NZCM Graduates
NZCM graduates are now spread far and wide around the world and in New Zealand. The therapeutic massage industry has a bright future and continues to provide many opportunities for motivated and committed learners to explore the many dimensions of both soft tissue healing and wellness.
Our graduates have achieved at a high level in the industry. They are to be found in innovative business settings, working with elite athletes, providing care in rest homes and hospices, and on-site in hotels and corporate businesses.
They make up the largest percentage of registered massage therapists with Massage New Zealand (MNZ). Our graduates are known for their professionalism in a largely unregulated industry.
Sharon Wood
I owe a great debt of thanks to my plunket nurse, for cajoling me into attending a baby massage class at Waitakere hospital in 1990. Little did I know at the time it would become one of those life-changing events.
Attendance at a NZCM introductory weekend soon followed, and then in what seemed to be only a blink of an eyelid; 17 years had gone by. Alongside being a young Mum, I had somehow become a fully-fledged Massage Practitioner, Teacher / Presenter and a Company Director.
Whilst gaining my new academic qualifications, Dip Ther Massage, Dip B Ther, Dip CNMT and BHS, I also gained valuable clinical experience. Four years at the Waitakere Osteopathic Clinic, three years with specialist Exercise Physiologist Trude Landon and ten years running my own multi disciplinary clinic in West Harbour.
I am currently studying MindBody Healthcare Post Graduate papers. Over time, my clinical interest evolved into the specialist area of stress and healing. ‘Health Directions’ my clinic naturally refocused as well by providing innovative treatments and programmes that acknowledge the role stress plays as a precursor to chronic pain and disease. Integrative massage blended with other healing modalities now provides fully integrative MindBody services.
Inspirational writer Caroline Myss describes ones journey via work as the need for a job, then the development of a career and finally onto a path that serves as a life vocation. Massage and my time at NZCM gave me the opportunity to work towards my vocation. It started me on a path I could never have imagined let alone my plunket nurse imagine.
Take every opportunity that comes your way.
Madhu Chandra
I was 37 years old when I decided to change careers, wanting a more relaxed lifestyle with lesser working hours. After taking short weekend courses to see if I enjoyed massaging, I soon went on to do a Dip. In therapeutic massage. Fortunately, as soon as I had completed that, NZCM created the Dip. In Neuromuscular Therapy and I was in the first group of students to graduate with this new qualification.
This lead to starting my own clinic in Auckland and taking on assistant and lead teaching roles within NZCM. In 2008 I completed the NZCM Bachelor of Health Studies (Massage & NMT). Currently I teach within the diploma and degree courses, my specialities being the NMT application for temporomandibular disorders, eyes and postural analysis. I have also branched out with a clinic in Hamilton as well as Auckland hoping to spread the word about the benefits of neuromuscular therapy. My interests lie in the challenging cases and helping others achieve their goals for wellness and increased quality of life.
I have accomplished more than I ever anticipated or planned for, when I started studying at the NZCM. I ended up getting two careers for the price of one, neuromuscular therapy and teaching!! The journey at this college often takes you to places, within and out, of yourself that you may never have contemplated.
Webmaster : Madhu is leading an upcoming workshop on Temporomandibular Disorders (a refresher course). Please follow this link to find out more.
Emma Dowling (nee Harper)
I've been working in Dubai since November 2008, I came over without any attested documents to find working over here in our profession was a whole lot more difficult than anticipated. I needed to go for my medical license, have a panel interview exam which thankfully went my way. To be honest having soft tissue therapists is a major plus here, as the physio's etc are not as fine tuned as us and really appreciate having us around.
In regards to health insurance it's not as widely looked on as say Physiotherapy; however the patient still can make a claim. I think this is due to me working within the type of clinic I'm in. I'm working in the Osteopathic Health Clinic in Dubai (there are 2 locations in the city) which is a multi disciplinary clinic with primarily Osteopaths and then Physiotherapists, Exercise therapists, Nutritionist, Podiatrist, Kinesiologist & me! It's been a very challenging environment, with many coming to me with specific injuries, rehabilitation or musculo-skeletal problems they were never aware NMT or massage could help with.
It's also been quite a learning curve, and having the other professionals around to ask questions or advice is extremely positive for me. The patient wins too with seeing a number of different therapists to speed their recovery.
I wear a clinical uniform to have a more professional appearance, as massage is usually associated with the Spa industry, which in Dubai is a massive market. But soon many who come to me realise I'm quite different to a 'spa full body massage' and find it refreshing I think. Of course it doesn't mean I'm not open to a relaxation type therapy, as the current financial times is bringing, however many who come to the clinic have more specific complaints.
Another graduate Naomi Cassrels has recently arrived, it's fantastic having her here in Dubai with me, just that one extra fellow therapist makes a world of difference when you feel like you're on your own. We try and get together regularly to discuss client cases or try out anything new that we've learned.
