A Little About Me:
Hi, my name is Justin and I am the Certified Massage and Neuromuscular Therapist at Sacramento Therapeutic Massage with over 1450 hours of education, 4 years of teaching experience, and have been in practice since 2015. I was born and raised in Sacramento, CA and have always been interested in plants and animals. I was always bringing home new pets and growing random seeds just to see what they would turn into. In college I decided to become a biologist, but a year into school I was offered a job at a local fish hatchery working for the Department of Fish and Wildlife and took it before I graduated. I decided to make a career of it, but after a few years I severely injured my neck in a fall. I needed a new career and that is when I found massage, and have not looked back since. I find much reward and satisfaction in the fact that I am able to make such a great impact in peoples lives, just like massage did for me. I love anything outdoors, whether it is hiking, fishing, camping, gardening in my backyard, or just being in nature.
How I Got Into The Massage Field:
Originally, I heard about National Holistic Institute through a family member who had recommended the student massage clinic at the school. At the time I was not working due to a work-related injury to my neck. I was told that my injury was something that I would need surgery for or just have to live with and try to manage the pain. Although I was seeing a pain management doctor and a physical therapist, nothing they were doing seemed to relieve the pain; it just covered it up. Most of the things they were having me take or do only helped in the moment, or not at all. Nothing was making a lasting difference. I refused to accept that they had done everything they could and there were no other options, so I decided to try a few massages and go to a specialized chiropractor to see if those could help. At first it seemed to be the same and only help in the moment, but after a few weeks of receiving massage and adjustments on a regular basis I began to feel a definite reduction in the severity of the pain. I was actually beginning to regain my normal range of motion with my neck movements. After a few months I finally got to the point where I could sleep through the night without tossing and turning, and not much longer after that I was waking up in the morning mostly pain free.
Shortly afterward I was cleared by the doctor to return to work. I could not believe after being unable to work for almost 3 years I was finally well enough to go back. I was working for the Department of Fish and Wildlife when my injury occurred and although I was able to return to work, after a short amount of time back I realized that continuing to work there would only lead to another injury. I needed to find a career that my body could endure. A few times throughout my life I had been told that I should become a massage therapist, but had never seriously considered it as an option until I found myself in need of a new career. One of the teachers that regularly supervised the student massage clinic I was going to would always ask me to come in and sit in on an actual class, and after a year of him asking every week I finally agreed. I figured I might as well find out more about it. I am so glad I did because from that day on I knew that a massage career was for me. I decided that I would pay off my debt and start saving in preparation to quit my job and attend massage school. After a little over two years, I finally felt comfortable enough to be able to enroll, and although it felt like a complete leap of faith, looking back it was the best decision I ever made. I now have a career that I love and get to help other people on a daily basis. To see how I can change someone's entire life with just my hands is an amazing reward for the work I do.