Interview by Ray Siderius and Lexi Reale

Why Massage? Dana Highfill, Part I : Oregon School Of Massage Blog

The following results from an interview on August 1st of OSM graduate Dana Highfill, by OSM staff Alexis Reale and Ray Siderius.

Dana Highfill’s journey to massage began after several unfulfilling jobs and one trip to South America that changed her life. Dana studied Industrial Design in college and following graduation worked as an Exhibit Designer. This job consisted of working in a cubicle and answering phones, which undoubtedly provided minimal satisfaction for her. Dana was eager to experience more from life, so she organized a trip to Ecuador for 3 weeks. She describes her time there as feeling very connected to the earth and her body.

Upon her arrival to the Northwest a new house mate moved in with Dana who had studied massage in NC, and often gave her brief massages. One night Dana decided to return the favor, and she was surprised at the level of consciousness she had while giving massage..this both surprised her and further stirred the idea of studying massage.

During the next 2 years Dana started taking science classes at PCC to study acupuncture at OCOM, getting acupuncture treatments, practicing QiGong and yoga, and giving the occasional quick head neck and shoulder massage at her work.

Dana’s impression of acupuncture led her to believe it would be a more appealing profession than massage. Dana had some preconceived judgments surrounding massage.. (LMTs were predominantly younger women, who worked in spas, and she thought there were inequality issues within the profession)

Yet something didn’t feel right about pursuing grad school for acupuncture partly because she realized she didn’t want to fill her head with a different set of rules (eastern vs western), and she understood that her body knows things not through the head, but through her body. After this realization and the confidence she had gained from giving massage to others her interest in massage school peaked.

In 2008 Dana began to seriously look at massage schools, although she was resistant at the idea. Dana had experience practicing massage on others and thought that schooling was unnecessary; she thought she could already give a great massage without school, not to mention the additional student loans she would accrue. Yet, in the end, putting her judgments aside, took the chance on massage school.

In the next installment we will tell you about Dana’s experiences in massage school. Dana is now practicing in Portland and can be reached through her web site: www.danahighfill.com

Chair Massage at

The Bite of Oregon
 

Summer is in swing and tomorrow I will be doing chair massage at the Bite of Oregon! 

"Oregon is a state that truly has something for everyone – great food, amazing craft beer, the Willamette Valley that produces some extraordinary wines, an outdoor enthusiasts dream come true, and one of the "greenest" states in the country.
We invite you to share in all that Oregon has to offer. Spend several days tasting, sampling, enjoying our local music and watching talented chefs and aspiring chefs show off their cooking abilities with various and highly entertaining cooking competitions. Enjoy!"

What could be better, great food and extraordinary massage together!


From noon to 5pm on Friday, August 12th you'll find me at the Relax and Recharge Station of the Amica booth on the Waterfront Park in Portland.

 

10 Minute Chair Massage

Minimum $12.00 plus tip $15.00 awesome tip $18.00 very generous! $20.00

 

Cash minimum: $10

Opportunities abound. 

Networking, marketing and growing my practice. 

It's been a while since I've posted an article. Business has been steadily growing. My clientele is regular, in that they return to receive massage regularly, not in terms of their bowel movements. Although, massage does improve digestion. :) 

An update for those of you who are not aware. I am working 2 half days and one full day at my practice on Burnside and supplementing with work at a chiropractic office weekday afternoons. 

I am writing because I have come to realize that I will be more happy and satisfied with my work if I transition into having my own practice full-time. My attention and focus are split when I am working in two places.  Not to mention the fact that I much prefer working for myself.

Part of the challenge for me lies in finding a balance while I transition out of the chiropractic office. Financially I have requirements that need to be met before I can move fully into my own practice. At the same time, there are time and energy restrictions on how much I can put into the business while also working for someone else. 

This is not new. I have been here before; juggling my commitments, priorities and dreams.  However, this time around I am curious about how it will unfold rather than stressed at why it's not happening right now. 

These past 2 years, as my bearings and confidence have grown stronger, I have grown personally and professionally, learned more than I realize and have come closer to being an independent entrepreneur.

I will be taking Sharon Roemmel's "Beyond Random Acts of Marketing 2011" class and am looking forward to developing a marketing strategy to further the growth of my practice. More updates on that to come.

Here's to becoming a full-time business owner and massage therapist!
Thank you for your support and encouragement.

NEW: PayPal and Shiatsu Long Form

A great deal: 2 hours of Shiatsu for only $100! 

Limited time only.

Call to schedule your appointment: 503-442-7177 

or Book Online

A couple of updates: 

• Now offering Paypal options on my website. Check out the package deals and gift certificates as well as simply use your credit card to purchase a massage. 
• I encourage you to try a 2 hour Shiatsu Therapy session. This is a full body shiatsu treatment including many wonderful stretches. Your body will reap the benefits immediately and will maintain good feeling for about 2 weeks. Click here for more information about Shiatsu. I am currently offering the 2 hour session at $100 for a limited time. Call to schedule your appointment! 503-442-7177

I've been revisiting Shiatsu Long Form via a series of 3 workshops taught by Jim Cleaver, the man who created the form I practice. In massage school my focus from the very first term was Eastern Bodywork. Since then, I have since taken many Shiatsu courses, including Akira Ima's Shiatsu Workshops at The Shiatsu Center here in Portland. 

