Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Short.
Hi Michael, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up hanging out at my mom’s chiropractic office, surrounded by massage therapists, chiropractors, and wellness practitioners. Later, I realized that massage therapy was the best way to leverage my strengths in helping others. I thrive in one-on-one sessions where we can both let our guard down and engage in meaningful conversations about the body.
From the outset of my career, the massage therapy industry has consistently portrayed therapists as mere tools for business owners, leaving us feeling disempowered and undervalued. The exception to this was a special wellness collective I worked with for a few years. As practicing professionals, we are educated and have accumulated countless hours of firsthand experience with real people. After 14 consecutive years as a therapist, I am thrilled to open my own wellness practice and hire a staff of practitioners. My goal is to create an environment and compensation that every therapist deserves. I eagerly anticipate embarking on this new chapter of my career!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have been really lucky to have met a lot of incredible therapists and clients along the road. We all make each other who we are.
It can difficult to comprehend how challenging it can be for practitioners to have their location or hours changed at the hand of their employers or landlords when they’ve invested so much time and effort building their clientele. Being able to claim more power and control over my life has been the antidote.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
It’s cheesy, but massage therapy and body work are akin to poetry and art, and a receptive client would likely agree. I really focus on structural/postural issues that my clients face. Deep tissue work is almost always warranted for this. Trauma, joy, sadness, anxiety, and revelation become a song of relief when body work is done correctly. The environment is just as important in therapy, and Wild Yonder’s new location will be thoughtfully curated to be an extension of the work I do.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Every time a client mentions the benefit they may have received from our time together that’s the best way to help their massage therapist. I’m also looking for practitioners who are serious about their craft and who want to find a place to land long term at Wild Yonder. I have no intention of being a conveyor belt of quantity. I aim for those who want to do quality work and have a quality environment to do so. If you know of a massage therapist or Accupuncturist that fits this image, send them my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Wild-yonder.com
- Instagram: @wild.yonder_
