Today we’d like to introduce you to Robi Hamilton.
Robi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been a creative person who enjoys using my hands. Growing up, I started off working in retail and customer service jobs with various tasks like bagging groceries, selling clothes, and rolling burritos. Meanwhile I was dealing with my own personal and mental health issues that left me feeling drained and unfulfilled in life. It was manifesting in my body as all kinds of postural pain and muscle imbalances. I knew I needed a change and I wanted to do something that truly helped people. It dawned on me one weekend after dancing with friends–we would sometimes end the night in a massage train to ease the sore muscles we used all night because good music is too compelling to quit dancing. By pure suggestion, massage therapy became a career path I strongly considered and ended up truly loving. From my enrollment into school, I was inspired to heal my own body through holistic wellness and have become more effective and attuned at helping others heal their own issues.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have definitely been challenges! I recall just getting into school with financial assistance was the first biggest hurdle. I wasn’t old enough to apply for aid without my parent’s tax info and I didn’t qualify with it. It wasn’t until I moved to Austin at 24 that I was successfully approved and accepted. Then came the challenge of finding part-time work that would pay enough to cover my living expenses with a Monday-Friday 9-5 school schedule. I ended up working at a salon around the corner that was paramount in helping me along through school. Then navigating a completely new industry that offers multiple paths of income and determining the best path to take at the right time while having the discernment to know when something wasn’t right. That takes trial and error unless you have a good mentor to learn from.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a licensed massage therapist with a focus on treating musculoskeletal conditions, postural issues, and reducing chronic pain & tension with my specialty Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage applied from a neuromuscular and myofascial approach. My technique is well-revered and my clients tell me often that they missed my feet, haha!
I think my science-based anatomy knowledge combined with my intuitive and highly perceptive nature sets me apart. I lie somewhere on the spectrum between ADHD and ASD and it aids my ability to refine and and perfect my technique and strokes with repetition and recognize patterns from person to person. I think about the whole picture of what may be happening when a client presents an issue.
I think what I’m most proud of is starting something for myself that will positively impact people one-by-one, and they will go out in the world feeling better and that will have a reflexive effect on others. It’s a domino effect on the world by healing from the inside out.
How do you think about luck?
I think I’ve had a lot of luck in my life. My birthday being 7/7 might have something to do with it! I also think keeping a loose reign on the outcome of a situation helps to not be too disappointed and distraught when things don’t work out, and knowing everything comes at the appointed time. That’s a philosophy I’ve followed my whole adulthood. Recently, I’ve come to find that luck can resemble gratitude with time. Meaning, you can view something unfavorable as an obstacle or something unwanted out of your control, but given time, you can switch that mindset to being grateful for whatever comes of the obstacle or situation. And once you’re grateful, you can feel pretty lucky.
Pricing:
- $120/60 Minute
- $180/90 Minute
- $240/120 Minute
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.handandsolemassage.com
- Instagram: @handandsolemassage
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/handandsolemassage
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-avery-hamilton-a8a82a110/
