Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Huff.
Hi Katie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I can’t say that my massage journey began in a typical way. From a young age, I had family that suffered from severe back pain and I was always the person being asked to massage them. I so enjoyed the process of helping people recover from pain and discomfort in their physical bodies. As I got older, I was passionate about counseling and providing therapy to people going through very difficult life circumstances. I went to school for education and counseling, and then started a master’s program in social work. But as is often the case, life takes twists and turns that are unexpected and dream-altering. My first daughter was born while I was in grad school and we learned soon after her birth that she had very severe medical challenges.
Due to needing to provide full-time care for her, I had to leave the graduate program and stay home to care for her. After a couple years and a move to Texas, I was able to receive services for her that included massage therapy. I was reminded yet again of the many benefits of a high quality massage! Over the course of the following 10 years, I had two more children and I had checked into massage therapy programs, but the timing was never ideal with my daughter’s care needs and the other two children. Fast forward another two years, I was away on a personal retreat and dealing with some very difficult life challenges and as I was praying, the phrase “massage therapy” popped into my head. Honestly, massage therapy hadn’t been on my mind for at least a couple years. I returned to my prayer and meditation and again, “massage therapy” popped into my mind.
Getting frustrated, I yelled at God and said, “Stop changing the subject! I’m complaining about my life right now!” But still, “massage therapy” wouldn’t leave my mind so I finally yelled to the Heavens, “Fine! I’ll check into it first thing tomorrow! Now can we get back to the matter at hand?” (This makes me laugh every time I remember it) Sure enough, as I checked into massage therapy programs, I found a great one in my area that had a program that would fit with my schedule and within 1 month, I was started a full-time massage therapy program at Laurel School of Massage in Spring, TX. It was a phenomenal program and for the first time in many years, I felt that I was finally pursuing a path of healing for myself and others. As the program was ending, my marriage was falling apart and I finally understood the urgency put into my heart to pursue massage therapy. I knew I would need to work in a manner that fit my unique situation now being a single mom and having frequent medical emergencies with my daughter, so I decided to start my own business.
What began with home visits quickly became much busier than what I could handle by traveling from appointment to appointment. At the same time, an opportunity became available to partner with a local crossfit gym, called Redefined Fitness. My partnership with them began in December 2016 and has been going strong ever since. The name of my business, “Fit Massage” came from my love of fitness and all things sport, and my focus on helping athletes of all levels have balance, healthy recovery, and understand their bodies. I have had the privilege of working with people of all ages, including children, and have worked with amateur and pro athletes, as well as the average person who has aches and pains of all kinds. Because of the massage care needed by my daughter, I also have the opportunity to work with children and adults with special needs and am able to travel to their homes to provide massage services. My work fulfills my passion and love for helping people physically, and often emotionally and mentally as their bodies come to a better place of balance and health.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I think I addressed a number of obstacles/challenges has definitely been (and continues to be) a challenge to find balance between owning my own business and continuing to take care of my children and home. I’m so grateful that people enjoy and find healing through my work and refer me to others, but the need is greater than I, as one person, can meet. Trying to figure out how to grow and expand my business to meet the many needs that are out there has been a challenge. A divorce in the middle of it all brought its own unique challenges as well.
As you know, we’re big fans of Fit Massage. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Fit Massage caters especially to those with active lifestyles. By incorporating many different modalities, including deep tissue, sports massage, stretching, range of motion, warm bamboo tools, cupping, thai massage, and other massage techniqes, we seek to bring relief to the client. In addition to the massage, I am committed to educating the client to help themselves in their daily lives and/or sport to provide longer lasting correction and change. What sets me apart is that I spend time to understand the needs of each individual client and customize the session to their needs at that time. Having had the opportunity to work with an NFL team as well showed me that no matter the level of the athlete, there is always need for education and self-awareness.
If one understands their own body and how it works, they can better adjust their actions and performance to correct common strains and pains. I am proud that despite no advertising, we stay very busy due to the amazing clients that have loved our services and continue to refer us to others. About a year ago, I hired another therapist to work at my studio that specializes in Thai massage. Her own experience in deep tissue massage has brought another level of depth to the work we can provide to our clients. My dream would be to multiply my business by training other therapists to provide more in depth therapy to clients.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
After having been a full time mom who had to start working full time to provide for my family, I am so grateful for the unexpected months that I had at home with my children ages 20, 16 and 13. That time reminded me how important my time with them is, and that upon going back to work, I needed to adjust my schedule to be able to spend more time with them. I have been able to do that for the last year, and my kids have noticed the difference and are thriving!
Contact Info:
- Email: fitmassage@yahoo.com
- Website: fitmassage.net
- Instagram: kthuff_fitmassage
- Facebook: FITMassage