I hope to see you in the office soon!

LES TWINS "An Industry Ahead" | YAK FILMS | Music by B'zwax & Lafa Taylor

I've posted YakFilms before. Love it. Dance really brings us into our bodies. Inspiring.
Love,
Dana

Massage Gift Certificates $15 - $45

The holidays are here! 
What better time to give the gift of massage?

Gift certificates are a great gift for all occasions, for friends and family; Holiday, Birthday, Congratulations, and other Special Occasions. The gift that collects no dust.

Massage Gift Certificate

1/2 hour massage $15

1 hour massage $45

I have lots of enthusiasm for massage and bodywork. I believe it can change lives for the better. Give the gift that can help improve their quality of life: Time to relax, rejuvenate, and restore the body and soul.

Sincerely,

Dana Highfill, LMT

503-442-7177

2311 East Burnside St.

Portland, OR 97214

www.danahighfill.com 

Massage Community

Aimee has closed the "Portland LMTs Connect" Meetup Group. There is a "Massage Therapist Club" Meetup Group based in Portland, Oregon, open to all.

 

On Tuesday, November 9th a group of us met to discuss what we want in a massage community. It was a fun potluck. We discussed our top priority need in the massage community and we scheduled trades with each other. We decided to call ourselves the Massage Guild. We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

I've been thinking about the Massage Guild. Rather than having it be a lot of work and pressure on us trying to make things happen, like a directory and a union and a temp service and a website and, and, and..., we could focus on spending time together and getting what we need like trades and potlucks and just talking about stuff. Letting that flush itself out, maybe we'll grow and naturally these things that we need and desire will start to come together.

I know I have enough on my plate and often just need some fun time (potlucks) with good people and TLC on the table. I think as a group we would grow because other LMTs need those things as well. Once we are larger and have a rhythm we could branch out into making things happen.

What do you think?

Here's a link to a Massage Guild in Maine

Next Massage Guild meeting: 

Tuesday, December 7th, 7:30pm, at my house. 

Spread the word.

Contact me at 503-442-7177

Thanks!

Dana

Progress

Things are changing quickly since signing the lease. I'm officially the responsible party at 2311 E. Burnside starting December 1st, 2010. There are (or will be) 4 LMTs total using the space. We run it as a collective. Everyone gets to have their say and we all take respoinsibility for stuff that needs to be done. Stuff like deciding on the 4th person to join us in the space.

Good things are happening with my professional life:
My clientele is growing. In addition to Fridays I will offer Wednesday appointments beginning in December (January with Online Booking) at the Burnside location.

My regular clients are asking for more shiatsu and energy work, which I love to give. I have a few new clients each month. I'm doing more trades with other LMTs and taking better care of myself both physically, emotionally and energetically.

Taking better care of myself with regular massage, counseling, chi kung (of course), meditation, walking and chiropractic adjustments. My goal is to incorporate at least an hour each day to relax and one day each week to restore/relax.

I do need more fun in my life. Funny movies, dinner with friends, games, rough housing, ambling bike rides with a friend, travel outside of Portland, live music, creating stuff.

I have a lot of great support for all the changes in both in my professional and personal life. I've started a meditation practice which I never had the patience for in the past. It seems to be helping my personal growth a lot.

I'm enjoying taking pictures of the sky this fall

Thanks for reading!

Massage Community

Re-post of an email Aimee Perkins sent out.

Hello Ya'll,

My dream for creating an extensive massage community is still strong and alive.  Here is a list of what I believe our community is in need of:

An Union - so we are getting paid what we are worth and not being forced to work more than our bodies are capable of. I think this would also include educating spa owners and chiropractors of limitations and how physical our profession is.

An Association ( Oregon Chapter) - where as a group we could get a group discount on health Insurance.
                              

Check out NAMASTA that offers discounts for yoga and massage professionals.  http://www.namasta.com/health_insurance_plan.php 

The National Association of Massage Therapists offers liability insurance, slip and fall,($89.95) and a discount health plan at an additional cost.  www.namtonline.com

A Temp Service  - We work at small chiropractors office and spas that in are need of coverage when we are sick and want to go on vacation.  This task usually falls on us since our employers do not know how to find these temps.

A Directory - Be nice to have a directory based on modalities/ specialities. Maybe an online directory where a client can put in modality and zip code.  Or a central phone number for booking massage therapists in the Portland metro area by modality and zip code and availability.

A Web Site - A web site for Portland Metro Massage therapists with a similar format as Craigslist but with categories of; equipment for sale, massage trades, rooms for rent etc...

