Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Lloyd.
Hi Grace, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Way back, many centuries ago – just kidding, this isn’t Interview with a Vampire! Where to begin? Out of everything there is to know about my story, the most important is my foundation: The first 26 of my 34 years of life were focused on music and being a caregiver. From a young age, I was a budding musician; I was adopted, and I didn’t get it from my parents, so you can imagine how delighted they were when they saw me take to music like a fish to water. I played several instruments, was in a private choir, and eventually would go on to pursue Classical Vocal Performance in college. But among the music, there was healing, medicine, and being a caregiver for my parents. They were incredibly supportive and encouraging of my music, but my mom was a cancer patient until she passed away when I was 26. I lost my dad when I was 13, which is when I truly became a caregiver, as my mother was not yet in remission for the second time; his death was unexpected and understandably jarring, and it skyrocketed me into a deep understanding of the medical world at a very young age. Fast forward a good decade or so, and life found me studying music at a prestigious music conservatory in the Midwest. I had decided that I was going to pursue a master’s degree in Music Therapy once I had graduated with my bachelor’s degree; at the end of the day, I wanted to help people, and I felt like music was my gateway into that calling. I had a long college career, taking time off here and there to care for my mother; though she was in remission, cancer is a vicious beast that she battled greatly, and I was right there with her. The universe works in mysterious ways, though, and she passed away during finals week, the fall semester of my senior year of college. I did not return to finish my degree; I considered it, but there was a paradigm shift in where my life was heading, and I hadn’t quite comprehended the nature of it at that point. Music didn’t speak to me as it once had, and I felt pulled in a different direction. I drifted through several careers for a moment while trying to figure out what on earth I would do with my life! After all, I had been my mother’s caregiver for thirteen years and essentially a professional music student until then. I dabbled around first as a home healthcare aid, then as a life-skills teacher and aide to autistic adults, and finally into a position as an after-school music teacher. I had just enough education and child psychology credits to fulfill the requirements for the position. I continued with that path when I moved to Austin from Missouri, continuing with the incredible arts education program, Creative Action. Yet, something was nagging at me.
I wanted to do more. Make more of a difference. As a cancer patient’s caregiver, I learned lymphatic massage techniques from my mother’s doctors to help her with her lymphedema. As the quintessential choir kid, I knew basic back massage techniques from the LMTs that would come into my private ensembles to teach us how to stay loose before performances. So, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that there was a day when I was giving a friend a shoulder massage, and he suggested I go into massage therapy. My first instinct was to tell him to “shut up” jokingly before seriously considering it. A few weeks later, I enrolled at Lauterstein-Conway Massage School & Clinic, and that was the beginning of a career that is more of a passion than a job: Massage Therapy.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
From enrollment to licensing, there were definitely a few hiccups! I sprained my ankle during my second month of the program, and was asked to withdraw and return later when I had healed. I declined, and my booted ankle and I remained in my six-month program; it still ended up taking me a year to finish, regardless, because a few days after my classes ended, right before I had meant to start the central part of my internship, I was in a car accident where I sprained and strained my spinal muscles in three different regions. I needed to take time off to heal before working in the clinic, which forced me into a period of introspection; it was unclear whether or not my injuries would prevent me from continuing with massage therapy, and it was the most terrified I had been since those first months after losing my father. This may sound warped or peculiar, but retrospectively speaking, I am grateful for the situation I was in – due to the injuries; I became a better massage therapist than I would have been otherwise, becoming more acutely aware of my body throughout my healing journey, which I brought to the internship when I returned to the Lauterstein-Conway Clinic. I soaked up all of the new information I could get, and even began reading anatomy books for fun! Everything had finally clicked for me – this journey had become more than just a career; this was my passion. If I had stayed with music, I would have done well as a Music Therapist. Still, I had found my calling and knew, without a doubt, that I was going to pursue clinical massage therapy. I opted to start with a chiropractor once I had my license in hand, then moved to a sports massage company where I came into my own, and eventually migrated to a shared space with physical therapists, where I am now.
As you know, we’re big fans of Swear by Grace Massage Therapy. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
I specialize in clinical massage therapy, encompassing Sports, Deep Tissue, Orthopedic, and Therapeutic massage modalities. I focus on finding the chronic pains from injury, illness, poor habits (i.e., posture), and daily life. My passion lies in giving long-term results through targeted sessions, compassionate and educational communication, and a helpful elbow! I have primarily focused my efforts on athletes, working at events such as the Statesman Cap10K, the Austin Marathon, and consistent one-on-one sessions with semi-professional, professional, and hobbyist athletes from various fields. My primary clientele is comprised of weight lifters, runners, and cyclists, with a wide age range. I also cater to desk-bound professionals and mature adults (60 years old and up) looking for relief from joint pain and the effects of time. Lastly, besides my South Congress location, I am also a mobile massage therapist, which means I can come to you! As I have clients all over Austin, I am excited to announce that I am currently working on securing a North Austin location to service my north and surrounding area clients. Lastly, you can find me working the Almost Everything! Pop-Up Market throughout this year. My booking information can be found at www.vagaro.com/swearbygrace/services or through my Instagram, @SwearByGrace.LMT, the latter of which also contains the information about events that I am working at, my referral program, and any promotions I might be offering.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some changes you expect to see over the next five to ten years?
I think I’m quite lucky to be in one of the few careers that can never be automated; a robotic arm will never be able to mimic healing and compassionate human touch effectively. The main shift I’m seeing – and one that I’m particularly excited about – is that massage therapy is climbing the rungs of the medical field ladder. We aren’t bodyworkers who only do relaxation therapies; we are medical professionals, which isn’t common knowledge yet. Whether you’re receiving massage in a massage chair, at a spa, or seeing a private practice LMT like myself, you are seeing a medical professional specializing in the manipulation of the muscle tissues of the human body. Being recognized and employed in hospitals such as Baylor Scott & White and Austin Regional Clinic is an incredible leap forward for this therapeutic field. I await the day when this career path is commonly known, not as a luxury, but as a necessary healthcare field.
Pricing:
- $135 for 60 minutes
- $175 for 90 minutes
- $215 for 120 minutes
- $50 house call fee
- Event Massage Options Available
Contact Info:
SwearByGrace@gmail.com
(512) 256-4494
- Website: www.vagaro.com/swearbygrace/services
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swearbygrace.lmt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwearByGrace
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swear-by-grace-lmt-099213270
Image Credits
Jessica Alexander
https://jealexphoto.com
