Today we’d like to introduce you to Gudjon Bergmann.
Hi Gudjon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before becoming a massage therapist, I had a decades-long career in yoga, meditation, and self-development, writing over thirty books. In the “wherever you go, there you are” spirit of Jon Kabat-Zinn, I brought all that experience with me into massage therapy. Fittingly, my San Marcos-based business is called Mindful Hands Massage. I specialize in deep tissue, medical, and wellness massage, with the overall mission of helping people reduce the side effects of modern living; everything from stress and tech-neck to back pain, fascial restrictions, and mobility issues. Looking back on my early days in Iceland, where I taught smoking cessation, stress management and yoga, to the last fifteen years in Texas, where I did much of the same, I see myself as a lifelong helper. In addition to running my own business, I volunteer with the American Massage Therapy Association, where I am a regional coordinator for the Austin area and a Texas board member.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business is never smooth or easy. However, I’ve been willing to put in the work, and it’s starting to show. The most difficult decisions I make daily involve how to spend my time, money, and energy to attract clients. Initially, I attended countless networking meetings and made several great connections, but that was not where most of my clients came from, so I had to recalibrate. Another obstacle was finding affordable office space. Thankfully, I found Dr. Nicole Laird of Hays County Physical Therapy and Wellness, who had a room to let, and we have struck a good working relationship.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mindful Hands Massage?
I founded Mindful Hands Massage in April 2024. As a solopreneur, the name refers to my hands and how I work mindfully. My mission, as stated earlier, is to help people reduce the side effects of modern life. I have chosen to specialize in three modalities: deep tissue massage because I have strong hands, medical massage because I have taken extra training and love to problem-solve, and wellness massage because everyone needs maintenance. I am proud of the brand because it stays true to who I’ve been for decades: a scientifically driven, avid learner with deep sensibilities who approaches everything mindfully.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Thankfully, massage therapy is on the rise. More and more people are waking up to the fact that massage therapists are better educated now than ever before and can help with various issues, from lymphatic drainage to relaxation, deep tissue release to fascial induction. While AI and robotics are already trying to take a slice of the market, I am confident that nothing will ever replace human touch.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mindfulhandsmassage.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulhandsmassage/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfulhandsmassagetx
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindful-hands-massage/
Image Credits
Gudjon Bergmann
