We were lucky to catch up with Daniel Gingras recently and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
When I first started practicing massage professionally I was very anxious to know what my clients thought, because I wasn’t sure if I was good enough or if I had done it correctly. I would check the reviews at the place I worked once a week to make sure that I hadn’t received negative feedback.
One day early into my career, I was giving a massage and I started to get concerned it wasn’t going well. I checked in about pressure, they said it was fine. I made sure to address the areas of concern thoroughly, but it just felt off. After the session the client walked out and left me a 100$ tip. I was shocked, and I realized then that, guess all I might, I don’t know anything about my client’s experience beside what they share with me.
Massage is strange because so much of the feedback that I get happens without words. People get goose bumps, they make a grunt of approval, they take a deep breath, or they simply fall asleep. I typically say little more than “Would you like more or less pressure?” and “Take a moment to scoot down and flip over.” Due to the minimalism I’ve learned to understand the importance of small nuances. Occasionally I do have a talkative client who really guides the experience of their session: “More pressure there,” “Could you get into my lower back a little bit more?” Whatever it is, I listen and I respect their request and honor it. I have the experience, but it is their experience that matters.
Truly it is the listening that has guided me out of imposter syndrome and refined my skills as a massage therapist. The anxiety I used to experience dissipated as I realized that if anything was off the client would let me know. And I never got that bad review I so feared! It was all in my head.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My current professional focus as a massage therapist is transitioning into my private practice. I have been working in association with a couple of spa’s throughout Asheville for the past five years, but I am looking to continue developing my professional independence. Since initially becoming licensed I have always had a private practice, but having that be what I put forward first is new to me.
I also have been working on furthering my skills as a Bodyworker. In 2022 I pursued Thai Yoga Bodywork under the guidance of Michael Sitzer. It has been a joy to increase the variety of offerings that I can provide. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Thai Yoga Bodywork, it is more like assisted stretching than it is like your traditional table massage. This year I will be taking his “Thai on the Table” class and work on merging my two offerings into a third! I am very excited.
This year will also see me in an apprenticeship role with the herbalist and writer Rebecca Beyer of Western North Carolina. I am excited to practice herbalism as a way of being able to have an offering that my clients can take with them after the Massage session. I plan on creating tinctures, muscle rubs, bath bombs, and aromatherapy using sustainably harvested, local herbs to address my clients needs.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I mentioned it earlier, but I would say Listening has to be first and foremost. It is incredible to think about how much my community has shaped my current offering. Everyone’s feedback and input has been essential to nurturing the skills that I currently have. We are never in a vacuum, even if at times it feels like that, and listening to what signals are available is the main way with which I continue to hone my craft.
Hand in hand with the first quality would be staying Present. The mind often prefers to wander and think about situations that may happen rather than the things around you that are happening. Instead of getting lost in the consequences of the theoretical and potential, I have dedicated myself to reacting to my senses. It requires continuous pursuit, but I feel like it is the best way to have the mind get an accurate read on any given situation. I kept a five year daily meditation where I’d sit for an average of forty minutes a day, but as my life got fuller I found that practice hard to maintain in that way and so let it go. Even though the act has changed, I still feel like that state of mind is very much with me wherever I am.
The third quality would have to be Joy. I actively enjoy giving massage. I find it’s effects fascinating, my clientele to be a friendly and cheerful lot, and I love seeing the look of relief and relaxation on my clients faces. It is very gratifying and interesting work. In fact, I would practice it as a hobby if for whatever reason the job didn’t exist. I have done some other hobbies as my job before, such as carpentry and cooking, but none have felt like such an even exchange as this.
My advice to those early in their journey who are looking to develop these qualities would be to sit with yourself. Make quiet time so you can get listen to what you really want out of your life. Journaling too can be a helpful way to get clear with yourself about what your path forward is. It will likely take time, but that’s okay. In my perspective it’s better to do things right. And if you one day realize your in the wrong situation, do what it takes to transition. You will thank yourself!
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal clients are the ones who seek me out. I am not expecting my clients to be any which way other than to be excited to work with me. Other than that, my needs are irrelevant to a session. It is I who am holding the space for my clients, and a massage is never “my session” unless I am the one on the massage table. My clients are there to be met at where they are on that day, and I would never expect them to fit into a narrow box. The variety of requests and expectations that come to me vary immensely, and I do my absolute best to cater to all needs that are within my scope of practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.GingrasBodywork.com
- Instagram: @dansquishes
- Other: GingrasBodywork@gmail.com
