Interview with a Massage Therapy student: why the health-care field is important

Oct. 29, 2018

October celebrates the health-care fields of both massage therapy and occupational therapy. Ajax native Barry Leathen, 20, graduated from Georgian’s Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program in June and decided he wanted to further his postsecondary education in the health field by enrolling in the Massage Therapy program at the Barrie Campus. He’s currently in his first semester. We chatted with him about why the area of health care is something he’s passionate about.

What inspired you to come to Georgian? It was the student-friendly environment and staff, as well as the specific labs designated for specific programs. Living away from home is a major step for some students, therefore having the library and all its resources helped in my decision to come to Georgian.

What motivated you to take the Massage Therapy program? It’s the desire to see individuals progress in a positive way over a period of time. Health care has always been an area of study I find extremely interesting and rewarding on multiple levels: from the therapeutic level to communication. It can even be as simple as making a client leave with a smile. Client health and wellness is the number one priority for health care providers and I value it greatly.

You’re also a recent grad of the Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) and Physiotherapist Assistant (PTA) program. How do you think the two programs complement each other toward your future career? Graduating from the OTA and PTA program will help greatly in my future. Both it and Massage Therapy are healthcare-related programs that offer different opportunities for students and grads. An opportunity the OTA and PTA program offers is being put into different environments from long-term care facilities, to outpatient clinics, to hospitals. Being exposed to different environments can help save time in the long run by helping you figure out your preference before even applying for jobs. The OTA and PTA program also gave me the opportunity to learn various therapeutic techniques such as ultrasound and laser that I can implement in my own practice in the future.

You work part-time in the Athletic Centre at the Barrie Campus. How important is fitness to staying healthy? Fitness and staying healthy is an essential part of life in my opinion, especially with all the stressors that come with being a student. Fitness is a way to escape the classroom and textbooks and just let yourself go for a few hours each day. My mindset is that you only have one body, so do whatever is possible to keep your body healthy, which can help you live your best life.

And how important is massage for athletes? I played competitive hockey for 15 years growing up and have received various injuries over the years. Going to massage benefitted my game, helped the injury recovery process and improved my flexibility – all things that can prevent further injuries down the road. Recovery is essential for athletes to stay at their peak performance level and massage is something that can better recovery and prevent other complications athletes may experience.

How would you describe your experiences at Georgian so far? My experiences have been both positive and negative. The student life brings with it stress, anxiety and many emotions. Learning to manage these emotions is extremely important for students to be successful in their studies as well as their lives outside of the classroom. Students have access to free, confidential professional counsellors on campus and I would encourage anyone who is experiencing stress to take advantage of that service. I’m also looking forward to meeting new people as the school year progresses as well as gaining more in-depth knowledge of my program curriculum.

What are your faculty like? The faculty in the Massage Therapy program are extremely helpful to students and want all of us to succeed. Their mindset is not that they’re smarter than us students, it’s that they know more about the subject of massage than we do and they’re passing down their knowledge. This mindset results in a strong connection between students and faculty. You have different faculty for labs as you do for lectures but they all share one common interest – which is student success.

Why do you think massage therapy is beneficial? It’s beneficial because your body is made up of muscles and tissues which can cause problems and issues if they aren’t treated properly. Massage can help manage pain, maintain joint health as well as rehabilitate physical functioning levels. By getting a massage on a regular basis, you will better your health as well as improve the functioning abilities of your body.

Any surprises about the program so far? Just how in-depth the anatomy gets. Knowing muscle origins, insertions, innervations as well as their actions is essential to this program. It’s difficult but it’s achievable with hard work and determination.

What would you like to do following graduation? My plan is to begin studying for the certificate examinations, which when completed, will grant me the status of Registered Massage Therapist. After that my goal is to work either in an outpatient clinic or directly with a sports team. Preferably a hockey team but I’m open to other settings.

Any memorable Georgian moments? My most memorable Georgian moment is walking across the graduation stage and getting my diploma for Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant. When you’re standing on the stage looking out into the crowd, you see all your fellow graduates from different programs as well as all the friends and family supporters in the crowd. It makes you feel like you’re a part of more than just a college, but a big family.

Anything else you want to say about your experiences as a Georgian student? College is a part of life that is both extremely fun and overwhelming. Making friends and learning how to manage everything, can, and will, result in your success and lifelong memories.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I actually wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and be a firefighter.

The Sadlon Centre for Health, Wellness and Sciences at Georgian’s Barrie Campus hosts a number of health care clinics that are open to the public – including massage therapy. Read more about them and find out how you can book an appointment.