What is your job title? How many years of experience do you have in that field?
For more than 15 years, I have worked as an oriental bodyworker in Chicago. This is similar to being a massage therapist, except that certification takes twice as long. Like massage therapists, we help our clients to relax by using hands-on methods. However, we are able to address their orthopedic issues and internal health on a deeper level.
Would you describe the things you do on a typical day?
In a typical day I am in my office by 8am. Because I am a sole proprietor, I am the janitor as well as the boss. The first three hours are devoted to cleaning, preparing session plans, returning phone calls, and attending to other administrative tasks like drafting promotional materials and updating my website. I then see clients until as late as ten or eleven o'clock at night.
What's your ethnicity and gender? How has it hurt or helped you? If you ever experienced discrimination, how have you responded and what response worked best?
I am an asian female, which is the absolute worst combination in this field. Anytime men come, I have to be on my guard to make sure that, because my field is similar to massage, they don't proposition me. In the past this has presented some danger. When one man was not "accommodated" with sexual favors, he got violent. On other occasions they have refused to pay for my legitimate services. I handle these situations by calling the police when necessary. I have also taken self-defense classes. Over the years, I have become more cautious and very seldom accept male clients unless they are referred by another good client or a physician. I find that the best defense against this kind of sexual harassment and discrimination is to avoid it. If I hear too much nervous tension in the voice of a man who calls for an appointment, I refer them to a male colleague. Usually, in my experience, that tension in their voice is a warning that they're nervous about doing something they know is wrong.
Do you speak any language other than English? If so, how has it helped you in your job?
I do not speak any language other than English with fluency. However, I was once able to use my knowledge of the American Sign Language alphabet. A deaf man needed help with his back, and the small amount of communication we were capable of via signing made the experience much more comforting to him.
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate your job satisfaction? What would it take to increase that rating?
On a scale of 1-10, I would rate my job an 8 for satisfaction. Making it a 9 or 10 would require a major shift in society. Specifically, people nowadays are not as responsible about keeping appointments. Many attempt to cancel last minute or show up late without apologies. Like many professionals, I have had to institute a 24 hour cancellation policy in which they are still charged for missed appointments. I would much rather provide service for my fees than charge cancellation penalties. If people were more inclined to show what I consider to be basic maturity and courtesy in this regard, my job satisfaction would be much higher.
What did you learn the hard way in this job and how did that happen?
Like massage therapy, this job looks, from the outside, like it would be all fun and games. I suppose that's because people assume the relaxation my clients enjoy must be indicative of my experience. To the contrary, my work is physically very exhausting. It requires a tremendous amount of stamina. I have learned the hard way that when my health is not a priority for me, the quality of my work suffers and thus, my income suffers.
What don't they teach in school that would've been helpful to you?
It would have been very helpful if my school has taught more about sexual harassment from clients and more advanced business practices. I would have loved a class in basic accounting.
How did you get started in this line of work? If you could go back and do it differently, what would you change?
I got started in this line of work by going to school, and then apprenticing under the tutelage of masters in the field. From there, I worked hard to build a private clientele. To be honest, I would not change a thing.
What's the strangest thing that ever happened to you in this job?
Very little has happened that I would consider strange. I am still sometimes amazed by the mix of clients I have. My clients include school teachers and Emmy winning actors.
On a good day when things are going well, can you give an example of something that really makes you feel good?
I'm in the business of healing, so anytime I hear that a client has been able to overcome pain, play a sport they thought they would never participate in because of an injury, or avoided surgery- I feel that is a superb day.
When nothing seems to go right, what kind of snafus do you handle and what do you dislike the most?
I hate having to bill clients for missed appointments. I prefer to have earned my money with actual hands-on work. However, I have to do this to protect my business, and doing so has taught me to value my time.
How stressful is your job? Are you able to maintain a comfortable or healthy work-life balance?
My job is moderately stressful, but I maintain work and life balance because my viability as a practitioner depends on my health.
What's a rough salary range for the position you hold? Are you paid enough considering your responsibilities?
When the economy is doing well, I was able to make between $90k and $125k per year while only seeing clients 4 days per week. Mind you, those were 9 or 10 hour days. Since the economy has slowed down, I have to work a full week to make $80k.
What's the most rewarding moment you've experienced in this position? Of all the things you've done at work, what are you most proud of?
One of my clients was a survivor of many years of childhood sexual abuse. Our work consisted of gentle bodywork and massage. She had never been able to have normal relationships because the abuse had left her unreceptive to touch. About a month after our work concluded, she called to say she was dating, and that our work together had helped her crossover from that. That was definitely the best thing I have been able to accomplish in partnership with a client.
What's the most challenging moment you've experienced? What would you prefer to forget?
The times when men have become sexually inappropriate are always the worst, and always something I would like to forget.
What education and skills do you need to get hired and succeed in this field?
To succeed in this field, you must attend a school for oriental medicine which has a bodyworker's program. After that, I would strongly recommend taking business management and marketing classes.
What would you tell a friend considering your line of work?
This line of work is not for everyone. You have to have thick skin, tons of physical endurance and absolutely no greed. The majority of people in the field make less than $30k per year. Those of us who are in the top tier do so because of pure, hard, relentless work.
How much vacation do you take? Is it enough?
I have not taken more than a 3 day weekend vacation in over 15 years. It is definitely not enough, but I entered this profession knowing that my work would overtake my personal life.
Are there any common misunderstandings you want to correct about what you do?
People have a lot of negative stereotypes about asian women. To them, I would like to say that we are extremely educated, and devoted to our profession. It's absolutely tragic that some people would project such negativity onto a profession that seeks to help people reduce their suffering.
Does this job move your heart? If not, what does?
This job moves my heart, definitely. I love my long time clients and consider them to be my family. Even if they lose their jobs, I would always help them in an emergency. This job is a vocation, not just a profession.
If you could write your own ticket, what would you like to be doing in five years?
In five years, I would love to only see about 10 clients per week on a part time basis. I would use the extra time for writing, and to open up a residential healing center.
Is there anything unique about your situation that readers should know when considering your experiences or accomplishments?
As I've said before, this job is a vocation. You must be called to it. It is not a path to easy money, nor is it suited to the faint of heart. You must have compassion for every client, but at the same time be willing to make business choices that make the profession financially sustainable. Finding the balance between the two is the key to success or failure.
Author Resource:-
This is one of the many interviews with regular people working in Chicago, ranging from a Non Profit Program Director to a Bell Person.
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