Melana Zullo is a recent graduate of the Bryan College Massage Therapy diploma program. Melana became interested in a career in massage therapy after working with children in an emotionally and physically draining position. She became burnt out and knew she needed a change; she left her job and started working at a day spa for a change of pace. There, she started speaking to massage therapists and became very interested in a massage therapy career. "I really admired the relaxing aspects of the position and being able to change someone's whole day by just having an hour to themselves to unwind and relax."
Since Melana had yet to gain prior experience with biology or anatomy, she was a bit worried about her ability to obtain a spot in a massage therapy program. While researching different programs, she learned that she would have to take a year or more of prerequisite coursework for many of them. Then she found Bryan College and discovered there were no prerequisite science requirements. Melana arranged to go to Bryan College for a campus tour, "When I toured Bryan College, I had the opportunity to speak to a few students and instructors, and I just really liked the small atmosphere and environment that Bryan had to offer."
Once Melana started her school program, she admitted feeling a bit overwhelmed at first, but she is very grateful to all of the people around her at Bryan College who were supportive and helpful. "It was definitely a challenge in the beginning starting a new program, but everyone at Bryan College was so supportive, and if I needed any help - people were there to help me."
Melana found her program to be excellent and felt that while it was fast-paced, the curriculum was very in-depth. Melana recently took her certification exams and was pleased to feel prepared for both exams. "I feel very confident with the material I learned at Bryan College. Though the program was fast-paced, it never felt rushed."
Another significant aspect of the Bryan College program from Melana's point of view was the hands-on learning opportunities. Melana felt the student clinic was an excellent opportunity to have an authentic look at the day-to-day life of a massage therapist. Students would complete a 15-minute assessment of the client, then a 60-minute massage, and then finish by providing the client with at-home aftercare.
Another learning experience that Melana enjoyed was the outreach shifts; these were different opportunities to offer therapeutic massage in specific situations. "One of the outreach experiences I worked at was at the start of a seven-day bike rally from Toronto to Montreal. We provided muscle-stimulating massages to the riders to prepare them for their trek. These outreach experiences were a great learning opportunity that also gave us various experiences for our resume."
Melana had a great experience with her instructors and felt they were always very supportive and kind. She appreciated how patient they were and how they were always willing and available to answer questions. "Our courses were always very engaging and taught by massage therapists that would give real-life experiences and wouldn't just read from a manual."
For Melana, she felt her experience at Bryan College exceeded her expectations. "My favorite part of attending Bryan College was expanding my knowledge, meeting people, and making connections I would have never created." Melana felt that her program at Bryan College gave her the confidence to know she could do anything.
While Melana eagerly awaits her certification test results, she's already landed a job with a local spa and rented space to run her own business. "Bryan College is a close-knit community, and the classes are engaging, making the coursework easy to learn."
With hands-on training from Bryan College, you could find yourself working in an exclusive spa, a luxurious resort or even working independently. Request info online today or call us at 1-888-641-6300.
Registration:
Registered as a career college under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.
Member of OCPMTC