Not sure how long I'll be here but I'll make the most of it while I can.
Stewart Wild
I studied sports massage with the famous Sue Gillespie (NZCM Director) in 1996 at a time when you could study here and there and sit and pass the NZATMP exam when you felt it was right (1996)! I then studied the St John version of NMT as taught first by Leon Botello and then by St John certified instructor John Barerra, 1997-8 at NZCM. I was the first NMT graduate at NZCM (and therefore in NZ!) in 1999 and co-taught the introductory NMT at NZCM from 1998 to 2002.
Leaving the College in 2002 I taught NMT and other stuff full-time at SIT in 2003 and very quickly realised I wasn't cut out for formalised academia. Not long after I made the decision to move to the US in late 2003 to study with and teach for Judith DeLany of NMT American version fame.
From 2004-6, I was based in Florida and taught NMT around the US and brought flexibity courses to NZ. As of 2007 I live in Massachusetts and although I still teach nationally for Judi (DeLany) I am developing my own interpretation along with a very smart gal named Katie Adams at 360NMT, Boston (www.360nmt.com). We aim to take over the North East!!
I am presenting 'The posture/pain relationship of TMD" at the New England Regional Conference of the AMTA in late March 2008 (amta-nerc.org) - my first exposure in the NE, and am sponsoring and teaching NMT in Boston 2008.
I may be bringing the full NMT American version to New Zealand in June and November of 2008.
I also work with the Elsevier publishing company critiquing book proposals, writing reviews for new book editions, proofing chapters, and contributing to the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
Wendy Hilton
My direct association with the college started in 2000, on the Dip. Body Therapies course. The program enthralled me as it gave me the opportunity to stimulate my grey matter as an adult student. I found out how exciting learning could be if it was presented in a way which appeals to everyones' individual and unique learning styles. I feel the college does this extremely well. I went on to complete the Certificate in NMT and Dip. Clinical Sports Therapies. During which time I started developing a busy clinic.
In my clinic I worked with a variety of athletes funded from the NZ Sports Academy gaining experience with sports from Badminton to Shotput. I also joined the college as a tutor in the sports field and assisted the diploma courses.
In 2004 I was selected to be apart of the NZ Paralympic Medical team to Athens. Without a doubt I can say that it was the most rewarding period of my personal and professional life. It was incredibly humbling to witness the achievements of these athletes who strive for the same level of competitiveness as able-bodied counterparts, yet with often more difficult challenges. To be on the bench when the Wheelblacks won gold, to see Tim Prendergast our partially-sighted middle-distance runner win the final after having severely blistered his feet, to welcome back to the village Pete Martin our field star and Mike Johnson our shooting star crowned with wreaths and donning gold medallions was remarkable. To see the entire team preform the Haka at the gates to the stadium before 60,000 was breathtaking.
From Athens I went on to live and work in London. Currently I am working with the Great Britain Olympic and Podium level athletes as well as for a private sports medicine clinic as their Lead Massage Therapist. Here we are undergoing studies on massage and various techniques in attempt to eradicate some of the subjectivity of what we do. The centre where I am based concentrates on rapid injury rehabilitation which challenges me daily.
To date my massage career has taken me on some terrific adventures, such as overseas courses with leading authorities, met & worked with some talented people throughout the world. Goes to show you massage is not always limited to a clinic room.
In London I truly believe within the medical world, massage has a lot of untapped potential and from my experience I believe that if you want to be swept up in the success that the future will bring, now is the time to get involved.
Matthew Stewart
“I started at the college in 1996. I had previously completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Otago but my real interest at high school was science and sport. I competed in just about every sport that my high school fielded a team in!
After a stint in the workforce and a back injury I sustained while snowboarding, I reassessed the direction I wanted to go. Interests in sports combined with science and human biology and a desire to be in an environment that was active, away from a desk all pointed to therapeutic massage, and sports therapy.
The college was in Panmure back then and it had a great atmosphere and I have fond memories of the course, classmates and teachers. There must have been something special about that year because many of my classmates are still in the massage community in roles from owning multi-disciplinary clinics, working on Olympic, Commonwealth and World Championship level athletes to teaching around the world.
Soon after I completed diplomas in therapeutic massage and body therapies specialising in sports, I started work in Auckland at two aquatic and gym complexes. It wasn’t long before the travel bug hit again (I went to school in Africa and Hong Kong) and I spent 4 years overseas in India, Japan and the UK. In the UK, I found that the training from NZCM stood me in good stead and I worked in a multi-disciplinary clinic in London. After many conversations with a colleague at the clinic and subsequently investigating colleges in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, I decided to return home and study osteopathy at Unitec in Auckland.
Through my studies, I worked at the college part-time assisting on the weekend courses. Then last year I was offered a chance to teach first year musculoskeletal anatomy and later, take on the role of coordinating all the musculoskeletal courses and deliver some of the research methodology papers. It has been a great opportunity, especially as it wasn’t so long ago that I was on the other side of the classroom as a student!
