Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel O’Connor.
Hi Rachel, 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’m Rachel O’Connor, owner and sole-o massage practitioner at Massage Livingston located in gorgeous, award winning downtown Howell.
My husband and I have been married for 19 years, and we have two kids.
My husband is actually the reason I pursued a path in massage therapy. On our first wedding anniversary he decided he wanted to join that Marine Corps, which turned out to be one of the worst and best decisions we’ve made.
He was a combat engineer in the Marines for 8 years. He deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan. Deployments aren’t easy on them, both mentally and physically. Each time he came home from a deployment something hurt worse or he had a new complaint.
He suffers from chronic head aches, which often lead to migraines, trouble sleeping, back and neck pain, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel and tennis elbow…it’s a lot, and I’m not even sure I’ve listed even half of it.
So when he decided he wasn’t going to re enlist again, and we moved our family from North Carolina back to Michigan I looked into massage therapy school. He was constantly asking me: “hey could you rub my neck for a minute?” Or it was his shoulder, or his back. I figured it could only help him for me to know what I was doing. While most massage therapists will tell you they had a desire to help people, I didn’t. I needed to help one person.
I attended the massage therapy program at LCC in Lansing in 2013. After I graduated from LCC I worked in a local chiropractic office and a couple small private massage practices.
In 2016 I moved into my own space in Howell and opened Massage Livingston.
I was about 4 years into my massage career when I started to experience some pretty severe pain in my arms, wrists, and shoulders.
I remember laying in bed one night crying because my right arm hurts so bad. After that I started looking at continuing ed classes, something that could make my job easier. Somehow I found Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage.
If you don’t know what Barefoot Massage is, it’s a form of deep tissue body work that is done with the feet. I used overhead bars to help with balance and stability, so no, I’m not standing on the client…well, not all the time. I’ve jokingly referred to it as more like body surfing.
This form of massage isn’t new, it has ties in many cultures, but is relatively new in the US, and around Livingston County.
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?
Nothing is without its challenges. I’m a person who always chooses the hard road. If it’s going to be a challenge, I’m in for it.
Fighting the stigma that all feet are gross was one for sure. The foot aspect was really hard for people in this area to get past. In general, I think people can get very stuck on the idea that things have to be done a certain way because it’s the way it’s always been done. While this style of massage isn’t “new”, it was to Livingston County. I’m being honest when I say, they weren’t receptive at first.
I got comments on social media like, “my massage therapist can do deep tissue work without using her gross feet” or “that’s disgusting”. I even caught wind of other massage therapists in the area making negative comments to their clients about it.
The cleanliness of it all is always a concern for people. So, I often remind them that if I was washing my hands for massage, I’m also washing my feet.
I get pedicures often so my feet are soft. I use hot towels with sanitizing spray right before I start a massage. And I wash my feet in between clients.
As barefoot massage has gained some normalcy in the area, I don’t get negative comments like that anymore. I was the only therapist offering this style of massage for at least 2 and a half years, I was paving the way for it alone. It was hard sometimes. A majority of my clients were at least willing to try barefoot massage before writing it off. 98% of them loved it. So, I didn’t lose a lot of clients when I switched modalities, but it did sometimes feel like I was starting my business over again.
The day before my first class my best friend asked me if I thought people were really going to let me massage them with my feet. Honestly, I hadn’t thought about that. I had to find a way to take the pressure off using my upper body for massage. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t last another year.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Massage Livingston?
Owning a massage business was never my goal. I wanted to learn enough to effectively help my husband and maybe get a job at a massage chain.
I just happened to be naturally good at massage, and after working the few places I did, I knew that I wanted to create something different.
Barefoot Massage is my specialty.
Two of the best pieces of advice I’ve received from massage mentors have been: have a niche and a specialty.
I’m fond of the saying “find what you love and let it consume you”, as soon as I left my 2nd barefoot class in 2018 I took hands on services off my menu and decided: this is it, this is my jam.
I’ve trained with some of the best feet in the barefoot massage world at The Center for Barefoot Massage.
Why feet?: The foot is the perfect tool for massage. It provides a board based consistent pressure. I’m asked all the time if I can feel with my feet like I can with my hands: yes! The feet have the same sensory as hands, though I sometimes think I can feel better with my feet. Barefoot massage also allows me to use a more natural pressure: my body weight and gravity. The pressure is deeply relaxing, while the work is specific enough to address chronic pain and holding patterns.
I’ll also add that barefoot massage isn’t the appropriate massage for everyone. There are certain medial conditions that can make this style unsafe, so if you’re considering giving it a try reach out to the practitioner you’re going to book with and go over your medical history first.
I work with a lot of bodybuilders/power lifters, larger framed men, athletes, and people living with chronic pain. People who are looking for a solution and have “tried everything”, those who are doing their best to avoid taking pain medications. People who are looking for comfortable deep body work and haven’t found it with hands on massage.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
There are some great things on the horizon for Massage Livingston. Please feel free to connect with me on social media to stay up to date.
If your a massage therapist reading this and your looking for a way to stand out in your area, take the pressure off your hands and upper body, or just looking for a new modality to learn – I’d love to connect with you!!
Want to give barefoot massage a try? You can find all my booking info on my website and my socials.
Pricing:
- 60-min. massage $95
- 75-min. massage $115
- 90-min. massage $130
- 2-hour massage $190
- Veteran/Police/Fire Discount Offered
Contact Info:
- Email: rachel@massagelivingston.com
- Website: www.massagelivingston.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/themassagelivingston
- Facebook: Facebook.com/massagelivingston
Image Credits
Keri Deziel
