Body Wisdom Massage School’s Blog

BWS: “Jill, you have such an interesting background! Can you tell us about your journey from nursing to massage therapy? What inspired you to make that change?”
Jill: I first felt a calling or nudge to do massage therapy in high school. After high school, I went to UNI on a violin scholarship but then changed to Biology. I worked for a holistic DO and then decided to attend Nursing School at Grandview College. After 5 years of being a nurse in the traditional hospital setting, I went to work as a hospice nurse. During that job, the calling was much more vital to attending massage therapy school, and that’s when I enrolled at Body Wisdom. I loved my career in nursing, but I reached a point of burnout in my nursing role and needed a change. I was scared to leave a steady corporate job, but taking on a new challenge was scary and exciting. I was inspired to find a more rewarding career. I decided to take the leap and dive into being self-employed as a massage therapist full-time one year ago. 

BWS: “What aspects of nursing do you think prepared you well for a career in massage therapy?” “How did your perspective on healing shift as you transitioned from nursing to massage therapy?” “Are there skills or approaches from nursing that you bring to your massage practice?”

Jill: I believe nursing prepared me well for a career in massage therapy in several ways. At the physical level, I could apply anatomy/physiology and witness how patients went from being weak and ill to gaining strength during their healing process. Being a nurse made me stronger mentally and emotionally. Since I cared for people at their worst, it taught me how to have boundaries and inner strength to not take patients’ negative behaviors personally since they were ill. After doing sick care, I was guided and moved into preventative wellness care by being a Nurse Coach. In this role, I was able to help patients deal with and manage chronic conditions by interviewing and practicing deep listening. I learned and practiced the Motivational Interviewing approach to the change process. This encompasses the psychological and emotional aspect of nursing. This prepared me for working with clients receiving massage therapy. As a massage therapist, I witness the clients’ greater level of ‘wellness readiness’, and I enjoy meeting them. I like to interview massage clients, similar to when I was a nurse. Clients who decide to receive massage therapy invest in their health. I get fired up when people take action to actually be healthy! It’s a privilege to be alongside them to facilitate healing and feeling better in the fantastic therapy of bodywork.

BWS: “What do you enjoy most about your role here at Body Wisdom Massage School?”
Jill: I love the atmosphere of a learning environment because it inspires me to have many future therapists around and get to know them personally while they explore how they want to shape their massage careers. A unique energy or presence of healing and healers is inspiring. I have always been and will be a lifelong learner, so I feel at home in my role at Body Wisdom Massage School.

BWS: “How do you see your nursing background influencing your work with students at Body Wisdom?”
Jill: My nursing background contributes to Body Wisdom. I use my coaching experience and medical knowledge to answer questions and support students. In the clinic setting, I also like to use motivational interviewing and open-ended questions to engage students after their shifts and support them as best I can.

BWS: “How do you support students as they grow in their practice?”
Jill: I think I am a natural encourager; this is a supportive way I can help the students grow in their clinical practice. I believe talking through the client’s feedback with them and listening to their perspective helps support them, gain confidence, and grow as a therapist. Since transitioning from a very part-time LMT to a full-time LMT and entrepreneur last December, I have significantly grown this past year. I think sharing my experiences and vulnerability may help students open up to sharing experiences and challenges with which I can try to support them.

BWS: “If there’s one thing you hope every student takes away from Body Wisdom, what would it be?”
Jill: To have the courage to listen and follow their intuition and dreams!

BWS: “Can you tell us a bit about your massage practice? What work do you enjoy most, and what areas do you specialize in?”

Jill: I specialize and enjoy combining therapeutic massage with deep tissue and myofascial for most massage sessions. My practice also includes an energy component with sound instruments and the Biomat. Additional modalities I can offer include sports techniques, Thai stretching, bamboo, Himalayan stones, cupping, and barefoot bars. Often, I will mix and match these modalities into the session as well. In addition to bodywork, I offer other holistic services in my practice that focus on restoring mental and emotional wellness, such as wellness coaching and Emotion Code. I am an Emotion Code Practitioner, Registered Nurse, and Wellness Coach. With this training, my clients can have a good balance of therapies. 

