Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Llewellyn.
Hi Dana, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey into bodywork stemmed from deep curiosity and appreciation for human anatomy. I always found connecting with my body to be very grounding and empowering, so I followed this instinct into a career helping others do the same. I studied kinesiology for my undergraduate degree and immediately started working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer after graduation. I worked in the fitness industry for several years but found myself wanting to work more hands-on with the body and all of its intricate systems. I enrolled in a year-long massage school and yoga teacher training simultaneously and took a deep dive into all the different ways we can move and move each other. Learning massage absolutely lit my fire and I knew right away that this was the work I had been called to do. While still working as a fitness professional, I added yoga and massage therapy to my repertoire. Since then, I haven’t stopped learning and continue to practice while seeking out continuing education classes that I find interesting (such as manual lymphatic drainage, oncology massage and visceral manipulation). With the knowledge in my head, passion in my heart and experience under my belt, embarking in private practice was the next step that got me where I am today. In the spring of 2021, I opened my own business and called it Better Being Bodywork, where I specialize in post-surgical recovery and oncology massage.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
In some ways, the road has been smooth because I have always loved what I do and felt like I’m on the right path. When obstacles do arise, I don’t see them as roadblocks but as challenges to better myself and my practice. There has been very little question that this is the life that I want to be living. However, doing this work requires a lot of initiative, self-reflection and sacrifice along the way. My work life has never been stable in the way that a corporate 9-5 is. I’ve always worked sporadic hours, sometimes in abundance and sometimes in scarcity, coming into the gym for the 6 am a client or staying late for a 9 pm massage and almost always working the weekends. I’ve never had a job with health care benefits or a 401k. I’ve never had paid time off or the security of a salary. But I was aware of these challenges going into this career and prepared myself accordingly. When all is said and done, I show up to work excited and often get the feeling that anything is possible. To live a life of passion, love and independence is absolutely worth working through these challenges.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Better Being Bodywork?
Opening a private practice had been my goal from the very start of my career. I spent a few years working at clinics after massage school to hone my practice and to get a better understanding of the business side of things. During this time, I found that my favorite clients to work with were post-surgical. Working with these clients is fruitful and rewarding for all parties involved. It gives the client the opportunity to heal faster with less pain and less scar tissue and gives me the opportunity to employ my favorite modality (Manual Lymphatic Drainage), among others, as well as take a goal-oriented approach to specific areas. It’s awesome to work with people in the recovery process. I also enjoy working with people living with cancer. Cancer and its treatments take such a heavy toll, but massage can be a great way to help people relax and feel at home in their bodies again. I think that massage is a legitimate form of both preventative and palliative health care and working with post-surgical and oncology clients is a great way to integrate massage therapy into a care team.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Mentorship is invaluable and, without a doubt, has made me into the woman I am today. When I first met each of my mentors, I thought something along the lines of “wow, they’re really cool…I wanna know what they know!”. The best advice I can give for finding a mentor is to be open and honest about where you are and what you want to learn, as well as being open and honest about what you appreciate about them. Be familiar with someone’s body of work, perhaps scheduling a session with them, reading materials they wrote or attending a class or workshop, then schedule one-on-one time to ask questions and get to know each other better.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.betterbeingbodywork.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterbeingbodywork/
Image Credits
Lori Reece
