In June of 2006 I graduated from massage school and at the age of 34 embarked on a new career.  Having received both the distinguished title of being an Honors grad and the Honora Wolfe award for Community Service my quarterly emotional breakdowns were more than justified.  I worked my butt off in school, some of my classmates may have described me as being competitive.  To those folks I say, ‘you’re damn right’.  I was competitive, I wanted to be the best.  As far as I’m concerned when your job is to relieve suffering and increase the health of another you better always strive to be the best.  Although my confidence and validation of credentials certainly didn’t prevent me from having an ‘Oh Shit’ moment.  I remember it well, ‘Oh shit, I just spent $13,000 on a career that I’m not even sure I’m going to like. I hope I like it’.  But with everything I do, I jumped in wholeheartedly and never looked back.

I’m joyful to say that the last 4 years and 2.5 months in private practice has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my life.  I was blessed with a loyal clientele that challenged me every day to be there for them, to be strong and to communicate with their bodies through my hands.  Thank you to all who allowed me to share my skills with you.

You have consistently moved me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to learn how to become a better practitioner.  You supported me through my training for Ironman – holy crap, how the heck did I give massage after a 6 hour workout? – and helped me smile every moment of that 14+ hour day.  You gave to me when I was raising money to travel to India to touch the lives of Tibetan Refugees who have suffered tremendous sorrow.  And most recently, you have helped me spread the word to fire victims that they have a safe place to come for relief of their pain through massage.   You have told me that I feel like family to you, you have shared your deepest pain with me and you have allowed me to grow as a person.  The list is endless and so is the gratitude that I hold in my heart.

But before I sign off from this chapter I wanted to leave you with my Top 5 unsolicited pieces of advice.  This is for each and every one of you to practice each and every day.

1) Be Positive
The day before I left for India – scared out of my wits and equally as excited, by the way – a client said to me ‘There is no good or bad, only experience’.  There is a lessen in everything and an opportunity for growth, embrace the challenges and celebrate the joys.  And through it all always look to the positive.

2) Be Aware of your Posture
You wonder why your butt is tight.  You wonder why your low back hurts.  You wonder why your neck is sore and you want me to fix it in one hour.  Here’s a tip, be in tune with your scaffolding, is it sagging?  Are your ears lined up with the tops of your shoulders or is your face falling into your computer screen?  Be aware of how you hold your body and strengthen up to hold yourself effortlessly.  Don’t rely on physical compensation to get the job down.  I can promise you that if you are not addressing your posture now, you will pay for it later in a painful way.

3) Listen to your Body
It talks to you, I recommend you keep your ears open and I also recommend that you talk back to it.  Find out what it’s telling you, find out what it needs.   The body has wisdom far beyond what any of us could ever comprehend, it does talk and you should listen.

4) Become a Compadre of Pain
As Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville 100 once said, “Make friends with pain and you’ll never be alone”.   Recognizing and experiencing pain is an opportunity to learn.  Pain is not always bad, make friends with it and understand more about what it is telling you.

5) Get Massage
I have seen lives change and grow for the better because of massage.  You are receiving it now, stay consistent and give back to your body.  Before you leave your massage, make sure your next one is scheduled.  Do not use this change as an excuse to fall of the wagon, or table in this case.

As I pass the torch this morning to the new owner of Massage Boulder, I say congratulations Maia and congratulations clients for you are in good hands. I wish smooth transitions for all.

Be Well-
jess
jgumkowski@gmail.com

If there is one thing people know about me, and my husband BJ, it is that we are committed to following our path in life. For 38 years I have embraced all of the ups and downs, twists and turns only to find that with each life change I am taken to a new level of learning, prosperity and health.  Recently we found that our life is taking yet another major turn, which is bringing us back to New England.  My husband has taken a job in Newport, RI and we will be moving to the Ocean State within 60 or so days.  I am originally from Cape Cod and my husband from Wesport, MA so after almost a decade we will be near our family and friends once again.   We are very excited and feel that with all major life changes this too, is meant to be.  It’s been a wild ride for the last 3-4 weeks as things have moved at a fast pace falling into place all around us.

The past 4 years in private practice has been a life enhancing experience for my clients and myself.  I have worked extremely hard and am confident that I made a positive impact on the lives of others while also being the recipient of an incredibly loyal clientele.  I thank everyone who passed my name along to another and not only trusted me with their body but with the bodies of their husbands, wives, friends and children.  You have given me gifts that will never be forgotten and which have shaped me into a better health care provider and person on the whole.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me become that practitioner I am today.

I have been working steadily over the past few weeks on a plan for the practice that will leave all of my clients in talented hands led by extensive knowledge and experience.  As of September 15, 2010 I am honored to introduce Maia Ignatz as the new owner of my practice and the Massage Boulder brand.  As Maia and I both agree there are no coincidences in life, we were brought together briefly in the spring of 2009 only to be reunited a year later.  The purpose of our lives intersecting became very clear, quite quickly.

Maia is passionate about working with people and educating them about what they can do to improve and maintain their health and well being.  She is Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, she is an honors graduate of the Boulder College of Massage Therapy’s 1000-hr massage therapy certificate program, holds a BA in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado and is an experienced athlete having raced X-Terra off road triathlons which allows her to relate on a experiential level to athletes of all abilities.  Her work experience includes sport and spine physical therapy as well as neuromuscular dentistry.

She believes that she has an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others through pain treatment, injury prevention, performance enhancement, relaxation and overall health improvement and maintenance. Maia’s expertise, experience and education make her a qualified and natural choice for this business. Having received her work personally, I can attest to her nurturing and skilled touch.

Maia will be honoring all current outstanding packages and gift certificates.  She will be reaching out personally to everyone as September 15^th approaches and feels quite honored to be working with all of you.   As of today my plan is to practice and schedule appointments up to the 15^th and possibly into the end of September.  I will not be taking anymore weekend appointments or issuing new packages/gift certificates.  Exact dates are still up in the air for my move but I will keep the communication open in regards to more openings and availability.

I will never be able to express what you have given me and thank you will never seem to be enough but what I can tell you is that you have changed my life forever.

Be Well-
jess