 BWS: “What do you feel sets your approach to massage apart, and how do you think your clients benefit from that unique approach?”
Jill: My approach to massage sets me apart from others for a few reasons. I am unique because of the combination of skills I bring to the client, including my background in nursing, music, and athletics. I can blend my varied skills, talents, and credentials to offer individuals a unique and beneficial experience to achieve holistic healing. 

BWS: “Looking ahead, what are some of your goals for your massage practice?”
Jill: A goal I am excited about for my massage practice is to add more frequency, vibration, and sound modalities. I plan to offer group and individual sound healing/acoustic sessions. I have started slowly incorporating bowls, tuning forks, bells, chimes, drumming, etc. into my massage sessions.  With my violin ability, I can also add this as a healing modality to clients in a corporate/group atmosphere or individually.  Another option I can add frequency healing is with a microcurrent frequency device called, Healy. This is an FDA-approved medical device that treats pain and other conditions non-invasively. I also love retreats and want to bring my massage therapy practice and sound healing services to individuals and/or groups in a retreat setting or healing space.

BWS: “Is there an area of massage or wellness you’re excited to explore or incorporate into your work in the future?”
Jill: Albert Einstein said, “Future Medicine will be the Medicine of Frequencies.” And Nikola Tesla said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” With my business name, Divine Harmony, a colorful frequency wave and music symbols in my logo represent my passion for sound and frequency healing. I’m excited to incorporate more sound and acoustic modalities into my practice. Recently, I took the Sound Healing course at Body Wisdom. I have a passion and background in music and violin playing, so mixing sound/music with massage seems natural. Most people know how music/sounds have healing effects, and I would love to offer my violin talents to individuals in a creative capacity. I plan to purchase a bioacoustic mat for my massage table, which could combine massage with vibrational therapies. In addition to sound healing and massage, I also feel I could offer wellness coaching services to my massage clients to benefit their wellness and assist them in designing their picture of holistic health. Another service I provide for clients is Emotion Code. This energy-healing technique identifies and releases trapped emotions to live a calmer and happier life. This technique was developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, and I am certified to practice the Emotion Code. I am passionate about emotional healing as many people have a lot of trapped emotional energies in their bodies that prevent them from whole health. 

BWS: “What kind of impact do you hope your practice will have on your clients and community over the coming years?”
Jill: I want people to value bodywork, coaching, and alternative healing modalities in their wellness routines by prioritizing it in their schedule. Since preventative medicine is critical, I believe having a quality Massage Therapist who is also a Violinist, Sound Healing Practitioner, Emotion Code Practitioner, Health Coach, and Registered Nurse could really impact and improve their wellness over time by working with me. I have much to offer someone looking to enhance their wellness over the long term.

BWS: “We hear you’re an avid cyclist! What do you love most about getting out on your bike?” “How does cycling help you recharge and stay balanced in your wellness journey?”
Jill: I love cycling because it is an excellent self-care tool that checks several boxes. Not only is it an excellent means of fitness, but it’s an act of meditation and being in nature. Lastly, it satisfies social interaction and being in a community. It also provides a way to be adventurous since I have used cycling to experience traveling and seeing different areas of the country. I also find it very therapeutic to experience the feeling of being accessible on a bicycle. Since I love mountain biking or single track, this is also a way to experience Forest Therapy.

BWS: “Do you have a favorite trail or destination? Or maybe a memorable ride?”
Jill: This year, I explored a new kind of cycling called bike packing. In this method, you carry all your gear on your bike and travel to your camping destinations. I went on bike-packing trips with my women’s bike group this summer on the Wabash Trace trail in southern Iowa.

Body Wisdom School: Thank you so much, Jill, for sharing your inspiring journey through the many twists and turns that led you to where you are now.

Jill Vickers Divine Harmony Massage