In October 2007, I had the chance to represent the College at the 1st International Fascia Research Congress held at Harvard Medical School in Boston. There was a great buzz at this conference and it was huge! Not only that, the conference combined my interests of anatomy, fascia and research. It was also great to meet up with my old NZCM classmates Mark Finch, now practicing in Vancouver, BC; and Stu Wild, now in Boston. I think that proves that massage in New Zealand is at the forefront worldwide and has many possibilities.”
Moana Turner
I have a Diploma in Therapeutic Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT). I work from home and at J Marr Physiotherapy in Drury.
Since graduating from NZCM I have worked with elite rugby teams such as the Auckland NPC team and the Auckland Blues Super 14 team (for the last 5 years).
I have, more recently been involved with the All Blacks Rugby team, the England Rugby team and the Melbourne Storm. The opportunity of working with these teams has been invaluable.
I continue to further my scope of practice with Ortho-Bionomy and I am currently studying Acupuncture.
Annie Turner
On moving to New Zealand in 2000 I chose to study at NZCM because of both its professional reputation and warm atmosphere. I studied the Diploma in Body Therapies and Clinical Sports Therapy. The course was far more comprehensive and provided more hours of study than the courses offered in England. The teaching was excellent, much of which was inspiring in its approach. The time dedicated to and facilities available for practice are excellent. I have not experienced a course with such a high level of support or encouraging atmosphere before or since studying at NZCM.
Thanks to the course at NZCM I graduated with confidence knowing that I had the knowledge and hands-on skills to be a safe and effective practitioner. On my return to England I was able to set up in private practice and to begin working as a Massage Therapist for the Women’s Tennis Association. This was an amazing opportunity to travel to European tennis tournaments including the Wimbledon Championships and work with elite athletes in the number 1 women’s sport. I also had the privilege of working with experienced sports science colleagues. It is through working on the tour for five years that I developed an interest in physiotherapy. I decided to combine my hands-on massage skills with physiotherapy. I was able to prove prior learning of anatomy, physiology and pathology through the university-level modules I completed at NZCM. I have now completed a MSc Physiotherapy. I carried out my dissertation in physiotherapist’s use and attitudes towards massage.
I now practice massage therapy privately part-time and have begun my career in physiotherapy within primary care. Whilst I am enjoying being a physiotherapist, I will always practice massage and were it not for the excellent training from NZCM I would not have achieved all I have.
Deana Hudson
I graduated from the NZ College of Massage with a Diploma of Body Therapies specializing in sports massage in 2003. I completed the NMT post grad course immediately after that and then left for the UK, where I currently reside.
My qualification was easily accepted in the UK which made moving here much simpler as I was not required to sit any UK massage exams or tests in order for me to practice here.
The clinic work I do is mostly with every day people with the usual problems of tightness who come in for maintenance work. Rarely will anyone change their lifestyle but many will change the way in which they work, their work station, simple exercises and stretches that help to break the monotonous pattern of sitting at a desk all the time. I provide them with the information about what they can change and how they can help themselves toward a more pain free life.
I also work with some amateur athletes, one of whom is training for the iron man competition, and I get to work with the middle to older age people who are willing to try different things to help manage and decrease their time with pain. These are the ones who get good results because they are compliant with exercises, stretches and new ways of doing activities or everyday chores. It makes the job so much better when your clients are compliant and grateful for what you do to them because you are making a huge difference to their lives.
I have one client at the moment who is recovering from colon rectal cancer and she is such an amazing lady. She takes one day at a time treating each one as a blessing. She has given me an insight into a life threatening disease and lessons on how to live life in a more positive way. She does not realize how big an impact she has made on me. She often thanks me and says she doesn’t know what she would do without the treatment I give her. This is the rewarding aspect of the work we do - knowing that you really can make a difference. Fortunately most of my clients are grateful but it’s the ones where you can see the change that mean the most.
My education at the NZCM has been of the highest, most in depth quality I have come across. I have not seen a course as comprehensive in England yet. My excellent education led to me great contacts and opened the door into the world of professional tennis with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. In this job I work with world class physiotherapists treating the best, and the yet to be, female tennis players in the world. We also work with Doctors from around the world, some of them are top in their field of medicine.
There is also another area that has opened up and this is one which I find hardest. We deal with a lot of young girls who have grown up on the Tour and sometimes have no idea what we call “real life” is all about. They also have to deal with a lot of external factors that “normal people” don’t face, like coaches, finances, legal issues, parents 24/7, media and a lot of stress to name but a few. Some of this comes out on the table and you have to know how to guide them along the right path to help them make the right choices for themselves. The Tour has a dedicated Athlete Assistance programme and it is a part of our role as therapists on the Tour to undergo the Tours training in order for us to have the skills to best deal with the many issues presented. The learning potential in this job is huge and part of the attraction to it. You learn from the best - it’s magic.