Not all massage is from a clinical therapeutic approach or background.
(That's fine), but a potential client needs to consider and find a practitioner that is in alignment with their goals - and not project the expectation that the practitioner will do whatever THEY/the client, feels massage is -supposed- to be, based on whatever their past experience has been, or just an abstract idea in their mind coming from their own assumptions.
(Would you go to a burger joint and be pissed off that they don't serve Chinese cuisine?)
I became passionate about becoming a massage THERAPIST - 27yrs ago, to offer THERAPY to those seeking to improve the condition of their health. Through orthopedic assessment and treatment - (aka. clinical assessment and treatment skills) - to work with various tissue presentations and health conditions - not just generally rub people down.
I was taught to view myself as a health professional and aspire for my industry to become regulated - to follow a 'scope of practice':
The Massage Therapy Act, 1991, the provincial legislation for Massage Therapy in Ontario, defines the practice of Massage Therapy as “the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain.”
This is referred to as the Scope of Practice.
It does not matter, that where I learned massage therapy in Nova Scotia, was - and is still - not a regulated province. Nor, that where I practice in Alberta has not regulated massage therapy as a health profession yet. It does not mean that it is any less important to uphold the scope of practice for massage therapy and demonstrate, that we know and care what it means.
Every question I ask, test or assessment I perform, technique I use, direction of pressure or type of contact, how I position myself, protocol I follow - everything about how I conduct myself - is intentional and has a purpose, for therapeutic outcome and I am fully present with my client for the duration of our session together, utilizing clinical thinking and reasoning.
While there are many reasons for this - to be safe and effective in achieving your treatment goals, are highest on the list.
No. Not every practitioner offering massage as a service, does this. Not every practitioner is a THERAPIST. That's fine - this is not a slight against that - only an attempt to educate and differentiate, that there are so many kinds of massage and practitioners out there and they all serve different purposes or intentions. We do not all offer the same thing, or for the same reasons.
'Therapy' is a broad healthcare term for treating illness or injury, whereas massage is a physical technique of rubbing and kneading soft tissues. When combined into Massage Therapy, it becomes a clinically regulated health profession focused on assessing and treating musculoskeletal dysfunction, while "massage" alone is typically non-medical and relaxation-focused.
Why the Distinction Matters -
Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) / Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT): These professionals complete rigorous clinical training (often 2,200+ hours in Canada), pass board exams, and are governed by regulatory colleges. They are trained in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and kinesiology to treat medical conditions, injuries, and chronic pain.
Masseuse / Masseurs: Historically, these terms refer to individuals who provide general relaxation or rubdowns without clinical certification. Because this older term lacks regulated educational standards, it carries connotations of untrained, non-therapeutic, or illicit services.
So NO. I never have been, nor will I ever be a 'masseuse'.