Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Hardinger.
Hi Christina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I immigrated from Denmark in 2005, and after I divorced a couple of years later, I found myself with no job and no way to provide for my son and me. I was trained as a human massage therapist in Denmark, but I would have had to redo all my training before being able to work. When our Labrador got injured, I started working with her through bodywork, and she improved tremendously. That sparked a fire, and I began to look for schools to get certified. I ended up in Colorado at the Rocky Mountain School for Animal Acupressure and Massage, getting certified for large and small animals in acupressure and massage. Then I started building my business, which was a challenging road; I was a single mom to a 9-year-old, my family and network were 6000 miles away, and all I had was my savings. I could have moved us back to Denmark, but I didn’t want to teach my son that you fold when people leave. So I buckled down, slowly building relationships with local veterinarians. In Texas, animal massage and acupressure fall under general veterinary supervision, and we have forms the vet has to sign. Only a few veterinarians were on board with bodywork in 2007, and the first few years were tough. We qualified for food stamps, and it wasn’t every night we both had dinner, but I knew in my gut that I was supposed to do this and was meant to make a difference. Call it crazy, but sometimes you must follow your heart and stick with it. And I am happy I did. I have had my business for 17 years; this year, the last ten years, it has been my full-time job, and I have met many wonderful people and animals.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Building a business is always hard work. Starting in and building a field only a few knew about was anything but easy. Getting veterinarians to sign supervision forms has sometimes been an obstacle. Many veterinarians know little about the requirements. I have welcomed the conversations, though; it has given them and me a different understanding of each other’s field. In the beginning, I spent a lot of money on advertising. I was on the morning news several times, but exposure doesn’t mean you get clients. Instead, I have focused on building a solid reputation and take great pride in my work. I now get many clients through the veterinary field and by word of mouth. It has been a “solo mission,” navigating all of it. Covid was tough. When everything shut down, I was still in and out of people’s homes, seeing patients. I worked as long as the vet clinics were open. It involved a lot of hand sanitizing, masking up, wiping down my car multiple times a day, and sitting at a distance from people during sessions. When weather permitted, we would work outside. People always think it is a dream to be self-employed, but there is no safety net, and you do not qualify for unemployment during a pandemic. I was teaching canine massage workshops via Zoom, which presented me with different obstacles, like Amazon deliveries in the middle of class, but we made it work. I am grateful every day.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Skillful Paws?
I am a large and small animal massage and acupressure provider. I work with cats, dogs, horses, guinea pigs, and bunnies, and I have also seen a couple of goats over the years. Even a possum from one of the local wildlife rescues. I am always up for the challenge if the veterinarians ask me to see their patients. Many animals I see have mobility issues due to older age, arthritis, and pain. Bodywork is a great ailment in helping with circulation, tightness, and compensatory issues from joint problems. I see dogs with three legs, dogs in wheelchairs, and other disabilities as well. Emotional issues, such as separation anxiety and stress from having been in a shelter situation, can also be helped with bodywork. I have worked with quite a few abuse cases over the past 17 years, helping the animals feel safe in their bodies. That is always very humbling. Animals are very forgiving. I see animals that are navigating cancer and other illnesses. Massage and acupressure can be fantastic supplemental care to chemotherapy or radiation. Gentle bodywork can help with nausea, circulation, and lymph edema from cancer treatments. My services include hospice care during the last months of an animal’s life. Those sessions help the animals and the humans who are getting ready to navigate how to say goodbye to their best friend. End-of-life sessions can be challenging, but they are some of the most humbling experiences I have ever had. After saying goodbye to three of my own dogs, I decided that no one should face that alone. Sometimes, I am asked to come for a session before the vet comes out, which I will do for my clients anytime. I do Reiki and energy work, and I am also known for My Peaceful Paws, a calming essential oil blend for dogs. I am a certified aromatherapist, and that blend has been a loved product for the past two decades. I am very proud of that.
What changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I hope that bodywork for animals will be more accepted as a regular part of care. We all work in this industry because we love animals and want to help them. I would love to see Western and Eastern medicine blend better and all of us working together, providing what each of us does best. It should be about treatment plans that include all aspects of care. I wish Texas would come up with a licensing for animal practitioners, just like what we have for the human field; that way, people would know that the practitioner they work with has extensive training and knows their field. I will hopefully still be seeing patients 10 years from now, working with animals is where my heart is at.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.skillfulpaws.net
- Instagram: @skillfulpaws
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skillful.paws
Image Credits
Copyright Skillful Paws
