, Rubenfeld Synergy, Bio-Valent work, Alexander technique, or any of a number of other massage/movement therapies. It would mean more time in school, but it would set you apart from the run-of-the-mill LMT.

I'm sure the o/p appreciates sincere and detailed advice like this rather than flippant mocking of his questions. Especially since this is a relocation forum and not Comedy Central.