Steve Capellini is an authority on spa massage and has a few books on it. He started out just doing regular massage. I was taught structural integration by William Leigh who started out in Rolfing and then created Zentherapy.

Men and women who are afraid to get a massage by a man need to be educated and taught that their fears are unwarranted. There is a lot of healing that can happen with opposite sex and same sex massage. There is a big need for that in our culture. Just take a look around you to see it.

Don’t look for a job on craigslist. No massage therapist should look there. Everyone knows it is just a prostitution ring anyways. Create an opportunity for yourself. If you have to take a job – find someplace that respects men or teach them to respect men.

Most massage therapists start their own business anyways. Create a male spa (not for gay male massage) or learn injury work and orthopedic massage.

It is only your thoughts and attitudes that will get in your way.

My thought is that that are some very successful male massage therapists out there, and what I mean by successful, is more than just writing books or teaching classes. Some are very successful as clinicians in practice, making decent money. My speculation is that their approach to success is made by exploiting the strengths men bring to the practice setting and avoiding the stigmas or negative perceptions (valid or invalid) associated with being a male therapist.

Either way, the new site will attempt to make frustrated male therapists feel they have an outlet to vent from, and allow successful male therapists to share their wisdom as to how to make it in a profession which is viewed by most of the public with a “no way I’m getting massaged by a dude” mentality.

I feel this has to do with society’s perception that men are more ‘medical’ or scientific than woman (not my belief – just my opinion on society’s view). Men are doctors, men are mechanics, men are the ‘fix it’ gender, and I feel this applies to massage/bodywork as well.

In my practice, I specialize in CranioSacral Therapy and still give some massage. The vast majority of my practice are clients who come in to address specific issues and health concerns. I have less than 5% who come in for just a ‘relaxation’ session. I have several doctors in the area who refer clients with specific health issues.

My hope is that eventually gender will not be an issue. People will choose a therapist based on experience, training, and who meets his/her needs without gender playing into the decision. Until then, bring me your migraines, chronic aches/pains, immune disorders ……….