Healing Hands School of Holistic Health (HHSHH)’s Community Service /Career Development Class is designed to prepare students for their job search while giving back to their communities. The class is taught by the school’s founding Director, Ms. Paula Curtiss, who has decades of personal experience working in a wide variety of massage therapy environments. In addition to addressing certification/licensing, job interview skills and resume preparation, the class also reviews professional standards and helps students decide where they would like to work.
Students learn what it would be like to work in traditional massage therapy venues like: high-end Resorts, Spas, athletic clubs or local gyms. They also explore what might be expected when working for a Hospital, Rehab Center, Physical Therapist, Doctor or Chiropractor. Just as importantly, students are led in discussion of provoking topics, such as the intangible rewards that come from working with trauma victims, Veterans, recovering addicts, or cancer patients. The student’s externship experience boosts their self-confidence, enhances professionalism and assures their placement in the field.
Some of the Community Service Partners include: Recuperative Care Services [Veterans released from hospitalization] San Diego Spine and Rehabilitation, Southern California Perinatal Services, Valle Vista Skilled Nursing Facility.
Internship opportunities for Healing Hands’ students don’t stop there. A class named “Geriatric Massage” provides yet another opportunity for students to work in the community. The class is taught by Staff Instructor, Ms. Denise Fultz, whose many years as a Hospice volunteer inspired her to specialize in massage for the terminally ill. She has since developed and supervises the Massage Intern Program for Hospice of the North Coast. Interested Healing Hands Students have the opportunity to intern with this specialized community under Denise’s supervision. Valued for her compassion and knowledge, in this class, Denise not only educates students about the precautions to take when massaging elderly or terminally ill clients, she also encourages students to hold a vision of healing for all massage clients.
Another way HHSHH provides Community Service is to donate massage services to participants at local sporting events, such as the LA Marathon or Rock & Roll Marathon. Students interested in working with Athletes are encouraged to enroll in HHSHH’s 100 hour “Advanced Circulatory and Sports Massage“ class. In this course, S
taff Instructors Raina Colvin and James Price teach techniques to treat a variety of clients from the moderately active to the serious, competitive athlete. Students learn ways to prepare an athlete for optimal performance as well as ways to release old adhesions and promote a speedy recovery for athletes after an injury or competition.
The main purpose of Healing Hands Community Service Internship Program is simple but powerful; To give students real-world experience in diverse scenarios so they may identify the area of specialization most suited to their personality and career goals. By providing compassionate, therapeutic massage to a variety of demographic groups, Healing Hands students gain invaluable experience that will allow them to achieve gainful employment, promote health, provide comfort and enhance the well-being of all clients they serve.
I found it interesting that you said that students interested in working with athletes are encouraged to enroll in a 100 hours advanced sports massage class. My friend told me that she wanted to join the massage industry for her career. I’m going to suggest to her taking the athlete’s class.