These are the thoughts that run through my head and would like to start putting them into action but I am so overwhelmed and not sure where to start.  Here is my plan.  I am holding a potluck and looking for people to be on committees for the above needs and whatever else you might think we are in need of.  I want to hold monthly meetings/potlucks to report to the community progress and to keep us on track/accountability. I am thinking the second Tuesday of the month.  Come meet other LMT's and get jazzed about being a part of this fabulous profession.  Please RSVP so I know how large of a venue I need.  Put it on your calendar November 9th 6:30-9:00pm. 

MASSAGE TECHNIQUES- As some of you know I have held groups where we focus on a certain body parts and each show our own special techniques of loosening that muscle group and get CEU's on top of it.  Is there a class that you just took and would love to share what you learned with us?  Or just want to lead a Massage Technique group?  Let me know.  You can find the schedule on meetup.  http://www.meetup.com/Portland-LMTS-Connect-Meetup-Group/.  You need to join meet up which is free and sign up for Portland LMTS Connect.  Easy to do and a great way for automatic reminders etc.. Please join to stay abreast and email if you want to add something on the calendar.

Look forward to seeing you all soon and I am blessed to know you all. Please feel free to forward this on.

Aimee

LES TWINS | YAK FILMS | SAN FRANCISCO

Incredible what these guys do with their bodies. Love it.

Signed the lease, 2311 E. Burnside!

Signed a one year lease yesterday for the Burnside location of my practice. 

Starting officially in December 2010!

It was an easy transition. Melanie, the former tenant, held the lease for the past 5 years. She is now pregnant and halting her massage practice temporarily. Initially, I was afraid to take over the lease. It is a responsibility financially, a commitment to a place (Portland) and a risk to have sub-letters. 

I've been a massage therapist for 1 year. I am currently working from my own practice one day per week as a supplement to my main income as an employee at a chiropractic office. 

This feels like a step toward my goal: to be primarily self-employed. If all goes well I will add a day to my practice in January 2011.

2311 East Burnside St.

Room 201

Hurricane Birds | YAK FILMS | New Orleans, Louisiana 7th Ward | Dancing ...

Just wanted to share this with you all. I love this video.  The clouds, sky and birds have captured my attention many times here in Portland.

An Update with Goals

It's been a year since I've been licensed. There have been lots of changes and growth. Some uncomfortable, some surprisingly easy, some unexpected. Like getting fired. Yeah, I didn't expect that or want to admit it when it happened in July, 2010. It was a bit of a shock at the time, I felt totally blindsided . I lived, learned and have grown.

I'm now working for a chiropractor 4 days a week and have my own practice, "Dana Highfill, LMT", open on Fridays. I attempted being open every other Sunday in addition to Fridays, but it really stretches me physically to work 6 days a week. Don't worry, I'm not working 8 hour days, an average of 2-5 hours at the chiropractor and 5-7 hours with my own practice.

At the chiropractor I work every other Saturday in addition to Monday - Thursday. I receive my schedule the day before. Sometimes I only work an hour, sometimes 6 hours, sometimes nothing (often on Wednesdays). I really like the clean environment, structure and clientele. I don't like not knowing my schedule in advance and still being expected to be available if they need me. I would like to have benefits and vacation time.

Aimee Perkins, an LMT in Portland, has started a MeetUp Group for improving the massage community.  I have a lot of ideas that could help us be better supported by our employers and by other massage therapists in our community. I encourage all massage therapists to check it out and attend. Read more: "My Vision for Community" November 9th, 6:30pm.

GOALS:

In 6 months time I would like to work at my own practice 2 days per week while supplementing my income at the chiropractor's. 

In one year, I would like to have weekends off from massage, to work 3 days per week at the chiropractor, 2 days per week at my own office and to gross at least $2000/month. I would like to start offering classes and sessions based on my work with Quiet Thunder and private studies with Tzun Tzun.

In two years time I would like to be working 3-4 days/week primarily from my own office and making at least $3,000/month.

Online Booking

You can now book appointments online through my website www.danahighfill.com or by clicking the button below.

Thank you!

Volunteer Work

Molly at Tour de Cure, July 2010

Volunteering massage service is rewarding.
 
I began volunteering massage as a student at OSM in order to gain experience. Students are not allowed to accept tips, students cannot receive payment or gifts for massage services. I was a little disgruntled about this, but stuck to the rules.  Now I see things differently. Massage is something I offer to people. I am good at it and I love it. 

I've volunteered massage a couple of times this year.  The first was the American Diabetes Association Bike Ride called "Tour de Cure". It happens all over the US. Here in Oregon it is held in Hillsboro around the end of July. This year was my second time at the event. The second was at the New Seasons company picnic held at Oaks Park mid August.

Today I received cash and a gift card in the mail. What a surprise! The cash was from the Tour de Cure Bicycle Ride tip jar the gift card was from the New Seasons Market company picnic. I hadn't expected to receive any sort of payment for the volunteer work I've done this year. That's what made it so special to receive it.

I realize that when I am expecting payment it is nice to receive it, but when it is freely given it is a joy to receive. I am learning how to make a living as a massage therapist. I am also learning how to receive and give money in a different way.


I am going to ponder this more and get back to you all.  Please post comments and tell me your experiences or thoughts.

Me at Tour de Cure 2009

Tour de Cure 2009