Meet Paris Peters, a recent graduate of the Massage Therapy program at Bryan College. Paris’ natural passion for wellness and health led her to massage therapy, and she hopes to use what she learned at Bryan College to empower others to understand their bodies better.
Before finding Bryan College, Paris explored other avenues in higher education but found that they didn’t quite fit. She started to pursue massage therapy after it was suggested by a friend. “I was working all these dead-end jobs, and I knew it wasn't working for me because I wanted something more, and the jobs I was applying for, I was overqualified and not getting them, so it felt like the right time, right place.”
Paris turned to Google to learn the requirements for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) in Ontario. She started searching for schools and found Bryan College, and just two days later, she was touring the campus. The following week, she signed up for the program.
“It was very quick,” she said. “It was the best choice I could have ever made.”
She ultimately chose Bryan College because of its calm and holistic atmosphere. “You can tell the people in charge are into wellness too. It's a lifestyle thing; it's not just something they're doing for a paycheck or to make a living. It's something that they eat, breathe, and believe in, and I think that's very powerful.”
Now, a month after graduating, Paris is waiting for her exam results and looking ahead to the future. She said becoming an RMT is a lifelong investment in herself. “I strongly believe that a part of my purpose is to help people connect their mind with their body.”
In the future, Paris aspires to combine her love of yoga and massage therapy into one business — a holistic wellness center where clients can receive both yoga classes and massage therapy sessions. “I believe that empowering people through their body and helping them understand why they're feeling what they're feeling is a huge revolution.”
Paris believes that everyone should have the insight to better understand their bodies, and she sees her training in massage therapy as a tool she can use to share that knowledge. “People being able to have the knowledge of what's going on inside them as they're feeling it is a very powerful thing.”
Her advice to anyone considering the program is to stay grounded in your passion, find a study method that works for you, and be prepared to adapt. "When you start, the ball is already rolling, and you have to figure out your pace and how to adjust to that,” she said. "Had a quiz last week and didn't do so well? Shake it off. Let's take from that and focus on our midterm next week.”
In addition to her passion for the subject, the community atmosphere at Bryan College helped Paris stay motivated. "There definitely is a strength in the community at Bryan College. From my peers to the instructors. The fact that they work in the field and they're RMTs first makes a huge difference,” she said. "They've been in our shoes. They’ve lived it, currently do live it day-to-day, and they're still practicing as massage therapists as they teach."
Paris said the staff at Bryan College are incredible, and she felt connected to her instructors. “I felt like an equal with my instructors even though they've been RMTs for decades upon decades. It felt open to be vulnerable and to express if I was uncertain about something, and knowing that it would be received wholeheartedly.”
Paris said she felt that she was supported at Bryan College from her first meeting with an admissions advisor. “It's definitely something, and somewhere I would recommend to people, and I have recommended it to people. There's a higher standard and a higher bar at Bryan,” she said. “It definitely challenges people to rise to that true potential.”
Out of everything she learned, Paris especially enjoyed the Kinesiology and Remedial Exercise course and the student clinic experience. "I think it's really great the school provides an opportunity for us to provide massages to the public on campus. I think it does a great job of helping us connect with other demographics and not just getting comfortable working on your classmates but also someone in their 80s, someone who's suffered a stroke, or someone who has cerebral palsy. There are just so many different avenues that Bryan College touches upon, and it's really beneficial."
Overall, Paris said her experience with the massage therapy program at Bryan College was great and very fulfilling. “Bryan College does a really great job with finding the right instructors that adult students can learn from. Yes, we're students, but we're all adults — we all have the same bills, we all pay rent, we all have the same responsibilities outside of these four walls, and I think the school does a great job finding people you can relate to and confide in. It's a great safe space.”
Massage therapy is a growing industry and allows you to help others improve their physical and mental well-being while being able to work in a variety of settings like medical spas, health and wellness resorts, rehabilitation centers, and more.
Learn more about Bryan College’s Massage Therapy Diploma program today!
Registration:
Registered as a career college under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.
Member of OCPMTC
