Massage Therapy As A Career?

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So, I'm not sure if anyone out there will have any experience with this but I'm looking for some advice. I am registered to start Massage Therapy school in January and now I'm wondering if my Aspie traits will hold me back. I really feel a 'calling' for this career path and I'm certainly motivated enough. So far, the people I've met at the school are so open-minded and I've especially hit it off with the dean of admissions - at my enrollment interview I was able to communicate really well with her (with some rehearsing on my part beforehand of course!!)

I guess I'm wondering if anyone with AS has had a successful career in this field and/or if anyone thinks that there are certain innate Aspie behaviors that would make it impossible or very difficult to succeed. . . I'm an extremely empathetic and compassionate person and I'm drawn to massage therapy because of my strong desire to help people and an interest in anatomy and holistic wellness. For the most part, I communicate well with NT's and I'm working on the social problems that I need to improve on. I also think the school would actually help me with some AS issues such as posture and proper body mechanics/kinesiology/body language. I will also learn meditation techniques at school and take part in some journaling/group sharing.

One thing I'm most worried about is the fact that I find it difficult to understand things that I can't actually see. I'll have to memorize and learn to find all the muscles in the body. I'm a whiz with memorizing things but I think it might be a challenge to identify the muscles since I don't have a clear understanding of what they should feel like, it just seems so abstract to me. I'm sure they'll be able to teach me how but I feel nervous that I just won't ever 'get it.'

I've mulled over this career choice for a few years and this seems like one of the only professions I can actually see myself doing. I've learned a few techniques already and I'm told I'm really good at it! I hate the thought that a neurological disorder could be the only thing keeping me from being able to do this when I want it so bad. . . Guess the only way to really know is to try it.

Any thoughts?

Sounds like you have the passion for it. I think your AS would be an assett, would drive you to be technically better than your competition. Even if your small talk skills aren't the greatest, I'll bet you will be able to talk about massage, and whatever is ailing your client.

Thanks for your input. I'm hoping AS will be an advantage & it'll probably help that people don't generally like to chit chat during a massage and I'll be working in a nice stress free environment.

I see that this is an old post, I wonder if u r enjoying the massage therapy. Personally I do Reiki and I find that a big problem is the chit chat prior to and after the treatments. Even when they are discussing their symptoms, I suck at communication. Although I would even give them treatments for free if they needed them, and they don't know that, I cant make my face to look all nurturing and caring when they start going on about their issues. As for massage, personally I would find it too creepy to touch all those naked human bodies.

It's quiet, and a serene environment. SO, maybe? It requires interaction with people, but at least it's one-on-one. Could you try practicing on friends to see if you're uncomfortable? It doesn't always pay well, and massage schools often put out more students than are locally needed. So, it could be a hard job to find during an economic downturn.