[Njabs-talk] My article that is in the Sounding Board!

[Christina Mitchell]

Yay for Rania!  Keep up the work girl!  I'm so happy for you!

On 4/29/11, Rania Ismail <raniaismail04 at gmail.com> wrote:
> MY MASSAGE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
> By Rania Ismail
>
> Editor’s Note: Rania, a former LEAD student, learned her lessons well.
> Her determination and hard work have given her the opportunity to
> complete what she started. Rania is an active member of the At-Large
> Chapter of the affiliate. Keep up the great work, Rania!
>
> Since I was 14 years old, I wanted to become a massage therapist. I
> had sustained a neck injury that had left me in chronic pain, and at
> the time, massage therapy was the only thing that gave me any relief.
> It was from then on that I knew I wanted to become a massage
> therapist.  I could give others who lived with chronic pain the same
> kind of relief I was receiving myself.
>
> After attending an 8-month program at Blind Industries and Services of
> Maryland, I did some research on massage schools.  I found out that my
> local community college offered a massage therapy program. I decided
> to try it.
>
> While I was researching whether the Commission for the Blind would
> assist me with funds, I faced a lot of discouragement.  Some people
> didn’t believe that I could become a massage therapist, either due to
> my blindness or my learning disability.  Some of them even tried to
> convince me to change my career choice, but I wouldn’t budge.  I knew
> that becoming a massage therapist was something that I truly wanted.
>
> Although the massage therapy program at the community college didn’t
> work out the way I hoped, I still learned a lot, and my journey didn’t
> stop. Some people continued trying to convince me not to go back to
> school and work toward my goal.  Some people wanted me to gain work
> experience, instead of encouraging me to go back to school to finish
> what I had worked so hard to achieve.  I pushed on despite the
> negativity, and didn’t let what they thought hinder my success.
>
> I continued looking for massage schools and at last found the
> Institute for Therapeutic Massage.  I called the school and spoke to
> an admissions counselor. I explained my experience at the community
> college, and I told the counselor that I wanted to achieve my goal of
> becoming a massage therapist.  When I toured the campus, I could tell
> that everyone at the school - from the counselors in admissions, to
> the teachers I met - really wanted to help me complete this program!
> I could tell that everyone believed that I could make it and achieve
> my goal.
>
> The people who believed in me and encouraged me to keep going
> are my mother, Terri Lucas, a longtime friend, Nicki Newton, my aide
> from middle school until I graduated from high school, Joe Ruffalo,
> who was one of my mentors in both the blindness field and one of my
> mentors in the field of massage therapy, Mary Ellen Ricks, who is a
> massage therapist, Jane Marron, another massage therapist, Jason
> Rivera, also a massage therapist, Alan Reynolds , a yoga instructor,
> and many more.
>
> I started at ITM in September 2009 and graduated in July 2010 with my
> certificate in therapeutic massage! It took me three years to achieve
> my goal.  I will admit that it was a lot of hard work but it was worth
> it!  After graduating, I applied for my New Jersey state
> certification, and I am now a New Jersey state certified massage
> therapist!
>
> Yes the journey was long with many road blocks, but I did
> it!  I made it because of my willingness and my determination to
> learn.  My instructors were also willing to work with me until the
> very end of the program.  Now I am on call at a local salon.
>
> Joe taught me that when things don’t go the way you want them to but
> you have something that you really want, “it doesn’t matter how long
> you take to win the race, what matters is that you finish the race.”
> After thinking about that for a while, I came to realize that it was
> going to take me a little longer to achieve my goal but it was
> possible! That quote showed me that the only thing that matters in the
> end is that you finish what you started. Another quote that helped me
> keep going is this one from Christopher Reeve:
> For everyone who thought I couldn't do it
> For everyone who thought I shouldn't do it
> For everyone who said, “It's impossible”
> See you at the finish line!
>
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